LAURENT LADOUCEUR CROWNED EDELWEISS SPEEDWAY CHAMPION
Laurent Ladouceur claimed the 2002 drivers championship by scoring another modified win Friday night at Edelweiss Speedway.
The Alexandria driver took over from Brian MacDonald on top of the eleven-car field at lap nine and he went on to score his third feature win this season. Veteran Dave Heaslip who registered his 100th career win last Sunday at Cornwall Motor Speedway was third while defending champion Pierre Dagenais and last week’s winner Lee Ladouceur completed the fast five. Laurent Ladouceur and Brian MacDonald were also the qualifying heats winners.
It has been a two-way race all season long between Ladouceur and Dagenais with the Alexandria resident holding on to a slight edge week after week. It was by the slim margin of 24 points that Ladouceur finally won the championship. Lee Ladouceur, Heaslip, MacDonald and Buckingham’s Marcel Baron in that order complete the top six in the standing.
In the late model pro stock category, Eric Gauvreau increased his lead in the standing by claiming his tenth win this season and his third in a row by finishing on top of his closest rival Stephane Lebrun while Renfrew’s Todd Fletcher ended a very close third. Alain Coursol of Mont-Laurier and Claude Rochon of Gatineau completed the fast five. Coursol and Ron Morin of Cornwall won the qualifying heats.
Only eight of the 17 cars that took the green flag were still part of the action when flagman Steve Salvas waived the checkered at the end of the 15-lap journey in the eight-cylinder final. Dominic Gauvreau who holds a nearly 300-point lead in the standing took where he left off last week when he drove into victory lane for the 15th time in 16 starts this season. Denis Gauvreau was second at the finish line but was disqualified after he turned down the officials’ request to access under his car hood. Mont-Laurier’s Bruno Boivin was placed second and Denis Hamel of Gatineau took home third money for his effort.
Carl Soucy was the winning driver in the four-cylinder while Jack St-Arnaud who presently leads the drivers standing ended second. Danny Larose completed the podium. André Potvin who is battling with Nico Leblanc and Erin Joyce for second place in the standing could not take the green flag in the feature after his car was involved in a freak mishap during one of the qualifying heats.
Marie-René Crevier of Cantley easily won the special feature for female drivers.
There will be another card of exciting races Friday night September 6 at Edelweiss Speedway where a twin 25 lapper for late model pro stock will be featured. The green flag drops at 7:45.