MANTHA AND LADOUCEUR SPLIT TWIN 20 AT EDELWEISS SPEEDWAY OPENER

Peter Mantha of Hull and Laurent Ladouceur of Alexandria each won a leg of the feature twin 20 in the mods last Friday night at Edelweiss Speedway.

More than 2000 fans were on hand on a very cold opening night at the Val des Monts, Qué. oval to cheer Peter Mantha after the Hull driver survived a late challenge by veteran Laurent Ladouceur to score his first win of the new season. Mantha who lost last year’s championship in the last week of the season to Pierre Dagenais of Gatineau by only one point in a close race to the wire, seemed determined to take an early lead in the standing this year. Dan Jalbert of Cornwall settled for third best in this race.

Things turned out different in the second half of the twin 20 when veteran Ladouceur won the checkered over Mantha in a spectacular race where the fans temporarily forgot the cold temperature and bounced off their seats when Pat Cashman ripped through the field to give Ryan’s towing personnel a race for their money. Last year’s champion Pierre Dagenais had to leave for pit lane after experiencing mechanical problems with only two laps remaining in the race. Billy Cook of Hogansburg rounded out the fast three. Kevin Fetterly of Massena and Peter Mantha had previously won the qualification heats.

Eric Gauvreau took over where he left last year by winning the feature in the late model class. The Cantley driver who won eleven races last season went wire to wire in the 20 laps affair. Cornwall Motor Speedway promoter Ron Morin ended second while Stephane Lebun of Gatineau was third.

Dominic Gauvreau won the feature in the 8 cylinders class over Cornwall’s Tammy Jalbert while Francis Rivest hit the wire first when flagman Steve Salvas waived the checkered flag in the four cylinders. Carl Soucy and Jacky St-Arnaud completed the top three.

Ron Morin and Eric Gauvreau are now part of DIRT race circuit in the late model class… Jalbert racing team will show some action this year in the four cylinders class. Besides Dan Jalbert in the modifieds and wife Tammy in the 8 cylinders, Eric Tyo adds new life in the four cylinders…Marcel Pecore is now part of the action in the late models from the mods…Management of Edelweiss Speedway improved the facilities in the main tower that should give the medias a much better view and access.

Next program of live action at Edelweiss Speedway will take place this coming Friday, May 24. A full regular program will be presented plus a feature for female drivers. It will also be cap night where the first 300 patrons will be handed an Edelweiss Speedway cap.