KINGSTON TRIO FINDS WINNING TUNE AT CORNWALL

Three drivers from Kingston, Ontario finished top 4 at Cornwall Motor Speedway Sunday night. Veteran Pat O’Brien led the way with his 1st feature win at Cornwall. It was also O’Brien 1st race of the season at Ron Morin’s quarter mile oval. O’Brien finished about a car length ahead of his younger brother, also from Kingston, Danny. The younger O’Brien won one of the two features at Cornwall last week. Laurent Ladouceur (Alexandria, Ontario) came in 3rd while Kingston driver, Mark Hitchcock settled for 4th.

The victorious O’Brien said he only decided to run in Cornwall only four hours before race time.

The win wasn’t easy, however as Pat O’Brien started the feature 15th while Danny started one spot ahead in 14th. A couple of early cautions gave the O’Brien’s the stops they needed as they methodically moved up the pack and both sat in the top 8 by lap 3, thanks in part to 3 cautions by that time. Pat O’Brien took over the lead for good on lap 6. Ladouceur, who started one spot ahead of Danny O’Brien, ran a solid 3rd, well ahead of Hitchcock. But the "Laser" couldn’t close the gap when he tried to catch up to the brothers.

Hitchcock followed his fellow Kingstonian’s lead and by the time cautions came out, he had worked his way up a couple of spots each time.

Paul Pekkonen finished 5th, just ahead of fellow Brockville driver, Chico Dingwall.

It was another spectacular finish in the Late Model class. For the first time since last August, "Bulldog" Dave Bissonette won the 20-lap feature at Cornwall. He held off a surging Lee Ladouceur. The fellow Alexandria drivers waged a good battle for the lead until Ladouceur’s dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree with only 3 laps to go. That signaled engine trouble and the end of the night for the 2nd generation driver. On the restart, Marc Therrien, also from Alexandria, had a good jump and gave Bissonette everything he had to come in a close 2nd. Billy "the Kid" King, from St.Regis, Quebec, finished in 3rd. Green Valley, Ontario driver George Renaud came in 4th with Darryl Steele from Renfrew, Ontario rounding out the top 5.

Martin Cashman took home the checkered flag in the Duke Stock feature. It was the 1st ever win at Cornwall for the Gatineau, Quebec driver. Ingleside, Ontario’s Steve Johnston came in a close 2nd with Daniel Leduc, (L’Orignal) in 3rd, Brad Winters (Long Sault) and Dave Wilgosh (Brockville) coming in 4th and 5th , respectively.

It was no stranger in winner’s circle in the Rookie Stock as Moorewood, Ontario’s Kees Van Winden took the checkered flag. Van Winden won a total of 4 features at Cornwall last season. Chris Tremblay and Mark Radbourne, both from Cornwall came in 2nd and 3rd.

The Modified drivers get a break on Sunday, May 28, 2000 when the Empire Super Sprints come to Cornwall Motor Speedway. The always entertaining, and extremely fast cars make their annual stop in Cornwall next week. With the Modified class off, the Late Model class gets to shine with a 50-lap feature. It’ll be the 1st race in the Mr.Radiator series. The Duke and Rookie stock will run regular features. Gates open at 5:30.