DAGENAIS CLAIMS SEAWAY SHOWDOWN AT FROGTOWN
HOGANSBURG, NY - Pierre Dagenais of Gatineau, QUE got past Mike Perrotte on lap 31 to take the lead and go on for the win in the Village Engraver/Agway Energy Products Seaway Showdown 50 for 358 Modifieds at the Frogtown International Speedway Saturday night. Perrotte, the newly crowned Frogtown track champion, finished second and earned the guaranteed starting spot for the Sunoco Race Fuels 200 championship at Super DIRT Week in Syracuse on October 9th. In other action, the usual suspects won the features, with Eric Gauvreau getting his fifth Pro Stock win, Louie Jackson earning his sixth Semi-Pro feature and Kurtis McPhee getting an incredible tenth feature win in the Bandits. Timmy Herne of Hogansburg, NY finally tasted victory in the Enduros after several strong but heart-breaking runs earlier in the year.
The Seaway Showdown had all the makings of a great race, with 29 cars set to do battle in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd. Craig Ormsby led the field down for the green and led the first lap, but Mike Perrotte moved to the top spot on lap two. While Ormsby held second spot, Pierre Dagenais made his charge through the field, going from ninth spot to third in just eight laps. One lap later, Dagenais swept past Ormsby for the runner-up spot, while Laurent Ladouceur moved past Ormsby for third on lap 13. Kevin Fetterly moved to fourth on lap 14, while Perrotte led Dagenais by several car lengths. The laps ticked off quickly on a very fast track surface until the red flag waved for the night's most serious incident. A jingle in turn three found Peter Mantha, Jr. hopping a wheel and rolling four times. As cars scrambled to avoid the incident, Greg Monica clipped another car's wheel and rolled end over end twice. Despite some heavily damaged race cars, both Mantha and Monica escaped without injury.
When the race resumed, Perrotte pulled away from Dagenais again, while Ladouceur, Fetterly and Brian McDonald tried to reel in the leaders. Perrotte was fast but Dagenais had the advantage as he moved underneath Perrotte to seize the lead on lap 31. While Dagenais pulled ahead, Brian McDonald was forced to pit ending his great run. The caution waved again on lap 35 when Del LeGrow and Sam Liechty tangled coming out of turn four, but when racing resumed Dagenais showed that he had the field covered. Working through lapped traffic, Dagenais maintained a comfortable lead until the checkers waved. Perrotte finished second, with Ladouceur, Dave Heaslip and Kevin Fetterly completing the top five.
In the Pro Stocks, Steve Francis of Norwood led the first nine laps, but Eric Gauvreau of Chelsea, QUE moved to the top spot on lap ten and was not to be challenged for the remainder of the feature. Brother Denis Gauvreau moved to second spot on lap eleven and held the spot until his rear-end let go with two laps to go. Francis moved up to second and held on for the position.
The early laps of the Semi-Pro feature saw Greg Snyder, Keith Coughlin and Louie Jackson locked in a great three-way battle for the lead, but a lap eight caution found both Snyder and Coughlin in the pits with mechanical woes, handing Jackson the top spot and the eventual win. Richard Charbonneau came on for second, while Mark Smoke earned a career-best third place finish.
The Bandit feature was a wild one, with Kurtis McPhee moving to the top spot on a lap four restart. The red-flag waved on lap six for a wild multi-car wreck in turn four that saw Eugene Bushey's truck hit from behind, sending Bushey in a spectacular series of rolls. Bushey emerged without injury. When racing resumed, McPhee held off Richard Brunelle of Long Sault for the win.
Next Saturday is Dwyer's Generation to Generation/Lay's Potato Chips night, with Twin 15s for the Pro Stocks, the Modified 20-lap First Time Winner's Classic and a full show for the Semi-Pro, Bandits and Enduros. Kids rides are set for intermission, with racing starting at 7:30 PM sharp. A special "Admit 2 for $10" coupon is available at Dwyer's two locations-Massena and North Bangor-as well as at selected stores selling Lay's chips.
Frogtown International Speedway is in Hogansburg, NY, one mile east of the International Bridge to Cornwall, ONT. From Route 37, turn south onto Frogtown Road, next to the Mohawk Bingo Palace. For race day weather info, call 518-358-9017.
MODIFIEDS: PIERRE DAGENAIS, Mike Perrotte, Laurent Ladouceur, Dave Heaslip, Kevin Fetterly, Lee Nutting, Mark Hitchcock, Jerry Skebo, Jimmie Lazore, Chad Miller, Sam Liechty, Simon Marcoux, Jim Ryan, Stephen Scott, Francis McNeil, Leon Gonyo, Louie Bombardier, Del LeGrow, Brian McDonald, Buck White, Bill Cook, Craig Ormsby, Peter Mantha Jr., Greg Monica, Paul Pekkonen, Tom Jock Jr., Todd Stewart. DNS: Mike Reyell, Bob Reny.
PRO STOCKS: ERIC GAUVREAU, Steve Francis, Scott Kocher, Marc Therrien, Brent Moulton, Jody Swamp, Sid Harmer, Dick Planty, Denis Gauvreau, Al Pitts, Mike Allen, Pete Backus, Evan Crahan. DNS: Adam Chapman.
SEMI-PRO: LOUIE JACKSON, Richard Charbonneau, Mark Smoke, Scott Brainard, Jamie Martin, Pete Backus, Mike Trombley, Don LeGrow, Gordon Derouchie, Paul Backus, Brian Moulton, Jeb Beeson, Keith Middlemiss, Greg Snyder, Keith Coughlin, Dave Hall, Tim Allen, Scott Sharp, Duane Brainard, Reggie Castell. DNS: Andy Heywood, Charlie Thompson, John Brainard, Marty Jock.
4-CYLINDER BANDITS: KURTIS MCPHEE, Richard Brunelle, Bryan Loeb, Ann Pecore, Gilles Godard, Chris Cayea, Casey Swamp, Mike McDonald, Barry Marshall, Terry Green, Ron Sharlow, Brian Patterson, Kevin Fetterly Jr., Ron Giroux, Jason Fetterly, Mitch Jock, Eugene Bushey, Mark Bordeau, Randy Tremblay.