Sheehan Continues Hot Streak With Brunswick 100 Win; Benoit Stops A Silliker Sweep by Winning the Sp
Speedway Miramichi kicked off its 50th Anniversary Season in style Saturday, with some great action across all divisions! Highlighting the season opener for Miramichi’s motorsports divisions was the Brunswick 100, and the Spring Smash!
Despite only having 9 cars show up for the Brunswick 100, it was a quality field of cars competing for the win, with the hottest Street Stock driver in Atlantic Canada coming out on top. After starting near the back of the field, PEI’s Alex Sheehan methodically worked his way towards the front, before assuming the lead on lap 58 of the Brunswick 100 after Luc McLaughlin and Brad MacLean tangled in front of him. Sheehan never looked back, leading the final 42 laps en route to winning the Brunswick 100 – which also earns him a guaranteed top 5 starting spot in the Maritime Street Stock Showdown! In the end, McLaughlin rebounded and held off a hard charging Dan Smith to finish 2nd. Smith took 3rd over Brad MacLean, and Nick Cudmore. McLaughlin, McLean, and Sheehan had a close battle for much the first 58 laps of the race, prior to the contact between McLaughlin and MacLean, which resulted in the races only caution. McLaughlin and Kenny Snow won the 10 lap heat races.
After wrecking his own car in one of the most violent Figure 8 crashes in quite some time, Marc-Andre Benoit jumped behind the wheel of Julian Benoit’s #47 demo car, and spoiled Trenton Silliker’s clean sweep of the afternoon by winning the Spring Smash Demo! After a red flag for a car fire, it came down to a 3 car battle for the win between Benoit, Silliker, and Kevin Tucker. Silliker ended up finishing 2nd in the Spring Smash, while Kevin Tucker ended up finishing 3rd.
Silliker’s car had won every preliminary Demo event prior to the Spring Smash. After winning the Dash for Cash and Reverse Race, Silliker took the Figure 8 win under Red/Checkered conditions following the big crash in the “X,” between Benoit and Brooks Bailey. Aimee MacLean, wife of Street Stock driver Brad MacLean, also took Silliker’s car to victory lane, holding off Chantel Ackles to win the Powder Puff race.
In other racing action, the Atlantic Modified Tour race was a wild affair, with rising young Miramichi star Ashton Tucker recovering from a lap 14 spin to win his 3rd consecutive Modified race at Speedway Miramichi. Ashton was able to drive away to a massive lead in the final laps, while Doug Matchett held off Kevin Brideau for 2nd. Brideau scored a podium finish in just his 1st career start. Joe Hoyt finished 4th after a mechanical failure while leading on lap 22, and John Lyons, who won the heat race, finished 5th after suffering damage in a crash.
JR Lawson started at the back of the 30 lap Mini Stock feature after not finishing the heat race, but he quickly picked his way up to 2nd, and then tracked down Rob Poirier, taking the lead on lap 21, and driving away to score the win. Poirier finished 2nd, while Guy Basque picked up the final podium spot. Things got a little heated over the battle for 4th, with Chris Garnett coming out on top over Michael Savoie after some hard racing all day. Rob Poirier took the win in the Heat race.
The debut of the returning Dukes class did not disappoint! Despite only 2 cars being ready, Robert Legere and Darcy O’Neill put on a show, racing side by side and exchanging the lead a total of 7 times in the 15 lap feature, before ending the race in a photo finish. Legere would end taking the win by mere inches. Legere also won the heat race, while O’Neill won the semi.
Alain Doiron was victorious in the Burnout Competition.
Prior to the race, several former drivers joined us for a special 50th Anniversary ceremony for Speedway Miramichi. All the drivers also did a couple parade laps to ring in the 50th year.
The next race of Speedway Miramichi’s 50th Anniversary Season is coming up on June 16th. Stay tuned for more details about this event in the near future!
Brunswick 100 Results
Heat Winners – Luc McLaughlin, Kenny Snow
Atlantic Modified Tour 30 Results
Heat Winner – John Lyons #88
Mini Stock 30 Results
Heat Winner – Rob Poirier #0
Dukes 15 Results
Heat Winner – Robert Legere #04, Semi Winner – Darcy O’Neill
Spring Smash Demo Podium
Demo Dash for Cash – Trenton Silliker #69
Reverse Race – Trenton Silliker #69
Powder Puff – Aimee MacLean #69
Figure 8 Race – Trenton Silliker #69
Burnout Competition – Alan Doiron
*All photos used are credited to John O'Shea*