Boudreau Haunts Field to Win Spooktacular Crown!

Ricky Boudreau (#764) made a statement that he will be a threat to win the Demolition championship in 2022. Boudreau had a stellar day at the Halloween Spooktacular on Saturday, crashing his way to victory in the final Demolition Derby of the 2021 season – his first career final Demolition win at Speedway Miramichi! Boudreau ousted 2021 Demolition champion Tyler Chamberlain (#24) to take the big win. The victory followed up Dash for Cash and Figure 8 race wins for Boudreau, who came up a mere three points short of the title three weeks ago, ending the season in fifth overall.

An estimated forty-six Demolition entries were on the property for the final event of the season, meaning once again $2000 was awarded to Boudreau who becomes the eighth different Demolition winner of 2021, and the fifteenth different winner in the last fifteen events held at the speedway. Of the forty-six cars in attendance, thirty-eight started the final Demolition.

A heavy mist set in over the track near the end of the morning practice sessions for the stock car divisions which ultimately led to a wet track and a delayed start time. The mist would let up for the most part but continued off and on and when mixed with cool temperatures made track drying efforts very difficult. The decision was ultimately made after consulting the drivers to run the stock car portion of the show on a wet track – a unique set of circumstances that led to some wild racing and some incredible results at the year-end fun day.

Mitchell Poirier (#28) became a first-time winner in the Mini Stock “Outlaw” race. Poirier, who in four years of racing had never carried a checkered flag or scored a podium, took the lead from Chris Garnett (#66) on lap 15 with a slick three-wide split on a pair of lapped cars while Garnett got boxed in. Poirier would hang on through a trio of restarts and drive away to the lead before fending a late charge while navigating lapped traffic to score the victory in the 40-lap feature! Garnett would hold off Ryan McKnight (#46) for second. Neil Miousse (#71) and BJ Gillespie (#69) rounded out the top 5.

Three cautions slowed the race, which was shortened from 50-laps due to the moist track conditions. The first caution came for Ryan Bernard (#69R) suffering a mechanical issue and being unable to limp his car to the pits. Justin Davies (#10) went for a spin shortly after the ensuing restart to draw the second yellow. The races final caution came for debris on the 26th lap of the race, setting up a fourteen-lap dash to the finish.

Garnett, BJ Gillespie, Ryan Bernard, and Daniel Atyeo (#15) took home wins in heat races. Heat races were shortened to 8-laps due to track conditions, and an extra heat race was run in each class to split the field to a smaller number to give drivers more space to get accustomed to the wet conditions. Eighteen Mini Stocks were in attendance for the “Outlaw” race which saw no technical rules other than safety being checked.

The Bomber division also saw a first-time winner, as eighteen-year-old Blake Bransfield (#60) followed up a pair of podiums at The Very Best Fall Shootout with his first career feature win in the Bomber “Last Call” 20-lap feature. Bransfield jumped out to a lead and kept Timmy Blakely (#69) at bay to score the win. Timmy finished second with his wife Samantha Blakely (#96) coming home third to score her first career podium finish in a decade of racing! Dylan Doucet (#02) and Riley Connell (#43) rounded out the top 5!

The entire 20-lap feature went caution free, but it did not come without several tense moments as the wet conditions made the “Rock ‘em, sock ‘em, travelling sideways thrill show” truly live up to its name – with plenty of sideways racing on the treacherous track. Eleven of the twelve cars in attendance started the feature after the most recent winner entering the day, Adam Plourde (#11) suffered mechanical issues earlier in the day.

Bransfield and Timmy Blakely each nailed down wins in their respective heat races, while Dan Dionne (#55) drove to his first career checked flag by winning the first heat race of the day.

A small field entered the first ever V8 Outlaw race at Speedway Miramichi, but those who entered really took advantage of the “Outlaw” theme. In the end, it was Yves McCray (#58) driving to his 23rd career victory at Speedway Miramichi – unofficially moving him to first on the all-time wins list ahead of relative and mentor Ray McCray (stats are based on some missing data). McCray lapped the field in the 30-lap feature, with Matt Crocker (#00) and Robert Legere (#04) rounding out the podium. No heat race was contested due to the slick track conditions.

As mentioned, Ricky Boudreau (#764) drove to victory in the Dash for Cash making a last lap pass on Brandon Campbell (#151) who would suffer a flat tire. Legendary driver Stephane Savoie (#47) would come home in the second position, with Campbell hanging on to finish third. It was a wild Dash for Cash with no fewer than three cars catching air, but all would be okay. Thirty-five cars started the Dash for Cash.

Speedway 660 Sportsman champion Alexandra O’Blenis (#151) can add another win to her 2021 resume. In addition to the championship and wins such as the $5K race at Petty International Raceway and the Speedweekend Sportsman 125 at Speedway 660, O’Blenis won the 10-lap Powder Puff race in what was a wild race for her. O’Blenis started at the back of the field but quickly worked her way into the top 5 and took the lead just a few laps later. In the closing laps, she would nearly lose the race spinning out in turn 3, but she would get going in time to keep the lead and take the win. Thirteen cars started the 10-lap race which was very clean after the previous edition had to be called off before a lap was completed.

Stephane Savoie (#47) avenged his Dash for Cash runner-up finish by taking the checkered flag in the 8-lap Pumpkin race which saw passengers in the car decorating a pumpkin for a chance at an extra cash bonus. Savoie drove away from Norm Robichaud (#666) and Jean-Rene Duguay McGraw (#140) to claim the victory. The race was halted by one red flag for a car parked with the driver’s side exposed to oncoming traffic. Eighteen cars started the Pumpkin race.

Billy Pelletier (#333) and passenger Kevin Kinney would win the prize of best decorated pumpkin as voted on by the fans.

Norm Robichaud (#666) emerged from the smoke victorious in the 5-lap Back-Up race. Danny Chiasson (#70) finished second while Stephane Savoie earned another podium with a third-place finish. Twenty-three cars started the 5-lap Back-Up race.

It was a phenomenal Figure 8 race to wrap up the season with several big hits in the “X”. First 2020 champion Mitch Brideau (#22) and Remi Rouselle (#010) collided in the “X”, followed a few laps later by Miky Roussel (#758) and the #307 hitting in the crossover. Ricky Boudreau came away with the victory with Norm Robichaud and Stephane Savoie rounding out the top 3. Twenty-five cars started the 8-lap show.

The prize of best decorated car, a $100 cash bonus, was awarded to Dylan Doucet (#02).

Alex Duguay won the Burnout Competition for the second race in a row with an insane smoke show! This was Duguay’s fourth career Burnout Competition win.

This concludes the 2021 season at Speedway Miramichi! It was a phenomenal season filled with many incredible shows and races! Thanks to all the fans, drivers, and crews for their support all season long! Stay tuned for more to come on the 2022 season!

Halloween Spooktacular Podium

1. Ricky Boudreau #764

2. Tyler Chamberlain #24

Mini Stock 40-Lap Feature Results

1. Mitchell Poirier #28

2. Chris Garnett #66

3. Ryan McKnight #46

4. Neil Miousse #71

5. BJ Gillespie #69

6. Jesse Madore #16

7. Daniel Atyeo #15

8. Alex Gallant #15A

9. Ryan Bernard #69R

10. Austin Harnish #13

11. Wesley Harnish #61

12. Jamie Turner #26

13. Justin Davies #10

14. Brian Maillet #83

15. Billy Pelletier #22

16. Calvin McLeod #00

17. Darren Wilcox #32

DNS – Mathieu Mallet #80

Bomber “Last Call” 20-Lap Feature Results

1. Blake Bransfield #60

2. Timmy Blakely #69

3. Samantha Blakely #96

4. Dylan Doucet #02

5. Riley Connell #43

6. Axten MacLean #13

7. Dan Dionne #55

8. Dylan Phillips #18

9. Terry Thurston #28

10. Eugene Harris #1

11. Kevin Kinney #81

DNS – Adam Plourde #11

V8 Outlaw 30-Lap Feature Results

1. Yves McCray #58

2. Matt Crocker #00

3. Robert Legere #04

Dash for Cash Winner – Ricky Boudreau #764

Powder Puff Winner – Alexandra O’Blenis #151

Pumpkin Race Winner – Stephane Savoie #47

Back-Up Race Winner – Norm Robichaud #666

Figure 8 Race Winner – Ricky Boudreau #764

Burnout Competition Winner – Alex Duguay