Breau Survives for Crash for Cash Victory!

In a Demolition field of an estimated 51 cars - packed with big and tough cars and vans - it would be Lionel Breau (#028) taking a car much smaller than the competition – a car which by the final stages of the Demo had the rear bumper lodged in the back seat – and surviving to claim the big trophy and the big payday that went along with Crash for Cash glory! Breau made the final hit on July’s Firecracker Demo winner Gary Caissie (#028) in his tough mini van. Trenton Silliker (#69) fought hard but settled for third at the end of the night.

Thirty-one cars took the call for the Crash for Cash finale, which awarded the winners the largest of the year for the Demolition division – along with a $2000 payday to Breau. It was Breau’s first career Demolition finale victory after capturing many podiums over the years.

The entire event was wild and featured many twists and turns. Demolition point leaders Riley Harris (#1) and Marc-Andre Benoit (#81) would make contact at several points throughout the night. Multiple massive wrecks – from hard hits to big flips – took everyone’s collective breaths away, and fortunately saw all drivers be able to walk away with just minor injuries. Stock car racing was intense with car counts continuing to grow across all classes, and even saw a first-time winner in Miramichi!

The entire show was delayed by 45 minutes in the early stages, as a passing shower two laps into the Bomber feature soaked the track and resulted in track drying being necessary to complete the stock car portion of the action. A second shower as the Figure 8 race came onto the track made for some excitement in a wet and wild Figure 8 race.

In Mini Stock competition, JR Lawson (#81) extended his win streak with a strong performance during the 50-lap feature, coming from the back of the field to take the victory! Lawson made the pass on teammate Chantel Ackles (#30) on the 29th lap of the race and held her off as they battled through lapped traffic in the final half of the race. Ackles led the first 28 circuits, before Lawson assumed the lead and led the closing laps. In their mirrors, the battle for third was hotly contested, with Neil Miousse (#71) notching his third podium finish of the season and maintaining the points lead with a third-place effort.

Rob Poirier (#0) was poised to finish on the podium and make the points battle interesting, but Poirier’s race was cut short due to mechanical issues, as he pulled off the track with 10 laps to go. Mathieu Mallet and Guy Basque rounded out the top 5, while Mitchell Poirier was hot on their heels. Lawson and Ackles captured 10 lap heat races. Twelve cars were in attendance for the 50-lap affair. The entire race ran wire-to-wire caution free.

For the first time in his stock car racing career, Braxton Stafford (#91) is a feature winner at Speedway Miramichi. Stafford captured the Blackville Auto Value & JBS Towing 35 lap feature on Saturday. Stafford took the lead on lap 14 and held on over several restarts to capture the victory. Zean Dutcher (#55) challenged Stafford but would settle for second after changing the engine in his car late in the week. Joe Hoyt (#17) rebounded from multiple spins to narrowly edge out Miramichi Modified points leader Chris Wilson (#2W) and Atlantic Modified Tour points leader Travis Conroy (#7).

Four cautions slowed the feature in the latter half of the race, two of which saw Joe Hoyt spin, while Doug Matchett (#75) and Steven Curtis (#12) each looped their cars around drawing cautions. Thirteen Modifieds were in attendance and started the feature, tying the largest Modified field seen at Speedway Miramichi, and marking the largest field of cars in 2021 for the tour. Heat races were won by Stafford and Dutcher.

Mark Kingston (#97) proved he is the driver to beat in the Bomber division in 2021, as he drove from the back of the pack to the lead, notching his third feature victory in four starts in 2021. Kingston made the winning pass with 10 laps to go, getting around Adam Plourde (#11) who led the most laps of the race. Plourde battled hard with Timmy Blakely (#69) in the early stages of the race, exchanging the lead on several occasions. Blakely would get around Plourde for the second spot, while Plourde held off a hard charging Bob Hallihan (#63) for the final podium spot. Hallihan, a former Mini Stock driver, was driving in substitution for Tyson Donovan. Samantha Blakely (#96) rounded out the top 5 with her first career top 5 effort.

Three cautions slowed the thirty-lap feature, including one which resulted in a red flag. On lap 2, a loose wheel for Blake Bransfield (#60) drew a yellow. Under this caution period, the skies opened up and a rain shower soaked the track, creating a delay which lasted approximately 45 minutes while the track was dried. When the race resumed, contact between Derrick Ramsey (#42) and Alysha Landry (#22) resulted in debris which drew a yellow. The third and final caution was a result of Billy Pelletier (#18) having a flat tire. Seventeen cars partook in the race. Plourde and Kingston were winners in 10-lap heat races.

The Dash for Cash kicked off the Demolition events in a rough and tumble way, figuratively and literally. The opening lap saw Shawn Mazerolle (#57) get crossed up on the backstretch. In a scramble to avoid his car, plenty of contact was made which resulted in Norm Robichaud (#666) and Ti Paul Chiasson (#289) catching air, and Robichaud rolling onto his roof. Ironically, the winner of the Dash for Cash would be the driver who Robichaud beat to win the July Dash for Cash, Corey Barton (#995), who picked up his first ever checkered flag at Speedway Miramichi. Approximately thirty-six cars started the Dash for Cash, which lasted 8-laps.

The ladies took to the track for what was described as the most aggressive Powder Puff race to date. The 10-lap race was dominated by Monique Benoit (#21), who notched her second career Powder Puff win to close the gap in points. However, Benoit was only able to pick-up a single point, as Tania Jean (#99) drove to a second-place effort, while Samantha Blakely (#52) rounded out the podium. Twenty cars started the Powder Puff race. Complete Powder Puff results will be made available later in the week on the Speedway Miramichi Facebook page.

The Back-Up Race was a barn burner, which saw a last lap pass after many leaders got taken out. First Marc-Andre Benoit (#81) saw his lead evaporate after contact with the driver he is locked into the points battle with, Riley Harris (#1). Then, Gary Caissie (#28) got collected with a lapped car. Trenton Silliker (#69) then assumed the lead, poised to win, only to get taken out on the final lap, opening the door for Remi Rouselle (#010) to score the win. Nineteen cars started the 5-lap Back-Up race.

The return of the Bag Race produced chaos instantly, as on the first corner, Dylan Storey’s #85 SUV would drive head on into the turn 1 wall, ricocheting and rolling over onto its roof in a violent and scary impact. Both drivers would be checked out and treated for what were thankfully minor injuries. The race would get a complete restart, with Riley Harris (#40) driving to victory over the thirteen-car field.

The Figure 8 Race was yet another action-packed affair with twenty-nine cars entering. Marc-Andre Benoit once again appeared to be poised to score the victory, but he faced plenty of adversity which would ultimately end his day. He initially got tagged in the early stages in the center of the “X”, but he managed to save the car without missing a beat. However, in the closing laps Benoit was closing in on Riley Harris and attempted to return the favor from the Back-Up Race by spinning him around. However, the move would result in Benoit colliding with another car in the center of the “X”, ending his bid for the win as Ricky Boudreau (#764) emerged victorious!

The Burnout Competition was won by the youngest competitor ever – in fact, the final 2 drivers had an average age of 12! But in the end, it was ten-year-old Treyton Silliker, son of Trenton, capturing the win in his first ever Burnout Competition, besting multi-time winner Alex Duguay.

The next race at Speedway Miramichi is scheduled for Saturday, September 11th at 4pm! It’s the Back to School Smash Demolition – an event which is always popular! Kids Day activities have also been added to this event, making for a super-event at the Speedway! Mark your calendars and make plans now!

Crash for Cash Demolition Top 3

1. Lionel Breau #028

2. Gary Caissie #28

3. Trenton Silliker #69

Mini Stock 50 Results

1. JR Lawson #81

2. Chantel Ackles #30

3. Neil Miousse #71

4. Mathieu Mallet #80

5. Guy Basque #27

6. Mitchell Poirier #28

7. Calvin McLeod #00

8. Grayson Dutcher #55

9. Jamie Turner #26

10. Rob Poirier #0

11. Tom Ackles #130

12. Conrad Murphy #89

Atlantic Modified Tour Blackville Auto Value & JBS Towing 35 Results

1. Braxton Stafford #91

2. Zean Dutcher #55

3. Joe Hoyt #17

4. Chris Wilson #2W

5. Travis Conroy #7

6. Yves McCray #58

7. John Lyons #88

8. Michael Savoie #00

9. Doug Matchett #75

10. Steven Curtis #12

11. Brody Levesque #05

12. Kim Hallihan #97

13. Kevin Bailey #4

Bomber 30 Lap Feature Results

1. Mark Kingston #97

2. Timmy Blakely #69

3. Adam Plourde #11

4. Bob Hallihan #63

5. Samantha Blakely #96

6. Casey Munn #07

7. Riley Harris #1

8. Blake Bransfield #60

9. Jacob Smith #29

10. Billy Pelletier #18

11. Dylan Doucet #02

12. Daniel Dionne #55

13. Derrick Ramsey #42

14. Kevin Kinney #81

15. Alysha Landry #22

16. Johnathan Dickson #3

17. Justin Munn #88

Dash for Cash Winner – Corey Barton #995

Powder Puff Winner – Monique Benoit #21

Back-Up Race Winner – Remi Rouselle #010

Bag Race Winner – Riley Harris #40

Figure 8 Race Winner – Ricky Boudreau #764

Burnout Competition Winner – Treyton Silliker