Girouard Claims Spring Smash Glory
You never forget your first victory. For Randy Girouard (#8), it was a long time coming.
The multi-year Demolition driver at Speedway Miramichi took home his first Demolition Derby win at the Spring Smash on Saturday. Girouard had to fend off a trio of big names in Matthew Sullivan (#18), Riley Harris (#1) and Norm Robichaud (#666) to capture his first career victory. The final duel came down to Girouard and Sullivan, who played cat and mouse around the infield before a couple of big hits left the 2020 Day of 8’s winner static. Several small hits by Girouard at the end sealed the big win up. Twenty-seven cars started the Spring Smash finale.
Girouard had previously won a Figure-8 Enduro style finale in 2014. The young driver is a second-generation driver, the son of former competitor Steven Girouard.
Forty-six Demolition cars checked in at Speedway Miramichi for the Spring Smash. Coupled with stock car divisions, it is believed that the Spring Smash produced a record-breaking opening day car count.
The 2020 Demolition Champion, Mitch Brideau, picked up where he left off with a win in the Dash for Cash - his sixth in the last eight races contested. Thirty-two cars started the Dash for Cash.
The Powder Puff Championship got kicked off with Monique Benoit taking home the victory in the 10-lap ladies race. The win was emotional for Benoit, as it was the first of her career. Seventeen cars started the Powder Puff race.
Gabriel McGraw (#55) claimed the victory in the five-lap Back-Up race, while Marc-Andre Benoit (#81) claimed victory in the five-lap Kidney race. Twenty-three cars started the Back-Up race, while thirty-one cars started the Kidney race.
The Figure-8 race was a true war of attrition. Of the thirty-one cars who took the call to the green, only three finished. It was the car of Shawn Sisk (#94) picking up the victory after race leader Marc-Andre Benoit collided hard with another car in the center of the “X”. Another dramatic moment came mid-race when Jacob Smith (#29) and Ricky Boudreau (#764) collided head-on and then proceeded to line-up nose-to-nose while exchanging blows with each other. Smith was black flagged for his role.
Neil Miousse (#71) kicked off a homecoming in style by winning the 30-lap Mini Stock season opener. Miousse moved over the off-season back home to Baie-Saint-Anne was able to check off a bucket list win at his home track on Saturday. Miousse stalked Rob Poirier (#0) all race, keeping the former track champion in his crosshairs in the waning laps. Miousse would capitalize on lapped traffic with just four laps to go to take the lead, and then held off a strong push by Poirier coming to the checkered flag to secure the victory in a photo finish! Miousse became the first Norte
Mathieu Mallet (#80) continued the gains made in 2020 by earning an opening day podium finish with a third-place effort. Mitchell Poirier (#28) showed he is here to make noise in 2021 with a fourth-place finish, while Ryan McKnight, who ran on the podium all race, fell back to fifth in the closing laps of the first Mini Stock race of the season in the Province of New Brunswick.
Poirier and Miousse took down the win in 10-lap heat races. Of note, while defending champion JR Lawson (#81) could not be in attendance due to border closures, he managed to send a car up to New Brunswick – which was driven by a mystery driver later identified as James Matchett. Matchett would finish seventh in what was his Mini Stock debut.
Mark Kingston (#97) made history in dominating fashion, leading the entire 30-lap Bomber feature to become the first ever multi-time winner in the class which debuted one season ago. Kingston started second after winning his heat race and cruised to the victory over Jacob Smith (#29) and defending champion Adam Plourde (#11). Tyson Donovan (#63) and Timmy Blakely (#69) rounded out the top 5.
For Kingston, his win would be overshadowed by a wild ride that left Johnathan Dickson (#3) on his roof in turn 1. Tyson Donovan and Randy Girouard (#8) were battling for third place with five laps to go, Donovan and Girouard got together, causing Tucker to get clipped and spin across the track, hitting Dickson in the process and vaulting his car into the air and onto its roof. The wreck resulted in a red flag, but Dickson would fortunately walk away. The incident was one of two cautions in the feature, the other being for the slow car of Samantha Blakely (#96) after being involved in an incident.
Kingston and Timmy Blakely carried checkered flags in the 10-lap heat races. The second heat race was halted on lap 1 after an incident in turn 1, where Adam Plourde came across the bumper of Randy Girouard, causing Plourde to spin in front of the field. Jordan Campbell (#68) would get the worst of the incident, ending his day.
A small but mighty field of Street Stocks took the track, with a number of drivers still working on their cars or stuck at home due to isolation requirements. Darcy O’Neill (#68) would be the big winner picking up both the heat and the feature win over James Matchett (#55).
After landing on his roof in the Bomber feature, Johnathan Dickson smoked the competition to capture the win in the Burnout Competition – his eleventh Burnout Competition win at Speedway Miramichi.
The race was broadcast live by Tim’s Corner TV (TCMtv). Fans can go back and relive all the action by purchasing an on-demand video pass at timscorner.tv.
The next event at Speedway Miramichi is on June 19th and it is a big one! The Day of 8’s returns in 2021, with a big twist – as it will be headlined by a Figure 8 Trailer Race! Also on the card is all popular Demolition races and stock car action, including the return of the Atlantic Modified Tour! You will not want to miss it!
Spring Smash Demolition Podium
1. Randy Girouard #8
2. Matthew Sullivan #18
3. Riley Harris #1
Mini Stock 30-Lap Feature Results
1. Neil Miousse #71
2. Rob Poirier #0
3. Mathieu Mallet #80
4. Mitchell Poirier #28
5. Ryan McKnight #46
6. Guy Basque #27
7. James Matchett #81
8. Conrad Murphy #89
9. Brandon Campbell #99
10. Calvin McLeod #00 (-1)
11. Grayson Dutcher #55 (-2)
12. Tyler Lannan-McLeod #24 (-2)
Bomber 30-Lap Feature Results
1. Mark Kingston #97
2. Jacob Smith #29
3. Adam Plourde #11
4. Tyson Donovan #63
5. Timmy Blakely #69
6. Randy Girouard #1
7. Riley Harris #1 (-1)
8. Samantha Blakely #96 (-2)
9. Johnathan Dickson #3 (-5)
10. Kevin Tucker #87 (-6)
11. Dylan Doucet #02 (-7)
12. Kevin Cowie #2 (-10)
13. Rejean Saulnier #320 (-11)
14. Blake Bransfield #60 (-16)
15. Evan Hutchinson #54 (-30)
Street Stock 10-Lap Feature Results
1. Darcy O’Neill #68
2. James Matchett #55
Dash for Cash Winner – Mitch Brideau #22
Powder Puff Winner – Monique Benoit #47
Back-Up Race Winner – Gabriel McGraw #55
Kidney Race Winner – Marc-Andre Benoit #81
Figure 8 Race Winner – Shawn Sisk #94
Burnout Competition Winner – Johnathan Dickson
