Power Flashes Late for Historic Street Stock 100 Victory!
For the second year in a row, Logan Power (#58) is a champion of The Very Best Fall Shootout Street Stock 100. Power etched his name into the record books as the first driver to win the race twice - and the first driver to win in back-to-back years - after gaining control of the race on a late restart and driving away from the field to victory! While Power drove away, a heated battle raged for the runner-up spot, which saw a nearly 3-wide photo finish. Following post-race technical inspection, Michael Cormier (#68x) would be awarded the runner-up spot, with September Shakedown winner Darcy O’Neill (#68) coming home in third.
The results of the race were made official Wednesday following a lengthy technical inspection process.
It will be a tale of two paths to victory for Power. Unlike one year ago, when Power took the lead early and led over 90 laps, his path to victory was more challenging this time. Power started twelfth in the 2021 edition, and he wouldn’t take the lead until a caution with 8 laps remaining after methodically working his way through the field. Being in the right place at the right time, Power capitalized and drove away from the field on the final sprint to secure the victory. Power’s 8 laps led is the lowest laps led total for any winner in the history of the race.
The defining moment of the race came right after the field completed the 92nd lap. The majority of the race was the Brad MacLean (#13) versus Michael Cormier (#68) story. MacLean earned the pole and led every lap of the early going, but many of those laps were led with Cormier hot in his tracks. As the laps wound down, the intensity ramped up. The race changed when the leaders brought out the caution in turn 1. Both drivers would be sent to the rear per the no-fault caution rule after neither driver tapped out, which handed the lead over to Power for the final restart.
Cormier made a furious charge to get back onto the podium, but MacLean suffered race-ending issues on the sprint to the finish. The late race dash was fast and furious and shook up the lineup, with post race technical inspection altering the line-up further. Behind Cormier and O’Neill on the podium, Kenny MacKenzie Jr (#85) and Martin Landry (#29) rounded out the top 5.
Five cautions slowed the 100-lap main event. The first came for a spin by Mark Kingston (#97) on lap 30. Near the halfway point of the event, a trio of yellows slowed the race for spins by Kenny MacKenzie Jr, Kingston, and Jeff MacInnis (#29). The final caution flew with 8 laps remaining for the incident between MacLean and Cormier.
MacLean, MacKenzie Jr, and Tom Nicholls (#28) were victorious in 10-lap heat races to set the field for the main event. MacLean scored the Towne Ford Halfway Bonus of $200 in addition to over $900 in lap money for his efforts. Power earned $1080 for his victory in addition to the 8-foot-tall trophy. Michael Cormier was the champion in the inaugural Maritime Street Stock Series. Eighteen cars started the race, which is the biggest of the year.
History was made in another way as JR Lawson (#81) became the first ever driver to win three consecutive championships at Speedway Miramichi! Lawson picked up the victory in the 50-lap feature at The Very Best Fall Shootout for the fourth year in a row, which was enough to lock down his third consecutive and fourth total championship. Lawson’s 2021 championship came with the help of a co-driver, as James Matchett drove the 81 car to start the season after Lawson got stuck in Nova Scotia due to border restrictions. Matchett’s efforts kept Lawson in the mix, but he had to work all season to dig his way out of a hole back to the top!
On Sunday in the 50-lap feature, it was a new challenger whom Lawson had to hold off. Conrad Murphy (#89) wheeled his way to a runner-up finish, his first career podium finish! Rob Poirier (#0) rounded out the podium after he had an eventful day in what he hoped would be a championship effort. Poirier came from the back of the field twice in 50-laps after losing a wheel in the heat race and then getting collected in an incident in the feature near the halfway point. PEI driver Ricky Millar (#17) finished in fourth while Ryan McKnight (#46) rounded out the top 5!
Three cautions slowed the 50-lap affair. The 22 car brought out the first caution, while the races second caution came out after Jesse Madore (#16) spun in turn 1 after contact with Rob Poirier. Guy Basque (#27) had nowhere to go and hit Madore’s sideways car. The races final caution came for an issue for BJ Gillespie (#69) while he was running second, which set up a five-lap shootout to the finish. Chantel Ackles (#30) was poised to claim a podium spot and maybe defend her win from the night before, but an issue in the final laps relegated her outside the top 10.
Lawson, Murphy, and Millar were victorious in 10-lap heat races. Twenty Mini Stocks were in attendance.
Last year’s Bomber champion Adam Plourde (#11) answered the question of who would beat Mark Kingston (#97) by driving to victory in the 30-lap Bomber feature in convincing fashion. Plourde led wire-to-wire to claim the victory. In a photo finish, Kingston finished second edging out Blake Bransfield (#60) at the line. Tyson Donovan (#63) finished fourth while Timmy Blakely (#69) rounded out the top 5.
The race was slowed by just a pair of cautions. Rookie Axten MacLean (#13) drew the first yellow after looping his car in turn 3 while running inside the top 5. With five laps to go, Riley Harris (#1) lost control in front of the leaders in turns 3 and 4 to draw the races final yellow. All were able to avoid Harris. Rookie Ericka Lessage (#19) was on route to a top 5 effort before getting into the wall on the final lap.
Plourde and Kingston scored victories in 10-lap heat races. Fifteen Bomber cars started the thirty-lap affair.
The runner-up performance was enough for Mark Kingston to lock down the 2021 Bomber championship! Kingston had a stellar season winning every heat race he started, and four out of six features. This is Kingston’s first career track championship, and he is prepping to move up to Street Stock full-time in 2022.
No results have been made available from the Atlantic Modified Tour after a caution-filled and time-shortened feature. Only 32 of 35 laps were completed in the race. Braxton Stafford (#91) was the unofficial winner post-race, but results remain under review. Due to this, no Speedway Miramichi Modified champion has been crowned. Chris Wilson (#2W) entered with the points lead but was sent to the pits for a tire rub early in the race after contact with the wall, resulting in a DNF. Many other title contenders were eliminated through a series of wrecks. Travis Conroy (#7) was the points leader entering the day for the overall AMT points championship.
Conroy and the “Racing Ranger” Kim Hallihan (#97) won Modified heat races.
Bobby McGraw (#41) claimed the grand prize as the winner of the Demolition Blowout. McGraw survived with his Hyundai Santa Fe to take the victory over Shawn Sisk (#94) and Tyler Chamberlain (#24).
Legendary driver Stephane Savoie (#47) made his return behind the wheel on Sunday a successful one. Savoie drove to victory first in the Savoie Brothers Showdown, a Grudge Match with his brother Jason. He then proceeded to take the victory in the Figure 8 race over Ricky Boudreau (#764) and Dylan Phillips (#32). Eighteen cars started the Figure-8 race.
Mitch Brideau (#22) entered the day looking to come from behind to defend his points championship, and he certainly started the day off strong by winning the 8-lap Dash for Cash over the thirty-five-car field. Robert Duguay (#911) drove to a second-place effort while Corey Barton (#995) came from near the back of the pack to finish third.
After his personal car was wrecked in the Powder Puff race, Mitch Brideau jumped behind the wheel of Jean-Francois Basque’s number 21 car and drove it to victory lane in the 5-lap Back-Up race. Brideau ousted Jean-rene Duguay-McGraw (#140) and Hayden MacNaughton (#122) for the win in the twenty-seven-car race.
The Powder Puff race was called off after a wild start. Multiple attempts at a green flag resulted in multiple cars being destroyed. No laps were completed and therefore no winner was declared, and all drivers received show points. This will award the 2021 Powder Puff championship to Tania Jean (#22). Jean’s championship race will be quite memorable – her car flipped on it’s side coming to the green flag resulting in the races first red flag. Monique Benoit, the only other championship contender, would be unable to capitalize on Jean’s flip as she would be involved in a wreck on the next restart, which ended her race. With both contenders eliminated, Jean had the championship clinched before the race was called off. Jean was driving Mitch Brideau’s #22 car when she flipped.
The entire weekend was broadcast live on Tims Corner TV. Fans can rewatch all the action from Saturday and Sunday by heading to timscorner.tv and purchasing an on-demand event pass!
This concludes the points championship portion of the 2021 season, but the year isn’t quite finished yet! The Halloween Spooktacular on October 23rd will be the grand finale to an incredible 2021 season, you won’t want to miss it!
5th Annual Street Stock 100 Results
1. Logan Power #58
2. Michael Cormier #68
3. Darcy O’Neill #68
4. Kenny MacKenzie Jr #85
5. Martin Landry #29
6. Jim Tingley #37 (-1)
7. Jeff MacInnis #29 (-1)
8. Bryar Ellis #95 (-1)
9. Robert Legere #04 (-3)
10. Mark Kingston #97 (-4)
11. Drew Lewis #61 (-6)
12. Brad MacLean #13 (-7)
13. Kyle MacKinnon #22 (-49)
14. Matthew Ford #68 (-79)
Bomber 30 Lap Feature Results
1. Adam Plourde #11
2. Mark Kingston #97
3. Blake Bransfield #60
4. Tyson Donovan #63
5. Timmy Blakely #69
6. Casey Munn #07
7. Samantha Blakely #96
8. Riley Harris #1
9. Dylan Doucet #02
10. Billy Pelletier #18
11. Jean-Francois Basque #15
12. Riley Connell #43
13. Ericka Lessage #19
14. Kevin Kinney #81
15. Axten MacLean #13
Mini Stock 50 Lap Feature Results
1. JR Lawson #81
2. Conrad Murphy #89
3. Rob Poirier #0
4. Ricky Millar #17
5. Ryan McKnight #46
6. Mathieu Mallet #80
7. BJ Gillespie #69
8. Mitchell Poirier #28
9. Neil Miousse #71
10. Daniel Atyeo #15A
11. Chantel Ackles #30
12. Jamie Turner #26
13. Tyler Lannan-McLeod #24
14. Justin Davies #10
15. Grayson Dutcher #55
16. Tom Ackles #130
17. Cody Lannan-McLeod #00
18. Guy Basque #27
19. Jesse Madore #16
20. Alysha Landry #22
Atlantic Modified Tour Keswick Kitchen Season Finale Results unavailable.
Demolition Blowout Podium
1. Bobby McGraw #41
2. Shawn Sisk #94
3. Tyler Chamberlain #24
Dash for Cash Winner – Mitch Brideau #22
Back-Up Race Winner – Mitch Brideau #21
Figure 8 Race Winner – Stephane Savoie #47
Powder Puff Race was called off due to multiple red flags.