Ricky Boudreau Captures Crash for Cash Hardware!
Ricky Boudreau (#764) survived a classic Demolition and topped a 40-car field Saturday to claim victory in the Crash for Cash at Canada’s Demolition Capital – Speedway Miramichi! Boudreau claimed the victory after Mathieu Brideau, driving for Alexandre Comeau (#110) had a fire ignite on his car to bring the Demolition Derby to a close. Dylan Storey driving for Ryan Nason (#128) rounded out the top 3 out of the twenty-three cars who started the Crash for Cash finale.
For Boudreau, the win paid $2000 to win along with a huge 4-foot-tall trophy for his efforts! This was his second career Demolition finale victory, having previously won the 2021 Halloween Spooktacular.
Doug Matchett (#75) was supposed to sit out the Atlantic Modified Tour 35-lap feature after a recent surgery – but feeling up to the challenge, Matchett jumped behind the wheel - and it paid off as he dominated to take the feature win! Matchett checked out while a great battle waged for second. Chris Wilson (#2W) came out with the runner-up spot ahead of Braxton Stafford (#91) and Yves McCray (#58). Rookie Tristin Harris (#7H) rounded out the top 5.
Heat winner Joe Hoyt (#17) had a rough feature with car problems plaguing his run. The 35-lap event ran caution free. Six Atlantic Modified Tour cars partook in the event.
With the win, Doug Matchett extends his lead as the winningest Modified driver at Speedway Miramichi. This marked the seventh career Speedway Miramichi victory for the 2018 track champion.
Tyson Donovan (#63) went back-to-back in Bomber feature action, claiming the victory in a shortened race after winning the T&L Abatement Firecracker 50 in July. Donovan got the lead from rookie Alex Duguay (#11) on the final restart and held on to win. Duguay would be scored in second when the dust settled, with Dylan Doucet (#02) rounding out the podium. Riley Connell (#43) finished in fourth.
The race was cut short with 25 laps complete due to many cautions, incidents, and altercations. After a great start with Dylan Doucet leading the way up front, the race was slowed on lap 8 for debris, with another caution for debris on the ensuing restart. A few laps later, Samantha Blakely (#96) lost a right front tire in turn 3 which drew another yellow. A caution for Axten MacLean (#13) spinning shortly thereafter brought out the fourth caution of the race.
After this spin, the race finally got into a rhythm, with a great battle up front between Doucet, Dougay, Connell and Donovan, with all 4 drivers taking a turn up front. An exciting finish was shaping up until the races fifth yellow for Johnathan Dickson (#3) loosing a right front wheel in turns 1 and 2.
The first attempt to restart on lap 24 was called back for the leaders jumping the start. However, a multi-car chain reaction incident occurred on the second restart attempt, triggered when Timmy Blakely (#69) pushed MacLean off turn 4 down the front stretch coming to the green, resulting in the 13 car spinning into Billy Pelletier (#18) just past the finish line. Race control signalled at this point that the next flag, caution or checkered, would end the race. It would in fact be the caution flag that came out next – after Donovan got the lead on the restart, MacLean would chase down Timmy Blakely and turn the 69 car in turns 3 and 4 two laps later. This brought the race to a yellow checkered flag, awarding Donovan the victory as several altercations unfolded in the pit area.
The events which occurred are under review and penalties will be communicated first to parties involved before being made public. As of press time, this process is ongoing and as such the only official Bomber results are the top 4. Sixteen cars were in attendance and seven total cautions slowed the race, with the final caution ending the race.
JR Lawson (#81) worked hard to earn his 23rd career Speedway Miramichi Mini Stock victory on Saturday in a clean 30-lap feature. Lawson came from the back of a competitive field and took the lead from Mitchell Poirier (#28) at the halfway mark of the race. Lawson then held of challenges from Rob Poirier (#0) and Mathieu Mallet (#80) to capture the win. Rob Poirier and Mathieu Mallet would hang on to finish second and third, while Guy Basque (#27) edged out Mitchell Poirier (#28) at the line for fourth.
Mitchell Poirier and JR Lawson won 10-lap heat races to start the day. Eleven Mini Stocks were in attendance, with the races lone caution coming on lap 23 for fluid from the car of Tom Ackles (#130).
In Demolition preliminary action, all the top championship contenders came out to shine, with the 5 preliminary races being split between the top 4 in points. First it was Jean-Francois Basque (#21) survived multiple red-flags to earn a fourth consecutive Dash for Cash victory. Basque battled hard with Mitch Brideau (#22) and Ricky Boudreau (#764) but came out on top. Twenty-nine cars started the Dash for Cash. The first red flag came after an incident in turn 4 that saw Jonathan Leclair (#10) hit the wall so hard that the wall broke! The second red flag was for a drivers door being exposed in turn 1 on the restart.
In Powder Puff competition, Sportsman star Alexandra O’Blenis (#8) drove to victory for Randy Girouard in a commanding performance. Defending Powder Puff champion Tania Jean (#22) came home second which will position her well to defend the championship, while Sam Jardine (#85) returned to competition and picked up a podium finish in third. Fifteen drivers started the 10-lap Powder Puff race.
Mitch Brideau (#22) got himself some points with a victory in the 5-lap Back-Up race, besting the thirty-one starters for that race.
A twelve-car field entered the 3-lap Bag race, and it was impressive driving from Remi Savoie and his co-pilot Norm Robichaud (#666) to make some gutsy moves and drive away with the victory!
The Figure 8 race was one of the best shows of the night. On the opening laps, about half a dozen big hits occurred in the center of the “X”, drawing the red flag. With a reduced field, the race resumed with Mitch Brideau and Jean-Francois Basque wheeling it and exchanging the lead back and forth. A second red flag was thrown for a car sitting with the driver’s door exposed, and unfortunately Brideau broke on the ensuing restart. When the checkers finally came, only two of the twenty-six starters were running in the 8-lap affair.
The highly anticipated grudge match between rivals Kevin Tucker (#87) and Mathieu Brideau (#99) was quite interesting and entertaining. Anything goes in a grudge match, and Tucker and Brideau only completed one lap before turning it into a two-car Demolition Derby, exchanging many blows to the delight of the fans. In the end, it would be Tucker taking the win and the long-time rivals would shake hands to much applause from the fans.
Alex Duguay added another win to his Burnout Competition resume, besting the field of 4 competitors.
The next event at Speedway Miramichi is Saturday September 10th at 4pm with the Back to School Smash and Kid’s Day! The Back to School Smash Demolition plus the Street Stock September Shakedown 50 will be contested. Points racing in the Mini Stock and Bomber divisions is also on tap, along with our popular Kids Day, featuring Kids Rides, an autograph session, and more!
Crash for Cash Demolition Podium
1. Ricky Boudreau #764
2. Mathieu Brideau (driving for Alexandre Comeau) #110
3. Dylan Storey (driving for Ryan Nason) #128
Atlantic Modified Tour 35-Lap Feature Results
1. Doug Matchett #75
2. Chris Wilson #2W
3. Braxton Stafford #91
4. Yves McCray #58
5. Tristin Harris #7H
6. Joe Hoyt #17
Heat Winner – Joe Hoyt #17
Mini Stock 30-Lap Feature Results
1. JR Lawson #81
2. Rob Poirier #0
3. Mathieu Mallet #80
4. Guy Basque #27
5. Mitchell Poirier #28
6. Nathan Richard #35
7. Chantel Ackles #30
8. Calvin McLeod #00
9. Tim Ackles #130
10. Kevin Kinney #17
11. Jamie Turner #26
Bomber 25-Lap Feature Results
1. Tyson Donovan #63
2. Alex Duguay #11
3. Dylan Doucet #02
4. Riley Connell #43
The remaining Bomber results remain unofficial as of press time.
Dash for Cash Winner – Jean-Francois Basque #21
Powder Puff Winner – Alexandra O’Blenis #8
Back-Up Race Winner – Mitch Brideau #22
Bag Race Winner – Remi Savoie, and co-pilot Norm Robichaud #666
Figure 8 Winner – Jean-Francois Basque #21