Rookie Driver Wins the Back to School Smash!

Most drivers have a memorable first trip to Speedway Miramichi – but few can boast an experience quite as memorable as Allain Comeau (#992) now can. The driver making his Speedway Miramichi debut outlasted the competition to become the winner of the Back to School Smash Demolition! Comeau bested the forty-eight cars in attendance and twenty-six who started the final demo to claim the $2000 grand prize. In doing so, Allain became the first competitor to win in their first start since Ryley MacIntosh won the 2020 Crash for Cash.

A night filled with attrition, hard hits, and close points battles ultimately wrapped up with none of the top 10 in points entering the night on the final Demo podium, as Billy Pelletier (#333) took second place and Jean-Rene Duguay-McGraw (#140) rounded out the podium. Championship contenders Riley Harris (#1) and Marc Andre Benoit (#81) found each other on the track again on several occasions throughout the night and let each other know it won’t be easy to win, but Benoit ultimately should retain the lead heading into the points finale!

Darcy O’Neill (#68) picked up a long-awaited victory in the Street Stock division at the September Shakedown! O’Neill had won races, but never in an extended distance race before. After claiming the heat race, O’Neill started up front but was pressured early on by Riley Goodwin (#77) and James Matchett (#55). Battling an ill-handling car, O’Neill was barely hanging onto the lead in the early laps. But as the race progressed, he started to pull away and never looked back, making himself an early favorite for the 5th Annual Street Stock 100 in October! Matchett would edge out Goodwin for second. Tom Nicholls (#28) and Robert Legere (#04) rounded out the top 5 after Bryar Ellis encountered late race issues.

O’Neill claimed a wild 10-lap heat race. He took the lead early after a battle with Ellis and survived a restart after Tom Nicholls spun off the bumper of Matchett. On the final lap of the race, Matchett was making the pass on Ellis for third when contact spun the 55 car, which collected Nicholls in the process. Eight cars were in attendance for the September Shakedown 50.

JR Lawson (#81) continued his winning streak in the Mini Stock division, but it didn’t come easy as the field of Mini Stocks was very tight. Lawson took the lead on lap 13 but had to hold off a hungry Rob Poirier (#0) for the victory. BJ Gillespie (#69) drove to a third-place finish, getting around Conrad Murphy (#89) who had himself a career day. Murphy would edge out Mathieu Mallet (#80) for fourth. Mallet drove into the top 5 after coming from the back after contact with Guy Basque (#27) early in the race. Basque also rebounded to finish sixth.

Only two cautions slowed the race, one in the early laps for Neil Miousse (#71) having issues, the other for the spin by Basque. Lawson won the first heat race, while Conrad Murphy scored his first ever checkered flag in the second heat race after a heated battle that saw him beat Mallet and Poirier for the win. Miousse entered the day leading the points, but a variety of issues plagued his day, which will hand the lead over to the duo of JR Lawson and James Matchett heading into the final race of the season, where Lawson will look to make history by becoming the first driver to win three championships in a row. The win was Lawson’s 18th career win in Miramichi, and extended a streak of him winning in his last fifteen starts. Fifteen Mini Stocks were on hand for the race.

Mark Kingston (#97) extended his points lead and win streak in the Bomber division heading into the championship race. Kingston took the lead from his championship rival Tyson Donovan (#63) on the twelfth lap of the race and held Donovan off through lapped traffic and on a late race restart to take the victory – his fourth of the season, and fifth of his career. Donovan kept Kingston honest but would settle for second – while he lost some ground in points, it was minimal and he managed to keep the championship within reach. Timmy Blakely (#69) took command of the battle for third in points as he raced to a podium finish once again, coming home third. Blake Bransfield (#60) followed up a heat race where he earned his first career Bomber victory by claiming a fourth-place finish, with Casey Munn (#07) rounding out the top 5.

Four cautions slowed the thirty-lap race, with three cautions coming in the first four laps. A combination of debris and the slow car of Billy Pelletier (#18) brought out the first caution, followed by yellows for rookie Riley Connell (#43) spinning in turn 1 and Samantha Blakely (#96) going for a loop in turn 4. The final caution came with six laps remaining for a car parked in the infield. With nineteen cars in attendance, the field was split up into three heat races. Donovan and Kingston won the first two heats, while Blake Bransfield picked up his first heat win in the final heat race.

The Goodwin Grudge Match lived up to the hype and entertained fans and the Goodwin family. Riley Goodwin would get the best of his father taking the win, but Bob gave it everything he had, making some various attempts to gain the lead – including getting a passenger who was none other than “Hollywood” James Matchett. It was a very enjoyable part of the night and we thank the Goodwin’s for agreeing to partake in this. More grudge matches are being planned for the future.

In Demolition preliminary action, Marc Andre Benoit (#81) made a statement in his bid for the championship by capturing the flag in the 8-lap Dash for Cash over the thirty-six-car field.

It was another first-time winner in the 10-lap Powder Puff Race, with Chantel Lanteigne (#47) surviving a fierce race to take the win. Lanteigne had to hold off Katie Barton (#995) after they exchanged the lead several times in order to score the victory. The race was halted after 2 laps for a scary wreck that saw Alexandra Chiasson (#10) take a hard hit on the backstretch. We wish her a speedy recovery from the incident. Full Powder Puff points and results can be expected in the coming days.

Jeremy Faulds (#11) picked up a big win in the Back-Up Race, surviving to win over the twenty-four-car field. The race featured a dramatic moment where two cars collided on the front stretch, sending one car airborne for a brief moment.

It was a monumental moment for Miky Roussel (#818) in the Tire Race! Usually the driver of #758, Roussel was taken out on the first turn of the Dash for Cash, so he subbed behind the wheel and took the car to victory in the twenty-four-car field, earning the first checkered flag of his career in Miramichi!

The 2018 Demolition Champion picked up his first checkered flag in a long time, as Joey Pitre (#20) captured the win in the Figure 8 Race! Twenty cars started the race, but far from that many finished the wild affair. No fewer than four big hits occurred in the race, including one where three cars got collected.

Brady Sturgeon claimed the win with the loudest applause in the Burnout Competition.

The Back to School Smash also featured Kids Day, which saw a pre-race autograph session and kids rides, along with jumping castles, giveaways, and other special features for the youngest fans! A great time was had by all!

The event was recorded by a crew from Tim’s Corner TV to capture all the action. Fans and drivers can rewatch the show with a PPV pass online at timscorner.tv.

The next event at Speedway Miramichi is the biggest event of the year – The Very Best Fall Shootout on October 1st and 2nd featuring the 5th Annual Street Stock 100, the Demolition Blowout, and crowning of all track champions!

Back to School Smash Demolition Podium

1. Allain Comeau #992

2. Billy Pelletier #333

3. Jean-Rene Duguay-Mcgraw #140

Street Stock September Shakedown 50 Results

1. Darcy O’Neill #68

2. James Matchett #55

3. Riley Goodwin #77

4. Tom Nicholls #28

5. Robert Legere #04

6. Mark Kingston #97

7. Bryar Ellis #95

8. Jacob Smith #17

Mini Stock 30 Lap Results

1. JR Lawson #81

2. Rob Poirier #0

3. BJ Gillespie #69

4. Conrad Murphy #89

5. Mathieu Mallet #80

6. Guy Basque #27

7. Chantel Ackles #30

8. Mitchell Poirier #28

9. Calvin McLeod #00

10. Tyler Lannan-McLeod #24

11. Jamie Turner #26

12. Alysha Landry #22

13. Neil Miousse #71

14. Tom Ackles #130

DNS – Brandon Campbell #99

Bomber 30 Lap Feature Results

1. Mark Kingston #97

2. Tyson Donovan #63

3. Timmy Blakely #69

4. Blake Bransfield #60

5. Casey Munn #07

6. Samantha Blakely #96

7. Jordan Campbell #68

8. Stanson Donovan #63x

9. Kevin Kinney #81

10. Adam Plourde #11

11. Jacob Smith #29

12. Dylan Doucet #02

13. Riley Connell #43

14. Billy Pelletier #18

15. Axten MacLean #13

16. Dan Dionne #55

17. Riley Harris #1

18. Brandon Campbell #42 (subbing for Derrick Ramsay)

19. Erika Lessage #19

Goodwin Grudge Match Results

1. Riley Goodwin

2. Bob Goodwin

Dash for Cash Winner – Marc Andre Benoit #81

Powder Puff Winner – Chantal Lanteigne #47

Back-Up Race – Jeremy Faulds #11

Tire Race – Miky Roussel #818

Figure 8 Race – Joey Pitre #20

Burnout Competition Winner – Brady Sturgeon