Lance Wade Wins Stock Car Debut:
Langford, BC, April 11, 2009
by Ken KeatingLance Wade, filling in for brother Ryan Wade, drove the #95 car to victory in a thrilling V.I.Rental Stock Car Series Saturday night. Lance is used to Western Speedway as he drove to a Late Model Championship several years ago but has been away from racing for sometime.
Tonight marked the opening races for the Island Dwarf Car Series, the L.P.Gear I.M.S.4 Mini Stock Series, and the Stock Cars and all the races were number one. The Dwarf Car Trophy Dash started the evening's racing and the #44 of Bob Greenaway went into turn one but didn't turn and slammed into the turn one wall. At the same time, Bob Pridge had a drive shaft break on turn four. Neither driver was seriously hurt after being checked out by the ambulance crew. Chris Halliday, driving the #36 car, was the winner.
The Dwarf Cars started ten cars for twenty laps of Feature event racing with Dave Emmerson looking for a clean sweep. On lap three, the race fell under a red flag as Ike Armitage, Mike Meares, Brett Beck, and the #98 cars got together on turn three. Both the #17, driven by Brett Beck, and the #98 car would be done for the night as both cars suffered damage to the front end. On the restart, Emmerson was all over James D'ore for the lead but D'ore managed to hold off last year's Champion taking the win with Ike Armitage taking the third spot behind Emmerson. After Emmnerson's victory in the Trophy Dash he said that he would only be in the Dwarf Car for a few races but will be driving a Late Model Stock on April 18th in their first race of 2009.
The L.P.Gear I.M.S.4 Mini Stocks sent fourteen cars to the starting grid for thirty laps of racing. Mike Derepentigny grabbed the lead early and had Glen Percival right on his rear bumper. On lap thirteen, Gord Percival spun in front of Lois Pollard-Grant bringing out the caution flag. Lois had to go to the pits for minor repairs but she was able to rejoin the field. On the restart, Derepentigny got the lead again but now had Percival and the #25 car all over him. The #25 car made a move for the second spot but a slight bauble allowed Percival and Derepentigny to continue their fight for the lead. Behind this group, Aaron Willison, Matt Szauer, and Alex Mourner were in a tuff battle for the third spot. Up front, Derepentigny, the #25 car and Percival were still banging going through turn one and as they entered turn four they again got together and all three front cars spun out twenty-four laps down. This allowed Willison to take over the lead followed by Mourner and Matt Szauer. Over the last few laps nothing changed in the running and that would be the way they finished.
Kirk Peacey and Jim Steen shared the front row for a sixty lap Feature event for the V.I.Rental Stock Car Series with fourteen beautifully prepared cars set to take the green flag. Lance Wade, winner of the Trophy Dash, and Brian Clutchey, fast man in qualifying, were mired deep in the field for the start. Peacey took the early lead followed by Sam Hunt and Kyle Cottam. By lap fifteen, Wade had moved all the way to the fourth spot with Ray Anderosov, Cottam, and Peacey running close together. On lap twenty-one the yellow came out as Chris McInerney's engine appeared to have blown up. On the restart, Wade waisted no time in taking the second spot from Cottam. By this time Clutchey had moved up to run with this top group running mostly on the outside groove. Over the next few laps, Wade tried the outside on Peacey while Cottam stayed running in the group of three. Meanwhile Anderosov moved back into the pack taking the third spot on lap twenty-nine. On lap thirty-five Wade finally got clear of Peacey for the lead after running several laps side by side. Clutchey continued running the outside looking to take the third spot from Anderosov taking that spot on lap fourty-one. After a few laps, Clutchey got to the outside of Peacey and took his turn running side by side for the second spot. Up front, Wade started to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field. On lap fifty-three, Clutchey wrestled the second spot away from Peacey and followed Wade to the finish in a very clean and entertaining Feature event. In the after race interview Wade said, "I want to thank the other drivers as no one hit each other after running side by side for so many laps". He also had high praise for the crew as they all done a lot of work to make his car so good no matter who drove it.
Next Saturday night, the V.I. Rental Stock Cars and the L.P.Gear Mini Stocks will return to Western Speedway and will be joined by the first appearance of the Late Model Series.RACE SUMMARIES:
DWARF CARS:
FAST TIME: #34 Ike Armitage 17:785
B TROPHY DASH: Chris Halliday; Cliff Fairbairn; Robert Greenaway; Bob Pridge
A TROPHY DASH:Dave Emmerson; Mike Mears; Jeremy Stevens; Ike Armitage
1ST HEAT RACE:James D'Ore; Ike Armitage; Jeremy Stevens; Brent Beck
2ND HEAT RACE:Dave Emmerson; Mike Mears; Chris Halliday; B.J. Bradley
MAIN EVENT (20 LAPS):James D'Ore; Dave Emmerson; Ike Armitage; Chris Halliday
Justin Woodske
IMS4 MINI STOCK CARS:
FAST TIME: #25 Ryan Medynski 17:795
B TROPHY DASH:Gilles Parenteau; Sean Constantine; Gord Percival; Chad Dobranski
A TROPHY DASH:Glen Percival; Aaron Willison; Ryan Medynski; Lois Pollard-Grant
1ST HEAT RACE:Sean Constantine; Gord Percival; Gilles Parenteau; Chad Dobranski
2ND HEAT RACE:Alex Mouner; Ryan Medynski; Glen Percival; Mike Derepentigny
MAIN EVENT (30 laps):Aaron Willison; Alex Mouner; Matt Szauer; Ryan Patterson;
Gilles Parenteau
STOCK CAR CLASS:
FAST TIME: #98 Brian Clutchey 18:558
B TROPHY DASH:Daryl Crocker; Sam Hunt; Kyle Cottam; Ray Anderosov
A TROPHY DASH:Lance Wade; Brandon Carlson; Aaron Wilkie; Brian Clutchey
1ST HEAT RACE:Shane Scott; Brandon Carlson; Lance Wade; Kyle Cottam
2ND HEAT RACE:Kirk Peacey; Brian Clutchey; Ray Anderosov; Rory Smith
MAIN EVENT (60 laps):Lance Wade; Brian Clutchey; Kirk Peacey; Ray Anderosov;
Rory Smith
Dale Erdman photo
Dale Erdman photo
Dale Erdman photo
Barrie Goodwin photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
Ken Keating photo
