”HOT AUGUST NIGHTS”
WILROC SPRINT CARS, WILROC LITES, VI RENTALS STOCK CARS, SPORTSMAN, OTRA, DWARFS, HORNETS, MINIS and CLAIMERS
August 29/08
By Ken Keating, Illusion Photography
Western Speedway was host to the “Hot August Nights” program beginning Friday with a series of Dashes, Heat races, and a Main event for the WilRoc Sprint Car Series. The weatherman, however, forgot to put the “hot” in Hot August nights as the temperature for racers and fans alike was very chilly indeed.
Jeff “The Hurricane” Montgomery posted the first of fast qualifying followed by Scott Aumen who quickly bested that time only to be out done by a very quick Matt Mansell on a cold track. Montgomery then went on to win the Trophy Dash. During the B-Heat, Randy Vincent climbed the tires of Darren Yates’s car, maintained control, and went on to the win followed by Jim McKay, and Yates. Guy Barrett won the A-Heat leading the whole race closely followed by Gary Smith and Montgomery.
Forty laps would mark the distance for the only Feature of the night with the WilRoc Sprint Car Series. Guy Barrett immediately took control jumping to the lead followed by Gary Smith. The first yellow came out after just one lap. Montgomery slowed dramatically going through turn four and was hit by Randy Vincent. Montgomery’s car broke causing him to slow while Vincent’s car suffered a lot of front end damage ending the night for both drivers. The rear axle, on the #33 car, showed a severe crack that could have been a disaster had the veteran driver not felt. On lap two, Chris Schmelzle driving for Randy Price blasted into second spot pushing Smith back to third. By lap three, Matt Mansell moved into the fourth spot and put the pressure on Smith and by lap fourteen made the pass for second. Mr. Excitement, Scott Aumen, also had problems and entered the pits after only seven laps and did not return. Meanwhile on the track, Barrett had built a good lead only to see the yellow on lap thirteen. On the restart, Barrett got the jump again as Smith, Schmelzle, and Mansell continued to battle for the other positions. Through the middle laps Mansell tried everything to catch and pass Barrett but couldn’t do it. After several laps, Mansell began to fade back in the field as Schmelzle and Smith traded spots regularly. When the checkered flag dropped it was Barrett with a comfortable win followed by Smith, Schmelzle, Ritchie Larsen, and the young gun, Mitch Egner, rounding out the top five.
Night Two:
Western Speedway was party to a Hurricane on the second night of the Hot August Nights program. After suffering a broken axle on Friday, Jeff “The Hurricane” Montgomery dominated the Feature event for the WilRoc Sprint Car Series running for the Gary Kershaw Trophy.
Feature events were the order of the day as Trophy Dashes and Heat races were run Friday night leaving Main events for all classes Saturday. The WilRoc series was the only series to run Heats on this night making a full program for the high octane winged sprinters.
The first to run was the always entertaining Hornet and Bumblebee classes running again on the big oval and the completion of their season. There was lots of hitting and spins as the car count was high and the speeds were up. They would have to go thirty laps to determine a winner. Phil Lagan took charge very early in the race and would have to contend with lap traffic before the checkered flag flew. Lagan guided his car through almost untouched although a couple of times a car spun just in front of him and he took the checkered flag. Daryn Cahill grabbed the second spot with Daryl Cahill taking third.
Mike Noyce dominated the Claimer Feature event grabbing the lead early three laps down and began moving away into a big lead on every lap. Behind him Eric Fournier along with Derick Michaud and Brian Wakelin were in a battle for second and third. Fournier passed for second on lap fourteen until he was passed five laps later by Wakelin. Noyce was untouchable as he grabbed the checkered flag followed by Wakelin and Fournier. Wakelin suffered a lot of damage on Friday in a collision with the front stretch wall but got enough repairs done to compete.
The first of two Heat races for the Sprint cars saw Merv Barcelo lead flag to flag for the win followed by Rob Scott and Jim McKay. Merv pulls all the way from Alberta to compete with the WilRoc Series. Ritchie Larson showed power leading Guy Barrett and Matt Mansell to the checkered flag in the A-Heat.
The Old Timers would have to run twenty-five laps to capture the Ron Mayel Memorial Trophy. George the Jet Jenson grabbed the lead on lap four and started to lengthen the lead over Stephen Dardengo running in second. A great race between Dardengo, James Campbell, Dennis Morneau, and Terry Cessford was in full swing. Meanwhile, Dan Morneau worked himself into contention and entered this battle. On lap eighteen, Dan blasted into the second spot and started to reel in Jenson in front. Lap by lap Dan closed the gap and finally got to race side by side with Jenson for four laps. On lap twenty-four, Dan made the pass and went on to the win followed by Jenson and Dardengo. The large Mayel family presented Dan with the Cup at Victory Square the second such win for the talented Old Timer.
The Island Dwarf cars took the track for twenty laps of racing. Dave “The Hammer” Emmerson has dominated this series the whole year winning four Feature races. Tonight he had some stiff competition for most of the race as it took Emmerson four laps to get into the second spot. This set up a good battle with Pridge who did not surrender the lead easily. These two battled bumper to bumper, side by side, trading the lead several times as each driver took turns winning a drag race down the front stretch. On lap thirteen, Emmerson finally made the complete pass for the lead. The battle was still not over as James Dore got into the mix with Pridge for second. Emmerson started to pull away and went on to the checkered flag and on the very last lap, Dore got by Pridge to take second place. Emmerson stated “These cars are a handful but just a gas to race”. Emmerson also completed a clean sweep for the week end.
Twenty-five laps would be the distance for the Serious Coffee I.M.S.4 Mini Stocks Feature event. Kevin Knight held the pole position while Glen Percival started to the outside of row one. Percival took control early followed by Giles Parenteau and Ryan Patterson. This stayed intact until Alex Mourner took the third spot on lap twelve and on the same lap points leader Lois Pollard-Grant took over the fourth spot. On lap twenty-four Mourner passed Parenteau for the second spot while Percival took the checkered flag for his first Feature win at Western Speedway. Parenteau held off Pollard-Grant for the third spot.
Robbie Haslam had the pole for the start of a twenty lap Feature for the Sportsman Series. He took the lead from Mike Schott on lap five and began to pull away from the field. Behind him Tyler Clough, Schott, and Tim Christy were into a good battle for positions. Kirt Rompain began his march toward the front and took over the third spot on lap nine and into second on lap eleven. It took the veteran driver only a few laps to get close to Haslam and over the next several laps tried several times to get by. The crafty Haslam was not about to give up the inside groove forcing Rompain to try the outside and quite often they were running side by side. Several yellow flags helped Haslam remain in the top spot but on lap twenty-three Rompain, using the outside lane, finally got clear of Haslam and into the lead. Haslam hung on for second while Schott kept Christy behind him and finished third. This marked the first time in eight years that Rompain visited Victory Square. In an after race interview, Rompain admitted, “Haslam was not about to give up the inside so I had to go to the outside groove and it worked as here I am.”
Jesse Dardengo has completely dominated the WilRoc Lites Series in 2008, and last night was no different. Jesse has won four Feature events in four tries and in this race he drove flag to flag in the lead and won. He was followed closely by Mark Parkinson and Deter Lejeune. Dardengo completed a clean sweep for the week end event.
Aaron Wilkie led the field of sixteen V.I. Rental Stock Cars to the green flag that would be a distance of forty laps. Wilkie got the lead on the first lap as Josh Reaume moved into second spot. The battle behind included Mike Dibblee, Kyle Cottam, Kirk Peacey, Rory Smith, Robbie Haslam, driving for Ryan Wade, and Brian Clutchey who had made the move from his twelfth starting position. On lap sixteen Reaume dropped into the pits giving up his spot. On lap twenty-one Clutchey passed for the lead and began to pull away from the rest of the field. Behind him, Haslam took over the third spot while one lap later, Smith gained second. The cars were still in a tight bunch all looking to move up. Clutchey, meanwhile, was still leading but Smith was starting to reel in the leader. With about ten laps left, sparks began to fly from underneath the former Stock Car Champion’s car. This slowed the leader somewhat but Clutchey kept on running. It was determined that an exhaust pipe hangar broke and he avoided a black flag. Smith kept the pressure on the leader but fell a few laps shy to complete a pass on Clutchey. Behind these two drivers positions were still changing and as the checkered flag flew for Clutchey, Smith took second with Peacey finishing in third with Cottam and Haslam rounding out the top five. This marked the first Feature win for Clutchey in 2008 as his cars have suffered mechanical problems on more than one occasion.
One should note that a young lady from Summerland made the long haul to race her first time ever at Western Speedway to join this field of Stock Cars. Sarah Cornett-Ching, driving the Aaron’s Dream Machine #99 Monte Carlo, debuted at Vernon’s Sun Valley Speedway and runs the NASCAR Whelen Street Stock series. Her crew chief is her father, Joe Cornett-Ching, who has raced in the Katana Boat Sportsman Series and has raced at Western Speedway. She is a young lady on the way up.
The Gary Kershaw Trophy was up for grabs in the forty lap Feature event for the high octane winged Sprint Car Series that had Marty Venoit grabbing the lead on the very first lap followed by Ron Larson for four laps. With five laps down Jim McKay grabbed second as Darren Yates took over third one lap later. Yates made his next move to second on lap eleven as the faster cars were trying to negotiate their way to the front. Randy Vincent, Scott Aumen, and Jeff “The Hurricane” Montgomery were on the move from deep in the field. Three caution flags came out for minor incidents slowing the field and then opening some grooves on the restarts. Montgomery used a lot of patience to get through traffic and moved to seventh by lap nine and with the field now strung out blasted to third spot on lap seventeen and into the lead just two laps later. Behind him, it was still Darren Yates running second with Randy Vincent, Jim McKay, and Scott Aumen all in a group. Montgomery, with a clear track built a three quarter of a lap lead when the yellow came out for a crash on turn three involving McKay and Vincent. Mckays car suffered a great deal of damage in the mishap but the driver was ok. After a lengthy caution, Montgomery led the field to the green flag and immediately ran away. Yates remained running second with now Guy Barrett, Friday’s Feature winner, and Scott Aumen running third and fourth respectively. No one had anything for The Hurricane as he took the checkered flag followed by Yates, Barrett, Aumen and Gary Smith in the top five.CLAIMER CLASS:
FAST TIME: #39 Brian Wakelin 20:63
TROPHY DASH:
Matt Verhagen; Brian Wakelin; Dennis Stewart; Ryan Thompson
HEAT RACE:
Erik Fournier; Dennis Stewart; Paul Verhagen; Derrick Michaud
MAIN EVENT:
Michael Noyce; Brian Wakelin; Erik Fournier; Brandon Giles;
Paul Verhagen
DWARF CAR CLASS:
FAST TIME: #8 Bob Pridge 17:98
TROPHY DASH:
Dave Emmerson; B.J. Bradley; Bob Pridge; Bob Greenway
HEAT RACE:
Dave Emmerson; B.J. Bradley; Bob Pridge; Bruce Garside
MaIN EVENT:
Dave Emmerson; James Dore; Jim Pridge; Bob Pridge; Gord Kraus
HORNETS & BUMBLE BEES:
TROPHY DASH (BUMBLE BEES):
Val Quinn; Willow Webb; 52; Cassandra Musfelt; Candace VanBree
ROOKIE HEAT RACE:
Jake Spring; Todd Dunlop; Garrett Smith; Brandon Phillips
EXPERT HEAT RACE:
Jean-Luc Lagan; Daryl Cahill; Phil Lagan; Phil Calnan
MAIN EVENT:
Phil Lagan; Daryl Cahill; Daryn Cahill; John Luc-Lagan; Robin Trotter; Bill Peacey
I.M.S.4 MINI STOCK CLASS:
FAST TIME: #97 Lois Pollard-Grant 18:89
TROPHY DASH:
Alex Mouner; Lois Pollard-Grant; Sean Constantine; Gord Percival
HEAT RACE:
Gilles Parenteau; Glen Percival; Matt Szauer; Ryan Patterson
MAIN EVENT:
Glen Percival; Alex Mouner; Gilles Parenteau; Lois Pollard-Grant;
Sean Constantine
OLD TIME RACERS (O.T.R.A.) CLASS:
FAST TIME: #23 Dan Morneau 18:17
TROPHY DASH:
James Campbell; Larry Joyce; Dennis Morneau; Dan Morneau
HEAT RACE:
Dennis Morneau; Larry Joyce; Dan Morneau; Steve Dardengo
MAIN EVENT: (RON MAYELL MEMORIAL TROPHY):
Dan Morneau; George Jensen; Steve Dardengo; Dennis Morneau;
James Campbell
SPORTSMAN CLASS:
FAST TIME: #30 Kirt Rompain 16:989
TROPHY DASH:
Brent Morris; Tim Christie; Geoff Morris; Kirt Rompain
HEAT RACE:
Buck Ford; Brent Morris; Tim Christie; Kirt Rompain
MAIN EVENT:
Kirt Rompain; Buck Ford; Mike Schott; Brent Morris; Tim Christie
STOCK CAR CLASS:
FAST TIME: #26 Shane Scott 18:668
TROPHY DASH:
Kyle Cottam; Brian Clutchey; Shane Scott; Rory Smith
1ST HEAT:
Brian Ford; Dave Reside; Aaron Wilkie; Joshua Reaume
2ND HEAT:
Kirk Peacey; Rory Smith; Brian Clutchey; Robbie Haslam
MAIN EVENT:
Brian Clutchey; Rory Smith; Kirk Peacey; Kyle Cottam;
Robbie Haslam
WILROC LITES (WINGLESS SPRINT CARS):
FAST TIME: #57 Deter Lejeune 16:37
TROPHY DASH:
Jesse Dardengo; Deter Lejeune; Marc Parkinson; Dan Morneau
HEAT RACE:
Jesse Dardengo; Marc Parkinson; Deter Lejeune; Dan Morneau
MAIN EVENT:
Jesse Dardengo; Marc Parkinson; Deter Lejeune; Dan Morneau;
Duane Zeinstra
WILROC SPRINT CARS (FRIDAY NIGHT EVENTS):
FAST TIME: #14 Matt Mansell 14:001
TROPHY DASH:
Jeff Montgomery; Matt Mansell; Mitch Egner; Scott Aumen
1ST HEAT:
Randy Vincent; Jim McKay; Darren Yates; Duane Zeinstra
2ND HEAT:
Guy Barrett; Gary Smith; Jeff Montgomery; Chris Schmelzle
MAIN EVENT (40 LAPS):
Guy Barrett; Gary Smith; Chris Schmelzle; Richie Larson;
Mitch Egner
WILROC SPRINT CARS (SATURDAY NIGHT EVENTS):
FAST TIME: #29 Randy Price 13:982
1ST HEAT:
Merv Barcello; Rob Scott; Jim McKay; Duane Zeinstra
2ND HEAT:
Richie Larson; Guy Barrett; Mat Mansell; Randy Vincent
MAIN EVENT: (40 LAP--GARY KERSHAW TROPHY):
Jeff Montgomery; Darren Yates; Guy Barrett; Scott Aumen;
Gary Smith
