EXCITING FINALE FOR FOUR DIVISIONS!
Winners, Rijnen, Shipway, Pritiko, Showler
September 17, 2010
(London, Ontario) Historians with deep racing archives will eventually decide how this 2010 season at Delaware Speedway stacks up against those that came before it. But for us, for now, it’s all over for our NASCAR Late Models, Delaware Super Stocks, Demar Aggregates Trucks and Powerade Modifieds. And while points always matter, fans and announcers alike turned into virtual human calculators for some of the closer contests that determined champions tonight.
We began our evening with a tribute to Strathroy Mayor Mel Veale, a longtime friend and supporter of Delaware Speedway and so many drivers who race here.
Delaware Super Stocks division had our tightest race and offered some of the most exciting driving of the night. Kris Lawrence(28) and Jason Lidster (11)were tied for first when the evening began and after Lawrence edged out Lidster in the heat, Lawrence gained a point on his rival. Jim Mairs (5) had the pole and Chad Rijnen (74) grabbed the lead at lap 2 with Kris Root (69) behind him. Devon Bloemendal (66) had been running third when he struck the outside wall on the front straightaway at lap 5 and went to the infield to assess the damage.
With Rijnen way out ahead, Lawrence and Steve Smith (84) were locked in a fierce battle for fifth until DJ DeJesus (9) spun around n the back straightaway at lap 18, bringing out Sharpie’s yellow flag.
On the restart it was Rijnen, Root, Lawrence, Smith and Lidster but Lidster worked his way up to third within two laps and Darrell Lake (77) moved up to fourth with Steve Smith behind him. Lap traffic cost Lidster third and allowed Lake to move up. Rijnen kept it cool and took the checker even as Lawrence charged up to second and stuck to the 74’s bumper. Kris Lawrence is the 2010 Delaware Super Stocks division Champ.
After being known for years as the best NASCAR Late Model driver at Delaware to never win a Championship, Ron Sheridan can finally add that achievement to his list of accomplishments.
Doug Stewart (2) had the pole but the leader from lap 1 was Andrew Gresel (81). Matt Pritiko (21) quickly moved up from fourth to second and stuck to Gresel’s bumper until the 21 took the lead at lap 15. Sheridan began the race in 5th and with 10 laps to go, was running fourth behind Mark Watson (78) Jamie Ramsey (22) and Pritiko with a straightaway-length lead on the field.
We got our first caution at lap 32 as Watson went for a spin on turns 3 and 4 and although he struck the concrete, Watson was able to rejoin the field and continue the final few laps.
The pressure was on Pritiko for his first NASCAR Late Model feature win, now with Ramsay on his bumper and bearing down on him. He held on and Matt Pritiko took the checkered flag with Ramsay, Sheridan, Shawn Thompson (72) and Matt Box (27) behind him.
Another one of those tight fights was in Powerade Modifieds where Jamie Cox (3) and Barry Newman (1) came into the night just 9 points apart.
Darrell Limon (54) had the pole in Powerade Modifieds but he had to fight hard through the first 10 laps to keep it with John Saunders (70), Paul Shipway (88), Tyler Hendricks (38) and Barry Newman all bunched in to challenge him. Shipway made his move low at lap 9, taking second place from Saunders. At lap 13 Shipway took the lead after going high on Limon on turn one and dodging lap traffic. Stephen Richmond(24) ran into some trouble on turn 3 and the first caution came out. Shipway still had the lead with Newman behind him, Hendricks third and Cox fourth as the second yellow flew at lap 21 when the 90 of Richard Warrens went around. Less than a full lap later, trouble on the back straightaway involving Richmond, Saunders and Dean Scott (19) sent Richmond briefly into the pits and left Saunders on the track with a serious tire rub; he pitted just as green went up. Paul Shipway, who had Mayor Mel Veale as a sponsor, took the win and Jamie Cox wins the Powerade Modified Championship for 2010.
Our final Demar Aggregates Trucks feature ran in two parts! Five caution-filled laps ran earlier in the night and the rest of the race ran following the other features after the trucks were sent to the pits to take a “time out”.
Paul Fothergill was a virtual lock to repeat as Champion. Gary Triska (57) had the pole and kept the lead until Shawn Johns (00) passed him at lap 3. Moments later Michelle Koricina appeared to hit the wall and clipped Chad Rijnen (16) whose truck axle broke sending a tire bouncing down to pit road. Rijnen placed the blame on another driver he says deliberately tried to wreck Koricina. A lap later Mickey Brydges (17) and Craig Marche (15) tangled on turns 3 and 4 and Randy Thompson (1) got caught up. After yet another caution the entire field of trucks was sent into the pits at lap 5.
On phase two of the race, Johns maintained his lead until lap 14 when some trouble on turn one cost Johns the lead and put Jeff Showler (56) out front with Jordan Dupuis (75), Fothergill (33) Steve McCaw (82) and Devon Bloemendal (01) behind him. A lap later, yellow went up again as Marche clipped the wall along the front straightaway.
Another couple of laps later a spin by McCaw cost him his position but he turned it around in time to avoid a caution. At lap 23 there was a caution for Matt Koricina (93) and a flat tire. Showler took the win. Fothergill got another division Championship.
Demar Aggregates Trucks Heat #1: Shawn Johns. Heat #2: Steve McCaw.
Delaware Super Stocks Heat #1: Chad Rijnen. Heat #2: Kris Lawrence.
Open Wheel Modified Time Trials. Jamie Cox 19.184.
NASCAR Late Model Time Trials: Mark Watson18.899.
Tomorrow afternoon we will wrap up the 2010 season with the Transmission Direct Enduro Nationals and Ultimate Sandblasting and Coating Chaos Cars. We’re also welcoming the London Knights to Delaware Speedway for an autograph session before racing begins at 2 pm. The day’s racing program is sponsored by George’s Auto Wreckers and Recycling.
Lisa Brandt
