Riverside FANatic 9-14-07
by Alan Plummer
The Bear Ridge Sportsman Coupes made their way to Riverside Speedway, a PASS sanctioned track, on Friday September 14th. They put on a heck of a show. The Outlaws wrapped up their season with Johnny Ledger being crowned top dog. The Late Models anxious to run their feature postponed because of the rain a few weeks ago, tore up some cars in a huge lap 4 pile up involving 11 cars. The Daredevils were all put in one race, and ran one heck of a race. The Brown sisters ran away with the Angel feature. Josh Lafleur held off a ton of cars to win the Cyclone/Hornet Enduro.
The Late Models started the evening off. The 20 Charlie Rockwell started on the pole, with the 7 of Jean Leblanc outside. Leblanc took the lead and the 69 of Don Franklin moved into 3rd. The “big one” happened on lap 4, as it appeared that Rockwell checked up a bit, and no one behind him did. Brian Greer in the 42 was towed from the scene. There was extensive damage to many of the cars involved, and only 8 cars not involved in the wreck. Leblanc took the restart, as Floyd Bennett Jr. moved into 2nd place. Reno Gervais in the 12vt moved into 3rd place on lap 6. The caution flew on lap 7. Bennett took the restart. Gervais overtook 2nd on lap 10 and moved to the lead on lap 14. A fast moving Grant Folsom in the 81 moved into 3rd on lap 19. On lap 24, the 02 of Russ Clark brought out the yellow after overheating. Gervais took the restart, as Folsom moves under Bennett for 2nd then the 12nh of Mike Paquette gets by Bennett also. Clark again brings out the yellow on lap 30. Folsom is sent to the pits because of a dangerous piece of metal flapping from the car. Gervais again takes the restart. On lap 35 the 1 of Corey Mason gets under Bennett and race neck and neck to the flag, with Gervais taking the win, followed by Paquette, and sneaking in at the flag Mason taking 3rd.
The Bear Ridge coupes were up next. The X of Brian King started on the pole, with the 8 of Rich Marsha outside. King took the lead, as the 15 of Tim Clafflin moved to 2nd, and the 6 of Toby Tetreault moved to 3rd. Clafflin and Tetreault get together in turn 1. The 1 of Adam Osgood get the jump and takes the restart. Clafflin is back to 3rd on lap 6, then overtakes 2nd on lap 7. Also on lap 7 Tetreault moves to 3rd. On lap 8, Tetreault overtakes the 2nd spot. On lap 13, Tetreault and Osgood get together with both recovering. Tetreault then takes the lead on lap 15. King and Marsha get together in turn 1 on lap 18. They run a single file restart with a green, white, checkers. Tetreault takes the win followed by Osgood, Clafflin, the 01 of Ryan Avery, King, and Marsha.
The Daredevils were up next. The Rookies and Veterans both ran in the same race, making a total of 14 youths on the track. The 47 of Randy Whittum started on the pole, with the 68 of Keith Lord outside. Whittum took the lead, as the 93 of Cameron Bowen moved into 3rd then 2nd, then the lead. Brendan Hunt in the 29 moves to 3rd, then on lap 3 moves to 2nd. On lap 6, the 75 of Andrew Fecteau moves to 2nd, and brings the 12 of Brett Gervais with him. The 07 of Manville Powers goes up in smoke on lap 7, bringing out the caution. Fecteau takes the restart, as Gervais moves to 2nd. On lap 9, the 44 of Kyle Pembroke moves to 3rd, and on lap 18 Pembroke overtakes 2nd. At the stripe it is Gervais followed by Pembroke and Fecteau.
The Angels took to the field next. The 13 of Mary Eastman started on the pole, with the 00 of Ciara McCoy outside. Eastman took the lead and the 41 of Vanessa Brown moved into 3rd. On lap 7, Brown ducks under McCoy for 2nd, then takes the lead. Following Vanessa’s line overtaking 3rd then 2nd, is the 36 of Allison Brown. Vanessa takes the win, followed by Allison, McCoy, the 27 of Dayna Randall, and rounding out the top 5 was Eastman.
The Outlaws were up next. The 71 of Pete Gilcris started on the pole, with the 7 of Matt Leblanc outside. Gilcris takes the lead. The 44 of Steve Patnaude blows a rear tire and goes around. Gilcris takes the restart, as the 74 of Doug Laleme moves into 2nd, and the 68 of Johnny Ledger moves to 3rd. On lap 5, Ledger overtakes 2nd. Gilcris takes the win, followed by Ledger, and Laleme.
The Cyclone/Hornet Challenge event #4 was up next. The 99 started on the pole, with the 09 outside, sorry, I don’t have their names. The 99 took the lead. At the lap 30 update, the 8 of Anthony Hill was in the lead followed by the 20 of Charlie Rockwell. Hill was still in the lead at the ˝ way point, with the 36x of Howard Switser in 2nd. On lap 68 Hill blows a tire and has to pit. At lap 70 Switser was in the lead, followed by Rockwell. At lap 90 Rockwell has moved to the lead, with Switser behind him. Rockwell’s car dies in the final laps. Josh Lafleur in the 33 takes the win followed by Switser, the 27X of Troy Randall, the 48 of Scott Marshall, and the 40oz of Rick Utley. The overall Cyclone/Hornet Challenge winner after all four events went to Riverside driver Aric Cole in the 27. Lafleur took 2nd, and the 41 of Jeff Ainsworth 3rd. 5th and 6th went to Bear Ridge drivers Chris Carbee in the 5 and Jason Gray in the 00.
Join the fun next Saturday, at an early 4pm post time. Championships will be decided in the Late Models, Super Stocks, and Street Stocks. Also on the card will be Dwarf Cars, Daredevils and Cyclones. Pictures and archived FANatic articles can be seen at http://racing.apcomptech.com If you have any questions or comments email me at riversidefanatic@apcomptech.com