By Dave Vokey // Photos by Dave Franks
BARRIE, ON – It was a splendid afternoon for racing at Barrie Speedway on Sept 22 for the season finale. The big winners on the day were #88 Scott Beatty of Barrie and #31 Shaun McWhirter of Mount Forest. Beatty would capture the 35 lap feature that was being made up from the Sept 15 rain out, while McWhirter would notch a victory in the final race of the season, a 50 lap affair for the Full Throttle Late Models. The track would also crown its 2007 points champion as #48 Dwayne Baker of Stayner would take the title in his B&B Towing Dodge Charger edging #19 Keith McLeod by a mere 18 points in the season long battle between the two stout competitors.
In the 35 lap make up feature, Beatty would dive into the lead from the pole, with #97 Rob Inglis working his way under the 36 of Stoyan Zutich to take over second on lap 4. Beatty would be running laps in the 14.9 seconds range throughout the early going, holding a 2 car length lead over Inglis. On the move early was the Look Company Dodge of McLeod, moving from ninth to fourth in just a dozen laps. McLeod would lead the way for Baker and #10 Gord Shepherd to climb through the field, with Beatty still out front looking for his first ever feature victory at the High Line. Beatty and Inglis were now running nose to tail when Inglis would tap Beatty in corner 2 just past the midway point, with Inglis being sent to the rear, while Beatty would inherit the point back after the final call came down from the officials. This turn of events would bring #69 Al Inglis to the runner up spot, with McLeod, Baker, and Shepherd rounding out the top 5.
The caution would again fly on lap 19, as Shepherd, #23 Rob Black, and the 37 of visiting driver Paul Dejong of Ottawa would collect between turns 1&2.
On the restart, #31 Shaun McWhirter would get the jump on Baker, moving past him on the outside line to take over fourth. The best battle was taking place just outside the top 5, with #2 Mike Brown and #28 Robin Jongen locked in a tight battle for position as the race hit the 25 lap mark. Beatty was still holding a slim lead over Al Inglis, who now had his mirror full as McLeod was itching to find his way past. McLeod would look under Inglis entering corner 3 on lap 28, but was unable to make the pass stick. Beatty was running a splendid race at the front opening up a 3 car length lead, as McLeod would now begin to try Inglis on the high side looking for as many positions gained as possible over the point leader coming into the day Baker. Baker and McWhirter would stage a battle of epic proportions over the closing stages, with neither willing to give an inch in the race for fourth place. They would come to the line with Beatty taking the checkered and Inglis fending off the McLeod challenge to claim the runner up post. McLeod would take third, with Baker, and McWhirter rounding out the top 5, after McWhirter was penalized one position for jumping the green on a late race restart.
"We were long overdue for this win. I've been battling out here with these guys for 3 seasons now and to get that feature win I'm just on cloud nine right now" stated Beatty after the race.
In the season ending 50, it was Baker coming into the race with a slim 9 point lead over McLeod, with the large crowd on hand on the edge of their seats waiting to see how this one would shake out. The story turned from the Baker/McLeod battle to McWhirter, who shot out to a large lead from the pole with #97 Rob Inglis and #9x Brandon Watson giving chase. #10 Gord Shepherd and #69 Al Inglis would round out the top 5 early throughout the early stages of this one. Also in the mix was #8 Dave Lewis, who began to challenge Inglis for the fifth place position, as the duo of Baker and McLeod would make their way to mid pack after starting 13th and fourth respectively. McWhirter would be running laps in the 14. 7 seconds range with Rob Inglis still holding down second, while Shepherd had now begun to put heavy pressure on the 14 year old Watson for third.
The caution would come out on lap 18, as #36 Stoyan Zutich came to rest against the wall between turns 3&4. On the restart the man to watch out for was the #28 of Robin Jongen, as the talented driver would make his way past Al Inglis on the low side of the track to enter the top 5. Also following the Jongen move was McLeod, as he too would power under Inglis to gain that all important positioning in his chase for the 07 championship. Jongen would unfortunately get shuffled back a couple of positions after contact with the 10 of Shepherd while racing for fourth. Jongen would wind up losing control and hitting the wall in turn 1, with Shepherd in turn being sent to the rear after being deemed an involved car. This would bring McLeod up to fourth position, behind the trio of McWhirter, Rob Inglis, and Watson, who was having his best run to date in a Late Model at his home track. McLeod would now begin to intensify the pressure on the future star Watson, but the young lion would hold tough not allowing McLeod the opening he needed to power past. Finally on lap 43, McLeod would run up on Watson and tap him from behind in corner 2, with Watson spinning down the backstretch after an attempt to make a remarkable save, this would send McLeod to the rear and virtually end his bid for the title with only 7 laps remaining to work his way back to the front. McWhirter would soldier on with the lead after the restart, looking very calm and collected with Inglis just a couple car lengths behind in second. McWhirter would drive on to the victory virtually unchallenged from there, with Inglis recording a season best second place. Watson would have his best finish as well with a third, while Baker and #2 Mike Brown would complete the fast five.
"This is a good close to the season here after I had some issues with the car in the past month and was forced to use my back up car last week" stated veteran driver McWhirter.
Heat wins were claimed by McWhirter, Baker, Brown, and McLeod.
After winning the championship Baker remarked, "This feels really good. We were very close last year and to get the championship is just a reward for all the hard work Peter and my crew put into this car each week."
Baker also stated that he will be handing the reins over to son Kyle next season while putting together a new car for himself, as he makes his return to the High Line to defend the title in 08.
The XCOPPER Thunder Car division was also set to run a 50 lap feature to crown its 07 champ, after an intense season long battle between #44 Dave Doucette, #00 Darryl St. Onge and the always fast #49 of two time defending track champ Flyin' Frank Davey. In the 50 lap season finale, #92 Dan Dixon would move out to the lead from the outside pole with #24 Leonard Johnston and #22x Jim Beleskey in tow. Johnston and Beleskey would wage an impressive side by side duel for second in the early going, with Johnston finally shooting through to claim the position.
An early caution would come about on lap 6, as Beleskey had something let go in the motor, littering the track with oil as St. Onge and #72 Marty Monette would become the victim of these unfortunate circumstances, with both hitting the wall hard between 3&4. This would end the night for St. Onge, as well as his bid for the 07 title, with Monette able to continue after spending some time on pit road. On the restart, Johnston would get to the inside of leader Dixon to move himself to the point, as he would drag Davey up with him into second. A couple laps later Johnston would be given the mechanical black for excessive smoke, as Davey would inherit the lead with #97 Brad Holden running second, while Doucette sat comfortably in third. Davey would be running laps in the 15.8 seconds range as he began to break away from the side by side battle between Holden and Doucette. These two drivers would run several laps door handle to door handle in an incredible display of tough, clean short track racing before Doucette would finally find his way past to move to the runner up spot. Once out front it was clear nobody was catching Davey as the smooth driving veteran captured his fifth feature win of the season. Doucette would clinch the 07 track championship with a solid second place, while Holden, #77 Brian Murray, and #2 Eddie Tremblay would round out the top 5. Heat wins would go to Davey, Doucette, Murray, and Tremblay.
Upon clinching the 07 title Doucette remarked, "It was really too bad to see Darryl go out that early. I really wanted to race 'til the end for the title. That was our mindset coming into the night -- just try to win races and let the points worry about themselves."
For Doucette it was his second track championship after taking the 2004 Pure Stock title.
In the LUCAS OIL Pure Stock division, the win would go to #63 Brandon Crumbie in his Honda Prelude. For Crumbie, it was his first feature win of the 07 season after a string of several top 5's throughout the season. #14 Tanja Huffman would move to the front from the outside pole, with her father #114 Horst Ziebell also following around the outside of #25 Darron McMinn. #92 Ralph Sikes would make his way into third in the early going, running right on the bumper of Ziebell. Also on the move was the duo of #9 Brandon Watson and #24 Tom Milligan, as the drivers would charge inside the top 5 after hooking up together on the outside of the racetrack. Huffman would be parading around with laps in the 17.9 seconds range when she was overtaken on the outside by the hard charging Sikes. This would lead the way for Watson to move into second, with Milligan now running in third. Sikes would quicken the pace considerably out front, now running laps in the 17.3 seconds range as Crumbie was also making his presence felt, as he would duck to the inside of Watson to take over second after starting fifth on the grid.
Crumbie would take the lead from Sikes on the outside as the pair raced out of corner 2 just past lap 30. Crumbie was running laps right at 17 seconds flat, as #63x Dave Burrows and cousin Beau in the 64x Honda CRX began to close in on Sikes. Dave Burrows would finally make his way around Sikes, with Crumbie now holding a full straightway lead at the front of the field. The best battle was now the race for fourth, with Watson and Beau Burrows battling side by side for that position with 5 laps remaining. On this night it was Crumbie's race to lose as he would take the win by a wide margin over Dave Burrows at the line. Burrows would take the point championship for 07 by 38 points over runner up Crumbie. #92 Ralph Sikes would have a season best third place in the feature, with Watson and Beau Burrows rounding out the top 5. Heat wins went to Crumbie, Sikes, Beau Burrows, and #33 Dave Glaze. The YANCH HEATING & Air Chargers would see the tightest point battle heading into the evening's racing with #64 "California" Dave Crumbie and #55 Shawn Monette coming into the day tied in points. This season long war would be settled quickly, as Monette would take the win in the 30 lap feature capping off his hat trick after a pair of earlier heat wins. #14x Paitra Surerus would move into the lead from the outside pole, with #33 Crystal Doucette running second, while Monette would make a nice low move through a collection of cars to claim third early on. #38 Steeve Melson and #57 Mitch Casey would round out the top 5 throughout the early stages, as Crumbie would charge into sixth place from his fourth starting spot.
The first caution would fly on lap 11, with #21 Desiree Walt getting turned around on the backstretch. On the restart, Surerus would be running laps in the 17.7 seconds range as Doucette began to marginally cut into the lead of her fellow female competitor. Doucette would look under Surerus between 1&2 but Surerus would battle back on the outside to maintain the lead.
Another caution would come about on lap 19, as Doucette and Casey would get tangled up with the lapped car of #23 Terry Tompkins. #99 Drew Stieler would begin to make his way to the front as he would look under Monette in an attempt to take over second. This seemed to light a fire under Monette as the talented driver would find some additional speed to move around Surerus to take the lead down the frontstretch at lap 23. Surerus would now be locked in a side by side battle with Stieler, with Crumbie and Melson tucked closely in behind that duo. But this night would belong to Monette who drove on to take his second feature win of the season and with it the point title for the 2007 season. Stieler would win the race with Surerus for second, with Crumbie and Melson rounding out the top 5. Heat wins would go to Monette with a pair, Melson, and #37 Robbie Sikes.
Also on hand were the Ontario Legends Cars, who put on a fine show for the multitude of fans on hand as #88 Bruce Grimes would take the feature win to increase his point lead on #24 Andy Warbutton who finished second, with #79 Adam Cuthburtson taking third after a late charge back through the pack after an earlier incident. Heat wins went to Warbutton with a pair, Grimes, and Cuthbertson.
Pit Notes
Special thanks to Ontario Pro Challenge driver #53 Kevin Crowhurst who was on hand to treat the fans to a few hot laps as well as Delaware Speedway Late Model driver #42 Jamie Ramsey, who had his sleek looking ride on display inside the front gate as part of HAVOLINE night at the High Line. Also thanks to the drivers, crews, speedway employees, and our ever increasing fan base who have made the 07 season one of the most successful in the 42 year history of the HIGH LINE.
FULL THROTTLE ENERGY DRINK LATE MODELS
HEAT WINS: K. McLeod, S. McWhirter, D. Baker, M. Brown
FEATURE: 1. #88 Scott Beatty; 2. #69 Al Inglis; 3. #19 Keith McLeod; 4. #48 Dwayne Baker; 5. #31 Shawn McWhirter; 6. #28 Robin Jongen; 7. #97 Rob Inglis; 8. #36 Stoyan Zutich; 9. #2 Mike Brown; 10. #8 Dave Lewis; 11. #90 Kevin Reynolds; 12. #23 Rob Black; 13. #55 Steve Quesnelle; 14. #13 Robert Thornborrow; 15. #37 Paul DeJong; 16. #9x Brandon Watson; 17. #10 Gord Shepherd;
STANDINGS Top-10: 1. Dwayne Baker, 2266; 2. Keith McLeod, 2248; 3. Robin Jongen, 2183; 4. Gord Shepherd, 2150; 5. Mike Brown, 2142; 6. Dave Lewis, 2135; 7. Al Inglis, 2014; 8. Shawn McWhirter, 1996; 9. Rob Inglis, 1980; 10. Rob Black, 1832;
XCOPPER THUNDER CARS
HEAT WINS: B. Murray, F. Davey, E. Tremblay, D. Doucette
FEATURE: 1. #49 Frank Davey; 2. #44 Dave Doucette; 3. #97 Brad Holden; 4. #77 Brian Murray; 5. #2 Ed Tremblay; 6. #9 Chris Burrage; 7. #22 Jason Elliot; 8. #21 Luke Gignac; 9. #59 Devan Craft; 10. #67 Jeff Smith; 11. #92 Dan Dixon; 12. #6 Kevin Aiken; 13. #72 Marty Monette; 14. #24 Leonard Johnston; 15. #82 Ben Lidstone; 16. #22x Jim Beleskey; 17. #00 Darryl St. Onge; 18. #34 Peter Marquardt; 19. #48 Kyle Baker; 20. #42 Troy Potts (BF); 21. #25 D'arcy Gribbon (N/S);
STANDINGS Top-10: 1. Dave Doucette, 2060; 2. Frank Davey, 2048; 3. Darryl St. Onge, 2030; 4. Ed Tremblay, 1986; 5. Brian Murray, 1899; 6. Brad Holden, 1876; 7. Kyle Baker, 1755; 8. Troy Potts, 1732; 9. Chris Burrage, 1728; 10. Marty Monette, 1721;
LUCAS OIL PURE STOCKS
HEAT WINS: B. Burrows, D. Glaze, R. Sikes, B. Crumbie
FEATURE: 1. #63 Brandon Crumbie; 2. #63x Dave Burrows; 3. #92 Ralph Sikes; 4. #9 Brandon Watson; 5. #33 Dave Glaze; 6. #64x Beau Burrows; 7. #24 Tom Milligan; 8. #16 Bryan Penny; 9. #14 Tanja Huffman; 10. #26 Bill Walt; 11. #114 Horst Ziebell; 12. #20 Anna Milligan; 13. #25 Darron McMinn; 14. #37 Robbie Sikes (CH); 15. #45 Derek Surerus; 16. #17 Dan Little (N/S); 17. #97 Thayne Hallyburton (N/S);
STANDINGS Top-10: 1. Dave Burrows, 2044; 2. Brandon Crumbie, 2006; 3. Beau Burrows, 1986; 4. Tom Milligan, 1960; 5. Dave Glaze, 1952; 6. Brandon Watson, 1816; 7. Bryan Penny, 1798; 8. Bill Walt, 1685; 9. Ralph Sikes, 1666; 10. Horst Ziebell, 1654;
YANCH HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING CHARGERS
HEAT WINS: S. Melson, S. Monette, R. Sikes, S. Monette
FEATURE: 1. #55 Shawn Monette; 2. #99 Drew Stieler; 3. #14x Paitra Surerus; 4. #64 Dave Crumbie; 5. #38 Steeve Melson; 6. #37 Robbie Sikes; 7. #117 John Crossman; 8. #21 Desiree Walt; 9. #84 Jerry Slavish; 10. #57 Mitch Casey; 11. #98 Brent Stieler; 12. #17 Kenny Cox; 13. #28 Jason Buchanan; 14. #29 Tia Dale; 15. #33 Crystal Doucette; 16. #23 Terry Tompkins; 17. #92x Mark Robson; 18. #192 Allyson Smith;
STANDINGS Top-10: 1. Shawn Monette, 1930; 2. Dave Crumbie, 1914; 3. Mitch Casey, 1891; 4. Steeve Melson, 1827; 5. Jerry Slavish, 1738; 6. Drew Stieler, 1729; 7. Crystal Doucette, 1631; 8. John Crossman, 1593; 9. Tia Dale, 1572; 10. Desiree Walt, 1524;
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