Modified 101: O’Brien picture perfect for second Brockville Speedway win on Saturday

By: Tim Baltz

Forthton – Without the threat of rain or bad weather the Brockville Ontario Speedway drivers were ready for battle on a clear night, with a great crowd in attendance and a pit area full of cars, it was hammer down from the drop of the first green flag.

The Action Sprint Tour National Series hit the track first for a 25-lap A-Main event. Brian Nanticoke would grab the lead at the drop of the green flag, with Mike Bowman and Ryan Poole right there to challenge early. Lee Ladouceur has been the hottest driver in the Crate Sprint car ranks at Brockville this year with 5 straight wins. Ladouceur flexed his muscle as he grabbed the lead and it looked like it was another night in victory lane, but Mathieu Bardier was about to change that. On lap 6 Bardier, who started mid-pack, used the outside lane and began to put on a clinic. Bardier was running strong on the outside lane as Ladouceur and Bowman tried to keep pace. Lapped cars started to come into play with around 10 laps to go, allowing Ladouceur to close in a make a race out of it. Despite a late race charge in traffic, the 5-race winning streak for Lee Ladouceur would come to an end as Mathieu Bardier, would charge to his third career series win and second this season at Brockville. Ladouceur settled for second with Matt Billings, Adam Turner and Mike Bowman crossing in 5th.

Kraig Handley started the 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature from the front row and put on a dominant performance as he led early on over Michael Dillon, Domonick Merkley, Greg Brinklow and Jonah Lewis. The former full fender competitor had a fast race car and opened up a big lead on the field, but the driver on the move was two-time and defending track champion Bobby Herrington. After starting 10th Herrington moved through the pack and eventually got to the top 3 by lap 14, but still had a long way to go to catch the leaders. On lap 17 Dillon had managed to close in on Handley for the lead and the top 2 began to put on a spirited battle, which allowed Herrington to close in as well. On lap 20 Dillon took over the lead and brought Herrington to second, but the reigning champion was not done there. With 3 laps to go Herrington used the top lane to take the lead and pull away. A quick yellow came out on lap 23 which forced a green, white checkered finish. When the green flew Herrington got out to a comfortable lead but invader William Racine was flying to the front as he moved to second on the white flag lap. Despite the late charge, William Raine would run out of laps, as Herrington cruised to his 4th win of the season. William Racine, Michael Dillon, Kraig Handley and Domonick Merkley completed the top 5.

Danny O’Brien started the 30-lap DIRTcar 358 Modified feature from the second row and used a brave three-wide pass to get to the back bumper of Gavin Macfarlane as the field completed lap number 1. Off turn two, O’Brien took to the inside lane and drove by the rookie, pulled away to a comfortable lead and started to author a dominant performance. Behind the leader Tristan Draper, Johnathon Ferguson and Ryan Arbuthnot were n the move as Draper was the first to get clear of everyone, as he began his pursuit of the leader. At the halfway point O’Brien and Draper were well out front with Arbuthnot moving to third around Ferguson while Lee Ladouceur was having another solid top 5 run on this night. With 10 to go O’Brien started to enter lapped traffic which allowed Draper to close the gap and try to make a race out of it. Even with lapped cars involved Danny O’Brien proved to be too much on this night as he marched to his 101st career Brockville Modified win and second of 2023. Draper claimed his third runner-up finish of the year with Ryan Arbuthnot, Johnathon Ferguson and Lee Ladouceur 5th.

The Novice Sportsman drivers were set for a 12-lap event and Dylan Moore wasted no time going to the head of the field with Cory Lambert and Madie Wallace making up the top 5. Moore was fast on this night as he drove away to a straightaway lead on the rest of the field. With the leader well in command, last week’s winner Nathan Lambert was on the charge, moving to second on lap 6. However, on this night Dylan Moore was too much for the field scoring his third win f the season and 2nd in the last three weeks. Nathan Lambert, Madie Wallace, Matt Pruner and Nicholas Mainville wounded out the top 5.

The night would conclude with a 15-lap Mini Stock feature and opening day winner Brandon MacMillan would be the driver to beat on this night. The Cornwall Ontario native grabbed the lead from early pacesetter Dakota Boal and started to pull away. Behind the leader, Matt Boal started to charge forward as he made his way to second just past halfway, but needed help to catch the leader. Help would arrive on lap 12 in the form of a yellow for Dave Watchorn, who slowed in the infield. On the final restart, MacMillan took control but Matt Boal and Marc Dagenais were right there to challenge. At the checkered flag, Brandon MacMillan would hold off the challenges of Boal and Dagenais for the win, his second of the year. Matt Boal would hold off Marc Dagenais for 2nd with Dakota Boal and Dan Cook completing the top 5.

Next week it will be the final event for the DIRTCar Sportsman North Regional Series, plus a full show for the DIRTCar 358 Modified, Trailer Pro Canada Crate Sprint Cars plus Novice Sportsman and Street Stocks. Spectator gates open at 5 pm with racing getting underway at 7 pm.

To keep up with what is happening at The BOS in 2023, check out our website at brockvillespeedway.com. To get instant updates all year, give the speedway a follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

DIRTCar 358 Modified (30 laps)

DANNY O’BRIEN, Tristan Draper, Ryan Arbuthnot, Johnathon Ferguson, Lee Ladouceur, Kyle Dingwall, Jarrett Herbison, Sam Charland, Kale Draper, Terry McClelland, Chris Ferguson, Gavin Macfarlane, Sandy Macfarlane, Joe Banks, Doug Buzzell

Heat Winners: Danny O’Brien and Johnathon Ferguson

DIRTCar Sportsman (25 laps)

BOBBY HERRINGTON, William Racine, Michael Dillon, Kraig Handley, Domonick Merkley, Jonah Lewis, Tyler Stewart, Shane Stearns, Jessica Power, Xavier Andrews, Sean Imbeault, Dylan Kirkland, Brennan Moore, Marc-Olivier McCarthy, Greg Brinklow, Xavier Perrin, Jordan Wood, Aryane Imbeault

Heat Winners: Tyler Stewart, William Racine and Greg Brinklow

Action Sprint Tour National Series (25 laps)

MATHIEU BARDIER, Lee Ladouceur, Matt Billings, Adam Turner, Mike Bowman, Josh Verne Jr., Ryan Poole, Evan Reynolds, Ashton VanEvery, Brian Nanticoke, Dan Deyo, Cam McKinnon, Marc Surprenant, Andrew Hennessy, Chris Herbison

Heat Winners: Mike Bowman, Matt Billings and Josh Verne Jr.

Novice Sportsman (12 laps)

DYLAN MOORE, Nathan Lambert, Madie Wallace, Matt Pruner, Nicholas Mainville, Pierre Picard, Cory Lambert, Melcolm Banks, Paul Donnelly, Damien King

Heat Winners: Dylan Moore and Matt Pruner

Mini Stock (15 laps)

BRANDON MACMILLAN, Matt Boal, Marc Dagenais, Dakota Boal Dan Cook, Hayden Brown, Jarod Galway, Max Steele, Landon Slinger, Dave Watchorn, Zach Lynch, Colin Chisamore, Ryan Brown, Steve Hennige, Jamie Larocque, John Lamarche, Shawn Reid, Ian Reid, Tyson Slinger, (DNS) Mark Packer

Heat Winners: Matt Boal, Marc Dagenais and Brandon MacMillan