Brett Hearn Wins Thriller at Autodrome Drummond
Captures 796th victory of his career in winning first series event of the 2011 season
By Martin Bélanger
DRUMMONDVILLE, Quebec – July 18, 2011 – The 796th victory of Brett Hearn’s storied career came in dramatic fashion Monday night at Autodrome Drummond when mechanical issues on rival Danny Johnson’s Big-Block Modified on the final lap netted Hearn his first Super DIRTcar Series victory of 2011.
The Big-Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series headed north of the border to Quebec for the Equipements Adrien Phaneuf 100, the first race of the Great Canadian Tour and race #6 for the series.
Matt Sheppard and Sébastien Gougeon were on the front row for the 100-lap feature race. Sheppard took the early lead over Yan Bussière, who quickly passed Gougeon. Danny Johnson charged to fifth as he passed Alan Therrien on the fourth circuit. Sheppard caught the rear of the field on lap 10 after he already built a sizeable advantage. The leaders raced through the heavy traffic as David Hébert was challenging Bussière for second on lap 20.
Brett Hearn was on the move to seventh when Tom Sears Jr. brought out the first caution on lap 22. On the restart, Johnson got a great jump and took second over Hébert and Bussière. Sheppard had set a torrid pace but had issues and headed to the pits giving the lead to Johnson on lap 38 with Hebert, Bussière, Larry Wight and Gougeon right behind the leader. The top five positions shifted as Wight was now third with Hearn and Billy Decker cracking the top five when Pete Britten hit the wall hard in turn 4 on lap 44.
Johnson led the field to the midpoint of the race ahead of Hebert, Hearn, Wight and Billy Decker, who moved into fourth a lap later. Sheppard was on the move in seventh after heading to the pits earlier in the feature. Hébert was strong on the high groove and worked past Johnson for the lead on lap 57 before Johnson charged back to retake the top lead when the caution waved for Jimmy Phelps. On a lap 62 restart, Decker grabbed third and was closing in on Hebert for the second spot as Sheppard cracked into the top 5. “Super Matt” used the inside lane to pursue Hearn for fourth as Dany Bilodeau slowed on lap 69.
Johnson still in front as Hearn and Decker passed Hebert on lap 74 pushing him to fourth. Decker and Hebert were in a good battle for the third with 20 laps to go. Hebert edged into third as Hearn got closer to Johnson with 15 to go. Hearn was on the back bumper of Johnson with less than 10 to go when Decker swiped third from Hebert. At the same time Johnson, Hearn and Decker waged a three-car battle for the lead with only five laps to go. Johnson`s engine gave up on the final lap as Hearn charged to the front for the 107th Super DIRTcar Series victory of his career and his sixth series win at Drummond. Decker was second with Wight, Johnson and Hears rounding out the top five.
“What a fantastic track,” said Hearn, of Sussex, N.J. “I was racing so hard I didn’t realize Johnson was smoking. I finally got this win and I’m looking forward to tomorrow (at Autodrome Granby).”
Super DIRTcar Series points leader Billy Decker posted another strong showing.
“The conditions were great, points are critical for us while racing in Canada,” said Decker, of Unadilla, N.Y.
Third-place finishing Wight could tell the outcome was going to go down to the wire, saying he could see Johnson’s car beginning to smoke.
A field of 37 competitors gathered in the pits at Drummond for the event, topping the previous best of 26. The Super DIRTcar Series remains in Quebec for one more night as it travels Tuesday to Autodrome Granby for race #7 of the Big Block Tour and end the doubleheader. Brett Hearn was successful last year winning over Matt Sheppard and Tom Sears Jr.
Super DIRTcar Big Block Series Race #6-Autodrome Drummond, July 18, 2011, ‘Equipements Adrien Phaneuf 100’ Event Summary
Feature Results: 1. (20) Brett Hearn; 2. (91) Billy Decker; 3. (99L) Larry Wight; 4. (27J) Danny Johnson; 5. (3) Justin Haers; 6. (1) David Hebert; 7. (8R) Rob Bellinger; 8. (9s) Matt Sheppard; 9. (77x) Dale Planck; 10. (8) Rich Scagliotta; 11. (44) Sebastian Gougeon; 12. (21) Yan Bussière; 13. (63) Dominic Dufault; 14. (98H) Jimmy Phelps; 15. (99) Gary Tomkins; 16. (39) Clement Therrien; 17. (66x) Carey Terrance; 18. (27) Michel Dusseault; 19. (54) Steve Bernard; 20. (97) Michel Chicoine; 21. (90) Martin Roy; 22. (10) Tim Currier; 23. (21a) Peter Britten; 24. (3) Claude Brouillard; 25. (23) Dany Bilodeau; 26. (22c) Mario Clair; 27. (62s) Tommy Sears; 28. (46) Kayle Robidoux; 29. (22J) Gino Clair; 30. (39a) Alan Therrien.
LAP LEADERS: Sheppard 1-8, Johnson 39-56, Hebert 57, Johnson 58-99, Hearn 100
BILSTEIN FAST TIME AWARD : Larry Wight 17.563/81.911MPH
Heat Races (8 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to the feature, top 3 went to redraw)
#1 : Sheppard; Johnson; Gougeon; Hearn; C.Therrien; Bellinger; Dufault; Bernard; Dussault; Lalancette
#2: Wight; J.Phelps; Decker; Brouillard; Planck; Bilodeau; Whitteker; Scagliotta; Bellemare
#3: Britten; Robidoux; A.Therrien; Tomkins; Roy; Gamache; Currier; W.Stacey; Humes;
#4: Hebert; Haers; Bussiere; Sears; G.Clair; Terrance; Chicoine; M.Clair; D.Stacey
Consolation Races (10 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to the feature)
#1: Bellinger; Bernard; Dufault; Gamache; Dusseault; Currier; Lalancette; Humes; W.Stacey
#2: Terrance; Chicoine; Bilodeau; M.Clair; Whitteker; Bellemare; Scagliotta; D.Stacey; Hamel
Autodrome Drummond Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Race #6 Roster (37)
0 Dan Humes/Canaan,CT
1 David Hebert/St. Damase,QUE
1x Dexter Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
3 Claude Brouillard/Tracy,QUE
3h Justin Haers/Phelps, NY
8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
8r Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
10 Tim Currier/Auburn,NY
13 Kevin Hamel/Granby,QUE
20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
21 Yan Bussiere/Drummondville,QUE
21a Peter Britten/Brisbane,QLD
22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
22j Gino Clair/St-Germain,QUE
23 Dany Bilodeau/Victoriaville,QUE
27 Michel Dusseault/Victoriaville,QUE
27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
35 Francois Bellemare/Trois-Rivieres,QUE
39 Clement Therrien/Victoriaville,QUE
39a Alan Therrien/Victoriaville,QUE
44 Sebastien Gougeon/Drummondville,QUE
46 Kayle Robidoux/St-Constant,QUE
54 Steve Bernard/St Paul Abbotsford,QUE
62 Tom Sears/Clay, NY
66w Wallace Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
66X Carey Terrance/Hogansburg, NY
74 Frederic Gamache/Granby,QUE
77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
87 Luke Whitteker/Iroquois, Ont
90 Martin Roy/Napierville,QUE
91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE
98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
98H Justin Lalancette/Cornwall, Ont
99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
99 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs, NY
2011 Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Schedule
DAY-DATE-WINNER
Sun-May 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Tim Fuller
Tues-Jun 14 Canandaigua Motorsports Park Billy Decker
Tues-Jun 21 Orange County Fair Speedway Billy Decker
Sun-Jul 3 Cornwall Motor Speedway Danny Johnson
Mon-Jul 4 Rolling Wheels Raceway Matt Sheppard
Mon-Jul 18 Autodrome Drummond Brett Hearn
Tues-Jul 19 Autodrome Granby
Mon-Aug 1 Merrittville Speedway
Thurs-Aug 25 Lebanon Valley Speedway
Sun-Sept 4 Cayuga County Fair Speedway
Sat-Sept 10 Autodrome Drummond
Sat-Sept 17 Mohawk International Speedway
***Super DIRT Week XL***
Sun-Oct 9 New York State Fairgrounds
Sun-Oct 16 Brockville Ontario Speedway
***Eastern States Weekend***
Sun-Oct 23 Orange County Fair Speedway
***World Finals***
Fri-Nov 4 Dirt Track at Charlotte
Sat-Nov 5 Dirt Track at Charlotte
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