Ladouceur BOS Fall Nationals Winner, Stefanski Bags 4th Pro Stock Title

Brockville, ONT – October 18, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director

Second-generation standout Joey Ladouceur finished right where he needed to in capturing the inaugural DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals 50-lap Pro stock title race Sunday evening at Brockville Ontario Speedway. 

And so did Pete Stefanski as his sixth-place feature finish locked up an unprecedented fourth straight overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship in the 2009 full-fender finale.

“Pete’s been tough the past four years, we’ll just have to come back next season and give him another run,” remarked Ladouceur, 33, who offered Stefanski his stiffest competition yet in the new millennium. Despite scoring five wins and posting six fast times in the nine-race championship series, the Alexandria, Ont. pilot still fell 13 points shy of a second title while extending his DIRTcar rule with an eighth top-10 finish. “Its just been a dream year any other way you look at it.” 

“I like the slick stuff we had out there today, kinda separates the men from the boys a little bit. For me, I like when you gotta be consistent and smooth. This is a good series we got racing against a solid group of guys. I’m happy to be a part and have some success in it as well,” said the 2004 Mr. DIRTcar champion who now ranks third all-time with 13 series victories.

Veteran Dave Bissonnette was the closest to Ladouceur over 2.3-seconds behind, while ’06 DIRTcar division rookie Dion Oakes, Stephane Lebrun and first-year tour follower Rob Yetman filled out the front-five just ahead of Stefanski. 

“We knew Joey would be strong here, just like he has been everywhere else this year,” said Stefanski, 39, who opened the series with a pair of wins to increase his career-high total to 23. Stefanski and Ladouceur also rank 1-2 all-time on the DIRTcar Northeast circuit scoring 88 and 72 Pro Stock wins respectively.

“It just comes down to one or two races, whether you have good luck or bad luck. We both had our share this season, we’re just fortunate to come out on top.” 

The pre-race draw among the top-12 heat race qualifiers unfolded just like nearly every event on this year’s Pro Stock tour, with Ladouceur snatching up the pole and Stefanski selecting #2 to join his modern-day rival on the front row. Earlier in the day Ladouceur had set fast time and ran away with his heat while Stefanski won his own qualifier after running 16^th-fastest under the clocks in the familiar Sunrise Racing no. 2 San Ter Sewing-PJ NFB Auto Sales/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/EMS.

As soon as the initial green flag dropped down from the starter’s stand Ladouceur was able to open up a commanding lead. And despite nine caution periods slowing the action on the slippery 3/8-miler, he repeatedly pulled away at will on every ensuing restart aboard his sleek Coffrage 20-20 Minimax Express no. 92 Cadillac-STS Stinger X machine. 

“It should be good but sometimes its tough starting up front, you can’t see what the other guys are doing behind you,” noted Ladouceur, after extending his DIRTcar Northeast best Pro Stock win total to 15. “Nobody ever showed me anything so we just kept doing what we started and it worked out perfect.”

After suffering a flat tire to bring out a second yellow flag after just two laps around, Bissonnette was able to charge back to second, while Stefanski stayed in his runner-up slot only a few laps before experiencing a gradual descent the remainder of the way. 

“I just tried to stay in the top-5 but towards the end of the race we started pushing a bit,” added Stefanski, after the Wheatfield, N.Y. driver finished out of the front-five for just the second time on tour all season. “With all the lapped cars getting up in there they caused a lot of melee that almost took us out.”

“One of the front runners ran into a lapped car and got him sideways, then put him in my lane and he turned back across. It was just rough and we were getting bounced around a little back there. For the most part we were playing a little conservative, when the opportunity was there we were ready to go for it,” Stefanski said.

With the race well in hand for Ladouceur from lap one, the action in his rear-view mirror provided plenty of position swapping among the top-10 racers. At the halfway mark Louie Jackson held down second followed by Oakes, fast-moving Bissonnette and Stefanski, while Yertman and Lebrun looked for room both high and low as the laps dwindled. 

The biggest scare for Stefanski came with just eight laps to go as Central New Yorker Jack Terrell got wide exiting turn four right in front of the Wheatfield, N.Y. chauffeur and the resulting front-end contact shuffled him from fourth to sixth. Harvey Arquette stopped high out of turn two to incur the final caution period giving Stefanski ample time to regroup for the lap 47 restart.

Finishing behind Stefanski (1157) and Ladouceur (1144) in the final 2009 Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Championship point standings are P.J. Peters (1021), early race casualty Don Carlson (1009), Dion Oakes (956), Rob Yetman (954), Stephane Lebrun (923), Dave Bissonnette (876), Roch Aubin (817) and Sean Corr (805).

Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship Series Race #9 – Brockville Ontario Speedway, October 18, 2009 ‘DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals 50’ Event Summary

Feature

FIN      ST       CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN

1          1          92        Joey Ladouceur/Alexandria,ONT($1,000)

2          11        47        Dave Bissonnette/Apple Hill,ONT

3          6          48        Dion Oakes/Akwesasne,NY

4          8          6          Stephane Lebrun/Gatineau,QUE

5          4          7          Rob Yetman/Castleton,NY

6          2          2          Pete Stefanski/Wheatfield,NY

7          14        55        George Renaud/Green Valey,ONT

8          17        73        P.J. Peters/Akwesasne,QUE

9          5          99        Ghislain Valade/N.Lancaster,ONT

10        15        8          Sean Corr/Goshen,NY

11        9          05        Jocelyn Roy/St-Helene,QUE

12        3          44        Gilles Godard/Cornwall,ONT

13        12        26        Don Carlson/Ridgefield,CT

14        23        73d     Michel Desjardins/Hawkesbury,ONT

15        25        188     David Papineau/Akwesasne,NY

16        22        16        Roger Levesque/Kingston,ONT

17        19        98t       Jack Terrell/Jamesville,NY

18        20        4          Roch Aubin/Alexandria,ONT

19        24        jr7        Harvey Arquette/Akwesasne,NY

20        16        151     Ryan Stabler/Cornwall,ONT

21        10        18        Louie Jackson/Akwesasne,NY

22        18        1          Ricky Thompson/Hogansburg,NY

23        7          47s      Corey Wheeler/Cornwall,ONT

24        13        ba98   Steve Johnston/Ingelside,ONT

25        21        14        Chris Tremblay/Long Sault,ONT

DNS   26        88        Allen Peters/Westville,NY

LAP LEADER:   Ladouceur (1-50).  

CAUTIONS:   9 (lap 2, lap 8, lap 15, lap 17, lap 19, lap 23, lap 25, lap 40, lap 46).

HEAT WINNERS:   Yetman, Ladouceur, Stefanski.

NATIONAL PARTS PEDDLER HALFWAY LEADER:   Joey Ladouceur.                       

FAST TIME TRIALER:   Joey Ladouceur (17.472sec/77.266mph).

CARS ENTERED:   26.

QUALIFYING

            FAST              AVE               

            TIME               MPH           CAR#     DRIVER

1          17.472            77.266            92        Joey Ladouceur/Alexandria,ONT

2          17.535            76.989            44        Gilles Godard/Cornwall,ONT

3          17.731            76.138            4          Roch Aubin/Alexandria,ONT

4          17.748            76.065            18        Louie Jackson/Akwesasne,NY

5          17.786            75.902            7          Rob Yetman/Castleton,NY

6          17.823            75.745            48        Dion Oakes/Akwesasne,NY

7          17.839            75.677            47s      Corey Wheeler/Cornwall,ONT

8          17.865            75.567            05        Jocelyn Roy/St-Helene,QUE

9          17.948            75.217            26        Don Carlson/Ridgefield,CT

10        17.970            75.125            47        Dave Bissonnette/Apple Hill,ONT

11        18.011            74.954            73        P.J. Peters/Akwesasne,QUE

12        18.015            74.938            6          Stephane Lebrun/Gatineau,QUE

13        18.043            74.821            73d     Michel Desjardins/Hawkesbury,ONT

14        18.095            74.606            55        George Renaud/Green Valey,ONT

15        18.139            74.425            98t       Jack Terrell/Jamesville,NY

16        18.284            73.835            2          Pete Stefanski/Wheatfield,NY

17        18.375            73.469            1          Ricky Thompson/Hogansburg,NY

18        18.381            73.445            99        Ghislain Valade/N.Lancaster,ONT

19        18.414            73.314            8          Sean Corr/Goshen,NY

20        18.509            72.937            151     Ryan Stabler/Cornwall,ONT

21        18.535            72.835            16        Roger Levesque/Kingston,ONT

22        18.734            72.061            ba98   Steve Johnston/Ingelside,ONT

23        18.770            71.923            jr7        Harvey Arquette/Akwesasne,NY

24        18.787            71.858            188     David Papineau/Akwesasne,NY

25        18.873            71.531            14        Chris Tremblay/Long Sault,ONT

26          -NT-               -----                88        Allen Peters/Westville,NY

Heat Races (8 laps, all transferred to feature; top 3 redrew)

#1: Yetman, Oakes, Jackson, Godard, Johnston, Stabler, Terrell, Levesque.

#2: Ladouceur, Carlson, Bissonnette, Roy, Renaud, PJ Peters, Aubin, Desjardins, A.Peters(DNS).

#3: Stefanski, Lebrun, Wheeler, Valade, Corr, Thompson, Tremblay, Arquette, Papineau.

Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship Series Point Standings (FINAL)

Pos.        No.                                         Total       Points     Bonus     Diff          Wins       Top 5      Top 10    Starts

1              2              Pete Stefanski        1157        797          360          0              3              7              8              9

2              92            Joey Ladouceur     1144        784          360          -13           5              7              7              9

3              73            P.J. Peters              1021        661          360          -136         0              4              7              9

4              26            Don Carlson          1009        649          360          -148         1              4              5              9

5              48            Dion Oakes            956          596          360          -201         0              2              6              9

6              7              Rob Yetman           954          594          360          -203         0              3              5              9

7              6              Stephane Lebrun   923          563          360          -234         0              3              4              9

8              47            Dave Bissonnette  876          516          360          -281         0              3              4              8

9              4              Roch Aubin            817          457          360          -340         0              0              2              9

10            8              Sean Corr               805          445          360          -352         0              1              2              8

11            18            Louie Jackson       782          422          360          -375         0              0              2              8

12            188          David Papineau     751          391          360          -406         0              0              1              8

13            1              Ricky Thompson  741          381          360          -416         0              1              2              7

14            05            Jocelyn Roy          738          378          360          -419         0              1              3              6

15            33            Bruno Cyr               675          315          360          -482         0              0              1              6

16            99            Ghislain Valade     600          240          360          -557         0              2              3              3

17            7Jr           Harvey Arquette Jr® 582       222          360          -575         0              0              0              5

18            88            Allen Peters            568          388          180          -589         0              0              3              6

19            69            Jody Swamp          561          201          360          -596         0              1              1              3

20            99            Mike Martin            553          193          360          -604         0              0              0              4

21            98T          Jack Terrell            515          155          360          -642         0              0              0              3

22            08            Richard Bertrand   511          151          360          -646         0              0              2              2

23            6x            Travis Back            510          150          360          -647         0              1              2              2

24            73            Michel Dejardins ®508         148          360          -649         0              0              0              3

25            78            William Chubb ®    504          144          360          -653         0              0              0              3

26            24            Robbie Speed        501          141          360          -656         0              0              2              2

27            ba98        Steve Johnston     498          138          360          -659         0              0              0              3

28            55            George Renaud     494          134          360          -663         0              0              2              2

29            8              Jay Corbin             490          130          360          -667         0              1              1              2

30            324          Jason Casey          488          128          360          -669         0              0              1              2

31            6z            Butch Zimmerman 462          102          360          -695         0              0              0              2

32            11            John Zimmerman  460          100          360          -697         0              0              0              2

33            62            Andrew Northrup   440          80            360          -717         0              0              0              2

34            78            Paul LaRochelle    440          80            360          -717         0              1              1              1

35            49            Bill Woodward Jr. 428          68            360          -729         0              0              1              1

36            243          Victor Hopkins      422          62            360          -735         0              0              1              1

37            322          Jay Casey              420          60            360          -737         0              0              0              1

38            97            Roland Hebert       420          60            360          -737         0              0              0              1

39            76            Kevin Arnold          418          58            360          -739         0              0              0              1

40            24            Jacques Robert     418          58            360          -739         0              0              0              1

41            48T          Rod Tarbell ®        416          56            360          -741         0              0              0              1

42            04            John Yandoh Jr.   414          54            360          -743         0              0              0              1

43            115          Stepane Lemire      412          52            360          -745         0              0              0              1

44            2EZ         Mike Arquiette ®    412          52            360          -745         0              0              0              1

45            12s          Matt Shadic            410          50            360          -747         0              0              0              1

46            315          Jon Routhier          410          50            360          -747         0              0              0              1

47            35            Rick Dempsey       408          48            360          -749         0              0              0              1

48            94            Carl Poulin             406          46            360          -751         0              0              0              1

49            8              Mark Lalonde         403          43            360          -754         0              0              0              1

50            311          Brian Keough         401          41            360          -756         0              0              0              1

51            29            Daniel Laduc          401          41            360          -756         0              0              0              1

DIRTcar Pro Stock Entries – October 18 (26)

CAR#      DRIVER / HOMETOWN         TEAM (Sponsor / Make-Model / Chassis)

05            Jocelyn Roy/St-Helene,QUE                Remorcage-Lettrage Lucy/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/CRT

1              Ricky Thompson/Hogansburg,NY Brass Horse Grill-Fatty Cats-A&L Enterprise/Chevy Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro

2              Pete Stefanski/Wheatfield,NY               Sunrise Racing-San Ter Sewing-PJ NFB Auto Sales/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/EMS

4              Roch Aubin/Alexandria,ONT                Home Hardware-OK Tire-Alain Beaupres Constr.Chevy Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro

6              Stephane Lebrun/Gatineau,QUE Patio Vidal Restaurant-United Auto Parts(UAP)/Pontiac Grand Prix/Wild Thing

7              Rob Yetman/Castleton,NY    Lazzaro's Auto Body-Madsen Overhead Door/Pontiac Grand Prix/JACR

jr7            Harvey Arquette/Akwesasne,NY A&L Enterprise/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro

8              Sean Corr/Goshen,NY          The Trans Group-Northeast Fabricators/Pontiac Grand Prix/EMS

14            Chris Tremblay/Long Sault,ONT R&C Automotive-McPhee Racing/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Stinger

16            Roger Levesque/Kingston,ONT R.L. Asphalt & Sweeping & Line Painting & Sealing/Pontiac Grand Prix/Sparta

18            Louie Jackson/Akwesasne,NY             Adams Marina-Action Race Parts-C&B Enterpr./Chevy Monte Carlo/Black Widow

26            Don Carlson/Ridgefield,CT Benziger Winery-Brute Men's Care Products/Dodge Charger/EMS

44            Gilles Godard/Cornwall,ONT              Alexandria Home Hardware-MisterSew&Sew.com/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/CRT

47            Dave Bissonnette/Apple Hill,ONT Totem Pole Novelties/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro

47s          Corey Wheeler/Cornwall,ONT             Valade Backhoe-RSI Ind. Supply-PM Prom./Chevy Monte Carlo SS/Cannizzaro

48            Dion Oakes/Akwesasne,NY Oakes Racing-Noah King Family/Chevolet Impala/Cannizzaro

55            George Renaud/Green Valey,ONT Paul's Auto Body-G.R. Trucking/Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS/Cannizzaro

73            P.J. Peters/Akwesasne,QUE Sunrise Racing-Hair Secrets Salon/Chevrolet Impala/JACR

73d          Michel Desjardins/Hawkesbury,ONT Lalonde Forming-Alex Design/Chevrolet Camaro/Black Widow

88            Allen Peters/Westville,NY     Sunrise Racing-Relive Health Supplement-Sunoco/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/JACR

92            Joey Ladouceur/Alexandria,ONT Coffrage 20-20-Minimax Express/Cadillac STS/Stinger X

98t           Jack Terrell/Jamesville,NY   Terrell's Potato Chips-MJD Assoc.-Robbie T's Pizza/Chevy Monte Carlo/Slawiak

ba98        Steve Johnston/Ingelside,ONT Swamp's Performance-Bub's Auto/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Stinger

99            Ghislain Valade/N.Lancaster,ONT Gerry Prieur Garage-Glengarry Tire/Chevolet Monte Carlo SS/Cannizzaro

151          Ryan Stabler/Cornwall,ONT West Front Construction-RSI Industrial-PM Promotions/Chevy Monte Carlo/CSC

188          David Papineau/Akwesasne,NY D&D Construction-Action Race Parts/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro 

2009 Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Championship Schedule

*All events subject to change.

DAY-DATE    TRACK                                  WINNER/LOCATION

Sat-Jul 4        Genesee Speedway            Pete Stefanski

Fri-Jul 17       Mohawk Int’l Raceway        Pete Stefanski

Sat-Aug 22    Autodrome Drummond      Joey Ladouceur   

Sun-Aug 23  Cornwall Motor Speedway Joey Ladouceur

Fri-Sep 11     Autodrome Edelweiss         Joey Ladouceur ($1,500-to-win)

Sat-Sep 12    Lebanon Valley Speedway  Don Carlson

Sat-Sep 26    Rolling Wheels Raceway   Joey Ladouceur

Sun-Oct 11    New York State Fairgrds     Pete Stefanski ($2,000-to-win)

Sun-Oct 18    Brockville Ont. Speedway  Joey Ladouceur

DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, home of DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July. DIRTcar Northeast’s crown jewel event ---Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse runs annually in October featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Ticket and schedule information is available by contacting the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during the day or logging into www.superdirtweekonline.com anytime.  

The Big-Block Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Hoosier Racing Tire www.hoosiertire.com and VP Racing Fuels www.vpracingfuels.com. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation www.riteaid.com, Dig Safely New York www.digsafelynewyork.com and the University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.com and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks www.barsproducts.com, Bert Transmission www.berttransmission.com, Bicknell Racing Products www.bicknellracingproducts.com, Bilstein Shocks www.bilstein.com, Brodix Cylinder Heads www.brodix.com, Ferris Industries www.ferrisindustries.com, Integra Shocks www.integrashocksandsprings.com, Intercomp www.intercomp-racing.com, KSE Racing Products www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Rislone Oil Stabilizer www.barsproducts.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com.