John Donahue captures Late Model Feature on Budweiser Championship Night
ACT and Thunder Road regular late model driver, John Donahue, made his 2010 debut at Riverside Speedway Saturday evening, rolling from his 12th place starting position and capturing the feature win on the final points night of racing in Groveton.
Other feature winners included Matt Carbone, Luc Shannon, Howard Switser, Jerrad Ainsworth, Allison Barney, Joey Laquerre, and Kristian Switser.
There were 96 cars in the pits Saturday and everyone present was ready to get the night underway to conclude the 2010 points season.
The Sign Depot rookies and the Caron Building Center veteran daredevil drivers got put together for their 15 lap feature race. The Riverside Speedway version of the big one took place in turns three and four on the first lap, with at seven vehicles becoming involved. The kids got it right on the second time around, racing all the way to the checkers. It was the second straight win for the #51 of Joey Laquerre. Brandon Gray and Stephen Donahue finished in second and third spots for the veteran racers. The #16 of Kristian Switser captured the rookie portion of the race for his first feature win. Jarred Plumley raced home in the second spot and the #18 of Cody Smith finished third. Heat wins went to Smith and Laquerre.
The Isaacson Structural Steel Angels came ready to run their 20 lap main event. When all the dust was settled, Allison Barney took home the feature win. Desirae Sicard in her #17 green machine finished in the second spot and the #13 of Shauna Randall third. Traci Nelson and Sicard won the qualifying events. Barney’s feature win was good enough to help her take home the season’s point championship.
The Twisted Tea Dwarf cars were back after a two week lay-off. The Dwarf cars continue to be one of the hottest races on the high banks. Points leader Howard Switser put an exclamation on their championship season, with another trip to victory lane. The #15 of Eric Corum finished second and the new ride of Dave Gyger crossed the stripe in third. Bear Lapan and Gyger took home the heat wins.
The Jiffy Mart Cyclones were 22 strong for their 30 lap main event. The #2 of Dana Graham and the #94 of Jerrad Ainsworth brought the huge field to the green flag. The duo then commenced to battle for the next 20 plus laps side by side. Ainsworth finally got by and took home his first feature win in the Cyclones. The hard charging Keith Normand took the runner-up spot and Chris Ouellette went third. Heat wins went to Charlie Rockwell, Jeff Ainsworth, and Cole Kilby. The season championship went to the #10 of Lorin Vear.
The Town & Country Motor Inn street stocks rolled out for their main event. Finishing positions in the feature would be crucial to the final point standings. 2010 Super Stock champion, Luc Shannon, driving for the Belanger motorsports team, took a brand new car from his eleventh starting position and rolled into victory lane. Red hot Chris Caron crossed the line in second and late in the season racer, Jason Kenison, finished third. Shauna Randall and Brett Rowell took home the heat wins. The season’s point title went to the #99 of Ben Belanger.
The Budweiser super stock championship was already in hand for the #21 of Matt Carbone. Rolling onto the track for their feature, Carbone got his car out to the outside lane and worked his way carefully up to capture his fourth win of the season. Joanna Christman continued her end of the year roll, finishing second and the high flying Bobby Taylor came home third. Christman carried the checkers for the heat win.
The North Country Ford Late Models were the final feature on Budweiser Championship night. The late models had just four cautions in their 40 lap event. Donahue, driving the #49 of Nate Brown, worked his way to the front of the pack. A late race caution set up one final chance for the #4 of Paul Schartner III. Donahue held off Schartner for the win. Dilyn Switser and Brandon Lambert finished second and third. Heat wins went to Cody LeBlanc and Matt Pepin.
Bryan Mason took home the fourth spot in the feature. The enabled Mason to lay claim to his third straight Late Model points championship at Riverside.
The speedway will take this week off prior to their remaining two events.
On Saturday October 9th, at 1 p.m., Riverside Speedway will be holding its third annual “Fall Free for All”. On the racing card is a 100 lap ACT tiger tour race $1000 to win, a 100 lap $1000 to win Late Model race, a 50-lap $500 to win Street Stock race, a 100 lap $300 to win Cyclone/Enduro race and a youth division race for a four foot trophy.
The final race of the year will be on Saturday October 16th for the annual Frostbite 250. On the card will be a 75 lap PASS Sportsman and Riverside Speedway Outlaw race, a Dwarf Car open event that includes time trials and two 20 lap features, and of course the $3000 to win 250 lap four cyclinder enduro.