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Wilroc Sprint cars light up Saratoga Speedway

Firework show this weekend to celebrate Canada Day
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JIM GILES HAD a bit of a gas fire on the front stretch during the Sprint car main event Saturday at Saratoga Speedway.

Terry Guest

Special to the Record

The Wilroc Sprint cars lit up Saratoga Speedway on Saturday. These speed demons put on an amazing showing of driving talent, accompanied by a full field of Dwarf cars, Bomber cars and I.M.C.A. Modifieds.

Fourteen Sprint cars raced two heats, with the B going to #55 Jeff Bird and the A  to local driver #11 Duane Zeinstra. The 30-lap main was one of the tightest feature races this year.

On lap one, #3 Jim Giles had a bit of a gas fire on the front stretch which was cleared up right away. From that point the race went green, white and checkered with Zeinstra battling #22 Dave Emmerson for first and Emmerson holding off Zeinstra to win the first Sprint car main event of the year.

Another hard battle was fought between #15s Marc Stuart and #42 Guy Barrett for third and fourth, with Stuart passing Barrett on lap 28 and holding on from there, with Barrett finishing fourth.

A full field of 11 I.M.C.A Modifieds qualified on Saturday. Local favourite #91 Chris Beaulieu was dominating the field going into the 20-lap main, setting fast time and winning the 12-lap heat. Beaulieu battled #92 Dano Bryant hard for the first 12 laps of the main for second, but as they were battling #88 Troy Tarbuck  pulled away from the field and held off Beaulieu late to take his first main event win of the year and snapping Beaulieu's winning streak at two.

In the 10-car Dwarf field, #48 Stewart Lee had his best night ever. He set fast time in qualifying and won the heat. In the 25-lap main event, Beaulieu ran double duties as he was behind the wheel of the #10 Dwarf car.

Lee and Beaulieu took the field four wide within the first few laps then pulled away. Lee eventually got the better of Beaulieu, passing him in turn four and starting his Dwarf car season at Saratoga with a clean sweep.

A season-high eight Bomber cars hit the track. #33 Brian Baltis won the 10-lap heat. In the 20-lap main, #11 Justin Beaulieu raced to the front on lap four but  accidentally spun out a fellow racer, ending his night early with a black flag. That opened the door for #15 Don Hallgarth who grabbed the lead on lap 11 en route to his first main event of the year.

EXTRA LAPS This weekend marks the second showing of our amazing firework display in celebration of Canada Day … rain-or-shine racing will feature the Crash to Pass cars, Hornets, Roadrunners, Figure 8s, Bombers and I.M.C.A. Modifieds …

– Saratoga Speedway