Jackson takes mid-season title at Laird
Friday, August 10, 2012 by: Brad Coccimiglio
The final mid-season championship is in the books at Laird International Raceway.
After a lengthy show on Aug. 7, the Xtreme Four division saw their mid-season championship pushed back for another week
On Thursday night, the division kicked off the race program and Dustin Jackson took home the checkered flag. Jakob Bourdage maintained his strong hold in the divisional points race. Bourdage entered the night with a 20 point lead and, although he finished second in the feature.
Bourdage gained on Jackson during the lone other Xtreme Four race of the night when the division ran a heat race later in the night. Bourdage finished in top spot while Shawn Grenley was the lone other driver to finish the race, allowing the points leader to gain on his counterparts.
The Super Late Model’s saw plenty of action during their 20-lap feature. Veteran driver Keith King took advantage of a great start and took home his second feature win of the season. King led the race from start to finish and held off a late charge from Paul McLean to take the win. McLean battled back after coming together with Jordan Sims early on in the feature in an incident that saw Sims’ car suffer damage that would keep him from returning to the race. Terry McClelland was third in the feature.
Chris Furkey took the checkered flag in the heat race. Furkey battled back after car troubles left the veteran driver struggling to just get started. Furkey held off charges from Sims and Steve Baraluk, who place second and third in the heat.
Nick Kozak got himself into victory lane for the third time in four weeks in the Laird Modified division by winning the 20-lap feature. Rick Ellis placed second while driving Dennis Uhlman’s traditional No. 12 car in the feature. Kevin Oicle finished third.
Oicle won both heat races, including a narrow victory over Uhlman in the opening heat. Oicle beat Uhlman to the finish line by 0.059 seconds in the win. Kozak placed third in the opening heat. Jake Irwin finished second in heat two while Zak St. John finished third.
The Factory Stock feature saw the tightest feature finish of the night, With Jason Praysner and Kyle Jarrett battling on the final lap, and Jarrett leading, the two entered corner four in a dead heat and Praysner made his move in the final feet heading into the finish line to take the checkered flag.
The official time difference between the two cars was .086 seconds.
Prasyner and Jarrett finished in the same spots in the heat race. Brad Bibeau finished third in the feature while Jamie Fox was third in the heat race.
The Factory Four division saw Michael Carbone Jr. take the checkered flag in the feature race in the 14-car field. Jack Lannigan finished second while JP Delpaggio was third. Brent Fewchuk, Steve Ibbitson and Taylro Crockford were the top three in the opening heat while Delpaggio, Fewchuk and Lannigan rounded out the top three in the second heat.
The Outlaw Modified division did not see action at Laird on Thursday night for unspecified reasons.
Action continues at Laird on Aug. 16.
