Crash caps full night at Laird

The silence was almost as deafening as the roar of the engines usually heard at Laird International Raceway.

During the Late Model feature race on Thursday night, the demolition derby got started a little early as Rod Bolduc and Dave Archibald got tangled up battling for the lead heading into turn three and the pair wound up in the bush leading into the turn. Bolduc was running second behind the No. 18 car of Archibald and was attempting to pass the leader at the time of the crash.

The two cars made contact initially sending the Bolduc car off the track with the Archibald car following closely behind. During the crash, the Archibald car began to flip in the air before hitting the trees just off the edge of the track. Had it not been for the car making contact with the trees, the crash could have been much worse as the contact left the car landing on its tires.

The Bolduc car received major damage to the front end while the Archibald car was damaged at both ends. The good, and somewhat surprising news, is that both drivers left the crash healthy and in good sprits considering the circumstances.

Cory Furkey picked up the Late Model feature victory while Paul Seabrook won a heat race. Bolduc won the first heat race and also won the fast car dash for the division.

Cody McLean won the feature, finishing ahead of Rita-Anne Varcoe, in the Factory Stock Division while John Hamilton and Mike Hearty won the other heat race. John Fragale won the fast car dash.

Dennis Uhlman cruised his way to victory in the Modified Division ahead of Rick Ellis and Mav MacDonald. Ellis held an early lead in the race but could not hold off on the hard-charging Uhlman. Uhlman and Glen Irwin split the heat races while MacDonald won the fast car dash.

In the Stock Four Division, Donny Mergaert and Brandon Penno each passed race leader Dave King before battling and Mergaert. Mergaert took top spot taking the checkered-flag with as the division ran an Australian pursuit as the first race of the night.

Wes Greco and Kyle Jarrett won the B-Main feature to get into the A-Main. Winning heat races were Tyler Parsons, Dean Wade, Mergaert, and Corey Archur.

Action continues next Thursday night with qualifying at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.