McPherson makes Applefest history with Speedway sweep

For the first time in the 15 years of the Applefest Shootout at Brighton Speedway No. 66 Cody McPherson has swept the weekend collecting the bushel of apples on both Friday and Saturday night in the DIRTcar Sportsman Series 35 lap features. Rod Henderson photo www.canadianracer.com

By Nicole Kleinsteuber
Cody McPherson became the first driver in the Applefest Shootout’s 15-year history to sweep Brighton Speedway’s premier double-header weekend.

In front of large crowds dialed in for high octane racing, McPherson, a semi-retired DIRTcar sportsman driver from St. Catherine’s, wheeled team Farraday’s No. 66 DIRTcar sportsman to the victory lane both Friday and Saturday nights.

The action-packed race card saw an incredible car count of 179 Friday and 152 Saturday. The DIRTcar 358 Modifieds headlined the Saturday event in the 75 lap Applefest Shootout along with the Thunder Stock Duel on the Dirt Finale and UMP Canadian Modifieds.

To fans’ delight, the DIRTcar Sportsman Series and Northeast Late Model Alliance ran combined events both nights. The Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Club and Comp 4’s also engaged in a shootout Friday night.

McPherson 1st to sweep weekend
Eager to repeat his winning ways from the night before, No. 66 Cody McPherson pounced on the lead from his second starting position Saturday night and never looked back. McPherson dominated the entire 35-lap event from start to finish as he did the night previous.
“It just goes to show if you want to get into motorsports and want to run with the best of the best, you don’t need to buy the best of the best, you just need to know what you’re doing,” he said in victory lane thanking team Rich Farraway for allowing him the opportunity to get behind the wheel.

He admitted it started to get pretty tight near the end, but the more the track picked up, the faster they were going and ‘the better the race car was.’

“I knew if I could just hold the bottom and not let them get under me that they would have to go around and that was not going to happen,” McPherson stated.

No. 18R Brad Rouse finished second, No. 8s Justin Sharpe was third, No. 77e Ryan Stabler was fourth and No. 38J Jarrett Herbison was fifth.

On Friday night: No. 0 Shane Pecore scored runner up, No. 44 Jonathan Ferguson was third, No. 18R Brad Rouse placed fourth and No. 20k Kyle Inman finished fifth.

Raabe wins 358 modified affair
At the drop of the green flag, polesitter No. 01 Chris Rabbe stomped on the gas taking ownership of the inside line. The driver from Napanee never let off the throttle during the grueling 75-lap affair. He flew to victory lane scoring his first Applefest shootout victory with No. 7mm Mike Maresca picking up a hard earned second.

“It’s always great to come to a new track, we were here in our sportsman days but never in the modified,” a breathless Raabe expressed in victory lane. “To pick up an Appefest Shooout win means a lot to our team.”

No. 28 Gary Lindberg placed third, No. R70 Ryan Arbuthnot was fourth and No. 63 Chris Herbison placed fifth respectively.

Turner and Homan take checkers
From his third starting position No. 12 Adam Turner used the high-side to sling shot ahead of No. 89 Austin Reid on lap 13 of the 50-lap Great Crate Northeast Late Model Alliance Race Saturday night. Turner was hooked up as he drove the wheels off the machine and stormed to victory lane scoring checkers and a $4,000 payout.

“Holy Mackerel I can’t believe it,” a jubilant Turner declared in victory lane as he thanked Team Sopaz for allowing him to drive the 12. “The car is so awesome you could put anybody in that thing. It was so awesome.”

No. 19R Dale Casewell was runner up, No. 136 David Panrazio placed third, No. 91 Chad Homan fourth and No. 57 Charlie Sandercock fifth.

On Friday night, No. 46 Brandon Mowat looked like he was well on his way to scoring another Applefest victory as he dominated the majority of the 30-lap race. With four laps to go No. 91 Chad Homan stole the lead and the driver from New York cruised to checkers. Sanderock was second, Mowat third, No. 87 Andrew Hennessy fourth and No. 5 Steve Baldwin fifth.

Hennessy and Lunger win Modified UMP races
It only took two laps for No. 87 Andrew Hennessy to grab the lead in Saturday’s 30-lap Canadian Modified/UMP series race, marking his 75th feature win to date. Hennessy flawlessly worked the turns as No. 91 Kraig Handley gave excellent chase from the outside. The two Picton drivers competed in a high-energy battle to the finish line with Hennessy picking up the win and Handley taking home a well-deserved second. No. 12 Adam Whaley was third, No. 1 Shawn Gregory fourth and No. 29 Rich Sanders fifth.

Friday night was a completely different affair with out-of-town drivers stealing the show. No. 47B Joe Brosseau and No. 71L Dennis Lunger treated race fans to a fierce fight to the finish line in the 20-lap feature. On the 13th time by, lapped traffic proved to be troublesome for Brosseau allowing Lunger to shoot out in front and on to victory lane. A solid showing by No. 3 Nathan Rinaldi earned him his first ever second place finish, No. 48 Derrick Greig was third, No. 07 Curtis King fourth and Hennessy fifth.

Ramsay crowned Duel on the Dirt King
Due to an action-packed schedule Friday night, the Thunder Stocks ruled in feature events Saturday.

No. 03 Justin Ramsay effortlessly flew to victory lane Saturday afternoon in the 20-lap make up feature setting the stage for an epic 50-lap Duel on the Dirt season finale later in the evening. All the pressure was clearly on the Belleville driver who came into the series final tied in points for the championship with No. 96 Steve Shaw of Chatham, Ontario. Polesitter No. 53 Wade Purchase flexed his muscle daring any of the other 25 cars to take on the reining Thunder Stock champ on his home turf. Hard charger Ramsay made a great case for him to be crowned duel in the dirt champ as he forced his way up from his 18th starting position to finish second in the feature behind Purchase.

“I’m very happy,” Ramsay said in victory lane thanking his sponsors. “(It was) a very long terrible year and to pull off a duel on the dirt between five tracks is awesome.”

No. 85 Austin Reid was third, No. 72 Doug Anderson fourth and No. 15x Tyler Bushes fifth.

Powers the powerful
The Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Car Club wowed fans Friday night in a 20-lap main event. Halfway through the race, No. 53 Jason Powers put the hammer down, grabbed the lead and took off. With two laps to go a caution slowed the pace but it didn’t stop Power as he powered his way to the checkered flag. No. 01 Brandon Gregory placing second, No. 3 Brian Billings was third, No. 37 Matt Barber was fourth and No. J73 Josh Powers was fifth.

Potvin parks it
No. 17 3/8 Yanik Potvin was victorious in the 20-lap Comp 4 shootout Friday night. 32 entrants took to the track vying for one of the 24 starting positions available. Potvin started in third and made his way to the lead followed by No. 43 Devon Kippen, No. 2x James Clarke in third, No. 44 Tommy Bailey in fourth and no. 3 Paul Read rounding out the top five.

The stock car season has come to end with an amazing finish and wonderful memories but the track remains open for the next to weeks. On Saturday, September 28th RCM Racing Equipment presents the 2nd Annual Applefest Karting & Lawn Mower Shootout. The East meets the West on the little oval to see who takes home the hardware and cash prizes. Back Gates will open at 11am, Front Gates will open at 12pm. See BrightonSpeedway.ca for more details. The Eve of Destruction including School Bus Races, Enduro Races, Trailer Races and so much happens on Saturday, Oct. 5th at 1pm.

September 20th Top 5 Race Results
Vanderlaan Building Products Northeast Late Model Alliance
1st. No. 91 Chad Homan; 2nd. No. 57 Charlie Sandercock; 3rd. No. 46 Brandon Mowat; 4th. 87 Andrew Hennessy; 5th. No. 5 Steve Baldwin

Everything Small Engine Canadian Modified / UMP Challenge
1st. No. 71z Dennis Lunger; 2nd. No. 3 Nate Rinaldi; 3rd. No. 48 Derek Greig; 4th. 07 Curtis King; 5th. No. 87 Andrew Hennessy

Insta Panels Duel on the Dirt Warm Up
1st. No. 03 Justin Ramsay; 2nd. No. 48 Adam Wells; 3rd. No. 72 Doug Anderson; 4th. No. 17 Jeff Humphry; 5th. No. 85 Austin Reid

Bill’s Johns Comp 4 / Mini Stock Open
1st. No. 17 3/8 Yankik Potvin; 2nd. No. 43 Devon Kippen; 3rd. No. 2x James Clarke; 4th. No. 44 Tommy Bailey; 5th. No. 3 Paul Reid

Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Car Club
1st. No. 53 Jason Powers; 2nd. No. 01 Brandon Gregory; 3rd., No. 3 Brian Billings; 4th. No. 37 Matt Barber; 5th. No. J73 Josh Powers was fifth

DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race
1st. No. 66 Cody McPherson; 2nd. No. 0 Shane Pecore; 3rd. No. 44 Jonathan Ferguson; 4th. No. 18R Brad Rouse; 5th. No. 20K Kyle Inman

September 21st Top 5 Race Results
Vanderlaan Building Products Northeast Late Model Alliance Great Crate Race

1st. No. 12 Adam Turner; 2nd. No. 19R Dale Caswell; 3rd. No. 136 David Pangrazio; 4th. No. 91 Chad Homan; 5th. No. 57 Charlie Sandercock

Everything Small Engine Canadian Modified / UMP Challenge
1st. No. 87 Andrew Hennessy; 2nd. No. 91 Kraig Handley; 3rd. No. 12 Adam Whaley; 4th. No. 1 Shawn Gregory; 5th. No. 29 Rich Sanders

Insta Panels Duel on the Dirt Finale
1st. No. 53 Wade Purchase; 2nd. No. 01 Justin Ramsay; 3rd. No. 85 Austin Reid; 4th. No. 92 Adam Turner; 5th. No x15 Tyler Bushey

DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race
1st. No. 66 Cody McPherson; 2nd. No. 18R Brad Rouse; 3rd. 8s Justin Sharpe; 4th. No. 77e Ryan Stabler; 5th. No. 38J Jarrett Herbison

DIRTcar 358 Applefest Shootout
1st. No. 01 Chris Raabe; 2nd. No. 7mm Mike Maresca; 3rd. No. 28 Gary Lindberg; 4th. No. R70 Ryan Arbuthnot; 5th. No. 63 Chris Herbison