Steve Poirier Becomes Seven-Time Champion!
Story By: DEAN REYNOLDS / ESS SERIES MEDIA
Photos By:DEAN REYNOLDS/ RACERSGUIDE.COM PHOTO STAFF
OHSWEKEN, ON –September 19, 2016- Paul Kinney over the last few years has been one of the top teams on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) circuit. Since his start in sprint cars he has never finished out of the top five in points. For some reason however, he has been winless since June 30, 2013. All that changed Friday night when he won the final full point event at Ohsweken on Friday night.
The win wasn’t an easy one to take to the books. He swapped the lead several times with both Jordan Poirier and then Shawn Donath before taking the lead back the final time two laps from the end to collect $1,575 for the Mach 1 Chassis A-Main victory which was also a Einstein Construction Group Canada Tour event.
“It feels good to finally get a win. I am not sure why it’s been over two years, we usually have a good car but for some reason we just couldn’t put it all together,” Kinney went on talking about a little stroke of good luck. “But, I will tell you, I wasn’t too disappointed to see Steve (Poirier) pull off there before the start.”
What Paul was referring too was that Steve Poirier was to start on the outside pole. When the field broke out of the four-wide and with the white flag waving he ducked into the pit area. What was found out later that Poirier lost his rear brake caliper, the newly crowned 2016 Lucas Oil ESS Champ decided better safe than sorry.
When the green flag flew it was Jordan Poirier and Kinney battling out up front swapping the lead several times. Kinney finally rook control on lap four and opened up a slight lead. With only one caution in the event, lapped cars also figured into the fray.
“I had fun trading sliders with Jordan, the track was in great shape and you can race all over on it,” Kinney went on. “Then when we were in lapped traffic Shawn got me on the bottom and showed me that lane was a little better.”
When Donath took the lead it looked like he too could end a long winless streak on the tour but the same scenario that hindered Kinney, now was his challenge. “I got by Paul there but we were in the middle of lapped cars. You hope they would move over and open up the racing but that doesn’t always happen,” said Donath.
Coming down for two to go, Kinney slipped by Donath for what was to be the final time. But, that didn’t see the drama end there. The final two corners of the final lap Donath dove into three, got under Kinney and almost made the pass of the year.
“I got real good run on him coming down the backstretch. I got down low in three and I think I could have gotten the pass but there was another lapped car there,” noted Donath. “I had to check up so we will take second, it was a good finish for us.”
Local Dylan Westbrook stayed hot with a fine third place finish and was all smiles afterwards. “Anytime you finish third with ESS you have to be happy,” he went on. “We have just had a good car for the last few months, no matter where we go it works well and was real quick tonight too”.
Jason Barney came from 18th to take fourth with Poirier driving the Pete Richardson owned mount to fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Chad Miller, Jeff Cook who started in 23nd to earn the hard charger bonus, track owner Glenn Styres, Mitch Brown, and Scott Kreutter.
A total of 35 cars were on hand back in August. Only Havard Daniels wasn’t able to make the starting line-up which added Parker Evans to the field.
Mach 1 Chassis A-Main – Paul Kinney ($1,575), Shawn Donath ($1,000), Dylan Westbrook ($900), Jason Barney ($630), Jordan Poirier ($565), Chad Miller ($860), Jeff Cook ($280), Glenn Styres ($520), Mitch Brown ($460), Scott Kreutter ($500), Chris Steele ($510), Ryan Turner ($420), Paulie Colagiovanni ($300), Brandon Kidd ($340), Matt Tanner ($360), John Burbridge ($330), Tim Axton ($275), Dave Axton ($275), Jim Huppunen ($325), Dave Dykstra ($275), Parker Evans ($325), Dain Naida ($75), Tyler Hendricks ($325), Steve Poirier ($300).
Lap Leaders – Kinney (1), J. Poirier (2-3), Kinney (4-18), Donath (19-23), Kinney (24-25).
Club 54 Racing/Car Mate Trailers Heat 1 – R. Turner, Dykstra, Burbridge, H. Daniels, T. Axton
Club 54 Racing/Car Mate Trailers Heat 2 – Westbrook, Donath, Huppunen, Tanner, M. Brown
Club 54 Racing/Car Mate Trailers Heat 3 – Kreutter, J. Poirier, Kinney, Hendricks, Barney
Club 54 Racing/Car Mate Trailers Heat 4 – Styres, Miller, S. Poirier, Steele, Colagiovanni
Ackland Insurance/Cobra Coaches Dash – Steele, Tanner, Hendricks, H. Daniels
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Kidd, D. Axton
Scratched – H. Daniels
Added – Evans
Added Starters – Cook (ESS), Naida (Ohsweken)
Did Not Qualify – Curtis Gartly, Jamie Turner, Matt Billings, Steve Lyons, Chris Durand, Lee Winger, Cole MacDonald, Jake Brown, Jeff Daniels, Cory Turner
Bonuses:
Beard Sewer and Drain Best Time – J. Turner, M Brown, Kinney, S. Poirier – $25
Ackland Insurance/Cobra Coaches Dash – Steele ($125), Tanner ($75), Hendricks ($50), H. Daniels ($50)
Insinger Fuels Hard Charger – Cook (16 pos.) $50
Engler Machine and Tool Halfway – Kinney $50
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Kidd ($50)
E&V Energy – Burbridge, J. Huppunen $50
Ohsweken Speedway 21st Anniversary – Evans $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – J. Poirier $35
Club 54 Racing/Car Mate Trailers Heats – R. Turner, Westbrook, Kreutter, Styres $100
911 Restoration – Brown, Steele $25
Lucas Oil ESS 7-12 Challenge – None – $1000 Next Year!!
Hoosier Tires – Miller $200
Vahlco Wheels – Miller $190
For more Information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints:
Web: www.empiresupersprints.com
Twitter: @ESSprints
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpireSuperSprints
Android App: Empire Super Sprints
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Mach 1 Chassis, Einstein Construction Group, SUNY Canton, NAPA Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Donath Motorworx, Insinger Performance, Car Mate Trailers, Fondations 4 Saisons, Beard Sewer and Drain, Cobra Coaches, 911 Restoration, Westward Painting Company, Fondations 55, E&V Energy, Panther Frameworx, YorkMont Auctions,, Engler Machine and Tool, Northwood 2 Construction, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Lacaillade Masonry, Vahlco Wheels, FX Chevy, ASI Racewear and many, many associate sponsors!!
