Steve Poirier Holds Off Mark Smith for Lucas Oil ESS Win at Can-Am
Story By: DEAN REYNOLD / ESS SERIES MEDIA
Photos By: JAY FISH / RACERSGUIDE.COM
LaFARGEVILLE. NY –September 12, 2016- It was the third time the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) made an attempt to hold and event at the Can-Am Motorsports Park in 2016. Quebec’s Steve Poirier was glad the third time was the charm as he held off Pa.’s Mark Smith to pick up ESS career win #62
The victory all but clinched his 7th ESS championship and was the ninth time he visited victory lane for this season. He took home $2,100 for another Mach 1 Chassis A-Main and also got valuable points for the NAPA Auto Parts US Tour and the SUNY Canton Series. But, Steve would be the first to tell you he had a little luck on this night.
Teenager Paulie Colagiovanni jumped out from his pole starting spot to lead the early stages of the event. Poirier, who started in sixth, worked his way quickly to the front and started to real in the leading #10C. “He (Paulie) was running the top and I had a feeling his lane was going to go away. I thought the track was going to take rubber even though I still felt good on the top also,” Poirier continued. “On the restart (Lap 12) he took the outside and I felt he opened up the chance for me.”
When starter Matt Burdick waved the green, Colagiovanni did take off first but when the duo reached turn one Poirier had a open slot down low to drive in hard and pull out with the lead coming off turn two. “It was open on the bottom and I just came out with the lead. I felt comfortable until Mark (Smith) showed me there was a better line,” Steve dead-panned. “I got lucky, when he got under me I thought I might have lost the race right there.”
Just as Smith took the lead, yellow lights came on for a stopped Dave Axton who slipped off turn four. Under ESS rules, the event goes back to the last completed lap so that gave Poirier the lead back. “When Mark did that I knew the bottom was now the place to be so I chose the bottom on the restart to keep him behind me. When we did go back racing it seemed to work,” noted Poirier.
Indeed he was right, even one more late race restart the #28FM chose the bottom and he held off Smith’s Mach 1 Chassis #M1 right to the checkered flag and to another victory. For Smith, he echoed the very same remarks as Steve.
“I got by him and thought this was going to be the pass for the win but the yellow came on. I was like ‘darn it’. I knew I would have to go back to second,” Smith continued. “When we did go green it took me a few laps to get going and I thought I still might had a chance to try and get by. But, we had that late caution and that did me in.”
When the checkers were waiving Poirier did beat Smith by a few lengths to the line with a happy Colagiovanni coming home in third. “I had a good car I just think my lane I was running went away,” he went on with a smile though. “Hey, when you finish third to those two, you have to be happy. I just have to thank Kenny (Murphy, his crew chief.) for giving me such a good car all night.”
Matt Tanner advanced 11 positions to earn the hard charger honors and a fourth place finish with Shawn Donath collecting fifth.
A total of 27 sprints in the pits with Charlie Caprara taking over the promotional duties for the half-mile. Fans got a show with lightening in sky during the entire A-Main but the 25 lapper was completed with no issues.
Mach 1 Chassis A-Main – Steve Poirier ($2,100), Mark Smith ($1,025), Paulie Colagiovanni ($825), Matt Tanner ($780), Shawn Donath ($565), Tommy Wickham ($660), Jason Barney ($430), Sam Reakes IV ($470), Paul Kinney ($460), Chad Miller ($400), Parker Evans ($460), Matt Billings ($370), Yan Bilodeau ($300), Chris Jones ($290), Tim Axton ($310), Brandon Kidd ($330), Jonathan Preston ($275), Jeff Cook ($275), Pete Richardson ($350), Dylan Swiernik ($275), Dave Axton ($350), Coleman Gulick ($275)
Lap Leaders – Colagiovanni (1-12), Poirier (13-25)
Car Mate Trailers Heat 1 – Poirier, Swiernik, Miller, Reakes IV, Billings, Tanner
Car Mate Trailers Heat 2 – Colagiovanni, Smith, Preston, Barney, Evans, Richardson
Car Mate Trailers Heat 3 – T. Axton, Gulick, Donath, Wickham, Kinney, D. Axton
Cobra Coaches Dash – Tanner, Evans, Billings, Kinney, D. Axton, Richardson
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Kidd, Jones, Cook, Bilodeau
Did Not Qualify – Paul Pekkonen, Alex Hill, James Hanson, Lee Ladouceur, Derrick Juliano
Bonuses:
Beard Sewer and Drain Best Time – Poirier, Smith, Cook – $25
Cobra Coaches Dash – Tanner ($100), Evans ($75), Billings ($50), Kinney ($25), D. Axton ($25), Richardson ($25)
Insinger Fuels Hard Charger – Tanner (11 pos.) $50
Engler Machine and Tool Halfway – Poirier $50
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Kidd ($50)
E&V Energy – Reakes, Richardson $50
Ohsweken Speedway 21st Anniversary – D. Axton $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – Donath $35
Car Mate Trailers Heats – Poirier, Colagiovanni, T. Axton $25
911 Restoration – Kinney, Evans $25
Lucas Oil ESS 7-12 Challenge – None – $600 Sept. 2 at Thunder Mtn.
Hoosier Tires – Donath $200
Vahlco Wheels – Wickham $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, FX Chevy, ASI Racewear and many, many associate sponsors
