Hebert wins 100-lapper at MIR; Ladouceur & Swamp also score wins

July 31, 2009, AKWESASNE, NY -- On paper, Thursday night’s Chief’s Tobacco Outlet 100 at Mohawk International Raceway (MIR), was an ordinary affair: Defending race winner and Lucas Oil Canadian series champion David Hebert started third and finished in victory lane in this race, Round Four of the Lucas Oil Canadian 358 series. On the track, however, Hebert staged one of the most thrilling comebacks in the track’s history as a lap three tangle with Todd Stewart (Kingston, ONT) sent him to the pit area and last position in the 32-car field. Hebert, of St-Damase, QUE, steadily worked his way through the field and on a “green-white-checker” restart battled side-by-side with Stewart to score a dramatic win in front of the packed grandstand.

 In other divisions on Thursday night, Joey Ladouceur of Alexandria, ONT scored his first win of the season in the Action Race Parts Pro Stocks, using the low groove to advance to the front in a race that went all 20 laps without a caution flag. Nolan Swamp of Akwesasne won his first Bandit feature of the season, holding off Brushton’s Justin White in a race that saw the two leaders trading paint and leaning on each other in the final lap and tangling as they came down for the checkered flag. Swamp spun backwards across the finish line and into the frontstretch wall to grab the win.

 The Lucas Oil Canadian 358 series drew a stellar field of Frenchie’s Chevrolet 358 Modifieds, with Martin Roy grabbing the early lead as the green flag waved for the Chief’s Tobacco Outlet 100. The first caution flag waved with three laps complete, as David Hebert and Todd Stewart tangled on the backstretch while battling for fourth, with Hebert spinning off the track and Stewart recovering after losing several positions. This early caution ended up being one of two key turning points in the event, with Hebert in 31st position as the race restarted.

 On the restart, pole-sitter Steve Bernard took the lead, with DIRT star Danny Johnson working his way up to the runner-up spot. By lap eight, Dale Planck moved into the third position and moved past Johnson for second on lap 14 as the leaders headed into lapped traffic. Bernard maintained the lead through several cautions, but “The Doctor,” Danny Johnson used a lap 37 restart to grab the top spot. On lap 40, Stewart, after falling back to eighth in the lap three tangle, moved to the low side to grab the runner-up spot, and a lap later he worked past Johnson to move into the top position. Stewart held the lead until Dale Planck started his march, moving past Johnson for second on lap 54 and pulling ahead of Stewart on lap 58 after a spirited side-by-side battle.

 Despite a couple of cautions, Planck opened up a large lead and looked like he was headed for a big win, but his hopes were dashed when his car lost a left rear tire coming out of turn four on lap 83. Planck was done for the night.

 The lap 87 restart saw Bernard and Stewart battle side-by-side for the lead, with Stewart retaking the top spot on lap 94, Bernard in second and Hebert emerging as a contender in the race’s final laps. Stewart looked like he was headed to victory lane, but Hebert reeled him in to challenge for the lead as the race’s final caution flag waved on lap 98, setting up a two-lap dash to the checkered flag. As the green flag waved, Stewart and Hebert raced side-by-side around the speedway. As the white flag waved, Hebert inched ahead, leading into turn one by just a bumper. The two leaders raced hard but clean, and coming out of turn four for the checkered flag, Hebert crossed the finish line just a couple of feet ahead of Stewart. Bernard posted an outstanding run in a rare Mohawk Raceway appearance to finish third, with Clement Therrien finished fourth and Carey Terrance came from 23rd starting spot to round out the top five.

 In the Action Race Parts Pro Stocks, David Papineau and Billy Woodward Jr. set the early race pace, with both drivers looking for their first win of the 2009 season. Travis Back made a low-side pass to the lead with nine laps complete. Back maintained the front position, but Joey Ladouceur, making only his second start of the season, had his car set to run the low line and was able to steadily pick his way to the front. He hustled to the front position with a low-side pass on lap 12 and headed on to grab his first win of the season at Mohawk Raceway. Travis Back scored another outstanding run with a second-place finish, while Dion Oakes, Papineau and Louie Jackson rounded out the top five.

 The Bandit feature was a classic, with a “Rubbing’s Racing” finish that saw two talented young stars leaning on each and trading paint in the final lap. Nolan Swamp took the lead at the start of the race, with Joey Foster and Justin White hounding him the entire time. Foster’s night ended when he careened off the turn two banking into the run-off area, setting up a two-car duel that saw Swamp and White running nose to tail the rest of the race.

 After following Swamp the entire race, Justin White made his move going into turn one on the final lap, diving down low and banging doors with Swamp as he muscled his way into the lead. Going into turns three and four, Swamp returned the favor, diving low and leaning hard on White’s car as they slid through the turns. It was a drag race to the finish line, with Swamp low and White high, both of them grinding on each other as they raced for the checkered flag. Swamp’s car got turned around just a few feet from the finish line, spinning across the track and in front of White, crossing the finish line backwards but ahead of White to grab the win. White settled for second, with Scott Mere finishing third. Swamp was thrilled to reach victory lane for the first time this season and despite the contact on the final lap, his car appeared to only have minor damage.

 Racing returns to Mohawk Raceway on Friday, August 7th, as the Village Engraver presents a full program of racing for the Frenchie’s Chevrolet DIRTcar 358 Modifieds, the Action Race Parts Pro Stocks, the SUNY Canton Street Stocks and the Bandits, along with round one of the “Pinks for Pro Stocks” match race series. Racing is set to start at 7:45 PM.

 In two weeks, Friday, August 14th, Grow-It Hydro Seeding and Jreck Subs present one of the biggest races of the season as the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints will make their only stop of the season. The August 14th program will also include a full show of racing for the 358 Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks and Bandits.

 CHIEF’S TOBACCO OUTLET 100 (LUCAS OIL CANADIAN 358 SERIES, ROUND 4): David Hebert, Todd Stewart, Steve Bernard, Clement Therrien, Carey Terrance, Martin Roy, Danny Johnson, Mario Clair, Alex Fortier, Michel Chicoine, Dominic Dufault, John Lazore, Pierre Dagenais, Gino Claire, Denis Gauvreau, David Langlois, Jessica Zemken, Perry Francis, Steve Planck, Brad Shova, Jean Boissoneault, Laurent Ladouceur, Dale Planck, Mitchell Jock, Roy Tarbell, Alan Johnson, Joel Doiron, Claude Brouillard, Gage Morin, Kayle Robidoux, Brian McDonald, Alan Therrien. DID NOT START: Pierre Berthiaume, Mark Smoke, Josh Brockway, Jasmin Leveille, Billy Cook, Casey Swamp, Roy Delormier, Marc Therrien, Ryan Helm, Ryan Jacobs, Dave Heaslip.

 ACTION RACE PARTS PRO STOCKS: Joey Ladouceur, Travis Back, Dion Oakes, David Papineau, Louie Jackson, Harvey Arquette Jr., Roch Aubin, Corey Wheeler, Bill Woodward Jr., Bruno Cyr, Jody Swamp, Mike Arquiett, Rod Tarbell, Richard Bertrand, John Yandoh Jr., Claudia Tarbell, Roland Hebert.

 BANDITS: Nolan Swamp, Justin White, Scott Mere, Harold LaVair, Scott Kocher, Tammy Rogers, Brad Fish, Henry Lamica, Larry Goodspeed, Cory Helm, Josh Jock, Joey Foster.

Photos courtesy of Mike Watts.