Photo Credit; Ashley McCubbin
Over the past couple of years, Mack DeMan has become “Da Man” in the Lucas Oil T.Q. Midgets, and he showed why on Saturday night as he scored the feature victory at Sunset Speedway en route to another championship.
Darren McLennan won the first heat ahead of Rob Neely, DeMan, Steve Murdock, James Marche, Andy Mackereth, Todd Cresswell and Paul Rhodes.
The second heat saw a scary incident as Jeff Backburn became to move up on the backstretch, though Darren Dryden was already to his outside. The pair made contact, resulting in both drivers catching air as Dryden got upside down before riding the backstretch wall. Thankfully, neither driver was injured in the incident.
Unfortunately, the issues continued for competitors as Barry Dunn pulled off with a problem mid-race. Ryan Fraser picked up the win ahead of Adrian Stahle, Adam Racine and Cody Whittam.
Come feature time, it’d be Steve Murdoch starting pole ahead of Ryan Fraser, Mack DeMan, Adrian Stahle, Darren McLennan, Adam Racine, Rob Neely, James Marche, Andy Mackareth, Todd Cresswell, Barry Dunn, Jeff Blackburn, Darren Dryden and Paul Rhodes.
The first caution flew on the opening lap as a result of an incident in turn one involving McLennan, Blackburn, Neely and Rhodes.
The second attempt to start the race went cleanly with Fraser grabbing the early lead ahead of Murdoch and Stahle. Stahle wasted no time, passing Murdoch on Lap 2 to move into second. Meanwhile, DeMan had made his way up to fourth ahead of Racine, Marche and Dryden. DeMan made his move on Lap 4, passing Murdoch to move into third as both Marche and Dryden made their way by Racine. Racine got bumped back to eighth after being passed by McLennan on Lap 5.
Behind him, it was Dunn in ninth followed by Cresswell, Blackburn, Rhodes and Mackareth. Dryden then got alongside Marche for fifth on Lap 8 with DeMan getting alongside Stahle two laps later for second. Both passes were successful as Dryden took fifth on Lap 11, with DeMan taking second a lap later.
Dunn was then able to get alongside Marche for sixth at Lap 13, with both Dryden and McLennan getting by Marche for fourth and fifth a lap later. Dunn was then able to clear Marche, passing Murdoch to move up into sixth. With the shuffling, Murdoch now ran seventh ahead of Marche, Racine and Blackburn. The order got shuffled once again when the caution flew at Lap 17 for Marche going around in turn two.
Fraser got a good restart to initially keep the lead ahead of DeMan and Stahle, but it was DeMan taking the top spot on Lap 18 ahead of Fraser. Dryden solidly ran fourth ahead of McLennan, Dunn, Murdoch, Blackburn, Marche, Racine, Cresswell, Rhodes and Mackareth. Stahle was able to get by Fraser for second before the caution flew with two laps to go for Blackburn spinning in turn four.
Mack DeMan got a good restart to capture the victory ahead of Ryan Fraser, Adrian Stahle, Darren Dryden and Darren McLennan. Barry Dunn finished sixth, followed by Steven Murdock, James Marche, Adam Racine and Andy Mackereth. Todd Cresswell finished 11th, followed by Paul Rhodes, Jeff Blackburn, Rob Neely and Cory Whittam.
