A great race one of the HOT AUGUST NIGHTS mini-series started with a tight top three qualifiers with Mark Berriau posting the fastest time of 19.045, followed by Matt Stephenson and Kalvin Loudoun. Loudoun consistently a top contentder at Motoplex flexed his muscles with a quick run to the front of the A heat. Berrriau chasing hard in second and Stephenson in third.
The feature event of the night would prove to be thrilling with a scheduled mandatory pit stop in the first fifty laps setting the lineup for the last fifty. The 29 car driven by Ryan fisher was scheduled to take the field to green, but an engine issue left them in the pits for the main. Don Nickel moved up to bring the field to green, with the 67 car of Jeff Cameron on the high side. Pit strategy already in play had Jeff Cameron in the pits first. Nickel holding conceding the lead to Bob Mear in the 7 car early on, and Loudoun in the 12 car to the front on lap 3. Loudoun puts a little time on the field while Berriau and Stephenson work traffic. Lap 16 has the 99 car into fourth place. Pit stops are beginning as the 96 of nickel and the 21 of Tarasenko head to the pits. Terasenko with a great stop picks up positions and heads back to green flag racing. The 12 car in for service turning the lead over to the 27 of Berriau. The 1 car of Stephenson in for service. The 1 car exits pit road slowly and returns to the pits with a broken transmission ending his night. The 99 car of Cornett-Ching enters the top three running second to Berriau. The 27 car to pit road for his stop, struggling with a pesky wheel nut. The 99 car of Cornett-Ching has the pit stop of the night and pulls into the lead. Nickel with trouble on the front stretch bring out the first caution. The field is reshuffled, with Cornet-Ching bringing the group to the green. The 12 car passes the 99 and retakes the lead with Berriau taking second. Lap 67 has debris on the track and the filed slows. Getting ready to restart, the 12 car stacks up the field as the engine quits. Back to yellow, the 12 re-fires, but is now a lap down. Berriau now leads with the 99 and the 21 on tow. The 99 passes the 21 for the second spot at lap 90. Looking good Berriau is leading in cruise mode, with Cornett-Ching and Terasenko chasing hard. Into the last few laps, Steve Hancock in the 31 gets into the marbles out of four and brings out a late race caution. The field lined up with Berriau taking the inside, 99 car high, green flies. The 99 and 27 touch. Cornett-Ching and the 27 battle for the win. White flag lap has the 99 and 27 side by side, with the 21 and 7 of Bob Mear laying in wait. Side by side the 99 and 27 race off of turn four. Cornett-Ching with the hard run off of four, beats Berriau to the line for the win. Cornett-Ching celebrates her first Sportsman series feature win. Berriau second, 21 of Terasenko third, Bob mear fourth, Jeff Cameron in the 67 car fifth. Loudoun Sixth, Hancock seventh, the 96 of nickel eighth and the 1 car of Stephenson ninth.
Who will take home the Big 1000.00 Cheque in the mini-series? The points are tight and the second race takes off this weekend with more action guaranteed. Come on out and enjoy the race.
