10/18/2010
ASCS
Jared Zimbardi Repeats at Brockville en route to King of St. Lawrence Crown
Rich Vleck, BROCKVILLE, Ont. (October 16, 2010)- Just a night before what was scheduled to be their final race of the season, the Zimbardi team received a call while on the way to Brockville Ontario Speedway informing them one of their business’ buildings was under fire. They thought their season might be over prematurely, but luckily for them it was under control and they could continue north to try and win their final race of the year, which is exactly what they did.
Zimbardi, the runner-up in ASCS Patriot points for the fourth straight season, picked up his second tour win of the year to round out a difficult end of the season on a positive note as he scored the $2,000 top prize for winning the sprint car A-Main as part of Brockville’s Northeast Fall Nationals. In the process, he would also secure the Riverside Bar and Grill King of the St. Lawrence Series.
Since late July, the season had gone awry for the Little Valley, NY driver. The stretch of terrible luck included a broken nose and chipped teeth for the 23-year-old, but the team realized that the St. Lawrence Crown was within their reach and focused on that in the 2010 postseason. A quality draw would help them out early on but it was their tire choice later on that may have proved to be the difference.
After starting third, the Bundle of Warmth/ Kill Buck Outlet No. 35 TrevisCraft moved to the lead on the opening lap using a hard tire compound on the daytime race surface. He began to pull away early on, a good sign with a tire that would be ideal for later in the race.
“The tire lasted just about the whole race,” noted “The Juice” after the 25-lap feature. “It never felt like the car wasn’t hooked up to the track.”
Zimbardi did have to deal with some spry challenges throughout the twilight event. Jeff Cook closed on the leader around half way but when he drifted over the banking coming out of turn two, his chance at winning at “The BOS” all but went out the window.
Alain Bergeron was the driver that was able to move by Cook with 10 laps remaining, and he began to apply pressure on the No. 35 while in lapped traffic, but Zimbardi made just the right moves in the closing stages to capture final checkered flag of the season.
By virtue of Zimbardi winning and Shawn Donath struggling throughout the feature, Zimbardi was able to claim the Riverside Bar and Grill King of the St. Lawrence Series Crown, making the long trip from Southwest New York well worth it.
Bergeron’s runner-up showing was bittersweet for the 11-year sprint car veteran. The St. Pie, Qbc. Driver recently stated that this would be his final year as a sprint car owner, which may put his driving career in peril. There were some teary eyes in Victory Lane after the event as the wheelman of the No. 8B began to realize the moment.
Jeff Cook was able to hang on to finish in third, a much better result than the 2005 running of this event when he flipped his No. 10 as high as the front stretch fence.
Jason Barney quietly put together a solid fourth place showing with Steve Poirier completing the top-five. For the first time in his sprint car career, Poirier did not win his heat or feature on a night at Brockville.
Tim Kelly and Keith Dempster charged forward to place sixth and seventh, respectively. Local favorites Chris Jones and Rick Wilson were next in line, with Jamie Collard completing the top-10.
A total of 28 sprint cars helped to fill a jam-packed pit area on what turned out to be a solid fall afternoon. Teams began to arrive early in the morning as rain clouds were still working their way out of the 1000 Islands Region. While conditions in the pits were soupy, the track quickly became dry and forced teams to tighten up their rides and change their approach to “The Beast of the East”.
All the teams started the feature and the incidents in the A-Main were mainly minor. Heat wins went to Southern Ontario’s Brad Malloy, Quebec’s Michael Parent and Zimbardi.
ASCS Patriots Results: 10/16/10, Brockville Ontario Speedway, Brockville, ONTARIO.
Riverside A-Main (25 Laps)- 1. Jared Zimbardi (35), 2. Alain Bergeron (8B), 3. Jeff Cook (10), 4. Jason Barney (87), 5. Steve Poirier (28FM), 6. Tim Kelly (12), 7. Keith Dempster (5), 8. Chris Jones (11J), 9. Rick Wilson (42w), 10. Jamie Collard (7x), 11. Dylan Swiernik (13), 12. Brian McDonald (151kb), 13. Lee Ladouceur (51), 14. Michael Parent (25), 15. Travis Cunningham (71), 16. Paul Pekkonen (98), 17. Tyler Rand (84), 18. Shawn Donath (33), 19. Dale Gosselin (3), 20. Doug Banks (45x), 21. Devin Caron (24k), 22. Kevin Loveys (20FM), 23. Kyle Fraser (01), 24. Brad Malloy (5m), 25. April Wilson (15aw), 26. Bob Crawford (10c), 27. Jake Langlois (11), 28. Brandan Wanrer (10B).
Lap Leaders- Zimbardi 1-25.
Heats (10 Laps Each, Top-4 Make Redraw)-
Race 1: 1. Brad Malloy (5m), 2. Alain Bergeron (8B), 3. Jason Barney (87), 4. Jeff Cook (10), 5. Keith Dempster (5), 6. Shawn Donath (33), 7. Kevin Loveys (20FM), 8. Bob Crawford (10c), 9. Dale Gosselin (3). 10. Doug Banks (45x).
Race 2: 1. Michael Parent (25), 2. Steve Poirier (28FM), 3. Tim Kelly (12), 4. Brian McDonald (151kb), 5. Devin Caron (24k), 6. Dylan Swiernik (13), 7. Paul Pekkonen (98), 8. Tyler Rand (84), 9. Jake Langlois (11).
Race 3: 1. Jared Zimbardi (35), 2. Chris Jones (11J), 3. Lee Ladouceur (51), 4. Rick Wilson (42w), 5. Jamie Collard (7x), 6. Travis Cunningham (7), 7. April Wilson (15aw), 8. Kyle Fraser (01), 9. Brandan Warner (10B).
Riverside Bar and Grill King of the St. Lawrence Standings (Top-10)- 1. Jared Zimbardi 529, 2. Alain Bergeron 507, 3. Shawn Donath 483, 4. Rick Wilson 451, 5. Chris Jones 443, 6. Tim Kelly 440, 7. Tyler Rand 413, 8. Steve Poirier 405, Tie-9. Devin Caron and Paul Pekkonen 404.
[i Photo - Jared Zimbardi ends 2010 on a high note after winning at Brockville to claim the ASCS Patriots Riverside Bar and Grill King of the St. Lawrence Series Crown (ASCS Patriot photo)]
Submitted By: Lonnie Wheatley
