Steve Poirier Heating Up On The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints Tour And Wins at Mohawk International Raceway
Monday, August 17, 2009
By Dean Reynolds
HOGANSBURG, NY – The two-time defending champion of the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS), Steve Poirier, had a rough start to the 2009 racing season. A simple switch to a familiar chassis, and the St-Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec driver has claimed two of the last four events with the last victory coming this past Friday at the Mohawk International Raceway.
Taking the lead from Alain Bergeron on lap 15, Poirier never looked back to win the 25-lap SUNY Canton Series event which was worth $2,125. The victory was his 22nd of his now four-year ESS career.
“We decided to park the J&J and stay with this Eagle chassis” as Steve merely pointed to the chassis of choice. “I just feel a little bit more comfortable with this car, and we are starting to get better.”
Poirier indeed struggled early on in the 2009 campaign, and has not led the points at all thus far. “We just weren’t quite right all year; we needed to do a change and this car seems to be the best for us,” noted the 2007 and 2008 champion. “Tonight the car was super; I could run it as hard as I wanted to, and that’s what won us the race. I was able to pass Alain for the lead and get through the lap cars for the win.”
By virtue of the nightly pill draw, Bergeron found his Coffrage Daniel Lampron #8B on the pole and he quickly jumped out to a lead over Chris Jones. Poirier stayed where he started (fourth), until he found a new groove to make his passes.
“I thought the top was where the fast groove was going to be until I tried down low in turn one. My car just stuck down there and I was able to make my passes there.” said the driver of the FM Industries #28FM.
That’s where Poirier was making his moves, third on lap eight and then from third to first just after a lap 13 restart to officially take the lead when 15 laps were in the books. After that it was getting through lap cars and keeping his challengers behind.
Current ESS point leader Justin Barger was making his charge from his eighth place starting position to keep Poirier in his sights. On lap 20 he moved into second and was closing the gap on the leader.
“I had a good car, I was coming. Needed a few more laps, maybe another restart,” dead-panned Barger. “We had to start behind Steve, but I was trying to catch him there in the end. I think we were a little better but we ran out of laps.”
Barger also noted, “When the track is fast like it was tonight, it makes it hard to pass and everyone is fast. We are happy. Sure we wanted to win, and this is good for the points.”
Bergeron faded to fifth, and while third is a sold finish, he knew one might have gotten away. “I missed the set-up, my car was just too loose.” Bergeron simply noted. “I wanted to run the top, but the track got slicker during the race and I was just not right. Finish third was good; starting on the pole and finishing third is not good.”
Jason Barney came home in fourth, with Chuck Hebing finally shaking some of his rough luck taking fifth after starting in 12th. Rounding out the top ten were Tommy Wickham, Michael Parent, who started in second, Brian McDonald, Tim Kelly, and Doug Emery.