THE LUCAS OIL CAN-AM TQ MIDGETS

Cresswell Takes Second Half of Double Header

    Sunday’s night’s Lucas Oil Can-Am TQ Midget Series race again saw near perfect weather.  Several teams had to burn the midnight oil with 2 more joining the fray to make a total of 21 cars for the night’s action.  At the end of the night it was Todd Cresswell’s #3 who held off a mid-race challenge from Rob Neely to take the feature win.  Cresswell grabbed the lead on lap 6 and led the rest of the way for his second feature win of the 2007 campaign.

     After 3 aborted starts, the field was led single file to the green with David Balych in the 12 machine leading the pack.  A couple laps in Dan May was turned around in turn 1 causing the first yellow.  May continued albeit at the rear of the field.  Balych still led on the restart but was unable to hold off the flying Cresswell who slashed his way through the field and assumed the lead on lap 6.  Balych was second now followed by Lucas Smith.  Contact between the 2^nd and 3^rd place cars of Balych and Smith caused Balych to spin bringing out the yellow.  Both cars resumed at the rear of the field.

     On the subsequent restart, Smith launched over Balych’s car spinning both into retirement.  Balych with a split water line, Smith sent to the pits for the balance of the feature by officials.

     Back to green with Cresswell with a healthy lead over now Rob Neely.  Cresswell bobbled slightly heading into turn 3 allowing Neely a quick look but to no avail.  Cresswell opened his lead back up and grabbed the checkers ahead of Neely and Saturday’s winner Craig Mackereth.  Adam Walsh raced back up to 4^th from the rear after being penalized earlier for jumping the start, no easy feat.  Dan May rounded out the top five followed by Cliff Hodgkinson with a career best 6^th.

     The evening’s heat races were held under sunny skies with the 49 of Adam Walsh starting on pole for heat #1.  Walsh grabbed the initial lead from off-pole sitter Hodgkinson and led to the finish.  Greg Smulders in the 00 moved up to 2^nd on lap 3 with Dan May on his bumper.  With a couple to go, Lucas Smith drove up into 3^rd but was unable to displace Smulders.  In the end it was Walsh in a runaway followed by Smulders, Smith, May and James Gray.

     The second heat of the night had the 12 of Balych back in action after an engine change with Larry Wilson outside the front row.  Wilson outbraked Balych on the outside going into turn 1 for the lead.  Balych had a couple looks but Wilson pulled away after 5 laps to take the win.  Balych, first challenged by Jared Turnbull in the 59 then the 3 of Cresswell took a slim second.  The final finish was Wilson, Balych, Cresswell, Neely and Turnbull.

     To show the quality of the field, Saturday’s winner Craig Mackereth had to qualify through the B Feature winning it easily.  Behind Craig, son Tyler and Colin Turnbull in a 2 race old car battled in out for second, a little ways back, Alison Macleod and Daniel Bois also had a heated run.  Finish, Craig Mackereth, Tyler Mackereth, Colin Turnbull, Alison Macleod and Daniel Bois.