Lucas Oil Can Am Midget Points Leader Todd Cresswell gets a “2 fer” Sunday at The Beach.

Todd Cresswell won the TQ feature and also captured the GRANT IT series title after struggling with an evil race car all day with the help of “Superman”.  The GRANT IT series was the brain child of Grant Slater who owns a company called GRANT IT, which sells windows and doors.

The GRANT IT 6 race Midget series had to time trial before races because of the chance of a tie after the final race. Top qualifiers were Adam Walsh #49, Lucas Smith #94, Jeff Riberdy#1, James Gray #82 and Rob Neely #74. Cresswell #3 did not take part in time trials since he was scrambling to find the problem plaguing his race car. As of the start of the final race in the series Cresswell was behind Mackereth in the series.  

Heat 1

Colin Turnbull usually drives the 01 but he was to run the #4 for Cliff Walsh during this race. He started pole beside # 1 Jeff Riberdy who led flag to flag. Riberdy held off Lucas Smith #94 for the win. Dan May #7 and Todd Cresswell, both former karters ran their own exciting race with Todd winning out.

Heat 2

Adam Walsh from Vancouver driving the Bat Mobile ( so named because of the big wing shape and unpainted frame ) disappeared after the green was thrown, reappearing only to take the winning photos. The rest of the field raced for 2^nd. Craig Mackereth assumed 2^nd place and held on to it while Greg Smulders #00 and Rob Neely #74 dueled wheel to wheel for 3 laps. At one point Neely made it three wide entering corner 3. It was exciting to watch I think I saw a few more gray hairs on his car owner, Ken Lorenz’ head after he heat was over. Add James Gray to the mix and you get one heck of a race.

B Feature

Daniel Bois #20 pulled a Nelly move by passing Darren McLennan #48, the pole sitter and “The Muskoka flash” Mike McCann #27 down low in corner 3 to take the lead.   Lap 3, Earl Caine spun due to a shock malfunction on the right front.   #48 of McLennan just managed to get by McCann on lap 5 for second place and Dave McIntosh #40 went to 4^th.  With 2 laps remaining the #20 engine bent the valves on cylinder 1 thus ending a very discouraging day for the Balych team as the #12 had blown up in practice.  The #4 car was 4^th with Colin Turnbull at the wheel. His usual ride, the #01 had an ill engine so was parked for the night.

A Main

The feature line-up was going to be a gun fight at the very least: Adam Walsh #49, who time trialed the fastest, Jeff (I own Sauble) Riberdy #1 , Lucas Smith who always races hard, Todd Cresswell #3, the points leader and Greg Smulders #00 who has been having a great year , Craig Mackereth who was leading the GRANT IT series and James Gray #82 last night’s winner.

The race started fast and furious until Dan May #7 spun in the same place for the second night in a row. Todd Cresswell was there to race. He took 2^nd place on lap 2. Lap 4, Lucas Smith battled to 3^rd . Lap 6 James Gray was 4^th. Ever since the green, Riberdy #1 had the lead.  Lap 7 Cresswell passed the #1 of Riberdy, who was then passed by Lucas Smith #94 and James Gray #82.  Lucas chased Cresswell like he owed him money.  At one point Todd went high around Earl Caine #69 and Lucas went low. It was spectacular racing to watch.  Lap 17 Darren McLennan went around in corner 3.  Todd was better on the restarts, Lucas after a few laps and Gray is always good at all time.  As Todd #3 pulled away James #82 and Lucas #94 played change positions for 2 laps, then side by side until they got together.  Meanwhile Greg Smulders #00, Rob Neely #74 and Adam Walsh # 49 followed closely.  After the restart Todd #3 had to fend off Riberdy in a 5 lap shoot out. Neely got by Smulders on lap 21 to 3^rd place. Cresswell took the checkers and increased his lead to 30 points over Rob Neely #74.

The next race will determine the 2007 Lucas Oil Can Am Midget series champion. Neely or Cresswell… neither has won it before. Stay tuned.