outlasts belanger for checkers
SPORT FOUR WIN TO WESTGATE
Former Sport Four champion David Westgate outlasted Mike Belanger to the checkers, giving him the win. Westgate had taken the lead on lap 9 from Michael Glad who had been at the front since lap five.
Belanger came up with four laps remaining to challenge Westgate but was unable to make the pass. Westgate claImed the win, with Belanger second, followed by David Simpson, Mike LeFort and Glad.
At the beginning, Henry Lavallee jumped off the pole with Glad and they went door to door down the frontstraight. They were alongside for two laps before Glad got wide in the turn and lavallee went to the front. Glad hung on as as Christine Cavallaro went to third place. Glad came back on lap four to take the lead from Lavallee. Cavallaro looked under Lavalee A three=wide developed with Emily Sprague, Chris Pacheco and Westagate.. Sprague backed out of the triple.
Glad continued to lead Cavallaro and Lavallee. Sprague was fourth, ahead of Chris Pacheo but Lavalley and lSprague came together out of turn two and went across the grass, catching Pacheco coming out of turn three. Pacheco and Lavalle continued to run, but Sprague was at a stop.
Glad and Cavallaro lined up for the restart. Glad took the lead but had to shut the door on a charging LeFort.
Westgate now came around Cavallaro, taking over second as Simpson pulled into fourth with LeFort on his tail.
Westgate slipped into the infield but kept going then went outside Glad for the lead. He took the lead on turn two of lap eleven. Simpson then pulled up to Glad’s bumper as Cavallaro followed.
Westgate slipped into the grass off turn two again. David Gargaro retired to the pits at this time.
The restart saw Westgate go to the lead with Glad taking second ahead of Simpson and Mike Belanger. But Ray Hermand and Lefort created an accordion effect which send Cavallaro around in turn three and up to the wall with Lavallee. She pitted and returned.
Westgate was away again, with Simpson under Glad behind him. By lap 15, Westgate was leading Simpson, Belanger, Glad, LeFort and John Lineberger. But Belanger was moving up and got in under Simpson. By lap 18, with two to go, it was Westgate, Belanger, Simpson, LeFort, Glad and Lineberger. The ran the circuits to the checkers, finishing in that order.
Lineberger was sixth, followed by Glen Leduc, Jason Poitras, Nick Mattera and Chris Pacheco.
SPORT 4's