DUHAIME SNATCHES WIN FROM CHAMBERS IN NEMA LITES’
DAVE STEELE 33
Jeremy Decourcy leapt off the pole to lead the first four laps of NEMA Lite action in the Dave Steele 33, but Jim Chambers came on from fourth to get underneath through a three wide, dropping Sam Hatfield back, then another three-wide which put him past Jessica Bean on the outside. But as George Kurtz pirouetted down the front stretch, Caution flew.
It took two tries to get the field going again, as Anthony Burr spun just out of the starting box. Now, it was Chambers and Payne splitting around Decourcy on the start for a brief three-wide. The bracketing saw Chambers take advantage and grab the lead ahead of Payne while Chad Locke got under Decourcy. But a Nickie Carroll spin sent them back for another restart on lap six.
Chambers again snagged the lead while Locke got under Payne for a door-to-door. But lap seven saw a two car spin in turn two, involving Chris Vose, Jim Cataldo, Carroll and Jake Stergios.
They tried again, but laps eight and nine saw caution. Finally, the lap nine green had the field running laps again and Chambers was back to the lead. By lap 10, Duhaime was into fourth, passing Bean on the lap seven restart and Payne on the lap eight. Chad Labastie followed on his tail into fifth.
Lap ten saw Chambers, followed by Ryan Bigelow, Locke and Duhaime. Locke was past Bigelow by lap 13 with Duhaime on his bumper and Labastie in pursuit.
Locke went to Chambers’ high side for the pass and it became a wheel-to-wheel affair but Chambers pulled away. Locke tried again as they began to encounter lapped traffic. By lap 18, Locke was snugged up against Chambers’ bumper. The run was ended as Anthony Burr slowed to a stop on the front stretch. He was unable to continue.
Chambers and Locke faced off on the restart with Bigelow and Labastie behind them. And Duhaime with Chris Lamb [Boston Louie’s grandson] in row three. Chambers again secured the lead as Locke continued to try to get by. He settled into second with Labastie on his tail, Bigelow, Duhaime and Lamb in pursuit.
Locke was up to pass again on lap 23 and they were side-by-side but Chambers again grabbed the front. Duhaime got under Labastie into third and then under Locke into second.
Chambers began lapping the field on lap 27. Duhaime was looking for access to the front and found it on lap 29 of the 33-lapper. He dropped underneath with Chambers trying to block him. But Duhaime was solidly underneath and they approached a lapped car which Chambers slowed to avoid, allowing Duhame to slide out from under him and into the lead with one lap remaining. Further back, Bean slid past Randy Cabral on the final circuit to secure seventh and Ray Parent nabbed eighth. Cabral finished ninth.
Final order of finish for the top then was: Duhaime, Chambers, Labastie, Locke, Bigelow, Dan Cugini, Bean, Parent, Cabral and Payne.