It was a lead which Jason Poitras refused to give up enroute to his first win on the season in Sport Fours. It was a wild event as the top five brawled over supremacy for the entire event where the top four all finished on the same second. David Westgate won second place honors after a spirited battle over the position with Henry Lavalle, who grabbed fifth at the finish. Third went to Alexander Manuel, followed by Mike LeFort in fourth.
Kicking it off, Poitras came off the outside pole past polesitter Christine Simpson after they did some door-to-door down the front stretch. Jordan Lopes dodged under for a three-wide at the front. However, two spins inolving four cars – Christine Cavallaro on the backstretch with Arthur Meack and Simpson on the front. The field realigned for a full-race restart.
No Lopes was on Poitras’ shoulder. But bad luck struck Lopes as he missed his shift and then was temporarily unable to find any gear. The often wreck-producing situation spared all hands, however, as Lopes went high between turns one and two, and the field was unscathed.
Lavalle leaped into the breach and took over second with Westgate all over his back end and Mike LeFort bearing down HIS bumper. As Poitras gained a two-length lead, LeFort began trying to nose under Westgate but Dave slammed the door.
They had caught Poitras and Lavalle tried to nose under him but was held off. Manuel was moving up and got under Tim Bolger, Jr. into fifth, whereupon Lenny Guy began to work on Bolger for position.
Lap 9 saw the entire front of the field – Poitras, Lavalle, Westgate, LeFort, Manuel and Bolger – running a tight pace line, nose-to-tail. After two laps, LeFort looked outside Westgate and on lap eleven (the following circuit) Manuel tried to duck under LeFort as he struggled with Westgate. But caution now flew as Joey Mota spun to the grass.
Poitras and Lavalle went at it from the front again, with Westgate and LeFort behind them. Manuel and Bolger made up row three. Poitras grabbed the front; Westgate went under Lavalle into second; Westgate tried to duck under for the lead but Poitras slammed the door in his face and they ran bumper-to-bumper. LeFort and Lavalle were door-to-door behind them. Mota spun to the infield but was able to keep it going and caution was avoided.
By lap 14, Poitras continued to lead Westgate, who was chased by LeFort, then Manuel, Lavalle, Lenny Guy and Avila. Manuel got up alongside LeFort and the top four were again bumper-to-bumper. Manuel now moved up on Westgate’s outside but was unable to pass and LeFort tried vainly to duck under into a three-wide.
While still under battle conditions, the field roared under the checkered flag granting Poitras the well-deserved win and Westgate the runnerup spot. Manuel was tight on his heels for third, ahead of LeFort and Lavalle.
Sixth went to Chris Pacheco, followed by Lopes, Avila, Bolger and Karlin Levesque.