(Shediac, N.B.) — Dan Bourque, Victor Vienneau, Bob Prosser and Mike Weagle were crowned as 2009 Points Champions in their respective divisions during intense stock car racing action on Sunday afternoon at the Centre for Speed, Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway and “Metro Moncton’s Playground of Power”.

For ‘Buzzsaw’ Dan Bourque (#15) of Grande-Digue, who claimed his first career Sportsman championship in 17 seasons of racing, Sunday was the crowning moment of a ‘wreckers to championship’ season. In fact, Bourque had planned on retiring after the 2008 season but a last race wreck, where he completely demolished his racecar, left him with a sour taste in his mouth and a renewed determination to continue racing.

“I owe it all to my terrific pit crew and their drive to come back even
stronger in 2009”, beamed Bourque as he celebrated his first Championship after Sunday’s Eastern Well Drillers 50-lap feature. However, the championship win for Bourque was not without its last-day dramatics. In fact, his racecar developed mechanical problems during the semifinal after a third place finish in the 10-lap heat. His crew battled through the semifinal and the 50-lap feature to keep him in the hunt for the Championship ahead of a hard-charging Marc Gautreau (#99) of Grand Barachois.

Heading into Sunday afternoon’s final points event of the 2009 season, Bourque held a
12-point lead on Gautreau. However, that lead threatened to completely slip through Bourque’s hands as Gautreau reeled off wins in the dash, second heat as well as the hotly-contested 15-lap semifinal to set up the showdown in the 19-car, 50-lap feature.

Veteran Dan Duke (#94) of Lakeville had the car to beat in the 50-lap main event as he took the early lead and held off challenges over the first 38 laps. However, Calvin Rankin (#45) of Quispamsis would prove to be a factor over the later part of the event. Having started the feature in 12th position, after his earlier win in the first Sportsman heat, Rankin worked
the outside line to charge his way through the field. By lap 35, Rankin had made his way into second and was knocking on Duke’s back bumper. Sticking to the outside groove, Rankin was finally able to overtake Duke on lap 41, and held on for the win crossing the finish line ahead of Gautreau and Duke.

Both Gautreau and Bourque, they took advantage of some early race openings to make their way through the field. By lap 19, Bourque had moved into third position with Gautreau in fourth. Gautreau continued his climb to the top as he passed Duke over the final few laps to cross the stripe in second. As for Bourque, his recurring
mechanical problems forced him and out of the pits over the final portion of the race, finally finishing in 12th position. That, however, was just enough for him to claim his first Sportsman championship, finishing a mere three points ahead of Gautreau in the final points standings.

It was a similar scenario in the chase for the 2009 Streetstock championship for Victor Vienneau (#03) of Cocagne, who started the
day first in the standings with a 29-point lead over division rookie Gerald Brun (#33) of Moncton. While the day belonged to Doug MacEwen (#40) of Charlottetown, who celebrated in 42nd birthday by recording a grand slam with wins in the heat, semifinal and 50-lap feature, both Vienneau and Brun were dogged by frustrating mechanical problems which for the most part left them looking on from the pit area.

Despite a blown piston, Vienneau got a little help from other pit crews and was able to complete one lap in the 50-lap feature thereby collecting enough points to hang on for his first career Streetstock championship.
For MacEwen, his three wins, including his third feature win of the season ahead of Jamie Vassello (#38) of Sydney, N.S. and Kelly Bassett (#18) of Saint John, vaulted him into second overall in the final points standings, just a few points ahead of Brun.

In Mini Stock action, Bob Prosser (#5) of Turtle Creek captured the 2009 Mini Stock division Championship thanks to a fifth place showing in the 25-lap feature, a second place finish in the heat and a fourth place finish in the semifinal. Martin Landry (#00) of Grand Barachois made things very interesting with second place finishes in
both the semifinal and feature, ending the day just four points behind Prosser for the championship. Meanwhile, Landry’s cousin, Daniel Gautreau (#20) of Shediac had the car to beat on Sunday in this division, collecting wins in both the heat and feature to go along with a third place showing in the semifinal. Veteran Brad Daley (#33) of Moncton was first across the finish line in the semifinal for his second win of the 2009 season.

In the Four Fun division, despite a damaged rear wheel, Mike Weagle (#60) of Petitcodiac capped off a dominating season with his 12th win of the
season in the semi-final to go along with second place showings in the heat and 25-lap feature, to capture the 2009 Four Fun division championship. While Eldon Campbell (#17) of Moncton had to settle for second overall in the points standings, he did end the season on high note beating Weagle in both the feature and heat as well as a third place showing in the semifinal.

Three BIG weekends of Atlantic Championships motorsports action are scheduled for the Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway, the Centre for Speed (CFS) in October.

This includes the 10th Annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships on October 9, 10 & 11 with a total purse of over $50,000. This traditional ‘Year End Racing Celebration’, which has attracted the largest field of stockcars from throughout Atlantic Canada, Maine and Québec over the past 9 years, will feature several series and Atlantic track champions for the Pro Stock 150, Sportsman 100, Streetstock 50, as well as Mini Stock, Four Fun, Atlantic Open Wheel (AOW) and Legends events. CFS management is promising that this year’s Atlantic Championships will include a number of new features to further enhance the event for both fans and drivers from throughout our region. Detailed announcements will be made over the coming weeks.

Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com

About CFS

The CENTRE for Speed, built in 1996, is home to the Atlantic region’s largest and fastest paved 3/8 of a mile stock car oval as its centerpiece. The CENTRE overlooks the Northumberland Strait and is located 5 kilometers east of Shediac’s Parlee Beach on Route #133 in the village of Grand Barachois.