Press Release –
A record number of spectators were in attendance over the weekend at Georgian Downs in Barrie, the newest venue on the Canadian Snowcross National Series.
Racing kicked off Friday night under the lights with the main attraction of the night being the Blair Morgan Rehabilitation Fundraiser race featuring Semi-Pro and Pro racers.
#73 Lee Butler took the win with #98 Mike Island grabbing a second place finish in front of his hometown fans. #88 John O’Malley held on for third place.
#73 Lee Butler made the Royal Distributing Team proud, winning all of his finals throughout the weekend including both Friday night and Saturday Blair Morgan races.
Butler proved for another weekend that he is determined and committed to bringing home the season championship for 2009.
Butler will have a strong fight for the championship on his hands with Royal Distributing team-mate, #115 Dave Joanis, who in his first year of Pro has already earned two first place finishes and a handful of podium positions only four races into the season.
Last weekend, Joanis took a 2nd place finish in the Pro Open class and 3rd in the Pro Stock. Reigning Pro Champion, #999 Michael VanDolder, is making a strong charge on both Joanis and Butler after getting off to a rough start in the first two rounds. VanDolder finished with a very respectable 3rd and 2nd place finish in the Pro Open and Pro Stock classes in Barrie.
The Semi-Pro division has seen a wide variety of riders in the podium positions so far this season making for intense racing and heated battles in each final. One of those top contenders is Shorline Racing’s #173 Corey Watkinson of Port Carling, Ontario.
Watkinson took the win in the Stock class, however, a crash in the Open class kept him off of the podium completely in that final. #333 Jeremy VanDolder of Dayco Racing, has led his fair share of races this season including last weekends’ Semi Pro Open race where he held on for the win followed up by a 2nd place finish in the stock class.
New this year to the Kodiak Boots/Sloot Construction Team, #511 Jaymie McPhail, is putting forth a valid fight for the front finishing on the podium each weekend.
Unable to get out front on the starts, McPhail has been left to work his way through the pack and it was those passing skills that allowed him to come from behind to finish third in the Semi Pro Stock final.
Barrie proved to be an exciting weekend for the Pro Womens class. Hometown racer #111s Stacy Orr, of Rosko Powersports, stood out from the pack catching huge air in each of her races.
It was on those jumps where Orr was able to make up valuable time on her rival, #55 Angela Vacchino, and eventually overtake her for the lead in the motos. When it came down to the final, it was less than a ski length that separated Orr and Vacchino and the finish line with Shorline Racing’s Vacchino taking the win.
The increasingly popular Vintage Series, returned for Round #2 in Barrie. Qualifiers were required in the Vintage 1 class with 12 racers qualifying for the final where #38 Jeff Fullerton of Bracebridge, Ontario took the win. In the Vintage 2 class #74 David Lee of Utopia, Ontario grabbed the checkered flag. Former Snowcross racer, #175 Michael Fenton, took the win in the Vintage Open division.
After a weekend off, racing will resume February 14-15 in Peterborough, Ontario for Round #2 of the Amsoil Kawartha Cup.
For more information and full results visit www.snowcross.com
