By Tommy Goudge
PORT COLBORNE, Ont. (July 31, 2021) – Jordan Poirier passed Jim Huppunen on the last lap to win Saturday’s Pinty’s Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car series A-Main at Humberstone Speedway. The victory helped Poirier to sweep the Knights of Thunder portion of All-Canadian Championship weekend, and remain undefeated in 2021.
Cory Turner and Travis Cunningham made up the front row Friday’s 25 lap A-Main, and Turner took the early lead with Poirier close behind. Turner was about to encounter traffic when Corey Gruhl’s stopped car brought out a yellow flag with five laps complete. Turner stayed in the lead when the green flag reappeared, but had to move out of the low groove in traffic. Poirier pounced on the opportunity and made a daring move through traffic to make the winning pass just before the race reached the halfway point.
Turner gained ground on Poirier on several occasions, but ended up settling for the runner-up spot. Cunningham took the third podium spot, followed by row six starter Jacob Dykstra, and Ryan Turner. Tyler Rand, Shone Evans, Jim Huppunen, Josh Hansen, and Mat Williamson rounded out the top ten. A star in Big Block Modified racing, Williamson was making his first 360 Sprint Car start. Heat race wins were claimed by Holly Porter, Cory Turner, and Shone Evans.
Ryan Turner and Travis Cunningham made up the front row for Saturday’s 25 lap A-Main, and Turner took the early lead in what turned out to be a caution-free race. Jim Huppunen overtook Turner for the lead on lap nine and went on to lead the majority of the race until Poirier slipped past on the last lap.
Huppunen settled for the runner-up spot, while Cory Turner charged from row five to finish third, followed by Ryan Turner, and Aaron Turkey. Travis Cunningham, Tyler Rand, row ten starter Liam Martin, Josh Hansen, and Mikey Kruchka rounded out the top ten. Jordan Poirier, Aaron Turkey, and Josh Hansen claimed heat race wins.
The Pinty’s Knights of Thunder series will next be in action on Friday, August 6 at Merrittville Speedway, and Saturday, August 7 at Southern Ontario Motor Speedway. Visit www.knightsofthunder.com, www.merrittvillespeedway.com, and www.southernontariomotorspeedway.com for more information.
Jacob Dykstra swept the Action Sprint Tour fueled by Pinty’s portion of All-Canadian Championship weekend at Humberstone Speedway.
Photo by Dale Calnan/ImageFactor Media
Curtis Gartly and Eric Gledhill made up the front row for Friday’s 25 lap A-Main, but the race was quickly halted for a crash in the first turn which took out Steven Beckett and Derek Miller. Following the red flag and another minor yellow flag, the race went green the rest of the way. Curtis Gartly led the first 15 laps, but row four starter Jacob Dykstra moved steadily through the field and made the winning move in traffic. The win was worth $1,500 thanks to Sundance Restaurant Services.
Allan Downey moved up to take the runner-up spot, followed by Gartly, Gledhill, and Brett Stratford. Dereck Lemyre, Terry Baker, Darren Dryden, Jesse Costa, and Lucas Smith rounded out the top ten. Heat race wins were claimed by Dereck Lemyre, Lucas Smith, Jacob Dykstra, and Allan Downey, while Johnny Miller won the B-Main.
Ryan Fraser and Rob Neely made up the front row for Saturday’s 25 lap feature, but Fraser only led one lap before Dykstra took over. Steven Beckett moved steadily through the field to take the runner-up spot from row five, followed by Fraser, Neely, and Allan Downey.
The win kept Dykstra undefeated in 2021, and was worth $5,000 thanks to Sundance Restaurant Services. Tyeller Powless, Curtis Gartly, Ryan Fraser, and Jacob Dykstra claimed heat race wins, while Derek Miller won the B-Main.
The Action Sprint Tour will next be in competition on Friday, August 6 at Merrittville Speedway. Visit www.actionsprinttour.com and www.merrittvillespeedway.com for more information.
Humberstone Speedway
Port Colborne, Ontario
Saturday, July 31, 2021
Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car Series
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 28-Jordan Poirier[3]
2. 5-DJ Christie[2]
3. 01-Mikey Kruchka[4]
4. 14H-Jim Huppunen[8]
5. 0-Lucas Smith[1]
6. 1-Holly Porter[5]
7. 3G-Dale Gosselin[6]
8. 15-Dan Nanticoke[7]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 68-Aaron Turkey[1]
2. 91-Ryan Turner[5]
3. 11J-Chris Jones[2]
4. 13-Cory Turner[6]
5. 11-Jamie Turner[3]
6. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[4]
7. 9-Liam Martin[7]
8. 11N-Nathan Jackson[8]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 88H-Josh Hansen[4]
2. 90-Travis Cunningham[5]
3. 70-Baily Heard[1]
4. 84-Tyler Rand[7]
5. 9B-Scott Burk[2]
6. 46-Kevin Pauls[3]
7. 87X-Shone Evans[6]
A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 28-Jordan Poirier[7]
2. 14H-Jim Huppunen[4]
3. 13-Cory Turner[10]
4. 91-Ryan Turner[1]
5. 68-Aaron Turkey[3]
6. 90-Travis Cunningham[2]
7. 84-Tyler Rand[5]
8. 9-Liam Martin[19]
9. 88H-Josh Hansen[6]
10. 01-Mikey Kruchka[9]
11. 11-Jamie Turner[13]
12. 9B-Scott Burk[14]
13. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[17]
14. 0-Lucas Smith[15]
15. 3G-Dale Gosselin[20]
16. 1-Holly Porter[16]
17. 87X-Shone Evans[21]
18. 11J-Chris Jones[11]
19. 5-DJ Christie[8]
20. 15-Dan Nanticoke[23]
21. 70-Baily Heard[12]
22. 46-Kevin Pauls[18]
23. 11N-Nathan Jackson[22]
Action Sprint Tour
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 77T-Tyler Powless[2]
2. 7-Eric Gledhill[5]
3. 52-Matt Billings[4]
4. 19D-Allan Downey[7]
5. MK8-Matt Hill[1]
6. 56-Dereck Lemyre[6]
7. 3S-Austin Roes[3]
8. 31-Dale Curran[8]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 45L-Curtis Gartly[2]
2. 45-Nick Sheridan[6]
3. 48-Lance Erskine[1]
4. 49L-Lucas Smith[5]
5. 14T-Noelle Teal[4]
6. 26X-Terry Baker[8]
7. 69-Joshua Hill[7]
8. 20-Johnny Miller[3]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 94-Ryan Fraser[1]
2. 74-Rob Neely[3]
3. BS39-Brett Stratford[7]
4. 50LS-Adrian Stahle[5]
5. 5-DJ Christie[8]
6. 4-Jesse Costa[2]
7. 70MM-Dave McKnight Jr[4]
8. 4B-Darrell Pelletier[6]
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[4]
2. 08-Steven Beckett[2]
3. 14-Larry Gledhill[1]
4. 9C-Brian Nanticoke[3]
5. 2M-Steve Murdock[8]
6. 84-Dan Ferguson[6]
7. 12DD-Darren Dryden[7]
8. 38-Derek Miller[5]
B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 38-Derek Miller[4]
2. 4B-Darrell Pelletier[1]
3. 56-Dereck Lemyre[8]
4. 69-Joshua Hill[2]
5. 84-Dan Ferguson[9]
6. 4-Jesse Costa[12]
7. 12DD-Darren Dryden[11]
8. 3S-Austin Roes[7]
9. 20-Johnny Miller[3]
10. 26X-Terry Baker[10]
11. 70MM-Dave McKnight Jr[5]
12. (DQ) 31-Dale Curran[6]
A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[6]
2. 08-Steven Beckett[10]
3. 94-Ryan Fraser[1]
4. 74-Rob Neely[2]
5. 19D-Allan Downey[9]
6. 45-Nick Sheridan[3]
7. 52-Matt Billings[11]
8. BS39-Brett Stratford[5]
9. 7-Eric Gledhill[4]
10. 56-Dereck Lemyre[23]
11. 45L-Curtis Gartly[8]
12. 49L-Lucas Smith[14]
13. 2M-Steve Murdock[13]
14. 77T-Tyler Powless[7]
15. 50LS-Adrian Stahle[15]
16. 38-Derek Miller[21]
17. 48-Lance Erskine[16]
18. 14-Larry Gledhill[17]
19. 14T-Noelle Teal[19]
20. 4B-Darrell Pelletier[22]
21. 9C-Brian Nanticoke[18]
22. 69-Joshua Hill[24]
23. 5-DJ Christie[12]
24. MK8-Matt Hill[20]