Dufault overcomes late-season gremlins
to win Runnin' Rebel Summer Showdown
OXFORD, Maine – The Acceleration Series regular season started with promise and ended in a nightmare for Matt Dufault, with mechanical failures knocking him out of the final two Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel events and out of a top 15 trophy position for the full-season sweepstakes.
Dufault's bad luck lingered into practice Saturday afternoon prior to the annual Acceleration Series Showdown. He shook the bug just in time, though.
After his day nearly ended in a practice crash, Dufault drove around David Childs with seven laps remaining to capture the four-cylinder, open-competition event and a $500 payday.
After his day nearly ended in a practice crash, Dufault drove around David Childs with seven laps remaining to capture the four-cylinder, open-competition event and a $500 payday.
It was the first win since Opening Night in May for Dufault, who led the division point standings for much of the season.
"We brushed the wall and broke a bunch of stuff," Dufault said of his latest msadventure. "Troy Jordan, Nick Coates, Jake Coates, Ashley Marshall and Jeff Marshall, they all helped me put this thing back together. Troy's girlfriend, Tammy, ran around getting parts for me. It was a team effort. We won! I can't believe it."
In preceding action, Roger Allard, an off-and-on competitor at OPS dating back to the early 1980s, picked up his first-ever checkered flag in the 50-lap Call of the Wild RV Center Sport Truck race.
Three-time Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Ladies champion Tina Titus returned to her roots after another season in the predominantly male Chimney Tech Outlaw division and prevailed in a 30-lap event.
The final event of the evening, a 50-lap Outlaw finale, fell victim to a heavy thunderstorm. It will be made up as part of the New England Dodge Dealers ACT 150 race program on Saturday, Oct. 6.
David Childs, Richard Spaulding, Craig Smith and Keith Landry were heat winners and slated to lead the 31-car field to the green flag.
Dufault was one of four different Rebel drivers to lead that feature over the first seven laps, swiping the advantage from Mike Ward on lap 2 before surrendering it to teammate Jordan on the fourth circuit
Childs stormed to the front on lap 7 and led a six-car pack throughout a majority of the long-distance run. He held back Dufault on lap 35 and 39 restarts, but Dufault forged ahead by a fender on lap 43 just before the red flag appeared for a crash by Gary Salamacha.
Salamacha walked away from the incident.
The ensuing restart and seven-lap sprint to the finish went to Dufault, with Childs fading in the outside lane. Scott Farrington ran in the second spot throughout the middle stages, then dropped as low as sixth before rallying to the runner-up honors.
"My car ran really well. That was a fun race," said Farrington, who introduced a sharp, blue paint job that is a far cry from the primer colors that covered his doors all season. "And it isn't the ugly car anymore."
Mark Childs Jr. followed Farrington past his uncle, David, along the inside rail and wound up third, with Jordan fourth in front of David Childs and son Josh Childs.
Mark Childs Jr. followed Farrington past his uncle, David, along the inside rail and wound up third, with Jordan fourth in front of David Childs and son Josh Childs.
Seventeen cars finished on the lead lap in the 31-car field.
Current Sport Truck champion Jake Burns and 2005 division king Chris Martin locked up in a tremendous battle that turned sour in the closing laps.
Martin led Burns by a truck length for most of the pickup encounter until Burns made an overture to the inside and took away the lead with mild contact in the fourth turn on lap 37.
On the next circuit, Martin and Burns collided again, with Burns making a 180-degree spin and ultimately bringing out a caution flag. Martin was forced to pit road for a stop-and-go penalty on the restart, vaulting Allard to the lead on lap 40.
Another yellow flag stalled the proceedings with five laps remaining, but Allard held off Ryan Farrar for the breakthrough victory. Burns ascended the leader board to third, with Chad Binette fourth and Doug Degroat fifth, one lap down.
Allard's son, Opie, drove the same No. 68 truck to Wal-Mart Rookie of the Year honors this season.
"I wasn't the fastest. I got lucky, that's all," Allard said. "This is just a father-and-son thing. It's the best bunch of guys you could ever want to race with."
Titus denied several outside charges from Dottie Patria in the Ladies scrap. The two drivers traded the lead four times before Titus forged ahead for keeps on lap 13.
"I have to thank the love of my life, C.J. Williams, and my cousin Zach and uncle Larry (Emerson) for all their work on this car," said Titus, who ran in the high-point Outlaw feature for most of the summer.
Her last win was an Outlaw triumph in 2005. Titus' most recent Ladies victory occurred in the 2004 Showdown.
Agren Appliance Grand Slam champion Patria protected second from fast-closing Cathy Manchester down the stretch.
"I seem to do better on Saturday nights than Wednesday nights," said Patria, who won two of her three previous weekend starts this season.
Patty Brannon and Kimberly Sessions completed the top five.
The October 6 schedule includes the championship race for the American-Canadian Tour, Little Guy 100s for Strictly and Mini Stocks, and a full slate of Acceleration Series events. Qualifying begins at 2 p.m.
MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN' REBEL (50 laps): 1. Matt Dufault, Turner; 2. Scott Farrington, Oxford; 3. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls; 4. Troy Jordan, Turner; 5. David Childs, Oxford; 6. Josh Childs, Oxford; 7. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 8. Tyson Jordan, Poland; 9. Brandon Munroe, New Gloucester; 10. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 11. Mike Ward, Harrison; 12. Jason Short, Mechanic Falls; 13. Jeff Beaule, Lewiston; 14. Craig Farrington, Hebron; 15. Josh Brown, Conway, N.H.; 16. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 17. Randy Nutter, Auburn; 18. James Wood, New Gloucester; 19. Peter Seames, Greenwood; 20. Brady Romano, Livermore Falls; 21. Todd Foss, Raymond; 22. Archie St. Hilaire, Saco; 23. Logan Melcher, Livermore Falls; 24. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 25. Ken Whittemore, Greene; 26. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 27. Gerry Record, Poland; 28. Gary Salamacha, Old Orchard Beach; 29. Calvin Rose Jr., Turner; 30. Martin Krauter, Raymond; 31. Zach Audet, Chesterville.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK (50 laps): 1. Roger Allard, Harpswell; 2. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 3. Jake Burns, Gray; 4. Chad Binette, Arundel; 5. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 6. Doug Stevens, West Sumner; 7. John Patria, Turner; 8. Devon Smith, Norway; 9. Joe Farrar, Oxford; 10. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 11. Earl Lowe, Sumner; 12. Tim Huggins, Oxford; 13. Brian Farrar, Sumner; 14. Marvin Hamilton, New Gloucester; 15. Geoff Griffiths, Lewiston; 16. Rick Hebert, Peru; 17. Chris Martin, Norway; 18. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 19. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 20. William Sawyer Jr., Bowdoinham; 21. Tom Libby, Gorham; 22. Barry Poulin, Clinton.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES (30 laps): 1. Tina Titus, Lisbon Falls; 2. Dottie Patria, Turner; 3. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 4. Patty Brannon, Topsham; 5. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 6. Deanna Bisbee, South Paris; 7. Missy Roussel, Oxford; 8. Kari Brown, Gray; 9. Michele Bisbee, South Paris; 10. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 11. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 12. Annie Chartier, Mexico.