Donald Theetge (left) and Cole Powell (right) both scored their first career NASCAR Pinty’s Series victories on Wednesday at Wyant Group Speedway. Photos by Matthew Murnaghan/ NASCAR
Ever since NASCAR changed the format at Wyant Group Raceway to a doubleheader, it has produced nothing short of amazing racing.
Donald Theetge and Cole Powell made the trip to Saskatoon, and both leave with their first career NASCAR Pinty’s Series victories Wednesday following the Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s.
One finally scoring their long awaited first victory, while the other has only made five previous starts in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.
In the first 125-lap feature, the racing was clean but intense. It only took Donald Theetge all of 16 laps to get the lead from pole sitter Kevin Lacroix. It was smooth sailing for the 51-year-old driver from Boischatel, Quebec, until a caution on lap 89 set up 30-lap sprint to the finish.
Theetge’s No.24 Circuit Acura/Le Soliel/L’Antidote Chevrolet held off hard charges from Powell, Alex Tagliani and Marc-Antoine Camirand to finally claim his long awaited first victory. It marked Theetge’s first win in 18 starts, and first win for the brand new Chevrolet Camaro that debuted this season.
Powell, making his first start at Wyant Group Raceway, finished second.
D.J. Kennington completed the top five, followed by Lacroix and Mark Dilley. Joey McColm scored his first top-10 finish since 2015, in eighth, while Noel Dowler and Josten’s Rookie of the Year candidate Brett Taylor rounded out the top 10.
L.P. Dumoulin ran up front in the early stages before cutting a right front tire and was relegated to a 16th-place finish.
The early laps of the second 125-lap race proved similar to the first race with drivers battling for position all over the track.
By virtue of having the fastest lap in the first event, Dumoulin won the pole for the second. He and Powell traded paint every opportunity they could until a late race caution set up a huge opportunity for Powell. And he pounced.
Powell’s No.3 Copps Buildall/ Kubota Chevrolet fended off hard charges from both Dumoulin and Camirand.
The 25-year-old driver from Mt. Brydges, Ontario, becomes the first non-Quebec driver to score a victory in the Pinty’s Series since Cayden Lapcevich won the Pinty’s Fall Brawl at Jukasa Motor Speedway in 2017. Powell took over the No. 3 this year for car owner Ed Hakonson, after long-time racer Jason Hathaway moved into a team-management role. It’s the team’s first win since Hathaway culminated his full-time racing with a win in the 2016 finale.
Dumoulin held on to finish second in the nightcap after leading the first 78 laps. Camirand survived numerous battles and contact from Mark Dilley, to climb all the way up to third after starting mid pack.
Theetge and Kennington completed the top five. Tagliani was sixth, followed by Lacroix, Mark Dilley, Dowler and Andrew Ranger.
Powell was also the only driver to score a podium finish in both Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s, which allowed him to take over the championship points lead. He leads Dumoulin and Camirand by three points apiece. Andrew Ranger, who entered the event on a two-race win streak and the points lead, finished 14th and 10th to slip to nine points behind Powell.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series will continue the western tour when they visit Edmonton International Raceway for the LUXXUR 300 presented by Bayer on Saturday.
NASCAR Pinty’s Series
Wyant Group Raceway – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s – July 25, 2018
Race 1
1. Donald Theetge
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3. Alex Tagliani
4. Marc-Antoine Camirand
5. D.J. Kennington
6. Kevin Lacroix
7. Mark Dilley
8. Joey McColm
9. Noel Dowler
10. Brett Taylor
11. Jamie Krzysik
12. Andrew Ranger
13. Luc Haukaas
14. Jason White
15. Shantel Kalika
16. L.P. Dumoulin
17. Adam Martin
18. Larry Jackson
Race 2
1. Cole Powell
2. L.P. Dumoulin
3. Marc-Antoine Camirand
4. Donald Theetge
5. D.J. Kennington
6. Alex Tagliani
7. Kevin Lacroix
8. Mark Dilley
9. Noel Dowler
10. Andrew Ranger
11. Joey McColm
12. Luc Haukaas
13. Jamie Krzysik
14. Shantel Kalika
15. Brett Taylor
16. Adam Martin
17. Jason White
18. Larry Jackson
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