Dustin Wahl was the recipient of good fortune from his teammate to win Saturday’s Pro Champ 440 feature race at Valcourt.
Wahl chased race leader Nick VanStrydonk until the last turn of the white flag lap. VanStrydonk nailed the start and had the lead. Wahl advanced and kept pressure on the young VanStrydonk, with Brian Bewcyk in third. But Wahl was the one in position to win.
“I was right on his bumper going into 3-4,” Wahl said of his VanStrydonk pursuit. “I’m not sure what happened. I stayed on it and came out of four in front. It’s nice when things work out like that — when it comes out in my favor. I’ve been on the other side of things like that too many times.”
VanStrydonk knew exactly what happened, however. He watched Wahl’s teammate, Brandon Johnson, on previous laps and guessed wrong on his line. Johnson, about to go a lap down to VanStrydonk and Wahl, respectively, ran a lower line on the white-flag lap — the same lap VanStrydonk was running.
“I didn’t want to go high,” VanStrydonk said. “That was a bad line. I took it once and almost went to the bales. I stayed low, got behind Brandon and I just had to follow him through the corner.”
No ill will, mind you. That’s racing, and VanStrydonk was pumped. “I was having fun,” he said. “It was a fun race.”
PRO CHAMP
1 74 Dustin Wahl Greenbush, MN Wahl Polaris
2 113 Nicholas Van Strydonk Tomahawk, WI Polaris
3 39 Brian Bewcyk Winnipeg, MAN Ski-Doo
4 33 Malcolm Chartier Marine City, MI Ski-Doo
5 8 Travis MacDonald Lackport, Man Ski-Doo
6 2 Joel Diamond Lapeer, MI Ski-Doo
7 66 Jason Lavallée Drummondville, QC Ski-Doo
8 22 Brandon Johnson Holt, MN Wahl Polaris
9 16 Jeff DeJong Pembroke, ON Ski-Doo
10 65 Mitch Diamond Lapeer, MI Ski-Doo
11 63 David Pettinelli Rome, NY TRC/Ski-Doo
12 96 Jacques Villeneuve St-Cuthbert, QC Ski-Doo (DNF)
SEMI-PRO CHAMP
1 8 Travis MacDonald Lackport, MAN Ski-Doo
2 71 Felipe Roy-Lalonde St-Jude, QC Ski-Doo
3 16 Jeff DeJong Pembroke, ON Ski-Doo
4 63 David Pettinelli Sr. Rome, NY Ski-Doo
5 69 Gary Mayer Boonville, NY Ski-Doo
6 13 Richard Scroggs Sarnia, ON Ski-Doo
7 666 Pierre Pouliot Mansonville, QC Wahl/Arctic Cat
8 221 Éric Champigny Bonsecours, QC Ski-Doo
9 96 Nick Lagoy Morrisonville, NY Ski-Doo (DNF)
FORMULA 500 SEMI-PRO
1 131 Dustin Gehrke Morrisonville, NY Polaris
2 17 Luc Lauzon Rivière Beaudette, QC Polaris
3 91 Stephen Gorham South Portland, ME Yamaha
4 27 Hubert Côté St-Jean sur Richelieu, QC Polaris
5 43 Kevin Coulson Milford Bay, ON Arctic Cat
6 330 Rob Sheppard Mindemoya, ON Polaris
7 24 Brad Moore Winchester, On Arctic Cat
8 52 Michael Soucy Hopkinton, NH Ski-Doo
9 152 Olivier Paiement Ile Bizard, QC Ski-Doo
10 29 Rob Lightle Brooklin, ON Polaris (DNF)
11 177 Anthony Pettinelli Rome, NY TRC/Ski-Doo (DNF)
PRO STOCK 600
1 33 Malcolm Chartier Marine City, MI Ski-Doo
2 11 Craig House Brant Lake, NY Ski-Doo
3 65 Mitch Diamond Lapeer, MI Ski-Doo
4 19 Erik Frigon Pownal, ME Yamaha
5 113 Curtis Weatherdon Barry’s Bay, ON Ski-Doo
6 37 Mason Hamilton Diamond Point, NY Ski-Doo (DNF)
7 88 Ben Harris Douglas, ON Ski-Doo (DNF)
PRO STOCK 600 FAN
1 87 Curtis Weatherdon Barry’s Bay, ON Polaris
2 83 Dave Baldwin Carleton Place, ON Arctic Cat
3 99 Jamie R. Schonnop Pembroke, ON Arctic Cat
4 52 Michael Soucy Hopkinton, NH Ski-Doo
5 231 Ethan Currier Cadyville, NY Ski-Doo
6 131 Dustin Gehrke Morrisonville, NY Ski-Doo (DNF)
STOCK 600
1 37 Mason Hamilton Diamond Point, NY Ski-Doo
2 88 Ben Harris Douglas, ON Polaris
3 19 Erik Frigon Pownal, ME Yamaha
STOCK 600F
1 131 Dustin Gehrke Morrisonville, NY Ski-Doo
2 83 Dave Baldwin Carleton Place, ON Arctic Cat
3 231 Ethan Currier Cadyville, NY Ski-Doo
4 87 Andrew Spencer Rome, NY Polaris
5 52 Michael Soucy Hopkinton, NH Ski-Doo
VINTAGE 340
1 330 Rob Sheppard Mindemoya, ON Mercury
2 22 Ghislain Lacasse St-Gervais, QC Polaris
3 8 Alain Bois Longueuil, QC Ski-Doo
4 50 Dominique Loyer St-Étienne-de-Grés, QC Yamaha
5 3 Jocelyn Lesieur Shawinigan, QC Mercury
6 12 Sylvain Robert St-Bruno, QC Ski-Doo (DNF)
VINTAGE 440
1 72 Jocelyn Lesieur Shawinigan, QC Chaparral
2 330 Rob Sheppard Mindemoya, ON Mercury
3 22 Ghislain Lacasse St-Gervais, QC Polaris
4 50 Dominique Loyer St-Étienne-des-Grés, QC Yamaha
JUNIOR 10-11-12-13-14
1 09 Cole McMichael Lefroy, ON Polaris
2 74 Sabrina F. Blanchette Québec, QC Polaris
3 83 Jerett Baldwin Carleton Place, ON Arctic Cat
4 69 Zackery Devoe Boonville, NY Polaris
5 148 Alex Montminy Lévis, QC Ski-Doo
6 12 Michael Ferland Québec, QC Polaris (DNF)
JUNIOR 3, 16-17
1 87 Andrew Spencer Rome, NY Polaris
2 52 Michael Soucy Hopkinton, NH Ski-Doo
3 231 Ethan Currier Cadyville, NY Ski-Doo