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NASCAR Pinty's Series

Donald Theetge and Cole Powell claim NASCAR Pinty wins in Saskatoon

Ever since NASCAR changed the format at Wyant Group Raceway to double headers, it has produced nothing short of amazing racing.

Donald Theetge and Cole Powell made the trip to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and both left with their first career NASCAR Pinty’s Series victories on Wednesday with one finally scoring his long awaited first victory, while the other has only made five previous starts before breaking through.

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 run to the finish.

Theetge’s No.24 Circuit Acura Chevy held off hard charges from Cole Powell, Alex Tagliani and Marc-Antoine Camirand to finally claim his long awaited first victory. This marks Theetge’s first win in 18 starts, and first win for the brand new Chevrolet Camaro body.

“Dream come true for me,” Theetge said. “When I first came to NASCAR, it was to win a race and I told Scott (Steckly, team owner) to give me a good car and that’s exactly what he gave me. The thing about this win, we were so close last year and finished second twice last year. We knew we would get a win out west, I felt that good about it.”

Cole Powell, making his first start at Wyant Group Raceway, finished second.

Alex Tagliani fought his way up to his second consecutive podium finish coming home third with Marc-Antoine Camirand and DJ Kennington completing the top five.

Kevin Lacroix and Mark Dilley followed in sixth and seventh, respectively.

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.

LP Dumoulin ran up front in the early stages before cutting a right front tire and being 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.

Dumoulin and Powell traded paint every opportunity they could until a late race caution set up an huge opportunity for Powell and he pounced.

Powell’s No.3 Copps Buildall/ Kubota Chevrolet fended off hard charges from both Dumoulin and Camirand to claim his maiden victory in only his sixth NASCAR Pinty’s Series start.

The 25-year-old driver from Mt.Brydges, Ontario, he 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 was also the only driver to score a podium finish in both Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s.

“This is a big night,” Powell said. “It’s always tough to get your first win in any series. Hopefully we can get going now that we’ve got the monkey off our backs. My guys did the perfect adjustment. We just didn’t have the car in the first 125, way too lose, but we were rockin and rolling in the second race, I saw a place to pounce and did just that.”

Dumoulin rebounded after his 16th place finish in the opener to finish second in the nightcap after starting from the pole and leading the first 78 laps of the race before Powell made his pass for the lead.

Camirand survived numerous battles and contact from Mark Dilley, to climb all the way up to third after starting mid pack.

Race one winner Theetge and Kennington completed the top five. Tagliani and Lacroix finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Mark Dilley came home eighth with Noel Dowler ninth to claim his second consecutive top-10 finish and Andrew Ranger rebounded after a 14th-place finish in the opening event of the night to collect his fourth top 10 of the season.

After scoring his two podium finishes Powell has taken over the lead in the championship standings with Dumoulin second and Camirand third both three points back. Ranger, who entered the night as the leader, slips to fourth nine points behind with Kennington 11 points back of the leaders in fifth place.

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 July 28.

Race 1 results

  1. Donald Theetge
  2. Cole Powell
  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 results

  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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