L.P. Dumoulin left Saskatoon feeling like he let one get away, but a late restart set up a 20-lap dash to the finish and the perfect opportunity. This time Dumoulin wasn’t going to be denied.
Dumoulin’s No.47 Weathertech Canada/ Bellemare Dodge was in perfect position on the restart on Lap 280 to finally get close enough to pounce on race leader Kevin Lacroix.
Lacroix was attacked from both sides from both Dumoulin and Alex Tagliani on the restart and once the dust settled it was the 39-year-old driver from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec taking home his sixth career win in the LUXXUR 300 presented by Bayer Saturday at Edmonton International Raceway.
Dumoulin becomes the fifth different winner at EIR in as many series races and joins Andrew Ranger as the only repeat winner so far this season.
He also retakes the points lead with his sixth career series win.
Lacroix won the pole earlier in the day and dominated the early stages of the race.
Passing cars left and right, even putting everyone but the top five a lap down. Lacroix led from the drop of the green flag until he was passed by Tagliani on the restart on Lap 282. Lacroix battled hard until the very end, but would settle for second coming home .762 seconds behind Dumoulin.
Tagliani made a bold move and managed to lead two laps fighting hard with Dumoulin and Lacroix, but he would ultimately settle for third place and score his fourth podium of 2018.
Cole Powell, who came into EIR as the points leader, finished fourth. DJ Kennington, who was the last car on the lead lap, completed the top five.
Marc-Antoine Camirand and Noel Dowler finished sixth and seventh with Larry Jackson, Brett Taylor and Mark Dilley rounding out the top 10.
Andrew Ranger was shown the blag flag early in the race for smoke coming from his race car and ended up finishing 12th, eight laps down.
Saskatoon winner Donald Theetge also suffered bad luck in Edmonton. After making contact with the backstretch wall, Theetge suffered a broken suspension. Finishing 15th, 86 laps down.
Following the LUXXUR 300 presented by Bayer, Dumoulin now leads Powell by four points. Camirand sits third nine points back while Tagliani and Kennington 16 points behind Dumoulin to complete the top five.
- LP Dumoulin
- Kevin Lacroix
- Alex Tagliani
- Cole Powell
- DJ Kennington
- Marc-Antoine Camirand
- Noel Dowler
- Larry Jackson
- Brett Taylor *
- Mark Dilley
- Jamie Krzysik
- Andrew Ranger
- Adam Martin
- Shantel Kalika *
- Donald Theetge
- Joey McColm
- Kerry Micks
Read more Short Track Scene: