Sportsman: Barrie race two summary

Alguire joins CASCAR winners' club with a victory in the MOPAR 100 CASCAR Sportsman Series race at Barrie Speedway

BARRIE, ON - Although he'd been close on several occasions in the past, CASCAR Sportsman Series driver Mike Alguire had never won a series feature race until Sunday afternoon, at Barrie Speedway. The London, ON racer broke through with a victory in the MOPAR 100 during CASCAR's MOPAR Canada Day Weekend at the 1/3-mile tri-oval.

Alguire lined up fourth in the field of 12 starters and took the lead on lap 39 of the 100-lap race when hometown favourite Ron Lethbridge dropped out with engine trouble. From there, Alguire survived a spirited late-race onslaught by defending series champion Dion Verhoeven, who took second at the checkered flag. Kitchener, ON racer Shawn McGlynn earned the final podium position in the MOPAR 100.

After the race, Alguire was excited and relieved to have finally tasted victory. "It feels awesome. We've been close a couple of times, especially last year at Peterborough, so when that last caution came out today, I didn't need to see that. Dion [Verhoeven] was pushing me hard, but to his credit, when he got me sideways, he backed off and let me get straight. I've raced with Dion for a lot of years and there isn't a better guy to race with. He made me work for the win and we're really, really happy," concluded Alguire, who credited former Sportsman Series champion and current Super Series competitor Brad Graham for helping him to prepare the winning #32 A-DOR Construction Pontiac Grand Prix for the race.

The CASCAR Sportsman Series will return to Barrie Speedway for its next race, on August 19. Following two races, Dion Verhoeven leads the points chase by a single point over Mike Alguire (165-164). Carp, ON racer Steve Munro is in third-place, with 154 points.

-www.cascar.ca