By TIM BALTZ

AKWESASNE - After some intense track preparation throughout the week the speedway was smooth and fast on Akwesasne Mohawk Casino night. Drivers are thinking about many things including points and if you haven't taken a win this year you best get the job done soon.

In the 358 modified event Shane Pecore and Tom Conklin led the field of 20 to the green flag with Pecore grabbing the top spot with Conklin, Gage Morin, Perry Francis and Brian McDonald making up the top 5 early on. Last Sunday night at Cornwall Gage Morin debuted a brand new racecar and put it into victory lane. Morin showed his muscle as he powered by Pecore on the top side to grab the lead on lap 5 with Pecore, McDonald, Matt Billings and Conklin completing the top 5. The first yellow came out on lap 7 for Roy Tarbell who slowed to a stop on the back stretch. The race resumed on lap 8 but it didn't take long for the yellow to come back out again as Chris Raabe made contact with another car causing him to go pit side and se his points lead slip away. Once the cautions were done with Billy Dunn Started to make his move to the front of the field as he took advantage of some other drivers mistakes in turn 3 Billy went from 4th to 2nd getting by Carey Terrance and McDonald just past halfway as he tried to reel in Morin. By lap 16 Morin had control of the race with Dunn, McDonald, Billings and Terrance giving chase. After a great side by side battle for 4 laps Dunn was able to use the top side to grab the lead on lap 19 and open up a commanding lead with Morin, Billings, McDonald and Terrance rounding out the top 5. The rest of the top 5 ran their best race of the year but Billy Dunn proved to be too much again as he scored his 5th win of the season over Morin, Terrance, Billings, McDonald had 4th all to himself but broke in turn 3 allowing Danny O'Brien to get by for 5th at the finish.

In the Sportsman division it was an upset story at the finish but Mike Stacey and Jenna David started on the front row with David taking the lead away in turn 1. However she would not lead the opening lap as she slid too high in turn 4 allowing Stacey to lead his first ever lap with Dan Jalbert, Louie Jackson Jr., Dana Aikens and Jessica Power filling out the top 5. Jalbert was charging hard on this night as he battled with Stacey to take over the top spot on lap 4 as the yellow came out for Ricky Thompson. On the ensuing restart Dana Aikens was able to show his muscle as he powered to the top of the track to grab the lead on lap 5 with Jalbert, Rick Miller, Jackson and Power to round out the top 5. On lap 6 a scary wreck on the front straight saw Jalbert and Miller tangle while battling for 2nd. Miller made contact with an infield tire and was sent flipping down the front stretch. Miller was ok but his car was done for the night. On the restart Jalbert was able to get the top spot back on lap 8 bringing Arquiett with him to 2nd with Aikens, Dylan Evoy and Wyatt Mullin rounding out the top 5. On lap 10 another hard incident on the back stretch saw Jackson, Arquiett, and Akiens go 3 wide into turn 3 with Jackson getting out of shape and making hard contact with the wall. Jackson was unhurt. This left Arquiett with a shot at the lead and he made it work as he motored away with the top spot over Dana Aikens. Mike Arquiett struggled for many years in Pro Stock but finally put it together for his first career Sportsman win and he cruised to a full straightaway win over Aikens, Evoy, Mullin and Nolan Swamp.

In the Pro Stock Division Allen Peters and Marc Lalonde led the field to the green with Peters getting the advantage in turn 1. Peters was on cruise control just

before halfway as Dion Oakes was able to wrestle the top spot away with Peters, Stephane Lebrun, Owen White and Marc Lalonde rounding out the top 5. The only caution flag flew on the night when PJ Peters spun by himself in turn 2. He was able to continue on. With Oakes basically checked out on the field the real battle was from 2nd on back with White, Lebrun, Peters, Dan Desnoyers and Marc Lalonde. These 5 drivers put on a display of driving talent as the traded spots back and forth throughout the final 10 laps. Oakes would sail to his 2nd win of the season but the story was behind him. Off turn 2 White made his move to 2nd but made contact with Lebrun spinning him out on the backstretch forcing White to 6th at the finish. The rest of the top 5 were filled out by Marc Lalonde, Allen Peters, Dan Desnoyers, and PJ Peters.

In the Bandit division 2 drivers have been on quite a roll as of late Stuart Mossow and Mathieu Aubin had won the previous 7 races. Matt Zira and Darryl Mitchell would look to end that dominance as Mitchell was able to grab the top spot early on. Stuart Mossow's night was met with a little turmoil as he broke while running in the top 3. He would return to the field later in the event. At the front Mathieu Aubin decided to pad his point led as he motored away from everyone to earn his 5th win and 3rd in a row in the Bandit class. Bob Ray, Danny Lefebvre new comer Billy Laplant and Mossow rounded out the top 5.

The Mod Lite division concluded the night and the story was Bryan Green he grabbed the lead early on in the 15 lap contest from early pace setter Scott Waldorff . 2 yellow flags flew late in the event for Matt Chontosh who spun in turn 4 both times with handling problems. Despite the cautions nobody had anything for Bryan Green as he recorded his 4th win of the season with Waldorff, Eric Desilets, Sylvain Laframboise and Harley Brown

Next week we will not be racing at MIR. We will return in 2 weeks time on August 17th The Brass Horse will present the final round of the Bailey Motor Company Pro Stock Series along with a Topless Mod Lite event and a regular card for Modifieds Sportsman and Bandits. Please note our new 7:30pm starting time.

Mohawk International Raceway is located in Akwesasne, NY, midway between the Seaway International Bridge to Cornwall, ONT and the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino. From Route 37, turn south onto Frogtown Road. Racing is held on Friday nights at 7:45 PM from May through September, featuring the Frenchie's Chevrolet DIRTcar 358 Modifieds,

Sportsman and Pro Stocks, as well as the Bandit division. Visit us on the web at www.MohawkInternationalRaceway.com. The MIR office is located at the track, and the phone number is 518-358-9017. The track is owned and operated by Mohawk International Raceway, LLC

358 Modifieds (25 laps)

BILLY DUNN, Gage Morin, Carey Terrance, Danny O'Brien, Matt Billings, Laurent Ladouceur, Tom Conklin, Dale Planck, Casey Swamp, Roy Tarbell, Roy Delormier, Perry Francis, Brian McDonald, David Papineau, Kristian Smoke, Harvey Arquette Jr., Delbert Legrow, Shane Pecore, Chris Raab.

Sportsman (20 laps)

MIKE ARQUIETT, Dana Aikens, Dylan Evoy, Wyatt Mullin, Nolan Swamp, Jessica Power,

Adam Rozon, Dan Jalbert, Brent Kelsey, Brian Copp, Neal Provost, Billy Cook, Jonathan Ferguson, Jason Durgan, Thomas Cook, Josh Brockway, Jenna David, Tammy Jalbert, Mike Stacey, Josh VanBrocklin, Thunder Anderson Jr., Louie Jackson Jr., Rick Miller, Ricky Thompson

Pro Stock (20 laps)

DION OAKES, Marc Lalonde, Allen Peters, Dan Desnoyers, PJ Peters, Owen White, Eugene Tarbell, Roch Aubin, Preston Mossow, Stephane Lebrun

 Mod Lite (15 laps)

BRYAN GREEN, Scott Waldorff, Eric Desilets, Sylvain Laframboise, Harley Brown, Scott Mere, Dan Reif, Matt Chontosh, Mathieu Robinson, Tim Reif

Bandit (12 laps)

MATHIEU AUBIN, Bob Ray, Danny Lefebvre, Billy Laplant, Stuart Mossow, Matt Zira, Darryl Mitchell, Corey Castell, Randy Whiting, (DNS) Frederic Faubert, (DNS) Jay Brockway, (DNS) Jean Marc-Laros