By Brian Paige

The Labor Day weekend at the Mohawk International Raceway saw long time sponsor Frenchie’s Chevrolet present the Final Points night of the 2021 season. The season had begun in May and the regular season had presented some fantastic nights of racing. This evening would rival that of the regular season with the level of excitement and anticipation to crown the Champions in 2021.

The Bandit division would first up on this night. With Frances White already locking up the Championship with his heat race, the feature was the only thing left undecided. Starting from the 8th position, Curtis Smith would waste no time making his way to the front. By the end of the first completed lap, Smith would jump out to the early lead. Smith would go on to lead all 8 laps. Frances White would capture the 2021 Track Championship for the Bandit division.

The Mod Lite class would see the top 3 cars of Tristan Dibble, Nick Mallette, and Harley Brown be separated by a mere 59 points. However, Tristan Dibble decided to end any doubts about winning the Mod Lite Track Championship from the first lap. Dibble would lead the first 9 laps, only to see Jason Premo make his move coming out of Turn 4 to become the new leader on Lap 10. Premo would park his car in Victory Lane on this night. Tristan Dibble was named Mod Lite Track Champion for the 2021 season.

The 3rd round of the MIR Sportsman season would be set for their 40 lap affair. With the 2021 CrossRoads Tobacco Sportsman Track Championship already decided there wasn’t left for Nick Heywood to accomplish. After being in the Top 12 re-draw for the first time ever, Deric Ellsworth certainly knows how to make an impression. Since he would be the last one to pick after qualifying 12th, the odds were stacked against him. However sometimes the odds play into a driver’s favor and this night they did. After the 11 other drivers had drew for their starting spot, there was only one position remaining, the #1 spot. Deric Ellsworth would find himself starting on the pole for the 40 lap MIR Sportsman series race.

Ellsworth would start from the pole along side the 1x machine of Justin Stone. Stone would quickly take the #1 spot away from Ellsworth on Lap 2. Ellsworth would remain in Stone’s wheel tracks for the next 14 laps. However, Nick Heywood would work his way up from the 5th starting spot and become the race leader on Lap 15. Heywood would put on another display of racing ability and dominate the remaining 25 laps. Heywood would be named the CrossRoads Tobacco Sportsman Champion for the 2021 season.

Heywood said afterwards, “We weren’t originally going to race here every Friday night but after the first few weeks and having some strong finishes, we decided to run here every Friday.”.

The Novice Sportsman would wrap the 2021 regular season with their 15 lap feature. Chad Vallance would lead from the pole for the first 8 laps. After starting deep in the field, Steve Bushey Jr showed the things he had learned this season and would become the new leader on Lap 9. Bushey would capture the Checkered Flag. Blayden Arquette would finish 1st in points in the Novice Sportsman.

The Mohawk International Raceway is all set to go for their annual Mohawk Nationals on September 17th and 18th. The DIRT 358 modifieds will be on hand September 17th, along with the Sportsman for the final leg of the MIR series which is the Pete Mitchell Mitchell Memorial race. On September 18th, the Sportsman return for the Dirt North Sportsman series along the Dirt Pro Stocks. The Mod Lites will also be appearing on both nights. Be sure to check the track’s website for further details.

MIR Series #3

1. N.Heywood 2. J.Stone 3. DJ Gonyo 4. R.Delormier 5. D.Ellsworth 6. Z.Arquiette 7. D.Bradley 8. R.Thompson 9. T.Back 10. J.Pete 11. D.Legrow Jr 12. X.Delormier 13. C.Castell 14. E.Tarbell 15. C.Swamp 16. G.Snyder 17. J.Begor 18. D.Legrow 19. B.Gray DNS

2021 CrossRoads Tobacco Final Points

1st. #29 Nick Heywood

2nd : DJ Gonyo (Rookie of the Year)

3rd : Jamy Begor

4th : Zach Arquette

5th : Rickey Thompson

Novice Sportsman Feature:

1. S.Bushey Jr 2. C.Vallance 3. B.Reif 4. P.Stacey 5. B.Arquette 6. T.David 7. L.Arquiette 8. M.Frego 9. J.Fetterly 10. C.Reif 11. J.Toohill 12. T.Lamica

Novice Sportsman Final Points:

1st : Blayden Arquette

2nd: Ty David

3rd: C. Vallance

Awards:

B.Arquette “Mr. Consistency”

Three’s A Charm: B.Arquette and Pryor Stacey

Mod Lites Feature:

1. J.Premo 2. T.Dibble 3. N.Mallette 4. H.Brown 5. W.Dibble 6. S.Sharpe 7. J.Putnam 8. I.Lyons 9. J.Lyons 10. S.Shatraw

Mod Lites Final Points:

1st: Tristan Dibble (Rookie of the Year)

2nd: Nick Mallette

3rd: Harley Brown

Bandit Feature:

1. C.Smith 2. R.Gay 3. F.White 4. J.Fountain 5. M.Parker 6. J.Young 7. L.Sharlow 8. K.Kinter 9. H.Snyder 10. 1K 11. N.Leonard

Bandits Final Points:

1st: Frances White

2nd: Curtis Smith

3rd: Jacob Fountain (Rookie of theYear)