ALSTAR: Sauble Summary & Results

Mike Almand wins second career Shouldice ALSTAR Series race, while Kirk Hooker takes the 2005 points championship at Sauble

SAUBLE BEACH, ON – Two racers celebrated on Saturday night at Sauble Speedway. Mike Almand won the Steelback 75 Shouldice ALSTAR Series finale, while veteran racer Kirk Hooker earned the 2005 points championship.

For Almand, it was his second career ALSTAR Series victory. The Alton, ON racer won on June 18 at Barrie Speedway and collected his second checkered flag of the summer in the season-ending Steelback 75 at Sauble. Almand took the lead on lap 10 of the 75-lap race and showed the way for the rest of the event. For much of the race, Almand was able to lead comfortably.

Behind Almand, however, things were anything but comfortable for the two racers who were battling for the overall points championship. Hooker entered the season finale with a five-point lead over Derrick Tiemersma as each driver was looking for his first ALSTAR title. Both racers overcame difficulties in the feature but continued to battle right to the end. Hooker’s sixth-place finish – compared to Tiemersma’s 10th-place result – was enough to secure the championship for the Chatham, ON resident.

In the final championship standings, Hooker narrowly bested Tiemersma, while the top rookie of 2005, Kyle Donaldson, rode his second-place finish at Sauble to a third-place finish in the overall points. Former ALSTAR champion Steve Tiemersma finished third in the Steelback 75.

“I can’t say enough about my crew for all their work,” said Hooker, after the race. “I never had my car tore up so bad. Thanks to my brother [Randy], Mike McColl, Molson Canadian, Gary Leitch Engines, Country View Golf Course, and thanks for Shouldice coming on board to help the series. My crew did an awesome job on the car on the pits. I have a good hot rod and I can honestly say that the Hooker brothers like stuff to go fast. We’ll see what happens for next year.”

Hooker also wanted to recognize the team’s crew chief, Joe Cudney, who was seriously injured in a car accident a few weeks ago. “Our crew chief Joe Cudney is doing a lot better. We’re going to stop in at the hospital in London on the way home and show him the big trophy. We hope that little Joe does better and is on track for next year.”

Although disappointed with the outcome, points runner-up Derrick Tiemersma was pleased with his season. Like Hooker, he endured difficulties in the 75-lap race, which kept him from the front of the field. “I don’t know if it was a good show or not, and I sure would have liked to have finished with more body panels on my car. It’s never over until the last corner. I have to congratulate Kirk Hooker on his championship. We crashed out of two races and that hurt us. I want to thank my guys for coming in week in and week out to work on the car. Maybe next year we’ll get ‘em.”

2004 Shouldice ALSTAR Series champion Robbie Thompson secured the 2005 McColl ALSTAR Qualifying Heat Race Championship on Saturday night at Sauble Speedway. The Southampton, ON racer collected a heat race win, prior to the feature, to lock up the McColl championship.

In other ALSTAR news, Shouldice Designer Stone announced that it would be back as the title sponsor of the Shouldice ALSTAR Series in 2006.

Shouldice ALSTAR Late Model Series
RESULTS: Steelback 75
Race #12 of 12 // Sauble Speedway // Sauble Beach, ON // Sept. 3, 2005 // 75 Laps


FIN. ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR / MAKE LAPS
1 9 98 Michael Almand (Alton, ON) Alliston Transmission / Finish Line Graphics Chevrolet 75
2 13 53 Kyle Donaldson (Queensville, ON) R Custom Engines / Downtown Rug & Flooring Ford 75
3 7 67 Steve Tiemersma (Newmarket, ON) Aurora Automotive / Pennzoil 10 Min. Oil Change Pontiac 75
4 5 4 Craig Zurbrigg (Listowel, ON) Benshaw Motor Controls / Trinity Village Health Care Ford 75
5 12 72 Rob MacDonnell (Allenford, ON) MacDonnell Fuels / Siegrist Trucking Chevrolet 75
6 16 38 Kirk Hooker (Chatham, ON) Country View Golf Course / McColl’s / Golf Trends Chevrolet 75
7 4 69 Alan Inglis (Mississauga, ON) National Moving & Storage Dodge 75
8 8 11 Chris Morrow (Minesing, ON) Morrow Electric / Edenvale Flying Club Chevrolet 75
9 14 76 Tyler Williams (Chesley, ON) B&L Farm Services / Hank’s Auto Wreckers Ford 75
10 15 7 Derrick Tiemersma (Newmarket, ON) Wayfreight / Gates / Wix Chevrolet 75
11 11 22 Glenn Watson (Barrie, ON) Racing Radios / Rival Office Solutions / Top Shops Chevrolet 75
12 6 57 Brett Murray (Minesing, ON) Videoflicks / Cardwell Signs Ford 75
13 75 75 Jeff Cassidy (Cambridge, ON) Highway Sterling – Western Star Ford 74
14 21 8 Paul Gresel (Sauble, ON) R Sauble Fall’s Tent & Trailer Park / H&H Patio Encl. Chevrolet 74
15 1 3 Ken Naves (Sauble Beach, ON) Tim-Br Mart / Golden Eagle Cottages Chevrolet 72
16 18 55 Thane Woodside (Toronto, ON) R Melitta Chevrolet 39
17 20 23 Steven Thompson (Drayton, ON) Conway Furniture / Ontrack Door Systems Chevrolet 26
18 19 42 Richard Holmes (Hillsburgh, ON) Gormac Roofing / Astro Automotive Ford 23
19 2 30 Jim Molenhuis (Churchill, ON) R.E.V. Mobile Audio / Performance Chevrolet 1
20 10 82 Jason Shaw (Guelph, ON) Spira Fire Protection / Del Metals Ford 1
21 17 9 Robbie Thompson (Southampton, ON) Shear Metal Products / Logel’s Dodge 1
22 22 28 Roy Wilkie (Paisley, ON) Ford Thunderbird DNS

R after the hometown denotes Rookie contender.
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour // CAUTIONS: 8, including 1 red flag // LAP LEADERS: #3 Ken Naves (1-4), #69 Al Inglis (5-9), #98 Mike Almand (10-75) // HEAT WINS: #82 Jason Shaw, #9 Robbie Thompson, #76 Tyler Williams, #4 Craig Zurbrigg, #98 Mike Almand, #72 Rob MacDonnell // MOST LAPS LED: #98 Mike Almand // SPIRA HARD CHARGER AWARD: #53 Kyle Donaldson // INSIDE TRACK MYSTERY POSITION AWARD: #67 Steve Tiemersma // CRC TOP 5: #98 Mike Almand, #53 Kyle Donaldson, #67 Steve Tiemersma, #4 Craig Zurbrigg, #72 Rob MacDonnell // 69 AUTO WHEEL AWARD: #76 Tyler Williams // HOOSIER TIRE AWARD: #98 Mike Almand // WAYFRIEGHT FAST TIME AWARD: #82 Jason Shaw

Contact ALSTAR at (519) 371-7588 or visit www.alstarseries.com
Prepared by Inside Track Communications. // Contact: Greg MacPherson (416) 561-2320 (cell).
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