Wade Bland outlasted the field to capture the annual Reg Midgley Memorial Canada 200 late-model championship Sunday, capping a busy weekend of racing at Western Speedway.
The Saanich driver was part of a four-car pack that duelled in the late stages of the feature race. Bland took his first lead at lap 133 and fended off a number of challenges, including one from eventual runner-up Dave Hemrich on a yellow flag restart at lap 163. Bland ultimately crossed the line just ahead of Hemrich, with Darrell Midgely in third and Rob Angus in fourth.
The winner got himself into contention early, moving up to third spot by about lap 64. He hung around with the leaders until the 100-lap refuelling break, then overtook Hemrich for the lead after another yellow flag.
On lap 103 Hemrich had wrested the lead away from Geoff Morris, who had held the lead the previous 45 laps. Morris earlier showed his chops with wins in the heat and trophy dash.
Rounding out the top eight in the finale were, in order, Brandon Carlson, Morris, Aaron Wilkie and Cody Brown.
It was a successful weekend for Bland, who warmed up for Sunday’s main event with second-place finishes in the heat race and trophy dash. The night before he captured the checkered flag in the first of two 50-lap mains, followed by a third-place finish.
Angus scored a victory in the second main event Saturday, followed by Jason Terasenko, who was second in both mains that night.
With the stock cars sharing the bill with the late models both nights, it was five-time season champion Ryan Wade who commanded the spotlight, winning both 75-lap main events as part of this year’s Street Stock Driver Challenge.
Bob Kuhn crossed the line second Sunday followed by Chis McInerney and Mike Sproule. McInerney and Kuhn flipped their results from the Saturday main, in which Brian Clutchey finished fourth.
Other than winning a trophy dash on Saturday, Wade was otherwise quiet, posting a pair of fourth-place finishes in heat races on the weekend. He came up big when it counted, however, leading from lap 23 on in Sunday’s main and from lap 28 to the wire in Saturday’s finale.
Superhero Saturday tomorrow
Kids dressed as their favourite super heroes will be admitted free for tomorrow’s (Sept. 6) Pacifica Housing Be a Hero for a Night event at Western Speedway. The card includes demo cars and trucks, bombers, mini figure eights and hornets.
Full Aug. 30-31 results are as follows:
STOCK CARS: Fast Timers: #58 Bob Kuhn 18:623 Sat./ #38 Mike Sproule 18:849 Sun.
SATURDAY 1ST TROPHY DASH:
#27 Tim Graham / #66 Bob Olson / #52 Shawn Ross / #31 Jarrod Heap
SATURDAY 2ND TROPHY DASH:
#95 Ryan Wade / #33 Kyle Cottam / #58 Bob Kuhn / #38 Mike Sproule
SUNDAY 1ST TROPHY DASH:
#66 Bob Olson / #34 Jim Steen / #44 Brian Poppe / #52 Shawn Ross
SUNDAY 2ND TROPHY DASH:
#33 Kyle Cottam / #58 Bob Kuhn / #25 Chris McInerney / #38 Mike Sproule
SATURDAY 1ST HEAT RACE:
#27 Tim Graham / #15 Kevin Knight / #66 Bob Olson / #69 Sean Whitley
SATURDAY 2ND HEAT RACE:
#21 Sam Lagan / #87 Brandon Steen / #34 Jim Steen / #11 Wayne Hart
SATURDAY 3RD HEAT RACE:
#37 Dean Mackney / #98 Brian Clutchey / #25 Chris McInerney / #95 Ryan Wade
SUNDAY 1ST HEAT RACE:
#44 Brian Poppe / #15x Pascal Lavoie / #77 Mark Lockhart / #34 Kyle Cottam
SUNDAY 2ND HEAT RACE:
#87 Brandon Steen / #43 Dave Reside / #98 Brian Clutchey / #95 Ryan Wade
SATURDAY MAIN EVENT (75 LAPS):
#95 Ryan Wade / #25 Chris McInerney / #58 Bob Kuhn / #98 Brian Clutchey
SUNDAY MAIN EVENT (75 LAPS):
#95 Ryan Wade / #58 Bob Kuhn / #25 Chris McInerney / #38 Mike Sproule
LATE MODELS: Fast Timers: #81 Darrell Midgley 16:760 Sat. / #21 Jason Terasenko 16:788 Sun.
TROPHY DASH 1ST ON SUNDAY:
#13 Geoff Robinson / #7 Jonathan Reaume / #54 Brenden Moore / #48 Otto Bohati
TROPHY DASH 2ND ON SUNDAY:
#52 Geoff Morris / #07 Wade Bland / #21 Jason Terasenko / #70 Rob Angus
SATURDAY 1ST HEAT RACE:
#45 Aaron Wilkie / #07 Wade Bland / #21 Jason Terasenko / #22 Rhett Smith
SATURDAY 2ND HEAT RACE:
#16 Rory Smith / #52 Geoff Morris / #81 Darrell Midgley / #14 Brandon Carlsom
SUNDAY 1ST HEAT RACE:
#13 Geoff Robinson / #7 Jonathan Reaume / #54 Brenden Moore / #48 Otto Bohati
SUNDAY 2ND HEAT RACE:
#52 Geoff Morris / #07 Wade Bland / #21 Jason Terasenko / #70 Rob Angus
SATURDAY 1ST MAIN EVENT (50 LAPS):
#07 Wade Bland / #21 Jason Terasenko / #14 Brendon Carlsom / #16 Rory Smith
SATURDAY 2ND MAIN EVENT (50 LAPS):
#70 Rob Angus / #21 Jason Terasenko / #07 Wade Bland / #14 Brandon Carlsom
SUNDAY HUGE MAIN EVENT (200 LAPS):
#07 Wade Bland / #33 Dave Hemrich / #81 Darrell Midgley / #70 Rob Angus
#14 Brandon Carlson / #52 Geoff Morris / #45 Aaron Wilkie / #64 Cody Brown
editor@goldstreamgazette.com