Geoff Boyle Dominates David Lambe Memorial at Oyster Bed

Track Release by Jeremy MacDonald/Photo by Marlie Paynter

It was a night of firsts for the 3^rd Annual David Lambe Memorial seventy five lap Street Stock race at Oyster Bed Speedway, last Saturday night. At the beginning of the night the field was split into three separate heats at random with starting positions for the qualifying heats also set at random. Stephen Gass was hoping his car would be able to once again capture the Piston Cup. Gass’s car won the inaugural race driven by Darren Mackinnon and Gass was behind the wheel last year during the victory.

In the first qualifying heat current points leader in the division, Stephen Gass was able to win the heat race, with defending points Champion Nick Chaisson driving home second.

Darren Mackinnon, driving for Big Poppa’s motorsports was able to capture the second heat race and secure a starting position on the front row for the feature. Ricky Myers settled in for a second place finish.

In the third and final qualifying race Geoff Boyle’s two cars that he owns finished one-two. Boyle was piloting the winning car with his driver Mike Dusky coming across second.

When the starting positions were determined from those the only two drivers to win the memorial race, Mackinnon and Gass, would be starting on the front row. Nick Chaisson and Ricky Myers made up row two.

Boyle was the first to challenge the pole sitter, Stephen Gass as the two made contact sending Gass into a small slide. He was able to keep the car from spinning but lost multiple positions. When the order shuffled out Boyle would take the lead with his teammate Mike Dusky not far behind.

Darren Mackinnon ran into some early mechanical trouble which forced him back into the pit area. Making for a difficult night ahead for the Pro-Stock driver, battling traffic from the back of the pack.

With Boyle pulling away from the pack his first challenger came in the way of his other car and driver, Mike Dusky. The two battled for many laps until Dusky pulled back behind his car owner content to follow. Dusky challenged again and eventually was able to get by Boyle and lead for a number of laps. Mechanical difficulties would eventually force Duskey back into the pit area ending his night and a chance at the prestigious trophy. From then on, no one would be able to catch Boyle.

Mike Macleod from Sydney Nova Scotia would make one of the biggest pushes on the night. After starting in eleventh the driver would make his way up to second. Despite being able to get up to the rear bumper of the leader he was unable to get by him and settled for a second place finish, equaling his finish from a year earlier in the same race.

The race ended in dramatic fashion. As Boyle came out of turn four on the last lap with the checkered flag in sight a lapped car lost control and tagged him sending him spinning across the finish line, luckily still in the lead.  While attempting to get his car back under control after the finish line he also ran into Macleod leaving both cars with heavy damage. Both cars needed assistance off the track and Boyle was unable to perform the customary victory lap and celebration in victory lane.

Darren Mackinnon was able to claw his way from last place advancing thirteen positions ending up eighth. Defending Division Champ Nick Chaisson would be third followed up by sophomore driver Alex Sheehan in fourth and Stephen Gass rounded out the top five.

It was a night of firsts as it was the first time the race was run under the lights, the first time a car other than the Eighty-Eight won the race, the first time a victory lap wasn’t celebrated, and the first time the actual winner of the race passed post-race inspection.