Championship drama as Brockville Speedway season ends

Track championships were on the line Saturday night on Polite Sand and Gravel night at the Brockville Ontario Speedway. Close battles in several divisions made for another exciting evening, which also closed out the regular season. Following the heat races only two points separated points leader Hayden Brown and 2022 champion Jamie Larocque in the battle for the Mini Stock track championship. In the 15-lap feature event, it was Pierre Picard taking the lead with Jamie Larocque and Maxx Steele close by. Picard had a great car all night long as he held off Larocque in the early laps. Carl Gorry, who also had an outside shot at the title, was closing in on the top two, taking third from Steele. Meanwhile, points leader Hayden Brown was stuck in traffic at the back part of the top 10 and had work to do to win his first track title. Near the end of the event, Maxx Steele started to make a run at the leader but on this night, Pierre Picard was too strong, taking his second win of the season. Steele finished in second ahead of Jamie Larocque, whose third-place finish secured his second championship. Carl Gorry crossed in fourth with Mike Saunders fifth, collecting the Talk Dirt To Me Podcast $50 fifth-place bonus. All Garin Thompson had to do was start the 12-lap Novice Sportsman feature Saturday night to claim his first track title. Thompson did that and then turned his attention to trying to win the race. Shawn Reid and Hunter May slowed the field on lap two, after the two drivers made contact sending Reid off the speedway. Both would return with minor damage. On track, Rylan Banks was in control, with Rhylan Poole and Landon Ryan completing the top three. Banks was looking for his second win this year; Poole was also trying to close the gap and get his second of the year. At the end of the night, Rylan Banks proved to be too strong, scoring his second win in the last three weeks. Rhylan Poole and Landon Ryan completed the top three. Garin Thompson crossed in fourth and collected his first track title, with Nick Cordingley coming in fifth. Much like in the Novice Sportsman event, all Chris Raabe had to do was take the green flag in the DIRTCar 358 Modified feature to lock up his second track championship. Raabe would do that from his eighth starting spot, but had work to do to get to the front. Kevin Hamel, Kalen Draper and Bobby Herrington were putting on a great three-car battle for the lead all night long. Draper would take the lead just before the halfway point, but Hamel was strong on the outside lane and tried several times to get by. Herrington was working very well on the bottom as he pulled even with Hamel several times, but it didn't stop him from challenging Draper for the lead. With no cautions to help bunch up the field, it was down to these three drivers for the win as Draper continued to run the bottom, while Hamel kept working the top side, with Herrington still in striking distance. In the end, Kalen Draper would hold off both Hamel and Herrington to record his second win of the season. Kevin Hamel, Bobby Herrington, Tristan Draper and Lucas Fuller rounded out the top five. Newly crowned track champion Chris Raabe crossed in position number six. Just 12 points was all that was between Dylan Kirkland and Shane Pecore for the DIRTCar Sportsman track championship. The final 25-lap regular season feature would decide the champion as Michael Dillon took control of the race on lap three, with Madie Wallace and Tyler Stewart right there to challenge. Dillon had not won at Brockville since his track championship year in the Street stock division in 2019 and was looking to end that dry spell, as well as get his first career Sportsman win. Behind the leader, Domonick Merkley was charging forward, taking second from Wallace and then trying to run down the leader. In the battle for the championship both Kirkland and Pecore came from row number four and charged to the front to battle Madie Wallace for several laps for the third spot, with Pecore and Kirkland both getting by. In the meantime, Michael Dillon had his hands full with Domonick Merkley, which allowed Pecore and Kirkland to move in and challenge for the win. With five laps to go, Blake Smith slowed to a stop on the front stretch, setting up a great finish, with the chance for a first-time winner. On the final restart Michael Dillon took control, but Shane Pecore was charging hard, taking second from Merkley and then going after Dillon for the lead. On the final lap, Dillon did everything right, stayed on the bottom, while Pecore was flying up top. In the end Michael Dillon would get the job done, claiming his first career Sportsman win in a thrilling finish. Shane Pecore finished second with Domonick Merkley third. Dylan Kirkland's fourth-place run secured his first DIRTCar Sportsman track title, while Tristan Ladouceur, who wrapped up the Mohawk Sportsman title Friday night, completed the top five. Francis Gauthier and Stephane Philippe would be separated by just two points following the heat race as they ran one-two at the start of the 15-lap Street Stock feature, however the battle for the track title would be short lived. On lap three, Bruno Boivin slowed with a problem in turn two and the caution flew. Under the same yellow, Francis Gauthier also slowed while running second, as he took his car to the pits and would not return for the night. Up front, Stephane Philippe was looking to end a championship season with a feature win with Brad Taillon right there with him, as Bruno Boivin was making a charge from the back. On lap eight, Boivin would challenge Philippe for the top spot and get it as Taillon tried to keep pace with the leaders. Once in front, Bruno Boivin was not going to be stopped as he continued his strong finish to the 2026 season, scoring his third win of the year and second in a row. Stephane Philippe would finish second to claim his first track title at Brockville. Brad Taillon, Thomas Reid and Brett Horner completed the top five. With the regular season now complete and 2026 track champions officially decided, the attention shifts to something a little different on Sunday, Sept. 20. The annual Monster Enduro will take to the Speedway with several classes in action for the afternoon of mayhem featuring everything from four-cylinders to mini-vans. Last year over 100 cars took the green in a single event, providing plenty of action and we could see the same thing this year. Racing action begins at 1 p.m. Stay tuned to the Speedway website and social media for updated start times and admission prices.