PORT HARDY — If this had been a horse race instead of a stock-car event, the glue factory would be getting a windfall of raw material.
After a pair of brisk, clean races to open the Father’s Day event before the season’s biggest crowd at Tri-Port Speedway Sunday, things came apart in a big way in the second heat race.
Six cars started the race which began innocently enough. Glen Day and Daniel Hovey swapped paint in a meeting that sent Hovey into the infield coming out of turn four, and Cody Robbins got squirrely exiting turn 2.
But shortly after Justin Reusch limped off with a broken transmission, race leader Brock Shore suffered a flat and slid into the wall in turn 4, causing his car to shed its hood and one fender.
Paul Weeks, who earlier won the trophy dash to start the session, went off with smoke billowing from his engine and Day exited to address an overheating issue.
Eventually, four cars returned for a restart, but they didn’t stay on the track for long.
One lap after the restart, Day and Hovey again made contact on the back straight, which forced Hovey to the outside just as Shore was attempting a high pass.
Shore and Hovey both ended up in the pits, as Day was left to outrun Robbins to the finish to take the checkered flag in what amounted to a match race.
After an intermission to reassess the vehicles, the main event was scrubbed in favour of a set of grudge matches, in each direction, and a closing footrace between the drivers.
The drivers are scheduled to return for another race Sunday at 1 p.m.
