Niagara Raceway
Netherby Road / Townline Tunnel
Welland, Ontario, Canada

John Kehoe takes the Final!
Niagara Raceway Results - July 22, 2000
By Duncan Luke luke99@idirect.com

Chris Hesmer's long run of consecutive main event wins at Welland came to an end on Saturday when a heavy crash in his qualifying heat saw him recovering in the ambulance when the final was run. He and Jeff Orosz hit the track hard when the latter clipped his rear wheel going into the first turn. Fortunately there were no broken bones involved but Hesmer was quite woozy when finally able to get to his feet after treatment on the track by the St John staff and not fit to continue. The same duo provided fans with an entertaining race when they also met in their first heat. Hesmer made the gate and led around turns two and three. Orosz switched back from the outside line to the inside coming out of the turn and was able to dive inside Hesmer going into turn three, take the lead and hold it despite pressure from Hesmer for the rest of the race.

There was plenty of passing in the first heat with John Kehoe coming off the penalty line (touching the tapes) to take the win. Kehoe was unbeaten on the night and his main event win has put him firmly in control of this year's series to determine the winner of the national championship. With only two meetings left he has a comfortable margin in hand over Jeff Orosz.

[NOTE: There was no D2 class.]