Blenkhorn outduels Butcher for second straight win
After the two fought it out for the biggest race win of the season, Dylan Blenkhorn and Cole Butcher found themselves in the same spot one week later.
Only this time, it was a friendlier affair than what has been seen so far in 2017.
Blenkhorn, of Truro, fresh off his win a week prior in the IWK 250 at Riverside Speedway, drove his No. 67 Quinn Flooring Chevrolet to victory at Petty International Raceway in River Glade, New Brunswick, during the Irving Blending & Packaging 150.
The race marked the seventh of 12 rounds on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour.
Again, it was Butcher chasing to the line. In this race though, the two swapped the lead in a back and forth affair throughout the 150- lap distance. Officially, the pair exchanged the top spot eight times on the high banked oval. The last two lead changes occurred with each driver doing a “bump and run” and Blenkhorn making the final move to lead the last 11 laps.
“That’s the way racing should be. It was a lot of fun,” said Blenkhorn after the battle with Butcher. “I said it last week that their team ( Butcher Racing) puts a lot of work into their cars and it shows. We spent a lot of time on this car after the IWK 250 getting it right for this track and here we are again in victory lane.”
Butcher gave credit to Blenkhorn on the duel for the win.
“I thought we were back in 2015 with the way we ran each other tonight,” said the reigning series champion. “The car gave up a bit in the final ten laps and he was able to pull away. Congratulations to their team.”
Jonathan Hicken joined the pair of Nova Scotia drivers on the podium. The Brudenell, Prince Edward Island veteran was third at the finish.