Gilles Barrieau captured the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship at Charlottetown Driving Park this afternoon thanks to a pair of wins and two second-place finishes in the nine-race challenge.

Jason Hughes established the early lead, but Barrieau emerged as the winner with 76 points after garnering top finishes in the final three legs.

Marc Campbell finished second in the standings with 71 points after scoring two wins in the second half of the challenge.

Both drivers will join the top two finishers from the Ontario Regional Driving Championship - Brad Forward and Paul MacDonell – and the top two finishers from the Quebec Regional Driving Championship – Guy Gagnon and Daniel Potvin - at the national competition at Fraser Downs on March 21, 2009.

The top two finishers from the Western Regionals, which will take place on December 13 at Fraser Downs, will also advance to the national competition.

Here is a recap of this afternoon's Atlantic Regional from Charlottetown Driving Park:

Leg 1
Robert Laffin took Angies Filly to the front and never looked back in the opening leg in a time of 2:03.1. Success For You (Kenny Arsenault) came on for second while the odds-on favourite, Shalom Cooper, angled three-wide from the backfield at the third quarter pole and sprinted home to finish third.

Leg 2
Joe Campbell guided Ironside to victory in 2:01.4 while Jason Hughes finished second aboard R Es Ryan tying for second-place in the standings. With Character (Gillies Barrieau) made a three-wide decision at the third quarter station, good for a third-place finish.

Leg 3
Gilles Barrieau in rein to Cams Powerball overcame interference at the start of the race and pulled off a 46-1 upset to win the third leg in 2:02.1, catching Camvincable (Jason Hughes) at the wire. The pacesetter, Township Jasper (Marc Campbell) stayed for third.

Leg 4
Jason Hughes marched his way to the top of the standings with Lincolns Legacy in 2:00.1. The fan favourite popped the pocket in the stretch and reached the wire just ahead of the pacesetter, Wildmotion (Robert Lafifn). Tropic Sand (Kenny Arsenault) was third.

Leg 5
Darren Crowe and Buck Barker dominated the fifth leg with a wire-to-wire score 1:59. Sis Ryan (Todd Trites) finished three and a half lengths back in second and Fern Hill Queen (Kenny Arsenault) rounded out the top three.

Leg 6
Marc Campbell jumped into third place with his first win aboard Seawind Cockney in 2:01. Combustibletrouble (Robert Laffin) was the runner-up and Red Star Vinessa (Todd Trites) was third.

Leg 7
Gilles Barrieau was the first driver to notch two wins in the challenge after rallying from off the pace with Smile By The Mile to win by half a length ahead of the pacesetter, Stellas Silver (Wayne Williams), in 2:01. Thepuckstopshere (Todd Trites) finished third.

Leg 8
Marc Campbell scored his second win in the challenge with Paphos pushing him into a three-way tie at the top of the standings with Jason Hughes and Gilles Barrieau. The 37-1 longshot followed the runner-up, Van Zant (Barrieau) three wide at the third quarter mark and kicked home for the win in 1:58.4. Paint Me Perfect (Kenny Arsenault) nabbed the show spot.

Leg 9
Todd Trites prevailed with Future Kwik in 1:57.2 ahead of the favoured Cluck Hanover (Gilles Barrieau) and Chelemark Adios (Kenny Arsenault).

Final Standings
1. Gilles Barrieau (76 pts)
2. Marc Campbell (71 pts)
3. Jason Hughes (68 pts)
4. Todd Trites (61 pts)
5. Robert Laffin (57 pts)
6. Kenny Arsenault (57 pts)
7. Joseph Campbell (42 pts)
8. Darren Crowe (39 pts)
9. Wayne Williams (33 pts)

As a part of Saturday's undercard, Charlottetown Driving Park hosted four Lady Slipper divisions for freshmen fillies.

In the first $11,200 Gold division, Darko front-stepped her way to victory lane with Kenny Arsenault in the bike. The Largo miss posted panels of :30.1, :59.4 and 1:29.3 en route to victory in 1:58.4.

R Es Mary (Allan Earl Smith) stayed for second and Southview Spirit (Gilles Barrieau) finished third.

Darko scored her third consecutive victory and seventh of the season lifting her bankroll to $56,498 for trainer and owner Ralph Annear.

Arsenault was back in the winner's circle with the second Gold divisional winner, Spanish Angel.
The daughter of Badlands Hanover sat in second as Tammys Little Star (Jason Hughes) posted a :29.3 opening quarter. Woodmere Humdinger (Gilles Barrieau) made a first-over challenge through fractions of :59.4 and 1:30.2, but Spanish Angel popped the pocket in the stretch and sailed to the wire in 2:00.3 for the 10-1 upset.

Tammys Little Star finished a length back in second and Elm Grove Dallas (Robert MacInnis) came on for third.

The David Ross trainee scored her second seasonal win and increased her total earnings to $12,948 for co-owners Susanne Inch of Napan and Mary Allison of Miramichi, N.B.

In the $7,300 Grassroots divisions, Southview Whitney broke her maiden in rein to Marc Campbell (2:00.3) and Longworth Midnight scored her first win with Jason Hughes in the bike (2:01.3).

To view Saturday's results, click here.