SCARBOROUGH, Maine – Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine, wrapped up the VIP Thursday Thunder season at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, with a second-place finish in the 25-lap Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour feature event last Thursday, August 22. It marked Lanpher’s third Top-2 finish in seven races at Beech Ridge this summer, and his fourth Top-5 over the same stretch. Lanpher had a late-race restart alongside the eventual winner, but the outside groove proved tough sledding and he settled in for the runner-up effort after starting 12th in the 19-car field. Lanpher started outside the Top-10 in all but two of the VIP Thursday Thunder series races.
WHO: Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Maine
TEAM: Team EJP No. 59 Eastern Township Docks/Scott’s Recreation Coupe
CREW CHIEF: Bob Weymouth, Topsham, Maine
WHAT: VIP Thursday Thunder 25
WHERE: Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Maine (.333-mile oval)
STARTED: 12th
FINISHED: 2nd
********
REID, DID YOU THINK YOU HAD A SHOT TO WIN ON THE RESTART WITH FOUR LAPS REMAINING?
Honestly, it was kind of like a defensive game there. I knew that I didn’t really have anything for Matt (Bourgoine). Did I think I was as fast as him? Oh, definitely. I know just running alone I was as fast as him, but you have to be a lot faster than a guy to go around him on the outside. It’s four or five-tenths difference from the bottom to the top, so you’ve got to be selective of your moves and take advantage of the restarts.
I just protected the bottom and held onto second. I’m super-pumped about that.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE NO. 45 CAR EARLY IN THE RACE?
I got chopped pretty bad by a car that I guess didn’t have a left-side mirror, but it it what it is. He ended up wrecked, and I didn’t. It knocked the toe out pretty bad, but it was still good enough to come up through. I still managed a second-place finish, which I was really happy with after starting 12th.
WAS THIS A GOOD WAY TO WRAP UP THE THURSDAY NIGHT SEASON AT BEECH RIDGE?
Everybody’s giving it all they have at the end of the year for the last TNT race. I’m really pleased with the finish for where we came from.I had a really good car at the beginning of the race. I was trying to get my way through, just kind of bottom-feeding, because the car wasn’t very good on the outside. I was making due with what I had.
I feel good about the finish. I’m thankful to everyone that’s helped me out.