Michael Danforth grabs the brass ring for a cool $400 extra in DIRTcar Sportsman Coupes
Kevin Chaffee back on top in the DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds
Manafort Stable grabs all three spots in victory lane in USAC DMA Midgets
BRADFORD, VT – The eight annual Old Timers night was a huge success with over thirty legends, oldies but goodies, and cool rides on display for the fans as they entered the track grandstands. Twenty one of them would hit the track at intermission for introductions storytelling and some fun hot laps before the features began for the Sabil & Sons Old Timers, Speedway Illustrated race night.
The DIRTcar Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds after getting the kinks worked out put on a whale of a show for the fans with the top guns making their way from the back in fine fashion once again. Having struggled a bit of late, local favorite Kevin Chaffee finally found the groove he was looking for along with his set up and methodically worked his way to the front. Returning for his first time in 2015 was the Doctor Chris Donnelly driving the machine of Tim Tucker who was away with family obligations. Donnelly quickly showed the fans that he has not lost his touch as he came from last to finish in seventh place. While Donnelly and Chaffee were working their way to the front TC Forward was doing battle with Jamie Ferland getting by him for the lead on lap nine. Forward would not be able to hold off Chaffee who was prepared to be vindicated as he grabbed the lead from Forward on lap 25 and from there sailed on for the win. Forward was able to hold on to second with Robert Tucker taking the third place victory spot. Completing the top five were Jason Gray and Adam Pierson.
Jeremy Beckley is probably still trying to figure out what happened as he led the first 25 laps of the DIRTcar Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes feature event. A green to checkers feature in the Coupes nets the winner extra cash, and tonight it would top out at $400. Having had no green to checkers event in eight weeks. Beckley looked poised to grab the jingle, but would watch in dismay as he lost the lead with just five to go to Michael Danforth. Danforth followed Beckley until his opportunity presented itself and when it did he was ready to make the move and cruise on to claim his first win of the season. Beckley crossed the line in second with Jason Colbeth having advanced the most positions of any driver coming home in third. Thomas Placey and Tim Hodge rounded out the top five.
It was a history making night for Frank Manafort in the USAC DMA Midgets as he watched his two dominate drivers work their way from the back of the pack to front thru their 25 lap main event. As they marched their way to the front their team mate Jeffrey Champagne was leading the pack. By lap ten Josh Sunn was there to make the move past Champagne for the lead. Sunn raced on to claim his second win of the season. Teammate Adam Pierson tailing him was unable to make a move for the lead after getting by Champagne for second. Champagne held on to third placing making it a Manafort stable top three podium finish the first time in the history of the USAC DMA Midgets at the Ridge. Legendary Ray Miller came home fourth with Kevin Chafee grabbing fifth.
In the Crazy Ed’s Limited Late Models Tim Martin grabbed his third win of the season with first timer but no stranger to the Late Models Ryan Christian in the back up machine of Matt Lashua making it up to second. Lashua was able to hold on to the final victory lane spot in third. Matt Boucher and points leader James Fadden finished the top five.
Sean Perron finally made it to victory lane in the top spot in the Weglarz Property Service/F.M.S. Auto Parts Four Cylinders. Coming in right behind him with his second best finish of the season in second was Charlie Lakin, and Mike Ryan grabbed third. Justin Severance and Robert Welch completed the top five.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s 48th season of stock car racing continues on Saturday, August 29th Race Against Cancer night with SCoNE and Sportsman Mods going TOPLESS and KIDS RIDES sponsored by Dead River Co. with a full card of racing plus the Sprint Cars of New England. Special general admission pricing applies for the 99Rock Weekly Racing Series at $13 for adults (age 18-61), $10 for teens (12-17) and seniors (62+), and $2 for children; Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Racing begins at the famous “6:00-ish” start time.
Bear Ridge Speedway is located on Kidder Road in Bradford, VT, just off Exit 16 on Interstate 91. For more information, call (802) 222-4052 or visit www.bearridgespeedway.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Sabil & Sons Inc night
99ROCK Weekly Racing Series
Bear Ridge Speedway — Bradford, VT
Saturday, August 22nd, 2015
Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Feature (40 laps)
1st 73 Kevin Chaffee
2nd 1x TC Forward
3rd 42T Robert Tucker
4th OO Jason Gray
5th 15 Adam Pierson
6th 11 Josh Sunn
7th 91 Chris Donnelly
8th 10s Ryan Christian
9th 24 Jordan Fornwalt
10th 5 Gary Siemons
11th O1 Mike Gendron
12th 115 Tom Forward
13th 10 Derek Graham
14th 4 DJ Robinson
15th 42c Josh Currier
16th 9 Michael Dunn
17th 40 Steven Flint®
18th 12c Jamie Ferland®
19th 34 Richie Simmons
20th 12 Steve Bell®
21st 88 Thomas Kimball
(DNS) 26 Jeff Huntington
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe Feature (30 laps)
1st 44 Michael Danforth
2nd 24 Jeremy Beckley
3rd 18 Jason Colbeth
4th 22 Thomas Placey
5th 2 Tim Hodge
6th 13 Buster Kathan
7th 43 Earl Maxham
8th 3 Jason Horniak
9th 71 Josh Harrington
10th 16 Brian Chaffee
11th 21e Matt Ellsworth
12th 28 Bob Shepard
13th 11 Martin Mastic
14th 33 Melvin Pierson
15th 5 Johnathan Covey
16th 8 Gene Pierson
17th 20 Tom Chaffee
USAC DMA Midgets Feature (25 laps)
1 67 Josh Sunn
2 76 Adam Pierson
3 15 Jeff Champagne
4 1W Ray Miller
5 4 Kevin Chaffee
6 46 Kenney Johnson
7 47 Scott Holcomb
8 57 Dylan Duhaime
9 1R Jeff Horn
10 5 Derek Graham
11 12 Adam Whitney
12 96 Rob Williams
13 9 David Moniz
14 64 Andrew Barrows
15 69 Dean Christensen
16 17 Mark Cole
17 18c Mike Chaffee
Crazy Ed’s Limited Late Model Feature (20 laps) top 5
1st 83 Tim Martin ®
2nd 10s Ryan Christian
3rd 18 Matt Lashua
4th 71 Matt Boucher
5th 91 James Fadden
Weglarz Property Management/F.M.S. Auto Parts 4-Cylinder Feature (15 laps) top 5
1st 8 Sean Perron
2nd 3 Charlie Lakin
3rd 86 Mike Ryan
4th 4J Justin Severance ®
5th 65 Robert Welch ®