by | Sep 30, 2013 | Maine, Speedway 95
Ellsworth’s Andy Saunders took advantage of another driver’s misfortune Saturday night at Speedway 95 and won the 40 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature as well as putting an exclamation point on his second consecutive division championship. Deane Smart of Bradley beat Saunders to the front at the drop of the green flag, and led the first 28 laps of the event. On lap 29, Lloyd Nickerson of Corinth spun in turn four while the leaders were rounding turn three and was sitting in the middle of the track when Smart got there. Smart struck Nickerson head on, lifted into the air and landed on the car of Paul White who was running right behind Smart. Saunders, who was running third at the time, dove to the inside and avoided any contact with the wreck. Smart, White and Nickerson were all eliminated from the race, while Saunders forged ahead of Wayne Parritt Jr. on the restart and led the remaining twelve laps to post his sixth win of the season. Parritt ran a strong race, finishing a close second to Saunders with Hermon’s Mike Hopkins finishing third, right on Parritt’s bumper. Fourth went to rookie Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington with Winterport’s Ryan Deane taking the fifth spot. Saunders claimed his second consecutive championship in the division, a feat which he also accomplished in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
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by | Jun 17, 2013 | Maine, Speedway 95
For the first 32 laps of the 40 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature at Speedway 95 Saturday night, rookie Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington and John Kalel II of Orrington waged a side by side battle for the lead, with McLaughlin leading the majority of the laps by less than half a car length. Defending champion Andy Saunders of Ellsworth sat behind the battling duo in third spot, just waiting for his chance at the lead. Just as Saunders nosed ahead of Kalel to claim the second spot, the red flag flew when Ryan Dean of Winterport had his car catch fire and head for the infield. On the restart, the veteran Saunders started beside McLaughlin and took the rookie to school. Saunders ran the inside groove and wrestled the lead from McLaughlin on lap 33 and led the final 7 laps for the win. McLaughlin continued his impressive run and took the runner up spot with Deane Smart of Milford surging to a third place finish. Fourth went to Bangor’s Donny Blanchard with Kalel finishing in fifth. Twenty Late Models started the feature with only the one red flag stopping the action after an early caution before the completion of lap one caused a restart with all cars returned to their original starting positions.
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by Jay | Aug 19, 2012 | Maine, Speedway 95
Although he’s been atop the Dysart’s Late Model points chart for most of the 2012 season, it took Andy Saunders of Ellsworth until this past Saturday night to finally post a feature race win in the track’s premier division. Saunders started the race in the fifth spot in the 17 car field, and it took him until a restart on lap 26 before he could pass Milford’s Deane Smart to take the lead. Smart had led the event for most of the first 26 laps, losing it for only a lap at a time through close competition from Duane Seekins of Stockton Springs and Hermon’s Phil Richardson, who took turns challenging Smart for the top spot. Smart fought them both off, but didn’t have enough left at the end to keep Saunders from taking the win. Smart finished second with Seekins in third. Fourth went to Joey Doyon of Winterport with Hermon’s Dale Swoboda finishing fifth.
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