Father-son sweep for David & Josh Childs in 11th annual Acceleration Series opener

by | Jun 3, 2009 | New

Father-son sweep for David & Josh Childs in 11th annual Acceleration Series opener

OXFORD, Maine – The father-son combination of David and Josh Childs combined for 18 feature wins in two different Oxford Plains Speedway Acceleration Series divisions last season.

Now that the two are competing in the same class, the peer pressure and the quest for bragging rights might make them even more dangerous.
After hearing the Chimney Tech Outlaw rookie Josh had won his 20-lap event while waiting to take the track for his own race, David drove to a convincing victory in his portion of the first Wednesday night program of the season.
Reigning Outlaw champion Ron Abbott Jr. also accomplished what he was unable to achieve in his title-winning season, leading every lap to capture the checkered flag in the first of three features for that division.
Zach Audet and Matt Dufault ruled the Macdonald Motors Runnin’ Rebel features. Vanna Brackett emerged from a highly competitive Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Ladies field to score a win.
Ross Spurling backed up his first career victory four nights earlier with another triumph. Defending champion Jason Hannigan picked up where he left off with a Goulet Home Inspections Renegade victory.
Abbott held off Jerry Freve, who was a car length back throughout their 20-lap tangle.
“Zach and Larry Emerson helped me get here,” Abbott said. “I kind of dragged my butt until the last minute.”
John Patria made a spirited charge on the outside throughout the event but settled for third. Guy Childs threatened to make it a family sweep but filed into fourth ahead of Kevin Lawrence.
By virtue of having no 2008 points in the division, Josh Childs started last in his 16-car grid. He flew past more than half the field over the first three laps, then calmly picked his way past Chris Coolidge, Steve Brill and early dominator Gerry Richard to score his second straight victory.
Childs, 18, also won in his most recent Saturday night start.
“Holy cow, that was a fun race,” said Childs. “I can’t even believe I made it here. I didn’t think I’d be able to get up front. The car was pushing, and I had to use a little more brake than usual.”
Richard, Brill, Coolidge and Bob Ferguson completed the top five.
David Childs bolted from 11th to first in under 10 laps and cruised to his win.
“They came down and told me my boy won,” Childs said, “so I had to drive my butt off.”
Steve Moon had a mirror full of John Spencer Jr. throughout but held on for second. Tyler Belanger and Jonathan Baldwin traded fourth position five different times before Belanger finally claimed it, with Baldwin a career-best fifth.
Audet had a shadow in Scott Farrington for the duration of the 20-lap Rebel opener, but last year’s four-time feature winner started off 2009 in a similar fashion with a narrow victory.
“He ran me really clean. I’m happy about that,” Audet said of Farrington.
Troy Jordan wasted no time charging from 12th to third, but without the help of a caution flag to slow the leaders, he only had time to catch their rear bumper before the finish. Dustin Salley backed up Saturday’s first career victory in fourth, followed by Jamie Heath after a late skirmish scattered the eight-car battle for fifth.
Dufault drew the outside of the front row for round two and kept the pack at a safe distance to the checkers. Kyle Hewins and Jason Berry applied early pressure, but their slight entanglement in a multi-car incident gave Dufault slightly more breathing room.
“The car was right on tonight,” said Dufault. “We made a bunch of changes from Saturday, and it worked out pretty good.”
Racing for the first time since the birth of his first child, Jamie Leavitt avoided the mid-race mess to take second. Berry stayed the course and took third. Hewins’ early-season winning streak ended at two with a fourth-place run, followed by Corey Beaulieu.
Spurling inherited some space after closest pursuers Ryan Farrar and Kevin Oliver got tangled with a lapped truck. Opie Allard advanced to second and supplied some heat, but it was Spurling scoring his second straight set of checkers.
“It’s hard to keep those Toyotas back there, but we’re getting better and better,” Spurling said.
The Ladies swapped lanes and paint repeatedly, with six drivers having a crack at the win in the closing laps. Until Brackett moved to the front, that is, continuing the momentum she produced with her 10 wins in ’08.
Cathy Manchester made a late move to the inside and took second in front of defending champion Dottie Patria. Deanna Robertson and Debbie Marston completed the top five.
Hannigan led every lap of the 10-lap Renegade scramble, holding rookie Bill Grover at a safe, four-car length distance. Gerard Cote was next in line.
OPS roars to life again at 6:30 p.m. Saturday with Sunoco Race Fuels Night. A 100-lap Strictly Stock feature headlines a five-division card.

CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #1 (20 laps): 1. Ron Abbott Jr., Sabattus; 2. Jerry Freve, Buckfield; 3. John Patria, Turner; 4. Guy Childs, Turner; 5. Kevin Lawrence, South Paris; 6. Jerry Goss, Mechanic Falls; 7. Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 8. Jim Drake, Hebron; 9. Addison Bowie, Auburn; 10. Scott Ellis, Lewiston; 11. David Brown, Gray; 12. Jim Davis Jr., Sabattus; 13. Josh Paradis, Sumner; 14. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls; 15. Shannon Judd, Jay; 16. Carl Conant, Lewiston.


CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #2 (20 laps): 1. Josh Childs, Oxford; 2. Gerry Richard, Leeds; 3. Steve Brill, Bridgton; 4. Chris Coolidge, Norway; 5. Bob Ferguson, New Gloucester; 6. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 7. Michael Haynes, Livermore Falls; 8. Kyle Curtis, Oxford; 9. Jay Wilkins, Gray; 10. Chris Burgess, Sabattus; 11. Zach Bowie, Lisbon; 12. Don Veinott, Sabattus; 13. Scott Veinott, Sabattus; 14. Robert Lowe, Auburn; 15. Zach Robitaille, Norway.

CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #3 (20 laps): 1. David Childs, Oxford; 2. Steve Moon, Gray; 3. John Spencer Jr., Auburn; 4. Tyler Belanger, Sumner; 5. Jonathan Baldwin, Auburn; 6. Mike Rand, Bridgton; 7. Bubba Collins, New Gloucester; 8. Fred Clavet, Buckfield; 9. Mike Blash, Norway; 10. Mike Kyllonen, Mechanic Falls; 11. Matt Weeks, Greene; 12. Todd Bisbee, South Paris; 13. Scott Hethcoat, Auburn; 14. Clint Sherwood, Poland; 15. Ron Parker, New Gloucester; 16. Dan Brown, Peru.

MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN’ REBEL #1 (20 laps): 1. Zach Audet, Wilton; 2. Scott Farrington, Minot; 3. Troy Jordan, Turner; 4. Dustin Salley, Auburn; 5. Jamie Heath, Waterford; 6. Craig Farrington, Hebron; 7. Mike Ward, Harrison; 8. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 9. Nate Dubuc, Auburn; 10. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 11. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 12. Craig Bartlett, Denmark; 13. Roger Bourgoin, Mechanic Falls; 14. Charlie Hall, Oxford; 15. Michael Carver, Durham; 16. Ellery Phillips Jr., Turner.

MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN’ REBEL #2 (20 laps): 1. Matt Dufault, Turner; 2. Jamie Leavitt, Minot; 3. Jason Berry, Turner; 4. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 5. Corey Beaulieu, Oxford; 6. Ryan Hewins, Leeds; 7. Brady Romano, Livermore Falls; 8. Randy Desmarais, Auburn; 9. Martin Krauter, Raymond; 10. Cody Smith, Oxford; 11. Eric Rowles, Lewiston; 12. Ryan Philbrick, Greenwood; 13. Troy Gamrat, Lisbon; 14. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 15. John Childs, Leeds; 16. Carl Griffin, Farmingdale; 17. Bob Danforth, Stoneham.

CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK (20 laps): 1. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 2. Opie Allard, Harpswell; 3. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 4. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 5. Herb Farrar, Oxford; 6. Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls; 7. Laurette Theriault, Casco; 8. Doug Stevens, West Sumner; 9. Jeremy Wagner, Bryant Pond; 10. Brent Westberry, Buckfield; 11. Ben Yap, Bryant Pond.

ALLEN’S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES (20 laps): 1. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 3. Dottie Patria, Turner; 4. Deanna Robertson, South Paris; 5. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 6. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 7. Missy Blash, Oxford; 8. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 9. Lisa Brooks, Auburn; 10. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 11. Kristen Brown, Gray; 12. Tori Burgess, Sabattus; 13. Missy Morgan, Lewiston; 14. Tricia Thomas, Auburn; 15. Amanda Fogg, Sabattus; 16. Annie Chartier, Mexico.

GOULET HOME INSPECTIONS RENEGADE (10 laps): 1. Jason Hannigan, Greene; 2. Bill Grover, Topsham; 3. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 4. Bob Morey, Lisbon; 5. Jeremy Cormier, Auburn.