Scott Holcomb Takes USAC DMA Win at Bear Ridge, Ends Joe Krawiec’s Streak
BY MARK McKEON
BRADFORD, VT – There were 15 USAC DMA Midget drivers on hand at Bear Ridge Speedway Saturday night and 14 of them had only one thing in mind: beating Flatfoot Joe Krawiec to end his three race winning streak.
Former Empire Super Sprints chauffer Scott Holcomb of Granby, CT was up to the challenge. Starting eighth, he took the lead from Jamie Spalding on lap six and held off a determined effort from former Bear Ridge Coupe Champion Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT, who started 10th. It was Holcomb’s first Midget victory.
“We were a little too loose in the heat, so we made some changes for the feature and we got a little better,” Holcomb explained. “I stiffened up the right rear so I could drive it on the bottom, which was where most of the moisture was tonight. We worked at it, so we’re real happy with the win.”
Holcomb nearly didn’t make it to the track. The diesel pick-up truck he uses to pull his race car trailer blew off its torque tube three times on the way to the track. So many USAC DMA teams stopped to help him that the shoulder of I-91 looked like the pits at Bear Ridge.
Chaffee now becomes the driver with a streak: he’s run three USAC DMA Midget races this season and finished second in all of them.
“There were a couple times that I thought I could get by Scott,” Chaffee said. “It seemed like I could catch him going in, but I didn’t have either the bite or the power to stay with him coming off. Every time I get a chance to drive this car, they give me an excellent piece, so there’s nothing to complain about with the car. These guys are great to race with and I really enjoy it when I have the opportunity.”
New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame member Ray Miller of East Granby, CT continued his own string of impressive finishes with a solid and in-the-hunt third. This week he did it with an untested set-up after a heat race altercation ripped off a part of a shock tower and required extensive front end work.
“I’m just tickled pink,” Miller beamed. “I’m an old asphalt Modified guy and I never drove a Midget in my life. To have a season like we’re having is just great. The inside lane was working well tonight and I was lucky to have a couple of rabbits in front of me. When you have a rabbit in front of you, it makes it a little easier. I had Holcomb and Chafee in front of me and I kind of followed them.”
A three car incident midway through the event involving Dean Christenson, Greg Olson and Scott Viets brought out the red flag when Christenson flipped. There were no injuries, but all three cars were down for the count and out for the night.
The USAC DMA Midgets make their fifth appearance of the season at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday August 20.
USAC DMA 25 Lap Feature: 1. Scott Holcomb, Granby, CT;; 2. Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee, VT, 3. Ray Miller, East Granby, CT; 4. Joe Krawiec, Bristol, CT; 5. Dana Shaw, Plainfield, CT; 6. Jeff Horn, Hudson, MA; 7. Jamie Spalding, Chaplin, CT; 8. Adam Whitney, Warren, VT; 9. Tim Gallant, Wales, MA; 10. Tyler Rivard, Woonsocket, RI; 11. Scott Viets, East Granby, CT; 12. David Rose, Jr., Keene, NH; 13. Greg Olson, East Providence, RI; 14. Dean Christensen, Granby, CT 15. Thom Ring, Pascoag, RI. Heat winners: Holcomb and Chaffee.
Notes: The feature starting lineup was all about teams. Teammates Krawiec and Chaffee started side-by-side in row 5, while teammates Viets and Miller were alongside each other in row 4. It was slightly different for trailer mates Holcomb and Christenson- they share a trailer on the tow up from Connecticut and Holcomb started directly behind Christenson in the feature. “I hope I don’t run in to him or it’s going to be a long ride home,” Holcomb said before the race. The pair never got together but Christenson did flip after contact with Greg Olson… Two rookies made their first ever Midget starts and both had previously raced Karts. Woonsocket, RI’s Tyler Rivard is just 14 and he drove a family owned car to 10th. Warren, VT’s Adam Whitney is an arborist by trade who hasn’t raced for several years but has always had an affinity for open cockpit cars. The 37 year old is a competitive mountain biker who, along with his wife, has raced mountain bikes throughout the US and in Europe. Whitney enjoys the challenge of competitive mountain biking, but confides “My wife is actually a lot better at it than I am”. He drove a car from the Rusty Tefft fleet to an eighth place finish. Coincidentally, at one point the two rookies got together in turn three and brought out a yellow flag.