The calendar may have said June 1st, but Saturday night at Wiscasset Speedway had more of a feel like mid August. The heat & humidity added to the action on the track which produced a pair of popular first time winners. Kevin Douglass of Sidney, a former ministock champion & Driver of the Year, returned to Wiscasset for the first time this season and took a hard fought victory in the Prostocks. Wiscasset’s James Osmond picked up an emotional first career win in the Super Stock division. Their victories highlighted a full program of racing action at Maine’s Fastest track. Gorham’s David Patten was also honored as Wiscasset Speedway’s May 2013 Napa Auto Parts Driver of the Month. He celebrated in victory lane with track owners Richard & Vanessa Jordan and a group of midcoast area school students being honored for their hard work. The kids were even given chalk to autograph the track.
Outlaw Mini’s rolled out first with a 20 lap makeup feature carried over from Mothers Day weekend. Augusta’s Shawn Kimball started from the pole position and withstood an early challenge from #10 Jimmy Childs and a pair of early race restarts. Brian Lancaster of Skowhegan joined in on the fun and raced his #81 pro4 from the back of the pack to the lead in just five laps. He would cross the finish line with a comfortable half track advantage over Kimball, but would fail post race inspection due to running the race with the wrong tires. Lancaster admitted in victory lane he was merely “shaking down the car for next week’s Northeast Pro-4 Tour race” . The victory would go to Kimball, the 2-time mini stock champ who was driving #20 VW for car owner Pete McCollat. Nate Tribett of Richmond had a couple midrace challenges for the eventual winner, but he would settle for 2nd. Norm Cummings of Augusta would wind up taking home the 3rd place trophy.
The Super Stock 25 lap feature showcased the talents of Wiscasset’s toughest division. James Osmond came into the weekend looking to shake off a recent string of bad luck and was hungry for a win that had eluded him for 6+ years. The win didn’t come easy as he was hounded throughout the race by 3-time winner Adam Chadbourne. Three separate restarts bunched up the group, but Osmond’s #05 was up to the challenge, outdueling the former champ each time and running to the win. In victory lane it was easy to see it was an emotional moment for him. “Some people know I lost my dad a couple years ago and he always used to sit up there in turn 4. He knew this day was gonna come, and I know he’s here with me. He’d be happy”. Chadbourne continued his dominance in the class, taking home 2nd place by less than a car length. Bobby Mesimer of Wiscasset was 3rd despite losing the air cleaner off his #3 Chevy Camaro with 5 laps remaining.
The Prostock’s took to the Wiscasset high banks just after sunset and the race proved to be a battle of attrition and patience as they withstood several cautions and a delay for a brief shower. Bill Penfold was strong in the early going, holding off challenges from Kevin Douglass. The first major twist in the race came on lap 11 as #13 Casey Nash and #32 Nick Jenkins were in a battle for 3rd. Jenkins would spin in the middle of turns 3 & 4 coming back across the track into the path of #39 John Rideout. The accident would knock both from the race. After a brief 15 minute delay for moisture on the track, the battle resumed between Douglass and Penfold. Lap 14 brought out the next caution with Douglass spinning out on the front stretch after contact with the leader. The race turned out to be a series of brief sprints with another pair of cautions. The major turn came on lap 26 with Nash hitting Penfold on the backstretch going for the lead. Nash checked up, but Penfold would spin into turn three. In what looked like a matter of miscommunication or merely frustration, Penfold went to the pit and dropped out of the race rather than joining Nash at the back of the pack. With the race back underway and the field whittled down to 4 cars to finish the final 4 laps, the next caution, the 7th of the race, put an end to things with 27 complete. Kevin Douglass would roll into victory lane to claim his first career prostock win. Nash took home the 2nd place trophy and issued an apology to Penfold in his post race interview. Sidney’s Chris Thorne fought an ill-handling car, pitting several times for adjustments, but managing a 3rd place finish.
The Thunder Four Minis and Mini Trucks were put together for their 15 lap feature race. Richmond’s Cody Tribbett outraced his cousin Leandra Martin to the victory. It was the first of his brief career. Martin took home her third runner up trophy of the season. Jeff Schmidt was the lone representative for the trucks in the featureand claimed the win. The flex race of the night was a ladies race. Leandra Martin picked up the win by just a bumper over Carryann Prentice and Donna Dyer.
The N.E. 4-Cyl Prostocks had the final race of the night with a 30 lap feature. Tim Jeski of Drakut, MA made the trip up the coast worth it, leading green to checkers for the victory, his first at Wiscasset. David Patten pressured him throughout, but would settle for his 3rd runner-up finish of the year. He was joined in victory lane by his brother Bob Patten who matched his best finish of the season. The race was slowed by three cautions.
Wiscasset Speedway returns to action on Saturday June 8th at 6:00pm. Group 2 rotation of divisions will highlight the show with Late Model Sportsman, Strictly Streets, Outlaw Minis and Mini Trucks on the schedule. The flex division race will be the debut of the Northeast Pro-4 Tour. It is a new series presented by Bob Guptil who already has his successful Northeast Mini Stock Tour. Admission is $5 for adults and children 7 and older. Kids 6 & under are free.
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH 6-1-13
OUTLAW MINI (20 LAPS)
1. #20 SHAWN KIMBALL – AUGUSTA
2. #13 NATE TRIBBET – RICHMOND
3. #17 NORM CUMMINGS – AUGUSTA
4. #14 MATT MOORE – OXFORD
5. #2 GREG CUMMINGS – AUGUSTA
6. #10 JIMMY CHILDS – LEEDS
7. #81 BRIAN LANCASTER – SKOWHEGAN (DQ)
SUPER STOCK (25 LAPS)
1. #05 JAMES OSMOND – WISCASSET
2. #1 ADAM CHADBOURNE – WOOLWICH
3. #3 BOBBY MESIMER – WISCASSET
4. #2 JOSH BAILEY – WISCASSET
5. #48 DAN NESMITH – WISCASSET
6. #96 GUY CHILDS – TURNER
7. #27 NATE YEATON – WOOLWICH
PROSTOCK (30 LAPS)
1. #21 KEVIN DOUGLASS – SIDNEY
2. #13 CASEY NASH – RICHMOND
3 #17 CHRIS THORNE – SIDNEY
4. #0 BILL PENFOLD – OXFORD
5. #45 ALBERT BYRON – AMESBURY, MA
6. #32 NICK JENKINS – BROWNVILLE
7. #39 JOHN RIDEOUT – WASHINGTON
DNS – #09 JOE TURNER – NORWAY
THUNDER 4 / MINI TRUCKS (15 LAPS)
1. #13 CODY TRIBBET – RICHMOND
2. #31 LEANDRA MARTIN – RICHMOND
1. #22 JEFF SCHMIDT – MECHANIC FALLS
N.E. 4-CYL PRO (30 LAPS)
1. #38 TIM JESKI – DRAKUT, MA
2. #12 DAVID PATTEN – GORHAM
3. #14 BOB PATTEN – GORHAM
4. #54 MIKE SWETT – FARMINGDALE
5. #24 JEFF PRINDALL – LISBON FALLS
6. #6 TRAVIS DUNBAR – LISBON