BRADFORD, VT – Up-and-coming Bond AutoParts DIRTcar Sportsman Modified stock car driver Justin Comes earned hissecond career victory in a dominant romp during 99ROCK Weekly Racing Seriesaction on Dennis Preston Builders Night at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday. The 20 year-old Middlebury, VT racer had beenexcruciatingly close to the checkered flag on numerous occasions in 2012, leadingseveral races and posting a string of three-straight third-place finishesearlier in the year.
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photo credit Alan Ward
From the sixth starting position, Comesrode the far outside lane in his No. 51 Flyin’ Ryan Auto Body-sponsoredModified to cut through the field and grab the lead from polesitter RichieSimmons with relative ease early in the 40-lap race. Top drivers Adam Pierson of Fairlee, VT andJason Gray of East Thetford, VT made late charges through traffic to finish secondand third, respectively. Kevin Chaffeeand Robert Tucker completed the top five, followed by Chris Donnelly, GarySiemons, Mike Dunn, Bob Shepard, and Simmons.
Veteran driver Steve Ellsworth ofCorinth, VT ran to his first victory of the season in the 30-lap Wells River ChevroletSportsman Coupe feature, but only after a bid by Terry Williams was spoiled withseven laps remaining. Ellsworth ledevery lap from the pole, but hard-charging Williams of Wells River, VT took tothe outside lane and was just ahead of Ellsworth when he spun to bring out thecaution flag. Ellsworth held on to takethe win; Josh Harrington of Topsham, VT got up for second place, and JeremyBeckley of Woodsville, NH finished third. Tim Hodge and Gene Pierson, Jr., were next in line. Williams recovered for ninth.
Fifteen year-old sensation JordanFornwalt of Bradford, VT extended his win streak to five in the A Notch AboveAutomotive Limited Late Model division, winning the three-segment “Madness”event. The win was the youngster’seighth of the season and 12th of his two-year career at Bear RidgeSpeedway. Fornwalt posted finishes ofthird, first, and first in the race’s three 15-lap segments for a low totalscore of five points and the overall victory. Brian Chaffee of West Topsham, VT was the runner-up with eight points,and first-segment winner Mike Greene of North Haverhill, NH rebounded from abroken ball joint in the middle leg to take third place overall with 10 points. Rookie Same Comeau was fourth and MattEllsworth was fifth.
Kevin Harran of St. Johnsbury, VT wasthe winner of the 20-lap Weglarz Property Service Fast Four feature. Harran, the division’s defending champion,held off White River Junction, VT’s Tim Martin and Danny Doyle of Roxbury, VT forthe win, followed by Steve Bell and Chuck Simmons.
Groton, VT’s Eric Lang grabbed hissixth KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet victory of the year after an entertainingbattle with Allen Birch of St. Johnsbury, VT. Birch was second for his best career finish, and rookie Brandon Gray ofEast Thetford, VT was third. CharlieLakin and Andy Mooney completed the top five.
Rich Crooker of Nashua, NH won histhird Granite State Mini Sprint 600cc feature of the year. Jake Williams of Center Tuftonboro, NH ledlaps and finished second despite suffering severe damage to his aerodynamicwing after a crash that sent Spencer Allen flipping. Scott Preston of Monkton, VT was third. Allen was uninjured in the crash. Twelve year-old Dylan Rock of Enfield, NHposted his second career Bear Ridge win in the 500cc Mini Sprint feature. Doug Boisvert of East Andover, NH was secondand Kyle Belliveau of Hopkinton, NH was third.
Justin St. Louis of West Addison, VTwon the 50-lap Enduro for four- and six-cylinder cars. Steve Stone of St. Johnsbury, VT was therunner-up, and Phil Tanner, also of St. Johnsbury, VT, was third.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s 45thseason of stock car racing continues on Saturday, July 28 as Perry Oil Servicepresents a huge program for the WYKR Sprint Cars of New England, the USAC DirtMidget Association, the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series Modified, Coupe, LateModel, Fast Four, and Hornet divisions, the Hornet Stinger youth division, andKids Bicycle Races. Special generaladmission is $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” starttime.
Bear Ridge Speedway is located on KidderRoad in Bradford, VT, just off Exit 16 on Interstate 91. For more information, call (802) 222-4052 orvisit www.bearridgespeedway.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – DennisPreston Builders Night
99ROCK Weekly RacingSeries
Bear Ridge Speedway –Bradford, VT
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Bond Auto DIRTcarSportsman Modified Feature (40 laps)
1. JustinComes, Middlebury, VT
2. AdamPierson, Fairlee, VT
3. JasonGray, East Thetford, VT
4. KevinChaffee, Fairlee, VT
5. RobertTucker, East Topsham, VT
6. ChrisDonnelly, Piermont, NH
7. GarySiemons, Orford, NH
8. MikeDunn, North Haverhill, NH
9. BobShepard, West Topsham, VT
10. Richie Simmons, Bradford, VT
11. Bryan King, Corinth, VT
12. Josh Sunn, White River Junction, VT
13. Derek Graham, Woodsville, NH
14. Jeff Elliott, Benton, NH
15. # Eddie Patterson, Websterville, VT
16. # Troy Comeau, Rumney, NH
17. Tim Tucker, Northfield, VT
18. # Josh Currier, Newport, NH
HeatWinners: Richie Simmons, Bryan King, Eddie Patterson
BlackmountEquipment Semi-Feature Winner: Eddie Patterson
Wells River ChevroletSportsman Coupe Feature (30 laps)
1. SteveEllsworth, Corinth, VT
2. JoshHarrington, Topsham, VT
3. JeremyBeckley, Woodsville, NH
4. TimHodge, Vershire, VT
5. GenePierson, Jr., East Corinth, VT
6. #Jesse Smith, Topsham, VT
7. #Tom Placey, Bradford, VT
8. JeffRobbins, Jr., Woodsville, NH
9. TerryWilliams, Wells River, VT
10. Jason Horniak, Bradford, VT
11. # Josh Constantine, East Corinth, VT
12. Buster Kathan, Ludlow, VT
13. # Rick Fletcher, East Corinth, VT
14. Martin Mastic, Bradford, VT
15. # Jerry Catterall, Piermont, NH
16. # Dylan Hayward, East Corinth, VT
17. Teddy Salomaa, Bradford, VT
18. Mike McGinley, East Barre, VT
19. Jason Colbeth, Newbury, VT
20. Bert Gallison, Washington, VT
HeatWinners: Steve Ellsworth, Jeremy Beckley
A Notch Above AutomotiveLimited Late Model “Madness” Feature – Overall Finish (15 laps x 3)
1. JordanFornwalt, Bradford, VT
2. BrianChaffee, West Topsham, VT
3. MikeGreene, Jr., Pike, NH
4. #Sam Comeau, Hebron, NH
5. MattEllsworth, Corinth, VT
6. #Travis King, Corinth, VT
7. #Val Lund, Vershire, VT
SegmentWinners: Mike Greene, Jordan Fornwalt, Jordan Fornwalt
Weglarz Property ServiceFast Four Feature (20 laps)
1. KevinHarran, St. Johnsbury, VT
2. TimMartin, White River Junction, VT
3. DannyDoyle, Roxbury, VT
4. SteveBell, St. Johnsbury, VT
5. ChuckSimmons, Bradford, VT
6. BillySimmons, Bradford, VT
7. SteveSheldon, St. Johnsbury, VT
8. BobbyBell, St. Johnsbury, VT
HeatWinner: Billy Simmons
KDD NAPA Auto PartsHornet Feature (20 laps)
1. EricLang, Groton, VT
2. #Allen Birch, St. Johnsbury, VT
3. #Brandon Gray, East Thetford, VT
4. CharlieLakin, Groton, VT
5. AndyMooney, Danville, VT
6. DonReynolds, Springfield, VT
7. CarlSweet, East Corinth, VT
8. #Ryan Farnham, Fairlee, VT
9. MikeRyan, Chelsea, VT
10. # Eric Post, Royalton, VT
11. Mike Lique, West Lebanon, NH
12. # Ethan Byrd, Barre, VT
13. Stephen Armstrong, Quechee, VT
14. J.T. Descoteaux, Concord, VT
15. # Jessica Florio, Passumpsic, VT
DidNot Start: Donna Racine, St. Johnsbury, VT
HeatWinners: Charlie Lakin, Eric Lang
Granite State MiniSprint 600cc Feature (20 laps)
1. RichCrooker, Nashua, NH
2. JakeWilliams, Center Tuftonboro, NH
3. ScottPreston, Monkton, VT
4. T-MikeEaton, East Falmouth, MA
5. #Lyman Bryden
6. LaceyHanson, Orwell, VT
7. SpencerAllen, Plainfield, NH
HeatWinner: Rich Crooker
Granite State MiniSprint 500cc Feature (20 laps)
1. #Dylan Rock, Enfield, NH
2. DougBoisvert, East Andover, NH
3. KyleBelliveau, Hopkinton, NH
4. PeterBelliveau, Hopkinton, NH
5. PatrickSmith, East Andover, NH
6. #Tyler Farnham, Fairlee, VT
7. StephenHutchinson, Manchester, NH
8. #Brandon Berry, Center Ossipee, NH
9. LauryClark, Salisbury, NH
10. # Shenia Covey
11. # Eva LeClair
12. # Lauren Boisvert, East Andover, NH
13. # Jordan LaCroix, Enfield, NH
14. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
HeatWinners: Kyle Belliveau, Lacey Hanson
Enduro (50 laps)
1. JustinSt. Louis, West Addison, VT
2. SteveStone, St. Johnsbury, VT
3. PhilTanner, St. Johnsbury, VT