Jeff Burgess of Fairfield nailed down his second feature race victory this season in the 35-lap Late Model main event at Unity Raceway Saturday night.
Burgess, who held a narrow, one-point win in his defense of the Unity Raceway track championship over Burnham’s Brian Whitney entering the night’s action, stalked Whitney throughout the race, finally making his move to the point with only three laps remaining.
Whitney, already a two-time winner in early-season action, had to settle for second after setting the pace for 30 laps. Three-time track champion Frank Moulton of Burnham crossed the finish line in third position, followed by Ajay Picard of Palmyra. Mark Dodge of Unity, who led the first two circuits, rounded out the top five. Whitney won the heat race.
Cherryfield’s Ryan Beale took the lead for good on the 7th lap of the 35 lap Pepsi Beverage Company series event at Speedway 95 Saturday night becoming the first two time winner in the division in 2012. The lead swapped three times in the first 6 laps as water spilling from a car near the back of the field caused the track to become slippery for the first few laps, but dried up quickly enough so a caution was’nt deemed necessary. Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington started from the pole after winning the qualifier earlier in the program and led the first 6 laps until Shelby Kimball of Cornville was able to take the point when McLaughlin slipped in the water. Kimball’s lead was short-lived though as she, too, had to slow momentarily, allowing Beale to take the lead for good on lap 7. McLaughlin then got back by Kimball but was unable to catch Beale in the caution free race. Beale maintained a three car length advantage for most of the distance, with McLaughlin closing at times as the leaders lapped slower traffic, but was unable to make a challenge for the lead. McLaughlin finished second with Kimball finishing third, about three car lengths behind McLaughlin. Jim Carr of Clifton and Cody Brassbridge of Frankfort rounded out the top five in that order.
Ben Ashline, of Pittston, ME dominated the American Canadian Tour Armed Forces 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, May 20 to pick up his first ever ACT victory in only his second full season. He was followed to the line by Hudson, NH’s Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., and Oxford Regular Jeff White of Winthrop, ME. Brent Dragon of Milton, VT and Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, ME rounded out the top five.
Starting on the outside of pole sitter Rowland Robinson, Jr., Polewarczyk jumped to the early lead and looked like the car to beat. After a lap 35 caution, White flew to the top spot in the outside lane, but his lead was short lived after a challenge from young Ashline who stormed from the 13th starting position. The 2011 ACT Rookie of the Year rose to the challenge after two disappointing finishes in the first three events and put any ideas of a sophomore slump to rest, dominating the field for the remainder of the event. (more…)
Crate engines sweep top three; Bushey grabs first career Late Model win
Teenage stock car driver Jessey Mueller scored a Triple Crown victory in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Trophy Dash at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday afternoon. The 17 year-old from Olmstedville, NY swept his qualifying heat, the bonus-points semi-feature, and the 35-lap main event for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action.
Mueller started eighth in the 18-car field and quickly moved into the top three. He dogged leader Hunter Bates for several laps before poking his No. 19 Mueller & Sons Heavy Duty Towing-sponsored Bicknell out front at laps 10 and 11. Sixteen year-old Bates, of Middlebury, VT, regained the lead at lap 12 and held it until Mueller drove around him again on the outside at lap 27. (more…)
NEWTON, Iowa — Closer and closer to that first victory each time out this season, Chase Elliott was able to take home the checkered flag Saturday at Iowa Speedway in the Graham Tire 150 for his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series triumph.
Mike Brightman of Acushnet shook off the bad week two he had, and bounced back to pick up his first win of the season in the A.R.C. Pro Stocks. Brightman started third on the grid, and ran there for the first several laps, until Tom Scully Jr and Fred Astle made contact, sending both to the rear. On the restart, Mighty Mike was able to move his Impact Collision Parts Ford past Dick Houlihan, and then slid under polesitter and leader Ken Spencer, Once out front, there was no looking back for the former Late Model Champion.
Kevin Casper had his best run in the Pro Stocks, picking up the second spot. At one point, he fell back to third, when Tom Scully Jr slid by, but was able to move his Phil’s Propane Ford back by the Jr Scully. While he was able to close the distance a bit on Brightman, he was unable to get past. Scully Jr held on for third, while Dave Darling and Ryan Vanasse rounded out the top five. Both Darling and Vanasse had to come from the back after a lap nine spin sent both drivers out of contention. (more…)
After a heat race in which he finished first by only leading the final 15 feet, defending USAC DMA champion “Flatfoot Joe” Krawiec of Bristol, CT turned in a dominating performance to win the 25 lap feature at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday night.
Starting sixth, Krawiec took the lead on lap six from David Rose, Jr. of Keene, NH, who had also won a heat, but suffered a mechanical failure in the feature.
Krawiec’s teammate and season opener winner Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT raced his way from 13th to finish second, but was unable to mount a serious assault for the lead. Young Tim Gallant of Wales, MA showed both speed and car control to come from eighth and finish third, while former Sprint Car chauffer Scott Holcomb of Granby, CT charged from 14th to earn the fourth place finish. In only his second start in a Midget, Chase Dowling of Roxbury finished an impressive fifth after starting 12th. (more…)
PITKAT, ST. HILAIRE, HINES, & WOOD ALSO SCORE MAY 18th FEATURE WINS
(Stafford Springs, CT)— Stafford Speedway was back on track with the Xtra
Mart DARE Stock Xtra D program on Friday night, May 18th. Albert Saunders
drove to victory in the extra distance 20-lap DARE Stock feature to score
his second consecutive feature victory. Woody Pitkat was the winner of a
wild and thrilling 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Mark St. Hilaire was
the a first time winner in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Tyler Hines was a
first time winner in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, and Josh Wood
scored his third consecutive Limited Late Model feature victory of the 2012
season in the 20-lap feature. (more…)
Hattori Racing Enterprises had a dominating day at Iowa Speedway for the Graham Tire 150 on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Hometown hero, Brett Moffitt won his second consecutive pole position and dominated the 150-lap event until contact after a restart with a rookie driver at lap 143. Moffitt held on to finish 5th.
Brett Moffitt, driver of the #11 Castle Packs Power Toyota Camry earned his second Coors 21 Pole position in a row by setting the fast time of 23.829 for qualifying. He was the first car to qualify and was never bumped from the pole.
“The car was real good in qualifying,” Grimes, IA native, Moffitt stated. “We were fast in practice, but I was not at all happy with the way the car was handling. I was real tight and just couldn’t get through the corners. But just like at Richmond, my guys worked their guts out and gave me a fast car for the race.” (more…)
Jeff Burgess of Fairfield nailed down his second feature race victory this season in the 35-lap Late Model main event at Unity Raceway Saturday night.
Mike Brightman of Acushnet shook off the bad week two he had, and bounced back to pick up his first win of the season in the A.R.C. Pro Stocks. Brightman started third on the grid, and ran there for the first several laps, until Tom Scully Jr and Fred Astle made contact, sending both to the rear. On the restart, Mighty Mike was able to move his Impact Collision Parts Ford past Dick Houlihan, and then slid under polesitter and leader Ken Spencer, Once out front, there was no looking back for the former Late Model Champion. 