Chadwick's grocery getter outruns Parlin's
old Wednesday ride in Enduro showdown
Charlie Webster waits his turn, takes 4-cylinder victory
OXFORD, Maine – At first inspection, Ryan Chadwick's unpretentious, white station wagon appears more fast than functional. The only remote tip-off to its current incarnation as a race car is the red, crudely painted No. 2 on its door panels.
Well, looks are deceiving. Chadwick led all 50 laps of his full-size Enduro on Sunday afternoon, turning back two late charges by Gerald Parlin to pick up a Motor Mayhem checkered flag.
Charlie Webster exercised patience and ultimately pulled away with the 4-cylinder Enduro victory, highlighting the first old-style Enduro events at OPS in five years. In the traditional Motor Mayhem favorites, Bruce Berry prevailed in Spectator Drags and Mike Crockett was voted top performer in the Smoky Donut Show.
In the full-size finale, Parlin settled for second in his Chimney Tech/Oxford Hills Tazi #8. It's an only slightly scaled back version of the Outlaw cars that compete in the Acceleration Series on Wednesday nights.
He took two of his best shots at the leader, however, first making contact that sent both cars sideways with six laps remaining. After the gentlemanly maneuver of giving Chadwick a little daylight to atone for his first maneuver, Parlin zeroed in on the Oxford newcomer's back bumper again in the final turn before falling a car length short.
"This is my second time out with the car. I finished third (at another track) a couple weeks ago, so it seems to be going good," said Chadwick, who won $500 for his efforts … or roughly twice the car's resale value if it were still roaming the highways.
Parlin picked up $200 for his runner-up finish. After telltale smoke leaked from the rear of the car off-and-on for almost the entire race, Parlin's machine coughed to a stop almost as if on cue as it crossed the stripe.
"That was all it had," said Parlin. "I backed off a little because I got into him. I locked up the brakes."
Dennis Damon didn't finish on the lead lap. In the spirit of an Enduro, however, he soldiered on and took third when tire troubles sidetracked Patrick Daggett and Rhode Island visitor Jeff Moffett.
"That was too much like fun," Damon said. "How about some more?"
When asked if he plans to return for round two on Sunday, July 8, Damon didn't hesitate.
"Very cool," he said. "She's still ticking, isn't she?"
Faithful spectators who turned out on the drizzly, cold afternoon were treated to a surprise. Ticket stubs to Sunday's race are good for free admission to anyone presenting one at the gate on July 8.
Light rain fell throughout the twin, 50-lap Enduros, adding another wrinkle to a tricky track layout that also featured strategically placed, giant truck tires in the turns and on the backstretch.
Webster watched Jeff Moulton and Zach Audet lead early and saw five red flags sort out the field before he took over the 4-cylinder advantage on lap 29.
With his one working windshield wiper flapping away, Webster kept Ken Beasley, the only remaining car on the lead lap, at a safe distance down the stretch.
"It had to be the rain that was making those corners awful slippery," said Webster, who drives a different car in the Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel division during the Acceleration campaign. "It made the car squirrely, but I guess I needed something to slow me down."
Getting around the oval in a junkyard car without a roll cage was a new experience for Beasley.
"I tell you what, this is crazy," Beasley said. "I've never driven in anything like this. I've driven a Pro Stock before, and this scares me!"
Craig Bartlett drove a consistent race to claim third in front of Devon Smith and Moulton.
The race was marred by separate rollovers on the first lap. Both drivers, Patrick McKinnon and Randy Philpot, were unhurt.
Berry ruled another round of Spectator Drags by sweeping Kim Beaudet in the best-of-three final.
Crockett quickly won over fans with his potent pickup truck and upset multi-time winner Mike St. Germain in the donut contest.
July 8, August 5 and August 26 are the remaining Mayhem dates in 2007.
Oxford's Acceleration Series hits the track this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and it's a big weekend coming up for the region's Late Model drivers. Round two of the lucrative L/A Harley-Davidson Challenge is set for Saturday, with qualifying for the 100-lap main event set for 6:30 p.m.
TOP FINISHERS
FULL-SIZE (50 laps): 1. Ryan Chadwick, Wiscasset; 2. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 3. Dennis Damon, Oxford; 4. Charlie Hall, Oxford; 5. Patrick Daggett, New Sharon; 6. Jeff Moffett, Warwick, R.I.; 7. Keith Landry, Oxford; 8. Don Veinott, Sabattus; 9. Ralph Felker, Poland.
4-CYLINDER (50 laps): 1. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 2. Ken Beasley, Richmond; 3. Craig Bartlett, Denmark; 4. Devon Smith, Norway; 5. Jeff Moulton, Buckfield; 6. Ken Marston, Hartford; 7. Ben Weisner, New Gloucester; 8. Tory Hutchinson, Poland.
SPECTATOR DRAGS: 1. Bruce Berry, New Gloucester; 2. Kim Beaudet, Poland.
SMOKY DONUT SHOW: 1. Mike Crockett, Buxton; 2. Mike St. Germain, Auburn.
