Clean sweep for Kyle Mooney, first win for Avery Spear in 2009 kart opener

OXFORD, Maine – A double victory and feature wins by three different drivers making their first regular-season start in a new division highlighted Friday night's seventh season opener in the JARRacing Photography Go Kart Series at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Kyle Mooney, tackling both Box Stock and Purple Plate divisions after a sensational freshman season in the former ranks last summer, held off Brandon Varney to capture both of his 20-lap main events.

Lap leaders: Mooney 1-20.

Avery Spear celebrated his first win in three seasons of trying with a wire-to-wire triumph in the Gold Plate finale.

Reigning Gold Plate champion David Blackwell led every lap of both his heat race and main event in the Unrestricted class.
Other winners were multi-time division champions Mike Ricker (Star Champ) and Troy Davis (Blue Plate).

Mooney led the entire Box Stock sprint ahead of Varney and Ethan Brown.
His Purple Plate debut offered a more difficult challenge, with Varney leading laps 2 to 13 before Mooney took control. Heat winner Zachary Rich made it a three-car battle at the finish before settling for the show trophy.

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Spear was the only Gold Plate kart on the lead lap, but that's deceiving. Spencer Thompson applied pressure throughout until spinning in the final corner while racing to the white flag. Rookie Cody Wilson captured third.

Blackwell had his hands full with Dan Pelletier Jr. for the entire, caution-free Unrestricted main. Impressive rookie Brandon Douglas joined the fray, charging from seventh to third and catching the leaders with five laps to go.

It was Blackwell by two car lengths at the finish, with Pelletier hanging on for second. Kayla Ashline warded off Kyle Metivier in a superb scrap for fourth.

Davis, who owns the second most wins in OPS kart history, overtook rookie Wade Blanchette on lap 8 of the Blue Plate battle. Davis reportedly will be ready to join the Gold Plate group as early as next week.

Blanchette bested two-time Purple Plate champion Evan Armington and Varney in a three-car tangle for second.

Ricker ruled all but one lap of the Star Champ scramble, getting around qualifying round winner and early leader Erwin Carey.

Carey's spin enabled two-time defending division champ Stephen Beattie to claim second.
The JARRacing karts are back in action next Friday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m.

OPS holiday weekend action continues Saturday with Oxford Federal Credit Union Night, featuring five divisions of racing and a huge fireworks display. Qualifying races commence at 6:30 p.m.

UNRESTRICTED (20 laps): 1. David Blackwell, Brunswick; 2. Dan Pelletier Jr., East Poland; 3. Brandon Douglas, West Paris; 4. Kayla Ashline, Pittston; 5. Kyle Metivier, Lisbon; 6. Leo Jolin III, Rumford; 7. Nate Knowles, Dixfield; 8. Josh Brown, South Paris.
Heat winner: Blackwell.
Lap leaders: Blackwell 1-20.

STAR CHAMP (20 laps): 1. Mike Ricker, Sebago; 2. Stephen Beattie, Conway, N.H.; 3. Erwin Carey, Mexico.
Heat winner: Carey.
Lap leaders: Carey 1, Ricker 2-20.

GOLD PLATE (20 laps): 1. Avery Spear, Oxford; 2. Spencer Thompson, Oxford; 3. Cody Wilson, West Paris.
Heat winner: Thompson.
Lap leaders: Spear 1-20.

BLUE PLATE (20 laps): 1. Troy Davis, Windham; 2. Wade Blanchette, Buxton; 3. Evan Armington, Lovell; 4. Brandon Varney, Lewiston; 5. Jacob Hendsbee, Whitefield; 6. Chris Staples Jr., Brunswick; 7. Gabe Seavey, Conway, N.H.
Heat winner: Davis.
Lap leaders: Blanchette 1-7, Davis 8-20.

PURPLE PLATE (20 laps): 1. Kyle Mooney, New Gloucester; 2. Brandon Varney, Lewiston; 3. Zachary Rich, Casco; 4. Owen Poisson, Brunswick; 5. Nick McNelly, Oxford; 6. Garrett Tinker, Gray.
Heat winner: Rich.
Lap leaders: Poisson 1-2, Varney 3-13, Mooney 14-20.

BOX STOCK (20 laps): 1. Kyle Mooney, New Gloucester; 2 . Brandon Varney, Lewiston; 3. Ethan Brown, South Paris; 4. Chase Staples, Durham; 5. Ethan Matot, Casco.
Heat winner: Mooney.