Unity, Maine — Burnham racers Frank Moulton and Carl McAlpine took different routes to victory lane, but both were on top of the official order of finish after double-point, 50-lap features, topping the Champions Appreciation Day racing card Sunday afternoon at Unity Raceway.
Moulton extended his lead in the Late Model division championship standings with his victory. Though he started on the front row and led the vast majority of the 50 laps, Moulton did not go unchallenged, and in fact yielded the top spot briefly on a couple of occasions to Winterport’s Joey Doyon, who roared from the back of the field into contention until electrical woes eliminated him from contention with ten laps to go. Palmyra racers Ajay and Louie Picard also challenged Moulton briefly following restarts, but the point leader prevailed. Ajay Picard finished in second position, with David Folsom II of Skowhegan claiming third-place spoils. Louie Picard was fourth, followed by Dylan Turner of Freedom. Moulton also won the heat race.
Defending Wildcat division champion McAlpine actually crossed the line in second position after a racelong battle with Winslow’s Andy Turbovsky, who has been his chief obstacle when it has come to dominating victory lane in the class. Turbovsky got to the checkered flag first, but the win was negated in post-race technical inspection for a carburetor violation. Apparent third-place finisher Mike St.Germaine of Auburn also ran afoul of the inspectors. In the official order of finish it became a podium sweep for Burnham racers, with McAlpin e getting the victory ahead of Brent Chase and Chris King. Luke Rickards of Anson and Ed Sleeper of Vassalboro. King was the first legal car across the finish line in the heat race.
The touring NELCAR Legends were on hand, and Max Zachem of Preston, Connecticut drove from the rear of the grid into the lead at the halfway point of a 20-lap feature race, then went on to win convincingly. Windham teenager Bobby Timmons put on a strong performance en route to a second-place finish. Topsham’s Bobby Weymouth claimed the third-place trophy. Tyler Jordan of Scarborough, who led the first half of the maine event, ended up with a fourth-place finish, followed by Lincoln’s Alan Smith. Terry Kirk, Kendall Curit, Ed Getty, Foret Boucher and Evan Beaulieu rounded out the top ten, followed by Brandon Ingalls and Tyler Braunschweig.
Brian Janik drove from the rear to the front to win the Wicked Good Vintage Race Car Association feature race. Bob Hill finished second, with Keith Fuller, Jr in third position. 70-year-old former track champion Dick McPhail led the first half of the race before yielding to the top three, driving under the checkered flag in fourth place. Norris Willette finished in fifth position.
David Folsom I of Skowhegan outran Madsion’s Mike Moore and George Fernald III of Benton in the Enduro race.
“Fernald Frenzy” special events were a part of Champions Appreciation Day, which also featured an on-track pit party where champions like Hall of Famer Blackie Hilliard – one of Unity Raceway’s earliest champions – was honored, as was the youngest champion on hand, current Late Model Pro Four competitor Ben Nile, a recent champion of the track’s Teen Thunder division.
The ‘Frenzy’ special events were capped by a Minivan Demolition Derby won by Skowhegan’s David Folsom II. Benton’s George Fernald III was the best of the rest, with the third-place trophy going to Justin Moore of Madison.
The always-entertaining Ramp Race was won by David Folsom I, in front of Shadow Folsom and Mike Moore.
David Folsom I of Skowhegan bested Lance Chapman of Benton in a best of three final in the Race Your Neighbor event, featuring street-legal passenger cars squaring off, one-on-one. Folsom drove his wife’s Impala to victory lane, thanked her, and told her from victory lane that she could have the $160 prize.
Lance Chapman and Samantha Letourneau won the Jack & Jill race, which needs to be seen to be understood. Cody Sleeper and Mika Wilson teamed up to finish second, ahead of Ben Nile and his young partner.
Chapman and Letourneau went on to provide the biggest crowd thrill of the day when they crashed in spectacular fashion during the Bag Race. After a red flag period prompted by that incident, Justin Moore and David Folsom II teamed up to win the event in front of Shadow Folsom and George Fernald III.
And Fast Freddy Landry was best in the Longest Ramp Jump competition, beating out the event’s most recent champion, Mike Moore.
Weekly competition resumes with all nine regular classes in action beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night. August 21 Unity Raceway hosts NWA on Fire Wrestling & Racing, with a full professional wrestling card and nin feature races scheduled. For more information call (207) 453-2021 or visit unityraceway.info