Second-generation racer Poncho Darveau of Chelsea came back after some time away from the sport just a week prior to claiming victory in the 35-lap Late Model feature, topping the stock car racing card at Unity Raceway Saturday night.
Other feature event winners included Ricky Burgess, Jr. (Waterville), Andy Turbovsky (Winslow), Mike Mason (Skowhegan), Mike Wilson (Chelsea), Zach Audet (New Sharon), Mika Wilson (Chelsea), Jayson Bosworth (Cornville) and Donny Silva (Hudson).
For Darveau, son of Maine racing Hall of Famer Dave Darveau, battled through the 35-lap headliner with another second-generation Unity Raceway competitor, Seth Raven of Waldo. The pair swapped the lead several times before Darveau got to the checkered flag first. Ravn claimed runner-up honors, with reigning track champion and current point leader Frank Moulton of Burnham making a late charge into third position in the closing laps. Dylan Turner of Freedom was the fourth-place finisher, with Wiscasset’s Nick Hinckley rounding out the top five. Moulton and Ben Erskine of Solon claimed heat race victories.
Ricky Burgess got to the lead quickly, built a huge advantage, then held on for a close victory over point leader Nate Weston of Madison in the Racin’ Paper Super Street division main event. Mark Dodge of Anson finished third in the car usually driven by Brad Bellows. Early race leader Nick Huff of Orrington was the fourth-place finisher, with Brian Fortin of Winslow rounding out the top five. Weston won the heat race.
Andy Turbovsky had transmission difficulties during pre-race practice, then borrowed the car normally driven by Waterville’s Ryan Robinson. Starting at the back of the field, Turbovsky methodically drove around all of his Keystone Auotmotive Industries Wildcat division rivals and into victory lane, keeping himself within one point of championship leader Chris King of Burnham in the season-long title chase. Mo Young of Chelsea, who owns the Late Model division car driven to victory by Darveau, was the runner-up, with King claiming the final podium position to stay atop the rankings. Ed Sleeper ran up front throughout the 20-lapper, spinning under the checkered flag in fourth place. Burnham’s Carl McAlpine completed the top five. Robinson won the heat race before turning his car over to Turbovsky.
Mike Mason led wire-to-wire in the 20-lap main event for Uncle Henry’s Late Model Pro Four competitors. Point leader Corey Walker of Augusta was a close second, with Kevin Douglass of Sidney third in a car usually driven by Ben Clark. Bill Ellis of Parkman was fourth, followed by Steve Rackliff of Starks in the Poochie Chase 08. Walker claimed the heat race checkered.
Reigning champion and point leader Mike Wilson made a late charge past Skowhegan’s Bryan Lancaster to earn a trip to victory lane following the Monster Energy Drink Monsta Mini feature. Lancaster easily held on to second position, with Tim Collins of Farmingdale third across the finish line. Zach Audet of New Sharon and Vassalboro’s John Fortin filled out the top five rundown. Audet was the heat race victor.
Point leader Justin Moore outdueled Zach Audet on the track in the Aable Auto Parts Flyin’ 4 class, but following post-race inspection both Moore and apparent third-place finisher Brad Bosworth of Cornville ran afoul of the technical inspectors. Matt Beers of Farmingdale ended up as the runner-up, followed by Troy’s Matt Shaw. Rodney Williams of Oakland and Kris Matchett of Skowhegan rounded out the official top-five. Audet won the heat race.
Mika Wilson of Chelsea reclaimed the point lead by a narrow margin with a victory over Chelsea Young of Winterport, who has led the standings for much of the season. Samantha Letourneau of Benton was the third-place finisher, Amanda Batchelder of Fairfield and Christie Foster of Norridgewock rounded out the top five. Wilson won the heat race.
Jayson Bosworth mounted an impressive charge from deep in the field to win round three of the Linkletter Triple Crown Series for the Geo & Sons Teen Thunder division. The victory also wrapped up the championship in the three-race series. Cole Robinson of Clinton was the second-place finisher in both the race and the series, with third position in both the race and the series standings earned by Kyle Robinson of Clinton. Wes Turner of Montville finished in fourth position, followed by Ricky Pease of Detroit. Bosworth won the heat race.
Donny Silva drove to a convincing win in the 25-lap Enduro finale. Bucksport’s Kayla Allen was second across the line, with Daymon Dodge of Troy in third position. Patrick Cook of Swanville and Jamie Knights rounded out the top five.
Two more weekly Saturday night events are scheduled for September 18 and 25 with a 5:30 p.m. post time before a couple of special events in October round out the 2010 Unity Raceway season. For more information call (207) 453-2021 or visit unityraceway.info
Late Model (35 laps): 1. 03 Poncho Darveau, Chelsea; 2. 12 Seth Raven, Waldo; 3. 15 Frank Moulton, Burnham; 4. 9 Dylan Turner, Freedom; 5. 15x Nick Hinckley, Wiscasset; 6. 09 Justin Drake, Dover-Foxcroft; 7. 22 Ajay Picard, Palmyra; 8. x15 David Folsom I, Skowhegan; 9. 10x Markus Lowe, Jackson; 10. 99 Louis Picard, Palmyra; 11. 151 David Folsom II, Skowhegan; 12. 29e Ben Erskine, Solon; 13. 23x Mike Hodgkins, Jefferson; 14. 25 Will Collins, Appleton; 15. 6 Kyle Turner, Fredom; 16. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 17. 20 Dean Fuller, Albion.
Racin’ Paper Super Street (25 laps): 1. 34 Ricky Burgess, Jr., Waterville; 2. 47 Nate Weston, Madison; 3. 73 Mark Dodge, Anson; 4. 21 Nick Huff, Orrington; 5. 03 Brian Fortin, Winslow; 6. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks.
Keystone Automotive Industries Wildcat (20 laps): 1. 14 Andy Turbovsky, Winslow; 2. 03 Maurice Young, Chelsea; 3. 29 Chris King, Burnham; 4. 22 Ed Sleeper, Vassalboro; 5. 18 Carl McAlpine, Burnham; 6. 24 Ed Gilblair, Sr., Skowhegan; 7. 00 Alex Waltz, Damariscotta; 8. 33 Eddie Gilblair, Jr., Skowhegan; 9. 7 Tasha Dyer, Arrowsic.
Uncle Henry’s Late Model Pro Four (20 laps): 1. 51 Mike Mason, Skowhegan; 2. 20 Corey Walker, Augusta; 3. 21 Kevin Douglass, Sidney; 4. 5 Bill Ellis, Parkman; 5. 08 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 6. 26 Norm Cummings, Jr., Augusta.
Monster Energy Drink Monsta Mini (20 laps): 1. 92 Mike Wilson, Chelsea; 2. 1 Dylan Lancaster, Skowhegan; 3. 18 Tim Collins, Farmingdale; 4. 19 Zach Audet, New Sharon; 5. 46 John Fortin, Vassalboro; 6. 2 Greg Cummings, Augusta; 7. 20 Pete McCollett, Readfield; 8. 64 Lance Chapman, Benton.
Aable Auto Parts Flyin’ 4 (20 laps): 1. 19 Zach Audet, New Sharon; 2. 84 Matt Beers, Farmingdale; 3. 09 Matt Shaw, Troy; 4. 77 Rodney Williams, Oakland; 5. 17 Kris Matchett, Skowhegan; 6. 1 Rich Reider, New Hampshire; 7. 57 Brian Dickey, Madison; DQ Justin Moore, Madison; DQ Brad Bosworth, Cornville.
Waterville Oaks Ladies (20 laps): 1. 92 Mika Wilson, Chelsea; 2. 18 Chelsea Young, Winterport; 3. 21 Samantha Letourneau, Benton;4. 23 Amanda Batchelder, Fairfield; 5. 25 Christie Foster, Norridgewock; DNS 00 Alica Goodwin, Clinton.
Geo & Sons Teen Thunder Linkletter & Sons Triple Crown Series (35 laps) 1. Jayson Bosworth, Cornville; 2. 61 Cole Robinson, Clinton; 3. 62 Kyle Robinson, Clinton; 4. 88 Wes Turner, Montville; 5. 20 Ricky Pease, Detroit; 6. 15 Colby Robbins, Montville; 7. 18 Emily McAlpine, Burnham; 8. 8 Mike Fernald, Benton.
Enduro (25 laps, top five of 17 finishers): 1. 71 Donny Silva, Hudson; 2. 16j Kayla Allen, Bucksport; 3. 16x Daymon Dodge, Troy; 4. 26 Patrick Cook, Swanville; 5. 60 Jamie Knights.