Tim Turner returns, conquers Unity Raceway Late Models
Unity, Maine — Tim Turner of Freedom was no stranger to victory lane when weekly Pro Stock racing topped the card at Unity Raceway. For the past couple of seasons Tim has been hard at work passing the baton to a third generation of successful Turner wheelman, son Dylan – a multi-race winner in the track’s premiere Late Model division.
The elder Turner decided he’d knock off some rust on Saturday night, and drove to victory lane 35-lap Late Model feature after swapping the lead late in the event with East Madison’s Jeff Burgess, the track’s second-ranked driver in the championship standings.
Burgess and Chad Dow of Fairfield swapped the lead in the early stages of the race, while Tim and Dylan Turner traded third and fourth positions. A backstretch melee a half-lap into a restart collected more than half the field, effectively removing Dow and the younger Turner from contention.
Burgess claimed runner-up honors after a hard-fought battle, closing the gap in the championship war ever so slightly as he chases points leader David Folsom I of Skowhegan, who was third under the checkered flag. Tyler Robbins and Craig Robbins, both from Montville, rounded out the top five. Dow and Josh St. Clair of Liberty won heat races.
Mo Young of Chelsea helped his championship quest out with another triumph in the 25-lap Keystone Automotive Industries Wildcat division main event. Young had to get by multi-time champion Carl McAlpine to take the lead, then held off reigning titlist Chris King of Burnham to post the victory. Young, King and McAlpine were followed by Skowhegan’s Kris Matchett and Ed Sleeper of Vassalboro. Matchett won the heat race.
Zach Audet of Skowhegan romped to victory in the 20-lap Monster Mini main event, inheriting the lead when front running Tim Robinson of Clinton was sidelined just past the halfway point. Brad Bosworth of Cornville was the best of the rest, with Hudson’s Richard Jackson not far behind in third position. Farmingdale’s Tim Collins was fourth, followed by reigning division champion Mike Wilson of Chelsea. Audet also won the heat race.
Tim Robinson cruised to victory aboard the Jimmy Dennis 38 in an uneventful 20-lap race for the Late Model Pro Four class. Defending champion Steve Racliff of Starks was the runner-up, followed by point leader Lance Chapman of Benton. Norm Cummings, Jr. was the fourth-place finisher. Robinson won the heat race.
Jayson Bosworth of Cornville returned to victory lane after outrunning big brother Brad to the checkered flag in the 20-lap feature race for the Flyin’ 4 division. Nate Tribbett of Pittston claimed his first podium finish at Unity Raceway with a third-place run. Clinton’s Cole Robinson was next across the line, followed by Mika Wilson of Chelsea.
Chad Folsom of Skowhegan extended his winning streak in an otherwise increasingly-competitive Challenger division. Eric Peavey of Clinton led the vast majority of the 20-lapper before he found Folsom alongside for a late-race restart. Peavey collected another runner-up trophy, with Unity’s David Aldrich impressive in wheeling a rented ride to a trophy position. Waterville racers Ken Lord and Mike Stowe rounded out the top five. Peavey and Folsom won heat races.
Teen Thunder was in the spotlight with an extended, 30-lap feature race on the card, and Emily McAlpine of Burnham drove to a popular victory before an arriving crowd, her second feature triumph of the season. Kyle Jackson of Fairfield, in his best performance of the season, claimed runner-up honors. The podium was filled out by the winner’s younger sister, April McAlpine. Reigning division champion Wes Turner and Cody Robbins, both from Montville, rounded out the top five. April McAlpine won the heat.
Christie Foster of Norridgewock nailed down her first career feature race win in the 20-lap enduro race, outrunning Vassalboro’s Ed Sleeper to the night’s final; checkered flag. Newport’s John McCarron, the previous week’s winner, ended up in third position.
The Big John 59 Late Model race highlight’s Saturday night’s card at Unity Raceway on August 27. Several invaders have entered the richest race of the season thus far for the premiere class at Maine’s toughest racing oval. Post time is 6:00 p.m. For more information call (207) 453-2021 or visit unityraceway.info
Late Model (35 laps): 1. 7 Tim Turner, Freedom; 2. X Jeff Burgess, East Madison; 3. 15 David Folsom I, Skowhegan; 4. 34 Tyler Robbins, Montville; 5. 51 Craig Robbins, Montville; 6. 11 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty; 7. 50 Scott Pooler, Vassalboro; 8. 7x Danny Smart, Buxton; 9. 12 Seth Raven, Waldo; 10. 9 Dylan Turner, Freedom; 11. 20 Corey Walker, Strong; 12. 04x Chad Dow, Fairfield; 13. 25 Will Collins, Waldoboro; 14. 09 Ed Drake, Vassalboro; 15. 33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty; 16. 3 John Rideout, Washington; 17. 21 Ben Clark, Clinton; 18. 75 David Folsom II, Skowhegan.
Keystone Automotive Wildcat (25 laps): 1. 03 Maurice Young, Chelsea; 2. 29 Chris King, Burnham; 3. 18 Carl McAlpine, Burnham; 4. 17 Kris Matchett, Skowhegan; 5. 22 Ed Sleeper, Vassalboro; 6. 9 Wayne Ripley, Waldoboro; 7. 24 Ed Gilblair, Skowhegan; 8. 5x Rodney Turner, Montville; 9. 15 Michael Anderson, Barrington, NH; 10. 33 Dan Trask, Chelsea.
Late Model Pro Four (20 laps): 1. 38 Tim Robinson, Clinton; 2. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 3. 64 Lance Chapman, Benton; 4. 26 Norm Cummings, Jr., Augusta.
Monster Mini (20 laps): 1. 19 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 2. 15 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 3. 53 Richard Jackson, Hudson; 4. 18 Tim Collins, Farmingdale; 5. 94 Mike Wilson, Chelsea; 6. 23 Tim Robinson, Clinton; 7. 22 Greg Cummings, Augusta.
Flyin’ 4 (20 laps): 1. 51 Jayson Bosworth, Cornville; 2. 15 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 3. 04 Nate Tribbett, Pittston; 4. 61 Cole Robinson, Clinton; 5. 94 Mika Wilson, Chelsea; 6. 62 Kyle Robinson, Clinton; 7. 10 Mike Dulaney, Richmond; 8. 11 Bruce Nickerson, Norridgewock; 9. 22x Bob Gerard, Vassalboro; 10. 54 Donald Giggey, Athens; 11. 60 Matt Glover, Rumford; 12. 97 Merv Greene, Clinton; 13. 06 Corey Fields.
Challenger (20 laps): 1. 15 Chad Folsom, Skowhegan; 2. 44 Eric Peavey, Clinton; 3. 16 David Aldrich, Unity; 4. 84 Ken Lord, Waterville; 5. 45 Mike Stowe, Waterville; 6. ? Louie Stillman, Clinton; 7. 4 Jackson Aldrich, Waterville; 8. 96 Samantha Farnham, Benton; 9. 45x Nick Jackson, Waterville; 10. 88 Henry Boudreau, Bristol; 11. 17 Matthew Conant, Lewiston; 12. 19 Matt Shockey, Waterville; 13. 86 Rick Sirois, Norridgewock; 14. 7 Troy Rusconi, Clinton.
Teen Thunder (30 laps): 1. 18 Emily McAlpine, Burnham; 2. 01 Kyle Jackson, Fairfield; 3. 11 April McAlpine, Burnham; 4. 88 Wes Turner, Montville; 5. 1 Cody Robbins, Montville; 6. 15 Colby Robbins; 7. 21 Austin Clemons, Norridgewock.
Enduro (20 laps): 1. 19 Christie Foster, Norridgewock; 2. 4 Ed Sleeper, Vassalboro; 3. 18 John McCarron, Newport; 4. 35 Kersley Santos, Waterville; 5. 72 Rick Poulin, Winslow; 6. 95 Josh Switzer, Woonsocket, RI.