Unity, Maine – Jeff Burgess of East Madison outdueled Will Collins of Waldoboro to earn his fifth Late Model feature race victory of the season at Unity Raceway Saturday night. The triumph vaulted Burgess to the top of the championship standings by a narrow margin over Skowhegan’s David Folsom, who finished sixth after a late-race spin.
David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II set the pace for the first half of the 35-lap main event, with Collins taking command after a long, spirited battle for the top spot that also included Freedom’s Dylan Turner. After a spin cost Turner a shot at victory, Burgess and Collins raced for the lead side-by-side for several laps.
Burgess prevailed after a late-race restart and outraced Collins to the checkered flag, with Washington’s John Rideout capping a strong run with a season-best third-place finish. Deuce Folsom and rookie Ben Clark of Clinton rounded out the top five. Deuce Folsom and Burgess won heat races.
Mo Young of Chelsea extended his point lead in the Keystone Automotive Industries Wildcat division’s championship standings with a wire-to-wire victory in that 25-lap race. Behind Young there was action aplenty, with multi-time division kingpin Carl McAlpine of Burnham claiming runner-up honors in front of reigning Wildcat champion Chris King of Burnham, who had wrecked and failed to finish the heat race. Kris Matchett of Skowhegan was fourth under the checkered flag, with the previous week’s winner, Ed Sleeper of Vassalboro, rounding out the top five. McAlpine won the heat race.
Austin Clemons of Norridgewock took top honors on the final points-earning night for the Teen Thunder class, wrapping up the track championship in the process. Burnham racer Emily McAlpine was the second-place finisher, and also ended up second in the season-long rankings. Kyle Jackson of Fairfield picked up the third-place trophy, in front of Derek Pariseau of Brooks and Montville’s Cody Robbins. Colby Robbins of Montville won the heat race.
Steve Rackliff of Starks led all the way in the 20-lap Late Model Pro Four division feature event. Rackliff was chased all the way by Augusta’s Norm Cummings, Jr., who finished a close second in his best run of the season to date. Points leader Lance Chapman of Benton claimed the third-place trophy. Tim Robinson of Clinton and Parkman’s Bill Ellis rounded out the top five. Rackliff also wired the heat race.
Zach Audet of Skowhegan continued his march toward a Monster Mini division championship with another 20-lap main event score. Greg Cummings of Augusta won the battle of the yellow Pintos, outdueling Richard Jackson of Charlestown for runner-up honors. Brad Bosworth of Cornville was fourth, followed by Matt Shaw of Burnham. Audet won the heat race.
In the closest finish of the evening, Brad Bosworth of Cornville held off an impressive late charge by younger brother Jayson Bosworth to claim victory by inches in the 20-lap Flyin’ 4 feature race. Jayson charged from the back of a restart lineup after being involved in a crash midway through the event and clearly had the faster car, running out of time to get by his big brother as the checkered flag flew. Nate Tribbett of Pittston picked up second straight third-place trophy after battling for the lead for several laps. Point leader Kyle Robinson of Clinton finished fourth in a borrowed ride, with the top-five filled out by Bruce Nickerson of Norridgewock. Jayson Bosworth won the heat race.
Eric Peavey of Clinton ended a long winning streak, getting by division dominator Chad Folsom of Skowhegan on the final lap to claim victory in the 20-lap Challenger division main event. Waterville’s Ken Lord led most of the race before Folsom went by, and ended up with a third-place finish. First-time Challenger racer Bill Sodulskey of Fairfield was fourth across the line, chased across the stripe by Louie Stillman of Clinton.
Racing continues every Saturday at 6:00 p.m. throughout September, leading up to the annual Long John Weekend on October 7-8. For more information call (207) 453-2021 or visit unityraceway.info
Late Model (35 laps): 1. X Jeff Burgess, East Madison; 2. 25 Will Collins, Waldoboro; 3. 3 John Rideout, Washington; 4. 75 David Folsom II, Skowhegan; 5. 21 Ben Clark, Clinton; 6. 15 David Folsom I, Skowhegan; 7. 51 Tyler Robbins, Montville; 8. 21x Nick Huff, Orrington; 9. 9 Dylan Turner, Freedom; 10. 50 Scott Pooler, Vassalboro; 11. 7 Brian Gullifer, Farmington; 12. 7x Danny Smart, Buxton; 13. 14 Dave St. Clair, Liberty.
Keystone Automotive Wildcat (25 laps): 1. 03 Maurice Young, Chelsea; 2. 18 Carl McAlpine, Burnham; 3. 29 Chris King, Burnham; 4. 17 Kris Matchett, Skowhegan; 5. 22 Ed Sleeper, Vassalboro; 6. 9 Wayne Ripley, Warren; 7. 82 Mike Moore, Smithfield; 8. 24 Ed Gilblair, Skowhegan; 9. 16 Mike Shaw, Troy; 10. 8 Jerry Robbins, Montville.
Late Model Pro Four (20 laps): 1. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 2. 26 Norm Cummings, Jr., Augusta; 3. 19 Lance Chapman, Benton; 4. 53 Tim Robinson, Clinton; 5. 5 Bill Ellis, Parkman.
Monster Mini (20 laps): 1. 19 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 2. 2 Greg Cummings, Augusta; 3. 53 Richard Jackson, Charlestown; 4. 15 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 5. 09 Matt Shaw, Burnham; 6. 81 Paul Shorrette, Waterville.
Flyin’ 4 (20 laps): 1. 15 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 2. 51 Jayson Bosworth, Cornville; 3. 04 Nate Tribbett, Pittston; 4. 01 Kyle Robinson, Clinton; 5. 11 Bruce Nickerson, Noridgewock; 6. 94 Mika Wilson, Chelsea; 7. 22x Bob Gerard, Vassalboro; 8. 61 Cole Robinson, Clinton; 9. 21 Shadow Folsom, Skowhegan.
Challenger (20 laps): 1. 44 Eric Peavey, Clinton; 2. 16 Chad Folsom, Skowhegan; 3. 84 Ken Lord, Waterville; 4. 19 Bill Sodulsky, Fairfield; 5. ? Louie Stillman, Clinton; 6. 41 Rob Paddock, Clinton; 7. 45x Nick Jackson, Fairfield; 8. 7 Troy Rusconi, Clinton; 9. 88 Henry Boudreau, Bristol; 10. 86 Rick Sirois, Noddigewock; 11. 45 Mike Stowe, Waterville; 12. 96 Samantha Farnham, Benton.
Teen Thunder (15 laps0: 1. 21 Austin Clemons, Norridgewock; 2. 18 Emily McAlpine, Burnham; 3. 01 Kyle Jackson, Fairfield; 4. 34 Derek Pariseau, Brooks; 5. 1 Cody Robbins, Montville; 6. 15 Colby Robbins, Montville; 7. 11 April McAlpine, Burnham; 8. 88 Wes Turner, Montville; 9. 45 Nick Stowe, Waterville.
Enduro (15 laps): 1. 18 John McCarron, Newport; 2. 56 Paul Jackson, Augusta; 3. 35 Kersley santos, Waterville; 4. 94 Mika Wilson, Chelsea; 5. 45 Mike Stowe, Waterville; 6. Josh Spencer; 7. 19 Christie Foster, Norridgewock; 8. 95 Dustin Switzer, Waterville; 9. 63 Troy Rusconi, Clinton; 10. 43 Justin Switzer, Woonsocket, RI.