Brian Whitney of Burnham completed a weekend sweep of Late Model competition Sunday at Unity Raceway, leading all 34 laps in the Butch Burgess Memorial Race, honoring the late racer and race car fabricator from Oakland.
Whitney won the first heat race, earning the pole starting position alongside second heat race winner Jeff Burgess, son of the race’s namesake. Unfortunately for Burgess, the Unity Raceway reigning champion and point leader, he was in a borrowed mount seeing action for just the second time, his regular ride sidelined by engine woes. Whitney jumped into the lead, built a healthy margin, and led the entire distance in a caution free feature event.
David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II of Skowhegan, seeing action for just the second time this season, battled his way through traffic and into second position, but was unable to close the huge gap between the pack and Whitney and had to settle for runner-up honors, earning his second podium appearance of the season in just his second start. Ben Clark, a Clinton native now residing in Houston, Texas, drove a spirited race to claim the final podium finishing position.
The older generation was out in force at the Butch Burgess Memorial Race, with Louie Picard of Palmyra leading the way in the AARP-eligible category, moving through traffic flawlessly to claim a fourth-place finish in the car normally driven by his son, Ajay Picard. Burgess hung on to post a fifth-place finish in the Mike Silva-owned #1.
Mike Orr of Wiscasset raced with the leaders throughout the event and was in sixth position as the checkered flag waved. Veteran racer Tim Turner of Freedom, wheeling a car usually driven by his son, Dylan Turner, was seventh. James Osmond of Wiscasset and Ryan St. Clair were eighth and ninth, respectively. The tenth-place finisher was Dave “Boss Hogg” St. Clair of Liberty, a multi-time Unity raceway track champion racing against two of his grandsons in the Burgess Memorial main event.
Brent ‘Poochie’ Chase of Burnham added another victory to his impressive total in the 34-lap Butch Burgess Memorial Race for the Wildcat division, but it certainly wasn’t as easy as Whitney’s Late Model triumph. Chase was chased throughout the race by former division champion Chris King, also from Burnham, who got alongside the victor several times, but he could never get by the current point leader and was forced to settle for runner-up honors.
Chase and King were joined on the podium by Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington, making his first start of the season at Unity Raceway. Craig Robbins of Montville, a relative of the race’s namesake that races with his familiar number, 34, crossed the line in fourth position after battling back from the rear of the pack after a pit stop. Liberty’s Joe Harriman rounded out the top-five in the Wildcat class. Chase won the heat race.
Zach Audet of Skowhegan hopped a ride in Ed Archer’s Flyin’ 4 machine and led every lap in both the heat race and main event for the class. Cody Robbins of Oakland, also a member of the extended Burgess family, claimed runner-up honors. Alica Goodwin of Clinton won a torrid, race-long battle with Benton’s Samantha Farnham for the final spot on the podium. Henry Boudreau of Benton rounded out the top-five.
The 34-lap endure race was ultra-competitive, with Justin Moore of Madison claiming victory in his first Unity Raceway appearance of the season. Challenger division point leader Ken Lord of Waterville was the runner-up, followed by recent New Hampshire Motor Speedway winner Mike Mason of Skowhegan. Robert MacDonald of Oakland and Ed Archer of Skowhegan.
Brad Bosworth and Natalie Michaud team up to win the bag race, with Bosworth driving and Michaud navigating.
Zach Audet and Lacey Merrill teamed up to win the Jack & Jill race, swapping driving duties on every lap around the tough 1/3-mile oval.
Audet also claimed victory in the backward race, outrunning Brad Bosworth and Dylan Turner to the checkered flag.
Stock car racing competition at Unity Raceway resumes Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. The next special event, the John Phippen Memorail featuring twin 59-lap main events for Late Models, is scheduled for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17. For more information call (207) 453-2021 or visit unityraceway.info
Butch Burgess Memorial race results, Sunday, May 27 (Finishing position, car number, driver, hometown)
Late Model (34 laps) 1. 18 Brian Whitney, Burnham; 2. 75 David Folsom II, Skowhegan; 3. 21 Ben Clark, Houston, Texas; 4. 99 Louie Picard, Palmyra; 5. 1 Jeff Burgess, Fairfield; 6. 3 Mike Orr, Wiscasset; 7. 9 Tim Turner, Freedom; 8. 0 James Osmond, Wiscasset; 9. 11 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty; 10. 14 Dave St. Clair, Liberty; 11. Ed Drake, Vassalboro; 12. 33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty.
Wildcat (34 laps) 1. 31 Brent Chase, Burnham; 2. 29 Chris King, Burnham; 3. 26 Andrew McLaughlin, Harrington; 4. 34 Craig Robbins, Montville; 5. 20 Joe Harriman, Liberty; 6. 3 Shawn Racilla, Dover-Foxcroft; 7. 2 Ryan Robinson, Clinton; 8. 91 George Fernald III< Benton; 9. 24 Ed Gilblair, Skowhegan. Flyin’ 4 (20 laps): 1. 81 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 2. 15 Cody Robbins, Oakland; 3. 00 Alica Goodwin, Clinton; 4. 96 Samantha Farnham, Clinton; 5. 88 Henry Boudreau, Benton; 6. 88x Wes Turner, Montville. Enduro (34 laps) 1. 5 Justin Moore, Madison; 2. 28 Ken Lord, Waterville; 3. 51 Mike Mason, Skowhegan; 4. 84 Robert MacDonald, Oakland; 5. 81 Ed Archer, Skowhegan; 6. 88 Bob Corson, Benton; 7. 7 Troy Rusconi, Clinton; 8. 19 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 9. 115 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 10. 519 Dylan Turner, Freedom; 11. 10 Sonny Robinson, Clinton; 12. 5 Mike Flagg, Montville; 13. 29 Chris King, Burnham. Bag Race (5 laps) 1. 115 Brad Bosworth & Natalie Michaud; 2. 81 Zach Audet & Ed Archer; 3. 88 Christie Foster & Colby Robbins. Jack & Jill Race (5 laps) 1. 81 Zach Audet & Lacey Merrill; 2. 88 Colby Robbins & Christie Foster; 3. 115 Brad Bosworth & Natalie Michaud. Backward Race (3 laps) 1. 81 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 2. 115 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 3. 519 Dylan Turner, Freedom. Visit NERacingForum.Com for latest New England Racing community News and updates.
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