7/5/13 Scarborough, ME
Friday’s NASCAR Nite Pro Series 50-lap feature event was won by junior driver Tyler King. The recent high-school graduate from Livermore Falls edged the lead from South Portland’s Mike Maietta, Jr., at the halfway point of the race.
Maietta led from the pole starting position, pacing the 17-car field to green flag. At the drop of the green flag, Maietta battled for the lead with Durham’s rookie Evan Beaulieu. On lap four, Maietta was able to gain an advantage going into turn one and took a car-length’s advantage over Beaulieu. Maietta led until the halfway mark, when King tried to conquer the lead from him.
Lap 24 proved worthwhile for King, as he followed from his second-row starting spot and made three separate attempts to overtake Maietta from the inside lane before becoming successful.
At the halfway point of the race, hard chargers Dan McKeage, of Gorham, and Bobby Timmons, III, of Windham, had safely maneuvered their way through the field and broke inside the top three. McKeage and Timmons followed nose to tail as they tried to reel in the leader and close the gap on King.
McKeage tried to make himself a repeat winner, while Timmons looked for his first win in the 2013 campaign, however both drivers were unsuccessful as King was able to maintain the lead from them for the final 26 laps of the event. McKeage was able to hold off Timmons by a half-car length at the checkered flag and claim his best finish since his first place finish three weeks ago. It was Timmons’ third straight top-three finish of the season.
The victory was King’s first career NASCAR Nite feature event win in only his third race season.
Top Five Feature Finishes
Pro Series
1. Tyler King, Livermore Falls
2. Dan McKeage, Gorham
3. Bobby Timmons III, Windham
4. Ben Rowe, Turner
5. Mike Maietta Jr, South Portland
Sport Series
1. Matt Dow, Buxton
2. Doug Wolfe, Gorham
3. Russell Morse, Buxton
4. Phil Pinkham, Buxton
5. Frank Wear, Buxton
Wildcat
1. Dan Wink, So. Berwick
2. Jason Gammon, Hollis
3. Lewis Anderson, Hollis
4. Megan Black, Hollis
5. David Vaughn, Naples
Road Runners
1. Dave Cameron, Alfred
2. Brandon Barker, Windham
3. Shawn Brackett, Scarborough
4. Travis Burrows, Brownfield
5. Clayton Loubier III, Gorham