Five races into his second season in the Dysart’s Late Models at Speedway 95, two time Strictly Street champion and 2013 Late Model Rookie of the Year Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington posted his first win in the speedway’s top division Saturday night after taking the lead from Orrington’s John Kalel II on a lap 27 restart of the 40 lap feature. McLaughlin led early, then lost the lead to Kalel on lap 4. Kalel stretched out his lead for a while on the long run, but McLaughlin had chased the leader down and was challenging Kalel for the top spot when the caution fell on lap 27 after Hermon’s Greg Ellis and Eastbrook’s Josh Morse got tangled up and came to rest on the turn three wall. On the restart, McLaughlin wrestled the lead from Kalel, and left him to race with Hermon’s Mike Hopkins and Winterport’s Ryan Deane for the second through fourth spots. Hopkins won that battle and took the second spot for good on lap 35, but was unable to get close enough to McLaughlin over the final 5 laps to challenge for the win. Dean finished third with Kalel salvaging a fourth place finish for the night. Brenton Parritt of Steuben, who had won the two previous features in the division, finished fifth. Rounding out the top ten were John Curtis Jr. of Hermon, Milo’s Nick Jenkins, Dean Smart of Bradley, Jim Robichaud of Orrington and Lloyd Nickerson of Corinth in that order. McLaughlin and Kalel won the qualifiers for the night.
Kris Matchett of Skowhegan made it five for five in the Darling’s Ford Sportsman division, but Glenburn’s D.C. Alexander kept it close as he closed on the leader in the late laps, posting his best finish of the year in second. Harrington’s Ryan Beale finished third in the 25 lap event that was slowed three times by the yellow flag for single car incidents. Sean Johnson of Oakland led early in the race, but was no match for Matchett, and ended up fourth at the finish. Hampden’s Karl Stanhope ended the race in fifth. Matchett also won the qualifier, taking the lead from Johnson on the last lap of the 10 lap preliminary event.
Frankfort’s Bob Seger Jr. finally managed to avoid trouble and have his car to hold together for a full feature event, and broke Harrington’s Alex Berry’s four race winning streak by starting from the pole position and leading all 25 laps of the feature race in the Pepsi Beverage Company Strictly Streets. Berry came from back in the pack to finish the race in second after battling with Glenburn’s Jordan Pearson for the runner up spot following a lap 19 caution. Pearson finished third with Cornville’s Matt Kimball and Holden’s Keith Ogden rounding out the top five. Seger Jr. also won the 10 lap qualifier, which placed him on the pole for the feature.
Zack Audet of Skowhegan showed he has the car to beat in the Coca-Cola Company Sport Four division when he came from a 12th place starting spot in the 16 car field to post his third win of the season. Audet took the lead from Hudson’s Donny Silva following a lap 10 red flag period caused when Bradley Dolan of Glenburn hit the turn three wall hard, resulting in a precautionary trip to the hospital for the youngster making his first appearance of the season. When the green flag flew to restart the event, Audet set sail and never looked back, while Silva fended off Garett Hayman of Milford and Ted Ryder of Carmel for the second through fourth spots. Silva finished second with Hayman picking up his fifth top five finish of the season by finishing third. Ryder finished fourth with Carmel’s Jeremy Scott in fifth. Audet and Ryder won the division’s heat races.
On Saturday night, June 14 at 7:00 p.m., the Dysart’s Late Models will run their second 50 lap Hopkins Landscaping and Paving series race of the season, and the NELCAR Legends Tour will make their second appearance of the season at the Hermon oval. The Darling’s Ford Sportsman, Pepsi Beverage Company Strictly Streets and Coca-Cola Company Sport-Fours will also be in action for their regular 25 lap features.