Credit Photos: petespicks.smugmug.com – Pete and Mary Taylor
By Lisa Maguire
Last Saturday was fan appreciation night at Wiscasset Speedway. Drivers gathered on the track and fans were able to go down onto the track and meet them, get autographs, and view the race cars up close. The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for fan appreciation day. There were kids bicycle races on the track. The bike races were divided into three divisions. The first division was five and under, with training wheels and tricycles. A little girl named Taylor won the race. The second division was five through seven year olds, and Paris from Jefferson won. The third division was eight through twelve years old. Logan from Farmingdale won the event. All three took home trophies for their accomplishment.
Saturday was the group one division of racer’s. The feature events included a spotlighted division of Prostock. Also on the schedule were the Thunder 4 Mini’s, NAPA Super Street, and the New England Four Cylinder Prostock.
First on the track was a fifty lap main event Prostock race. Starting at the pole was the #19 of John Rideout. To his side was the #32 of Mike Orr. Behind him was Kevin Morse in the #29. When green flag racing began, the #99 of Ajay Picard passed Morse for third. Orr passed Rideout for the lead. Picard fell to fourth the following lap and Morse regained third place. Lap four saw Orr and Rideout racing door to door, and during lap five Rideout passed Orr on the backstretch for the lead. Morse passed Orr and claimed second during lap five also. Coming up from his seventh place start was Andy Saunders of the #01. Saunders passed Orr during lap eight for third.
During lap thirty-five, the #15X of Scott Chubbuck, who had started in eleventh, headed to the outside and passed Saunders coming out of turn two for third. Then, during lap forty-five, Chubbuck again went to the outside and raced door to door with Morse for second. During lap forty-seven Chubbuck completed the pass and Morse slipped to third. There was a caution during lap forty-seven and on the ensuing restart, Chubbuck went to the lead. Then, during lap forty-eight, Jeff Burgess of the #1 passed Morse for third. Chubbuck took the checkered. Rideout placed second. Rounding out the top three was Burgess in third.
Post- race Chubbuck said, “It was a clean race. Glad to see there weren’t many cautions. I started from the back and moved to the front. Got to like it. I was just happy the car went well. I want to thank my wife and my kids. They put up with the most. It is a team effort. I also want to thank Bartlett’s Auto Sales.”
In point standings, Jeff Burgess was point leader going into the race. James Osmond was in second place, twenty-six points below the point leader. In third was Andy Saunders, who was thirty points below Burgess.
The Thunder 4 Mini’s were next on the track for a twenty lap feature event. The #5 of Ryan Chadwick was not racing Saturday. Chadwick has shown himself to be the man to beat, so competition was stiff to claim first this week. Starting at the pole was the #58 of David Greenleaf. In second starting position was Noah Haggett of the #54. In third was the #68 of Jeff Minchin Jr.
There was an initial caution, but when racing action began on the track, Haggett shot to the lead, and Michael Golding of the #26 moved from forth to third.
During lap one Golding passed Minchin for second on the inside of turn one. Cody Tribbet of the #113 passed Minchin for third during lap four for third. Tribbet then advanced up the track and passed Golding for second on turn four during lap one.
There was a caution called during lap four. On the restart, Tribbet took the lead, and the #04 of Curtis Anderson moved to second. Haggett dropped to third.
Some racing action during lap fifteen caused some leader changes. Haggett took an outside line and raced door to door with Anderson for second. While the pair were battling, Anderson moved up the track, pushing Haggett high up on the track. The #31 of Leandra Martin saw her chance and passed both on the inside, claiming second. Haggett advanced to third, and Anderson moved to forth.
Tribbet went over the finish for first. However, Tribbet failed post-race inspection and the win was awarded to Martin. Haggett placed second. Anderson took third. This was Martin’s first career win. She has been runner up eight times during the last two seasons.
Martin, who was point leader coming into Saturday’s race, said, “We had some bad luck at the beginning of the race, but we pushed through it. Then Cody (Tribbet) had trouble in tech, so we made it through for the win. I would like to thank my grandfather, my Uncle Casey, Nate (Tribbet) and Cody (Tribbet).”
An action packed NAPA Super Street twenty-five lap event was next on the agenda. Starting at the pole was the #12 of Dave Patten. Jamie Norton of the #88 was beside him. In third was Brandon Sprague of the #23. There was an initial caution, but when green flag racing began, Tasha Dyer of the #32 passed Sprague for third on the outside. During lap five, the #2 of Josh Bailey went inside and passed Dyer for third. Norton and Patten swapped places with Norton claiming the lead, but Patten ultimately took the lead back from Norton.
Bailey went inside and passed Norton for second during lap six, the #02 of Jason Curtis passed Norton for third during the same lap. There was a jumble on the track during lap eight, and a caution was called. On the resulting restart, Bailey took the lead. During lap ten, Curtis got under Patten and passed for second. Then, Patten got loose on the track and cars checked up behind him when he slowed. A caution was called and Patten went to the back. The new running order was Bailey in first. Curtis was in second. The #5 of Mark Lucas advanced to third.
Lucas passed Curtis on the inside during lap ten for second. Dan Trask of the #38 went outside during lap eleven and passed Curtis for third. Trask stayed outside and passed Lucas for second on the back stretch during lap sixteen.
There was a caution during lap seventeen, and on the restart, Lucas and Trask raced door to door for a full lap, then Lucas crept ahead for second. The last lap saw a caution just as the leaders were to cross the finish line, so the race ended under a checker and a caution flag. Bailey finished in first. Lucas placed second. Trask finished in third.
After the race, Bailey said, “It was an eventful race. I wasn’t involved in it because I picked my way up through early in the race. I saw a lot going on behind me though. There were a lot of cautions, but we managed to keep the car up there. I want to thank Possibility Salon, Galley Restaurant, my Uncle Dave and Aunt Debbie, Bath and Wiscasset NAPA, and Maguire Plumbing. I want to thank my wife and kids. My wife Desiree, and my daughters Gabby and Emma. They support me and get us through. For crew I need the thank Chuck Gray, he’s the guy!”
Bailey was point leader heading into Saturday’s race. In second was Adam Chadbourne, only eighteen points below Bailey. Chadbourne struggled through Saturday’s race and placed ninth.
Finishing up the evening’s action under the bright lights of Wiscasset were the New England Four Cylinder Prostocks. The race was nearly caution free, and the twenty-five laps sped by quickly with action through the finish.
Starting at the pole was the #14 of Bob Patten. To his right was Tyler Bailey of the #15. In third was the #5 of Cody Billings. During the opening lap, Mike Kibbin of the #42 advanced to third. During lap three, current point leader, Kamren Knowles, of the #98 moved to third.
The one and only caution came during lap three, when Patten and Billings spun on the track. The pair went to the back. The new running order was Kibbin in the lead. Bailey in second, and Kamren Knowles in third. When racing action resumed on the track, Kamren Knowles passed Bailey.
Coming up from the back of the pack was the #0 of Alex Waltz. Waltz passed Bailey on the inside for third. During lap four, Kamren Knowles passed Kibbin for the lead. Kibbin dropped back after the pass, and Waltz advanced to second and Bailey moved to third.
Moving from his ninth place start was Jacob Hendsbee of the #27. Hendsbee passed Bailey during lap nine for third. Then Hendsbee passed Waltz on the inside of turn two during lap seventeen for second. Race leaders remained constant until the finish. Kamren Knowles took the checkered. Placing second was Hendsbee. Waltz took third.
Post-race Kamren Knowles said, “It was a good hot race, I always had someone behind me pushing. It was close. I want to thank everyone that helps out on the car, and my sponsor AC Towing.”
Kamren Knowles was current point leader with 294 points heading into Saturday’s race. Jacob Hendsbee was thirty-six points below Kamren Knowles. In third place was Brooke Knowles with 214 points, 44 points below Hendsbee.
Wiscasset Speedway resumes racing action, Saturday, July 18, 2015 with its group two lineup of divisions: Late Model Sportsman, Strictly Street, Outlaw Mini, and Modfieds. Next week the flex race of the week is a 100 lap Enduro. For Enduro rules please visit the website. If you missed the racing action, or simply want to see it again, track videographer, Brandon Simmons, posts race footage on YouTube. It can be found by searching “Wiscasset Speedway”. Pit gates open at 2:00 PM. Grandstand gates open at 4:00 PM. Racing begins at 6:00 PM. Admission is $5.00 for adults and children aged seven and older. Kids six and under are free. Pit admission is $20.00. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset. For more information, head to the Wiscasset Speedway website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com. The Wiscasset Speedway website is packed with information, including schedule of events, division rosters and rules, race results, and driver profiles. Head on over to take a look.
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH (JULY 11, 2015)
PROSTOCK (50 LAPS)
- #15X Scott Chubbuck, Bowdoin
- #19 John Ride3out, Washington
- #1 Jeff Burgess, East Madison
- #29 Kevin Morse, Woolwich
- #51 John Peters, Westbrook
- #01 Andy Saunders, Ellsworth
- #56 Even Beaulieu, Durham
- #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset
- #96 Wyatt Alexander, Ellsworth
- #14 Nathan Tribbet, Richmond
- #99 Ajay Picard, Palmyra
- #32 Mike Orr, Wiscasset
- #77 Maggie Ferland, Auburn
DNS #1M Mike Moody, Topsham
NAPA SUPER STREET (25 LAPS)
- #2 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset
- #5 Mark Lucas, Harpswell
- #38 Dan Trask, Chelsea
- #02 Jason Curtis, Hollis
- #13 David Doherty, Palmyra
- #06 Zac Poland, Woolwich
- #23 Brandon Sprague, Edgecomb
- #12 Dave Patten, Westbrook
- #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich
- #88 Jamie Norton, Farmingdale
- #32 Tasha Dyer, Arrowsic
NEW ENGLAND FOUR CYLINDER PROSTOCK (25 LAPS)
- #98 Kamren Knowles, West Gardiner
- #27 Jacob Hendsbee, Whitefield
- #0 Alex Waltz, Walpole
- #15 Tyler Bailey, Wiscasset
- #24 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon
- #38 Ryan Hayes, Jefferson
- #42 Mike Kibbin, South China
- #54 Cam Corbin, Hallowell
- #9X Brooke Knowles, West Gardiner
- #55 John Shorey, Alna
- #14 Bob Patten, Westbrook
- #99 Cameron Folsom, Augusta
- #5 Cody Billings, Hartford
- #4 Connor Wenners, Edgecomb
THUNDER FOUR MINI (20 LAPS)
- #31 Leandra Martin, Richmond
- #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
- #04 Curtis Anderson, Richmond
- #48 Michael Harrison, Durham
- #26 Michael Golding, Pownal
- #58 David Greenleaf, Brunswick
- #68 Jeff Minchin Jr, Pittston
- #11 Kyle Dorey, Bowdoinham
- #4J Joe Katula, NA
DQ #113 Cody Tribbet, Richmond