Friday night was “Farewell Night” for the St Clair family as they presented the final program in their 18-year tenure at Wiscasset Raceway. The show included double points racing in all six weekly divisions highlighted by a 75 lap Stock Mini main event. Prior to the start of the program, all drivers gathered on the front stretch with their cars and joined track staff and fans to honor David and Sandra St Clair. Track announcer Ken Minott read a tribute article written by Lewiston Sun Journal Sports Editor Kallee Oakes and then the St Clair’s were presented flowers and some of Dave’s favorite cigars. “Boss Hogg” thanked his family and staff members who have helped him run the track throughout the years as well as all the drivers and fans. An enthusiastic cheer came from the crowd when Dave said he would be back next weekend with his Late Model to “really race”. He joked that he was taking all the black flags with him when he left at the end of Friday’s show.
In the double point racing action Sidney’s Kevin Douglas took the lead on lap 10 of the Stock Min main event and held it the rest of the way to take the win. The race, however, was red flagged and declared official with 57 laps complete following a bad wreck in turn two involving Byron Patterson and Dan Somes. The yellow caution flag came out first after the lap car of Tom Minchin drove through the infield and spread water across the track in turn two. As drivers attempted to slow for the caution, Patterson would spin into the path of Somes who hit the car broadside. Patterson would need to be cut from the car after complaining of neck strain so with the lengthy cleanup ahead and the clock pushing Wiscasset’s self-imposed midnight curfew, St Clair called the race complete. Chelsea’s Mike Wilson finished second to Douglas and Somes, who had been running 3rd at the time of the wreck, took home the 3rd place trophy. Patterson was treated and released from medical care later in the evening. Other winners on the schedule included Kevin Sherman in the Late Model Sportsman; Allen Moeller Sr in the Super Streets; Maurice Young in the Strictly Streets; Cassandra St Clair in the Ladies Division; Ryan Ripley in the Teen Division; and Jacob Dore in the NELCAR Legends. Wiscasset Raceway returns to action Saturday July 28th at 6:00pm as Doug and Becky White officially take over operation of Maine’s fastest track. The show will include racing in all six weekly divisions, plus NELCAR Legends and a practice session for the Clark Car Crushing Prostocks, which will be returning to regular weekly competition the following week. For more information, check the Wiscasset Raceway website at www.wiscassetraceway.us.
Vassalboro’s Brent Roy led the field of 24 Stock Mini’s to the green for the evening’s final race. The former champ held the lead for the first ten laps while point leader and defending champ Shawn Kimball gave chase. Kevin Douglas wasted little time moving up from his 6th starting position into contention, passing Kimball for second just five laps into the race. Roy’s car would shut down heading into turn one to start the 11th lap and that is when Douglas took charge of the race. The first caution would fly on lap 16 for a minor spin, bunching up the field with Douglas, Kimball and Mike Wilson holding the top three positions for the restart. Not to go unnoticed, Dan Somes had picked his way up from 24th to take the restart in 8th. Following the restart Kimball would fade back three spots as Wilson gave chase to the leader. Somes used the next 16 laps to move into the 3rd position when the next caution came out on lap 32. The race would then settle into another long green flag phase until the red flag situation ended the race with 57 complete. Douglas would be declared the winner, taking his 3rd win of the season. Wilson was the only car able to keep pace with the winner and he would finish 2nd. Somes, who was a bit banged up from the wreck, had his photo taken in victory lane with his car on the wrecker. In the 30-lap Late Model Sportsman feature Wiscasset’s Kevin Sherman rebounded from his worst finish of the season to take his 2nd win of 2007. Sherman took the lead from defending champ Puncin St Clair of Liberty on lap 16 and held on for the win by a comfortable half straightaway advantage. St Clair held off previous week’s winner Steve Reny of Boothbay to claim the 2nd place trophy. The Later Model race went caution free for the first time this season. Dresden’s Allen Moeller turned in his best run of the year with the win in the 25 lap Super Street feature. Moeller started 7th but had the lead by lap four. Smithfield’s RJ Austin picked up his 12th top three of the year with his 2nd place finish. Josh St Clair of Liberty made a guest appearance in the Super Streets, driving Ron Gibson’s car to the 3rd place finish. In the 20 lap Strictly Street feature, Chelsea’s Maurice Young continued his dominance of the class with his 6th win of the year. Young started 8th and took the lead from Steve Peirpont near the halfway point. From there he drove to the easy win. Ed Peirpont moved up from 5th to chase Young across the line for 2nd. Previous week winner Mike Moody backed it up with a run from 9th to finish 3rd. Cassandra St Clair turned in the highest finish for her family on the night. The daughter of LMS champ Puncin St Clair and younger sister of LMS driver Josh St Clair covered the field for her 3rd Ladies division win. She took the lead from Elaine Alexander on the final lap to take the checkers. Defending champ Marje Albert of Chelsea jumped in to finish 2nd. Winterport’s Chelsea Young picked up her first trophy of the year finishing 3rd. A scary wreck on lap two stopped the race as the spinning car of Deb Brown clipped Chelsea’s Carol Wilson in turn four. Wilson’s car would barrel roll some six or seven times over the banking, but Wilson was able to walk away a bit shaken but not injured. Ryan Ripley of Thomaston continued to impress in his first year at Wiscasset. The 3rd generation driver picked up his second straight Teen Division win. He held off Cody Sleeper as they came out of turn four running three wide with a lap car in the middle. Ripley took the win by a half car length on the outside. Sleeper settled for second and his brother Ed Sleeper came in 3rd.
OFFICIAL FINISHES 7/20/07
DOUBLE POINTS
STOCK MINI’S (57 LAPS COMPLETE)
1. Kevin Douglas – Sidney; 2. Mike Wilson – Chelsea; 3. Dan Somes – Sidney; 4. Jeremy Douglas – Waterville; 5. Shawn Kimball – Pittston; 6. Pete McCollat – Readfield; 7. Dylan Lancaster – Skowhegan; 8. Robbie Greenleaf – West Bath; 9. Bryan Lancaster – Skowhegan; 10. Frank Brown – Pittston; 11. Jeff Minchin – Pittston; 12. Dale Peaslee – Whitefield; 13. Mark Edgecomb – Readfield; 14. James Henderson – Chelsea; 15. Byron Patterson – Chelsea; 16. Mike Dulaney – Richmond; 17. Reggie Bickford – Oakland; 18. Tim Dumas – Chelsea; 19. Tom Minchin – Pittston; 20. Jeff Jackson – Chelsea; 21. Chuck Feyler – n/a; 22. Shawn Rines – Wiscasset; 23. Mike Swanson – Winthrop; 24. Brent Roy – Vassalboro
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (30 LAPS)
1. Kevin Sherman – Wiscasset; 2. Puncin St Clair – Liberty; 3. Steve Reny – Boothbay; 4. Chris Thorne – Sidney; 5. Bill Pinkham – Wiscasset; 6. Randy Turner – Freedom; 7. Josh St Clair – Liberty; 8. Seth Raven – Waldo; 9. Craig Robbins – Oakland; 10. Fred Brown – Winterport; 11. Erik Nash – Richmond; 12. Richard Jordan – Kingfield; 13. Scott Pooler – Portage; 14. Ryan Gero – West Gardiner
SUPER STREETS (25 LAPS)
1. Allen Moeller Sr – Dresden; 2. R.J. Austin – Smithfield; 3. Josh St Clair – Liberty; 4. Bernie Dinsmore – Hope; 5. Josh Bailey – Wiscasset; 6. Jeremy Glasier – Appleton; 7. Donnie Stuart – Pittston; 8. Will Collins – Appleton; 9. Brian Fortin – China; DNS. Jason Gaboury – Readfield
STRICTLY STREETS (20 LAPS)
1. Maurice Young – Chelsea; 2. Ed Peirpont – Jefferson; 3. Mike Moody – Bath; 4. Dave Brannon – Lisbon; 5. Ian Bresnahan – Bath; 6. Zac Creamer – Bath; 7. Bobby Mesimer – Woolwich; 8. Steve Peirpont – Cushing; 9. Mike St Germain – Auburn; 10. Adam Pratt – Dresden; 11. Tim Hudson – n/a
TEEN DIVISION (10 LAPS)
1. Ryan Ripley – Thomaston; 2. Cody Sleeper – Chelsea; 3. Ed Sleeper – Vassalboro; 4. Nick Hinkley – Wiscasset; 5. Ricky Palmer – n/a; 6. Kayla Albert – Chelsea; 7. Natasha Dyer – Arrowsic; 8. Ryan Hayes – Jefferson; 9. Alex Cromwell – Woolwich; 10. Tom True – Wiscasset; 11. Tyler Tibbetts – Montville (DQ)
LADIES DIVISION (10 LAPS)
1. Cassandra St Clair – Liberty; 2. Marje Albert – Chelsea; 3. Chelsea Young – Winterport; 4. Kayla Albert – Chelsea; 5. Elaine Alexander – Augusta; 6. Molly Feeney – Knox; 7. Deb Brown – Pittston; 8. Carol Wilson – Chelsea
NELCAR LEGENDS (25 LAPS)
1. Jacob Dore – Sanford; 2. Bob Weymouth – Topsham; 3. Josh Leach – Islesboro; 4. Mike Fuchswanz – Vassalboro; 5. Max Zachem – Preston, CT; 6. Terry Kirk – Durham; 7. Chris Seavey – Windham; 8. Ed Getty – Gray; 9. Nick Brown – Topsham; 10. Marc Fuchswanz – Vassalboro; 11. Patrick Stewart – Beverly, MA; 12. Charlie Buxton – Windham