LADIES FIRST: Dottie Patria Among Oxford’s Best
Crazy Horse Racing Powers Patria To Top Of Ladies Division
It took exactly two turns behind the wheel of a race car for Dottie Patria to become addicted to the sport of stock car racing.
Patria, of Turner, has turned that addiction into an assault on the Oxford Plains Speedway record books over the past seven years. With her 20-lap Ladies feature win at the track on Opening Day two weeks ago, Patria sits just two victories away from second on the all-time win list in the division.
“After the first race, I was like, ‘Eh. It’s OK,’” Patria recalled this week. “I was glad I tried it, but it if I’d never raced again I would have been OK with that. But I was committed to running two races, and after the second race, I was hooked. It was like, ‘I LOVE THIS.’” (more…)
Phil Richardson of Hermon picked up his first feature win of the season in the Dysart’s Late Models at Speedway 95 Saturday night after passing pole sitter Andy Saunders of Ellsworth on lap 5 of the 35 lap event. Deane Smart of Bradley passed Saunders on the 22nd lap when Saunders was held up momentarily while overlapping slower traffic to take the second spot with Saunders finishing in third. Winterport’s Ryan Deane finished in fourth with Hermon’s Dale Swoboda coming across the stripe in fifth.
In Maine State Lottery Sportsman action, Shane Tatro of Holden returned to the winner’s circle after missing two weeks while waiting for a new motor to be built. Tatro’s win wasn’t easy as he had to fight off a determined Steve Moulton of Holden who finished a close second. D.J. Moody of Prospect finished third, followed by Derek Mingo of Lamoine in fourth and fifth place finisher Mike Overlock of Franklin. (more…)
This week we start the show off with Beech Ridge, then we travel to Star Speedway in Epping, NH… then we head up to SPUD Speedway. Needless to say, we racked some miles up.
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. (more…)
Brian Whitney of Burnham roared from back in the pack to claim victory in the Late Model main event Saturday night at Unity Raceway, earning his third trip to victory lane this season at Unity Raceway.
Whitney took the top spot away from three-time track champion Frank Moulton of Burnham and wasn’t seriously challenged over the last dozen circuits of the 35-lap feature race.
Moulton claimed the lead on a mid-race restart from Unity’s Mark Dodge, who had built an impressive lead while setting the pace for the first 18 laps. Dodge was later eliminated from competition in a frontstretch crash as the yellow flag waved for another altercation on the raceway surface. (more…)
John Kalel II of Orrington led the Dysart’s Late Model feature from the green to the checkers Saturday night at Speedway 95, but never led by more than a car length in the caution free 35 lap event. Kalel started from the pole by winning a qualifier earlier in the program and had Winterport’s Ryan Deane behind or beside him for the entire distance. Deane tried running the inside several times attempting to take the lead from Kalel, but Kalel kept his cool and fought off each challenge. Deane finished second with Hermon’s Mike Hopkins finishing third after coming from his 12th place starting position in the 14 car field. Once Hopkins got to the leaders, he couldn’t advance past them as they were running side by side for the final 5 laps, with Kalel winning by less than a car length. Phil Richardson of Hermon finished in fourth with Bangor’s Donny Blanchard picking up his first top five of the season. Andy Saunders of Ellsworth won the first qualifier, but had to start near the rear of the field because of his top three finish the week before. (more…)
