Sep 11, 2011 | Maine Racing News, Speedway 95
MIKE HOPKINS TAKES POINTS TITLE BY ONE POINT
Wayne Parritt of Steuben took the lead in the Dysart’s Late Model feature from Winterport’s Ryan Deane on lap 27 at Speedway 95 Saturday night and went on to win the 35 lap feature, posting his second win in four weeks. Deane Smart of Bradley was close behind, challenging Parritt for the position, but unable to complete a pass and settling for second in the season finale. Meanwhile, Ellsworth’s Andy Saunders was working his way up from the 12th starting position to finish third, and also became a factor in the divisions’ point’s race. Ryan Deane and Mike Hopkins of Hermon started the night only one point apart in the standings. Deane had finished second in the first qualifier, putting him seven points ahead. Then Hopkins won his qualifier, gaining 10 points, retaking the lead by a 3 point margin. In the feature, Deane led the first 27 laps of the event, but Hopkins was mired in fifth, with a right front tire that was slowly losing air. Unable to make any progress, Hopkins was helpless to do anything but ride, letting lady luck determine his fate. That luck came in the form of Saunders who crossed the finish line in third by a nose over Deane, relegating Deane to a fourth place finish. With 2 points difference in each position, when Hopkins finished in fifth, his points lead for the season and the championship was down to one. Fortunately for Hopkins, the top five had separated themselves from the remainder of the field by enough of a margin so no one else could pass Hopkins, who continued to slow as his tire leaked. After crossing the finish line, Hopkins went to the pit showering sparks as his suspension scraped the track due to the now flat tire. A quick tire change by his crew brought Hopkins back out to do the now popular “burnout” to celebrate his championship. The remainder of the night’s finishing order in the Dysart’s Late Models was 6. Don Alexander Jr., Carmel, 7. Duane Seekins, Stockton Springs, 8. John Kalel II, Orrington, 9. Donny Blanchard, Sangerville, 10. George Dunn, Eastbrook, 11. Alex Waltz, Damariscotta, 12. Bob Seger Jr. Framkfort, 13. Lloyd Nickerson, Corinth. 14. Dale Swoboda, Hermon, 15. Shane Clark, Winterport. (more…)
Sep 4, 2011 | Maine Racing News, Speedway 95
SWOBODA TAKES CRASH MARRED 95 LATE MODEL FEATURE
Hermon’s Dale Swoboda started on the front row of the 35 lap Dysart’s Late Model Feature at Speedway 95 Saturday night, but what happened in between made it far from an easy run for him. Swoboda and Ryan Deane of Winterport battled side by side in the early laps, swapping the lead several times before Deane took the point. A caution on lap 4 bunched the field back up when George Dunn of Eastbrook side-slapped Winterport’s Shane Clark, sending him to the infield. Clark recovered, but restarted at the rear of the 15 car field. Another yellow fell on lap 9, when John Kalel II stopped the race for a flat tire. On the restart, it was Swoboda and Deane again until lap 19, when points leader Mike Hopkins brought out the caution as he slowed due to a flat right front tire. A quick trip to the pit and Hopkins was back out, but at the back of the field. Four more yellows for minor incidents kept the field close, but Wayne Parritt of Steuben had worked his way up past Swoboda and was battling Deane for the lead on lap 32. Hopkins had also returned to the front of the field, riding in fourth when Parritt and Deane started bumping and spinning each other as they raced for the lead with 3 to go. Swoboda somehow got by, but Hopkins ended up on his roof on the back stretch after hitting the back stretch retaining wall trying to avoid what Parritt and Deane were doing in front of him . Hopkins climbed out of his wrecked car, and was out for the night. The red flag that stopped the field on lap 32 for that incident set up a 3 lap dash for the checkers with Swoboda at the head of the field. Swoboda led the pack under the green, with Duane Seekins beside him. As the cars got back up to speed, Seekins tucked in behind Swoboda, and Shane Clark made a mad dash for the front on the outside, passing Seekins on the final lap, finishing in second just behind Swoboda when he drove under the checkers for his third win of the season. Seekins finished third, with Deane Smart of Bradley in fourth. Donny Blanchard of Bangor posted a fifth place finish. Hopkins and Deane won the evening’s Late Model qualifiers. (more…)
Sep 4, 2011 | Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Unity Raceway
Unity, Maine – Jeff Burgess of East Madison outdueled Will Collins of Waldoboro to earn his fifth Late Model feature race victory of the season at Unity Raceway Saturday night. The triumph vaulted Burgess to the top of the championship standings by a narrow margin over Skowhegan’s David Folsom, who finished sixth after a late-race spin.
David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II set the pace for the first half of the 35-lap main event, with Collins taking command after a long, spirited battle for the top spot that also included Freedom’s Dylan Turner. After a spin cost Turner a shot at victory, Burgess and Collins raced for the lead side-by-side for several laps.
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Aug 31, 2011 | Maine Racing News, Speedway 95
TRAVIS BEALE TAKES LITTLE ENDURO FINALE AT 95
Travis Beale of Hampden followed Darren Durrell of Newburgh for 19 and ¾ laps of the 20 lap Little Enduro feature Wednesday night at Speedway 95, but took the lead coming out of turn four on the last lap to post his 4th feature win of the season. Durrell finished in second, but won the season championship in the division after 8 years of trying. Durrell admitted to slowing down just a bit on the last lap to be sure he finished the race to clinch the points title. Ted Ryder of Carmel placed a close third after starting 16th in the 20 car field. Garrett Hayman of Milford drove another steady race, finishing fourth, with Jeremy Scott of Carmel finishing in fifth. Ryder and Durrell were the night’s heat race winners.
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Aug 31, 2011 | Beech Ridge, NE Racing News, PASS, Touring Series News
Timmons Earning His Racing Stripes At Beech Ridge
FALMOUTH, Maine – Bobby Timmons is showing that he’s a quick study.
Timmons, 19, had never driven anything more than go-karts and Legend cars before this month, but the up-and-coming talent on the New England stock-car circuit is quickly adapting to life in a Super Late Model. Timmons has just three career starts at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, but he’s already opening eyes.
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Aug 28, 2011 | Maine Racing News, Unity Raceway
Dylan Turner claims Big John Phippen 59 victory at Unity Raceway
Unity, Maine — Dylan Turner of Freedom nailed down the biggest win of his short career with a victory in the Big John 59 Late Model race, held in the memory of multi-time, multi-track champion ‘Big John’ Phippen of Town Hill, who passed away last summer.
Turner, a third-generation racer and recent high school graduate, charged back into contention after an altercation while swapping the lead with Liberty’s Josh St.Clair went awry with just a handful of laps remaining in the event. That crash, which also eliminated Skowhegan’s David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II after he’d spent virtually the entire distance in second or third position, handed the lead to Cassius Clark of Farmington.
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