Saturday June 18 marked the first leg of the Temp Setters Mechanical Contractors Triple Crown which will also run at Speedway 51 on August 6th and back at Oxford Plains on August 28 for the HP Hood 250 weekend. The Texas Roadhouse mini stocks flocked through the gates at oxford alongside the Valenti Modified Racing Series and PASS Modifieds for a night of adrenaline filled racing action. Many new and part time competitors joined the NEMST presented by Twisted Tea for the 2nd Maine event of the 2016 racing season.
Two fields of 10 cars each rolled out to their heats with multi time heat race winner Haywood Herriott leading the way in his respective heat and Matt Sonnhalter holding on over a hard charging Emerson Cayer to win the second heat race. Haywood would draw an invert of 1 row placing the fast cars at the front while leaving himself in the 11th starting position according to series rules regarding current season feature winners.
Jon McKennedy is Valenti Mod star, Ryan Robbins outruns PASS Mod foes
Oxford, Maine – Scott Robbins of Dixfield prevailed in a hotly-contested, wildly-entertaining 50-lap Super Late Model main event Saturday night, headlining the Budweiser Championship Series weekly racing card Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
It wasn’t the only victory lane appearance for the Robbins clan, third-generation Oxford racers, as 2015 OPS Mods champ Ryan Robbins was triumphant in a 40-lap main event for PASS Mods earlier in the program.
Twin 50-lap main events for the visiting Valenti Modified Racing Series were atop the marquee, with race wins going to Anthony Nocella of Marlborough, Massachusetts and Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Official Photography: Pete & Mary Taylor / Website: www.petespicks.smugmug.com
BY SOPHIE GABRION, RACE MEDIA REP
WISCASSET, MAINE – Next time you head to work in your sensible sedan or make a quick trip to the store in your humdrum hybrid, consider this: humans have a need for speed. It is the reason you can wake up in California and fall asleep in Maine the same day; what generates millions of dollars in movie ticket sales each year; and keeps the grandstands at Wiscasset Speedway packed week after week – filled with fans on their feet who dream about being fast and furious.
Sponsored by Four Season Synthetic, the Driver of the Month Award goes to an individual who excels on and off the track. On Saturday, Nathan Tribbett of Richmond, driving the #13 car for the Prostock Division, received May’s Driver of the Month Award in front of friends, family and fans. Holding third place for points so far this season, Tribbett has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship behind the wheel and earned the respect of countless fans, described as “cool under fire.”
The Northeast Midget Associations’ NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites visited Wiscasset Speedway last Saturday. Despite some early showers, the fans lined the stands to see the four cylinder open wheeled race cars. The NEMA Midgets have nearly 400 HP, large wings, and wide Hoosier tires. The NEMA Midgets are the fastest asphalt midgets in the world, and it is natural fit for them to appear at Maine’s fastest oval. Speaking on behalf of NEMA, Joe Santa Maria, said, “This is the third time we have been to Wiscasset Speedway. It is nice here and the track is well maintained. The Speedway is rapidly becoming a favorite of the racers.”
Prior to the feature event, the NEMA Midgets held time trials to determine racing order. Six of the seven cars that participated in the trials had times that were under the track record time of 13.34 seconds, which was set last season by Danny Cugini. Defending series champ, John Zych reset the track record last Saturday with a 13.004 second lap time, with an average speed topping 103 MPH.
The NEMA Midgets were soon on the track to compete in a thirty lap Spotlighted feature event. Starting on the pole was the #5B of Bethany Stoehr. Beside her was the #47 of Randy Cabral. In third was Jim Chambers of the #21. When green flag racing action began, Bethany Stoehr and Cabral raced side by side until lap two, when Cabral passed for the lead. Cabral kept the lead until lap fifteen.
Oxford, Maine – Ben Ashline nailed down his first-ever Super Late Model victory in just his third career start in the class in the 50-lap headline race Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Ashline, a proven winner in the discontinued Late Model division at OPS a few year back, led all the way to claim victory in the ultra-competitive class, becoming the seventh different winner in seven Super Late Model races this season. It was just his third start in the class, all in Gary & Renee Smith’s Uncle Henry’s-sponsored car.
Ashline’s closest rival under the checkered flag was Dixfield’s Scott Robbins, who finished some four seconds behind the victor. The final 49 laps of the race were caution-free. Reigning champion and current Budweiser Championship Series points leader Timmy Brackett of Buckfield added another trophy to his collection with a third-place trophy.
Saturday June 18 marked the first leg of the Temp Setters Mechanical Contractors Triple Crown which will also run at Speedway 51 on August 6th and back at Oxford Plains on August 28 for the HP Hood 250 weekend. The Texas Roadhouse mini stocks flocked through the gates at oxford alongside the Valenti Modified Racing Series and PASS Modifieds for a night of adrenaline filled racing action. Many new and part time competitors joined the NEMST presented by Twisted Tea for the 2nd Maine event of the 2016 racing season.
Jon McKennedy is Valenti Mod star, Ryan Robbins outruns PASS Mod foes
By Lisa and Rich Maguire