Sep 30, 2013 | Maine Race Tracks, Speedway 95
Ellsworth’s Andy Saunders took advantage of another driver’s misfortune Saturday night at Speedway 95 and won the 40 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature as well as putting an exclamation point on his second consecutive division championship. Deane Smart of Bradley beat Saunders to the front at the drop of the green flag, and led the first 28 laps of the event. On lap 29, Lloyd Nickerson of Corinth spun in turn four while the leaders were rounding turn three and was sitting in the middle of the track when Smart got there. Smart struck Nickerson head on, lifted into the air and landed on the car of Paul White who was running right behind Smart. Saunders, who was running third at the time, dove to the inside and avoided any contact with the wreck. Smart, White and Nickerson were all eliminated from the race, while Saunders forged ahead of Wayne Parritt Jr. on the restart and led the remaining twelve laps to post his sixth win of the season. Parritt ran a strong race, finishing a close second to Saunders with Hermon’s Mike Hopkins finishing third, right on Parritt’s bumper. Fourth went to rookie Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington with Winterport’s Ryan Deane taking the fifth spot. Saunders claimed his second consecutive championship in the division, a feat which he also accomplished in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
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Sep 15, 2013 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, Speedway 95
SAUNDERS AND DEANE TAKE SPEEDWAY 95 LATE MODEL WINS
Two of the top winning drivers in the Dysart’s Late Models at Speedway 95 this season each added to their total Saturday night by picking up a win in a night that saw double features in the division. In the race held over from last week’s mid program rain out, points leader Andy Saunders of Ellsworth came from the 10th starting position to take the lead from Brenton Parritt of Steuben on lap 29, then raced Parritt side by side over the final two laps following a late race caution to cement the win. Parritt finished in second, followed by Bradley’s Dean Smart in third. Fourth finishing position went to Orrington’s John Kalel II with Ryan Deane of Winterport finishing in fifth. In the regularly scheduled 40 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature, Ryan Deane of Winterport wrestled the lead away from Duane Seekins of Stockton Springs at the half way point of the event and went on the post his sixth win of the season. John Kalel II of Orrington was the first to break from the pack behind the leaders and got by Seekins in the closing laps of the event to finish second, with Seekins coming home third. Andy Saunders of Ellsworth worked his way through the pack from a 12th place starting position in the caution free race to finish fourth, with Brenton Parritt of Steuben also coming from deep in the pack to finish fifth.
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Jun 17, 2013 | Maine Race Tracks, Speedway 95
For the first 32 laps of the 40 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature at Speedway 95 Saturday night, rookie Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington and John Kalel II of Orrington waged a side by side battle for the lead, with McLaughlin leading the majority of the laps by less than half a car length. Defending champion Andy Saunders of Ellsworth sat behind the battling duo in third spot, just waiting for his chance at the lead. Just as Saunders nosed ahead of Kalel to claim the second spot, the red flag flew when Ryan Dean of Winterport had his car catch fire and head for the infield. On the restart, the veteran Saunders started beside McLaughlin and took the rookie to school. Saunders ran the inside groove and wrestled the lead from McLaughlin on lap 33 and led the final 7 laps for the win. McLaughlin continued his impressive run and took the runner up spot with Deane Smart of Milford surging to a third place finish. Fourth went to Bangor’s Donny Blanchard with Kalel finishing in fifth. Twenty Late Models started the feature with only the one red flag stopping the action after an early caution before the completion of lap one caused a restart with all cars returned to their original starting positions.
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Apr 29, 2013 | Maine Race Tracks, Speedway 95
SAUNDERS AND DEANE DOMINATE SPEEDWAY 95 LATE MODELS
Andy Saunders of Ellsworth and Ryan Deane of Winterport showed they were the cars to beat in the early going in the Dysart’s Late Models at Speedway 95 Saturday night as the each picked up a win and a second place in the two features run. In the first race, a 40 lap event rescheduled from last week’s program due to the power failure, Deane took the checkers after grabbing the lead on a restart with 8 laps to go. Meanwhile, Saunders was working his way up from a last place start in the event. Saunders was scheduled to start in the sixth spot, but when the initial green flag flew, he was unable to start due to an issue with his transmission. After a quick trip to the pit following the caution he caused, Saunders rejoined the race at the rear of the 17 car field, still on the lead lap before the next green was waved. Saunders finished in second, followed by Shane Clark of Winterport in third. 2012 Strictly Street champion Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington finished fourth in his first ever Late Model start, and Donny Blanchard of Bangor was fifth.
In the regularly scheduled 50 lap Maine State Lottery series event, Saunders won his heat race, qualified on the pole and led the entire distance, maintaining the lead through three cautions. Deane also won a qualifier and started on the outside pole, keeping the heat on Saunders throughout the race, challenging him hard following the last caution on lap 42. Saunders had enough to hold Deane off, with Deane finishing a close second at the checkers. Wayne Parritt of Steuben finished the race in third, followed by John Kalel II in fourth and Andrew McLaughlin of Harrington in fifth.
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Sep 24, 2012 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, Speedway 95
Andy Saunders of Ellsworth put an exclamation point on his 2012 championship in the Dysart’s Late Models Saturday night at Speedway 95 when he won the 35 lap feature after taking the lead from early leader Deane Smart of Milford on a lap 9 restart. Saunders led the rest of the way to the checkers with Smart holding on to the second spot at the finish. John Kalel II of Orrington finished third after a race long battle with Ryan Deane of Winterport and Joey Doyon of Winterport who finished fourth and fifth. Phil Richardson of Hermon, Ryan Modery of Hermon, Duane Seekins of Stockton Springs, Patrick Thibodeau of Winterport and last week’s winner, Donny Blanchard of Bangor, rounded out the top ten.
Steve Moulton of Holden won the 25 lap Maine State Lottery Sportsman feature along with the season’s points title in that division. Only one yellow flag slowed the action in that race when Brad Norris of Ellsworth and Joe Legere of Milford spun into the infield on lap 11 after contact between the two. Both drivers recovered to finish the race.Kris Watson of Hermon finished second. Ralph Melanson of Charleston finished third with Legere coming home fourth. Pole sitter Kris Matchett of Skowhegan finished fifth.
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