Hallowell's Johnny Clark has been on a major roll at Wiscasset Raceway over the past year and his dominance of Maine's fastest track continued Saturday May 10th with a convincing win on opening day. Clark started 11th in the 23 car field and gradually picked his way along the outside lane into the top five. From there he took the lead from Chuck Lachance following a lap 22 caution and survived two more late race restarts to take the checkers in the 50 lap main event for the Clark's Car Crushing Prostocks.
Travis Benjamin had one final shot at the leader on the final restart with six laps to go as Clark's car picked up a skip in the engine in the closing circuits, but the 2-time PASS Super Late Model champ was up to the task and withstood the challenge. The win was his fourth in his last five appearances at Wiscasset and gave him a good practice run for the upcoming 125 lap PASS race on Sunday May 18th. Benjamin chased Clark across the line, but would lose his runnerup finish after failing post-race inspection for a ride hight violation. 5-time track champion Scott Chubbuck would move up in the order to claim the 2nd place trophy and Freedom's Randy Turner would be awarded 3rd. Clark's victory highlighted a chilly, action packed opening day show at the Center of Speed, sponsored by Unirugs.com powered by Joseph's Flooring. Other winners on the program included Steve Reny of Boothbay in the Smith Construction Late Model Sportsman division. Reny led wire to wire in the 30 lap feature but was pressured throughout by defending LMS champ Chris Thorne. One carlength was the largest lead Reny enjoyed and the race was slowed by just two midrace cautions. The pair was joined in victory lane by rookie Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich. Jeremy Glasier of Appleton led green to checkers in the Unicel Super Streets. Nate Weston of Madison crossed the line second, but failed post race inspection, turning the runner-up trophy over to Mike Landry of Oakland. RJ Austin of Smithfield, the division's top winner in 07' moved up in the order to finish 3rd.; Wiscasset's Bobby Mesimer was the winner in the Keystone Automotive Strictly Streets. He took the lead from Durham's Mike Stewart and then pulled away over the second half of the race to pick up the victory. Former Heavyweight Demon champ Ed Pierpont held off his teammate Dave Brannon to grab second. Brannon settled for 3rd. Defending Strictly champ Maurice Young made progress early in the race but then experienced ignition problems and faded back to 14th. Shawn Kimball of Pittston was the winner in the Aable Autoparts Mini Stocks. It was the 3rd straight year the 2-time division champ has won on opening day. Union's Mac Hannan Jr dropped back down to the Ministocks after five years in the Super Streets. The 2002 Light A Demon champ chased Kimball across the line to finish 2nd by just a half car length. Skowhegan's Dylan Lancaster started 3rd and finished in the same position. Barry Poulin of Clinton was the winner in the White & Bradstreet Mini Trucks along with Jason and Donlad Giggy in 2nd and 3rd. Wiscasset Raceway returns to action with a doubleheader weekend sponsored by Ray Haskell Ford of Waterville. Saturday afternoon May 17th at 2:00pm, Wiscasset will roll out five weekly racing series divisions, highlighted by the annual Bruce Kane Memorial. The NELCAR Legends will be on hand Saturday in place of the Prostocks as they get ready Sunday's big race. The Sunday afternoon program will welcome the Pro All Stars Series to the Center of Speed for the first time this season. The 125 lap main event for the Super Late Model competitors will also offer the winner a guaranteed starting spot in August's $30,000 to win New England Toyota Tundra 250. The PASS Modifieds will highlight support action on Sunday's card. For more information, call the Wiscasset Raceway office at (207) 882-4271 or check the raceway website at www.wiscassetraceway.info.
WISCASSET RACEWAY PRESS RELEASE 5/12/08
JOHNNY CLARK NOTCHES OPENING DAY WIN AT WISCASSET RACEWAY
OFFICIAL FINISHES 5/10/08
CLARK'S CAR CRUSHING PROSTOCKS (50 LAPS)
1. Johnny Clark – Hallowell; 2. Scott Chubbuck – Dresden; 3. Randy Turner – Freedom; 4. Chuck Lachance – Cushing; 5. Charlie Colby – Edgecomb; 6. Bill Penfold – Yarmouth; 7. Matt Lee – Albion; 8. John Phippen – Town Hill; 9. Jeff Burgess – Madison; 10. Tim Turner – Freedom; 11. Bryan Robbins – Montville; 12. Scott King – Livemore Falls; 13. Ryan Deane – Winterport; 14. Jeremy Whorff – West Bath; 15. Dave Farrington Jr – n/a; 16. Chuck Colby – Wiscasset; 17. Jason Black – Manchester; 18. Ricky Morse – St Albans; 19. Gene Hatch – Winthrop; 20. Dylan Turner – Freedom; 21. Scott Moore – Anson; 22. Bill Whorff Jr – West Bath; DQ. Travis Benjamin – Morrill
SMITH CONSTRUCTION LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (30 LAPS)
1. Steve Reny – Boothbay; 2. Chris Thorne – Sidney; 3. Adam Chadbourne – Woolwich; 4. Josh St Clair – Liberty; 5. Ajay Piccard – Palmyra; 6. Frank Moulton – n/a; 7. Mike Orr – Wiscasset; 8. Bill Pinkham – Wiscasset; 9. Daren Ripley – Appleton; 10. Jason Witts – Dixmont; 11. Will Collins – Appleton; 12. Dave St Clair – Liberty; 13. Seth Raven – Waldo; 14. Danny Smart – Buxton; 15. Bill Whorff Jr – West Bath; 16. Nick Hinkley – Wiscasset; 17. Nick Reno – West Bath; 18. Scott Pooler – Vassalboro; 19. Richard Jordan – Kingfield; 20. John Soucy – South China; 21. Duane Love – West Gardiner; 22. Tyler Robbins – Montville; 23. TJ Watson – Cundys Harbor; 24. Bernie Dinsmore – Hope
UNICEL SUPER STREETS (25 LAPS)
1. Jeremy Glasier – Appleton; 2. Mike Landry – Oakland; 3. R.J. Austin – Smithfield; 4. Jason Gaboury – Augusta; 5. Dan Trask – Chelsea; 6. Justin Karkos – Jay; 7. Josh Bailey – Wiscasset; 8. JJ Small – Fairfield; 9. Shawn Austin – Norridgewock; 10. Ryan Robinson – Clinton; 11. Kevin Douglass – Sidney; 12. Allen Moeller Sr – Dresden; 13. Bryan Fortin – South China; 14. James Osmond – Gardiner; 15. Frank Brown – Pittston; DQ. Nate Weston – Madison
KEYSTONE AUTOMOTIVE STRICTLY STREETS (20 LAPS)
1. Bobby Mesimer – Wiscasset; 2. Ed Peirpont – Jefferson; 3. Dave Brannon – Lisbon; 4. Ian Bresnahan – Bath; 5. Mike Stewart – Durham; 6. Jeff Merrill – Mexico; 7. Derek Pearson – Glenburn; 8. Mike Short – Auburn; 9. Ken Carter – Winthrop; 10. Dave McDonald – n/a; 11. Mike St Germain – Auburn; 12. Jamie Henderson – Litchfield; 13. Matt Stuart – Pittston; 14. Maurice Young – Chelsea; 15. Steve Peirpont – Cushing
AABLE AUTOPARTS MINI STOCKS (20 LAPS)
1. Shawn Kimball – Pittston; 2. Mac Hannan Jr – Union; 3. Dylan Lancaster – Skowhegan; 4. Pete McCollett – Readfield; 5. Dan Somes – Sidney; 6. Brent Roy – Vassalboro; 7. Mike Dulaney – Richmond; 8. Jeff Minchin – Pittston; 9. Steve Howard – n/a; 10. Ryan Hayes – Jefferson; 11. Cody Sleeper – Chelsea; 12. Scott Theriault – n/a; 13. Ed Sleeper – Vassalboro; 14. Tim Collins – Farmingdale; 15. Cory Mullins – Wiscasset; 16. Ken Edgecomb – Readfield; 17. Ryan Ripley – Thomaston; 18. Alex Cromwell – Wiscasset; 19. Alica Goodwin – Clinton; 20. Natasha Dyer – Arrowsic; 21. Mark Edgecomb – Readfield
WHITE & BRADSTREET MINI TRUCKS (15 LAPS)
1. Barry Poulin – Clinton; 2. Jason Giggy – Unity; 3. Donald Giggy – Athens; 4. James Swan III – Clinton; 5. Opie Allard – Cundys Harbor; 6. Josh Kaufman – Unity; 7. Russ Anderson – Portsmouth, NH; 8. James Howland – Rye, NH; 9. Kevin Oliver – n/a; 10. Jamie Foster – Benton; 11. Jeffrey Coughlin – Portsmouth, NH; 12. Josh Harjula – n/a; 13. Rick Sirois – Norridgewock; 14. Chris Doucette – Sebego