OPS - Wentworth by two over Metivier in dramatic Unrestricted title chase

Wentworth by two over Metivier in dramatic Unrestricted title chase

Beattie, Blackwell, Thompson, Armington, Varney also crowned

OXFORD, Maine – Kyle Metivier did everything within his power to
capture the JARRacing Photography Go Kart Series in the Unrestricted
division, winning his second straight 20-lap feature to conclude the
season Friday night.
Robbie Wentworth crossed the line exactly where he needed to finish to
earn the title, however. A sixth-place finish left Wentworth with a
two-point advantage in the age 16-and-up class.
Wentworth led the Unrestricted standings from start to finish after an
opening-night victory on May 2.
While those two drivers and their fans had all the mathematics of
their dramatic title chase figured out, David Blackwell demonstrated
that nothing is certain until the trophies are handed out at the
technical inspection shack.
Blackwell's race win, coupled with a disqualification at tech, allowed
Blackwell to leapfrog from third to first and win the Gold Plate crown
by a scant three points over Josh Brown.
With his third victory of the season, Blackwell wrapped up the
division title in his first season at OPS.
To put the margins in perspective over an 11-race season, there is a
two-point drop-off for every position in a feature event and one point
per heat race finishing spot in Oxford's point system.
Evan Armington was the only other driver in true danger of losing his
point lead entering the finale. Leaving nothing to chance, Armington
drove off with his fifth Purple Plate feature win and second straight
class championship.
Spencer Thompson used a second-place finish to wrap up his first Blue
Plate title. Thompson won twice during the season.
Stephen Beattie concluded the season with a nine-race winning streak
and secured Star Champ honors for the second straight summer.
One champion, Brandon Varney, didn't even have to fire the engine to
collect his title. Varney entered the night with an insurmountable Box
Stock lead, good for his second championship in three seasons.
Varney celebrated by allowing friend Brodie Morse drive his car. Morse
matched a career best with a second-place finish. Varney locked up his
achievement with six wins, making himself the career feature wins
leader in the entry-level division. He also wound up second in Purple
Plate points and thi rd in the Blue Plate sweepstakes.
Other feature winners on the night were Troy Davis, scoring his third
checkered flag of the campaign in Blue Plate, and Kyle Mooney, bagging
his third in Box Stock.
There's one kart race remaining: next Friday's JARRacing Photography
Kart Klash, starting at 6:30 p.m.
OPS returns to action Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with Time Warner
Cable/99.9 The Wolf Fan Appreciation Night. Adult admission is halved
to $5 for the evening, with free junior tickets. Highlights include
five divisions of racing, giveaways galore and an autograph session
prior to the races.

UNRESTRICTED (20 laps): 1. Kyle Metivier, Lisbon; 2. Aaron Collomy,
Saco; 3. Tyler Braunschweig, West Newfield; 4. Charlie Tyler, Buxton;
5. Dan Pelletier Jr., East Poland; 6. Robbie Wentworth, Conway, N.H.;
7. Jeff Lillibridge, Fryeburg; 8. Kayla Ashline, Pittston.
Lap leaders: Tyler 1-3, Braunschweig 4-6, Metivier 7-20.
Heat winner: Braunschweig.

STAR CHAMP (20 laps): 1. Stephen Beattie, Conway, N.H.; 2. Mike Ricker, Sebago.
Lap leaders: Ricker 1-4, Beattie 5, Ricker 6, Beattie 7, Ricker 8, Beattie 9-20.
Heat winner: Beattie.

GOLD PLATE (20 laps): 1. David Blackwell, Brunswick; 2. Kyle Metivier,
Lisbon; 3. Zach Harmon, Buxton; 4. Brady Smith, Porter; 5. Tyler King,
Livermore Falls; 6. Josh Brown, South Paris; 7. Katrin a Bright,
Wilton; 8. Ryan Phillips, Buxton. DQ: Spencer Morse, Waterford.
Lap leaders: Blackwell 1-20.
Heat winner: Bright.

BLUE PLATE (20 laps): 1. Troy Davis, Windham; 2. Spencer Thompson,
Oxford; 3. Brandon Varney, Lewiston; 4. Jacob Hendsbee, Whitefield; 5.
Avery Spear, Oxford; 6. Cody Chiasson, Peru; 7. Chris Staples Jr.,
Brunswick.
Lap leaders: Poisson 1-2, Varney 3-7, David 8-20.
Heat winner: Staples.

PURPLE PLATE (20 laps): 1. Evan Armington, Lovell; 2. Zachary Rich,
Casco; 3. Dylan Haskell, West Baldwin; 4. Brandon Varney, Lewiston; 5.
Owen Poisson, Brunswick; 6. Hunter Sirois, Leeds.
Lap leaders: Rich 1-8, Armington 9-20.
Heat winner: Varney.

BOX STOCK (20 laps): 1. Kyle Mooney, New Gloucester; 2. Brodie Morse,
Waterford; 3. Ethan Matot, Casco; 4. Chase Staples, Durham; 5. Ethan
Brown, South Paris; 6. Matthew Mason, Groveton, N.H.
Lap leaders: Mooney 1-20.
Heat winner: Brown.