RIPLEY'S & MODS HIGHLIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT AT WISCASSET
Wiscasset Raceway has been billed as "Maine's fastest track" ever
since Wilford Cronk first opened the gates in 1969. The large crowd
that packed into the grandstands Saturday night, and waited out a near
two hour rain delay, got to see a whole new level of speed as the True
Value Modified Series invaded the coastal speed plant for the the
Wiscasset Ford 100. The 600 horsepower ground shaking open-wheel cars
put down lap times nearly a full second faster than the tracks fastest
weekly division, circling the 3/8 mile highbank oval in just a tick
over fourteen and a half seconds. John McKennedy looked unbeatable
from the pole position, leading the field by over a half straightaway
as they approached the midpoint of the race. However as the laps
ticked away Les Hinkley gradually closed the gap and soon hounded
McKennedy through the second half of the race. The strategy paid off
and Hinkley finally got under the leader and took command of the race
on lap 94 and then held him off to secure the win. Just two midrace
cautions for minor single car spins would slow the frantic pace of the
100 lap main event. It was the series first ever appearance at
Wiscasset Raceway. In other action, it was a family affair as veteran
Daren Ripley and nephew Ryan Ripley each took home wins in weekly
racing series action sponsored by Sam Snow Construction of Pittston.
In the 30 lap feature for the Smith Construction Late Model Sportsman
Appleton's Daren Ripley used every bit of leniency that track
officials would allow in holding off point leader and defending champ
Chris Thorne for the win. It was Ripley's first victory in seven
starts this year, making him the division's 8th different winner.
Steve Reno of West Bath held the lead until Ripley drove around him to
complete lap 15. The race would take a major turn just a lap later
with the race's 2nd caution. While the caution was for what seemed
like a minor spin, what happened next would shake things up
considerably . As they attempted to get the race back underway, Ripley
would jump the restart and as the field came onto the front stretch
Reno broke loose spinning in front of the rest of the pack. Several
cars would bunch up in the middle of the track with rookie Tyler
Robbins rolling his car over under the flagstand. Robbins fortunately
walked away unhurt. With the shakeup behind the leaders, Chris Thorne
moved into the picture from his 8th starting spot to take the restart
beside Ripley. Two more failed attempts at restarts began to raise the
tension on the track and in the stands. With the race finalley back
underway Ripley and Thorne raced door to door for the lead for the
next ten laps until the two made contact at the end of the front
stretch sending Thorne up to the top of turn one. Thorne gave it one
more try but would chase Ripley across the stripe for 2nd place. In
victory lane the two front runners had differing views of the final
laps of the race. "I had to do whatever I could to hold him off" said
Ripley. "That Thorne kid is fast". Thorne had a different impression
of the race when asked "Yeah, I'm really disappointed. I should have
brought home a win tonight, but I just ran out of real estate. I think
that's pretty obvious". Former champ Mike Orr turned in his best run
of the season in 3rd. Recent winner Jason Witts moved up from 10th to
finish 4th and top rookie Adam Chadbourne rebounded from a flat tire
under the lap 16 caution and picked his way back through traffic to
finish 5th.
Daren Ripley was not the only member of the family to visit
victory lane. 13 year old nephew Ryan Ripley made easy work of the 20
lap Aable Auto Parts Mini Stocks feature, starting 4th in the 19 car
field and easily droving to his second straight win. Just one midrace
caution bunched up the field, but the young 3rd generation driver
withstood the challenge of the division's three top drivers. Ryan's
grandfather Doug Ripley, a 3-time track champ himself finished 7th and
pulled into victory lane to celebrate with his grandson. Division
runner-up Pete McCollat took home the 2nd place trophy and point
leader Dylan Lancaster took 3rd. In the 20 lap feature for the
Keystone Automotive Strictly Streets, defending champ Maurice Young
took the lead on lap 8 and held off former champ Dave Brannon to pick
up his track high 7th win of the year. It was also the 55th career win
for the 6-time track champ. Brannon turned around a recent string of
mechanical problems to pick up the 2nd place trophy. Brannon's
teammate Ed Peirpont joined them in victory lane for 3rd. Madison's
Nate Weston withstood a late race restart to pick up his 2nd win of
the season in the 25 lap Unicel Super Street feature. Weston took the
lead on lap four and pulled away for the easy win. Behind him was a
great battle between Allan Moeller, RJ Austin, Jason Gaboury and Mike
Landry. Moeller was able to make it into the open to secure second,
but was not able to chase down Weston. That heated battle for 3rd
produced the race's only caution on lap 19 as Gaboury went spinning
through turn two. Austin held off Landry at the line for the 3rd place
trophy. Bob Weymouth of Topsham grabbed his first win in two years in
the 20 lap NELCAR Legend feature. Weymouth's primary car broke prior
to the start of his heat race, but his backup car was up to the task
in taking the win. A red flag on the final lap set up a one lap dash
to the checkers. Weymouth took the lead from Ed Getty on the restart
to grab the win. Charlie Buxton of Windham jumped into second and
Getty, although he was denied his first Wiscasset win would hold on
for 3rd.
Wiscasset Raceway returns to action with it's biggest weekend of
the 2008 schedule Saurday and Sunday August 16th & 17th. Saturday's
show sponsored by Smith Construction will highlight the Late Model
Sportsman division with a 50 lap main event. All other weekly
division's will be in action as well, including practice for Sunday's
Toyota Tundra 250. The Saturday evening show starts at 5:00pm and
will also be Racing For Maine's Miracles Family Day at the track. Fans
are encouraged to bring gift cards, gas cards, toys and other items to
benefit children and their families who are being treated at the
Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland. Some patients ansd their
families will be special VIP guests at the track. A fireworks show
will top off the Saturday night show. Sunday will mark the return of
the Pro All Stars Series to Wiscasset with the running of the Toyota
Tundra 250 presented by the New England Toyota dealers. Several other
races will fill the card including a pair of PASS Sportsman Series
races, a PASS Modified race, and a 50 lap nationals qualifier for
Wiscasset's Keystone Automotive Strictly Streets. Finally, a field of
some 36 cars will take the green in the main event with a shot at the
$30,000 winners check and a piece of the purse approaching $120,000.
For more information, contact the Wiscasset Raceway office at (207)
882-4271 or check the track's website at www.wiscassetraceway.info.
OFFICIAL FINISH 8/9/08
SMITH CONSTRUCTION LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (30 LAPS)
1. Darren Ripley - Appleton; 2. Chris Thorne - Sidney; 3. Mike
Orr - Wiscasset; 4. Jason Witts - Dixmont; 5. Adam Chadbourne -
Woolwich; 6. Richard Jordan - Kingfield; 7. Duane Love - West
Gardiner; 8. Nick Hinkley - Wiscasset; 9. Bill Pinkham -
Wiscasset; 10. Scott Pooler - Vassalboro; 11. TJ Watson -
Harpswell; 12. Steve Reno - West Bath; 13. Will Collins -
Appleton; 14. Seth Raven - Waldo; 15. Tyler Robbins - Montville;
16. Danny Smart - Buxton; 17. Ryan Gero - West Gardiner; 18.
Nick Reno - West Bath; DNS. Steve Reny - Boothbay; DNS. Peter
Oakes - Boothbay
UNICEL SUPER STREETS (25 LAPS)
1. Nate Weston - Madison; 2. Allan Moeller Sr - Dresden; 3. RJ
Austin - Smithfield; 4. Mike Landry - Oakland; 5. James Osmond -
Wiscasset; 6. Brian Fortin - South China; 7. Kevin Douglass -
Sidney; 8. Jeremy Glasier - Appleton; 9. Frank Brown - Pittston;
10. Ryan Chadwick - Wiscasset; 11. Shawn Austin - Norridgewock;
12. Jason Gaboury - Readfield; 13. Josh Bailey - Wiscasset
KEYSTONE AUTOMOTIVE STRICTLY STREETS (20 LAPS)
1. Maurice Young - Windsor; 2. Dave Brannon - Lisbon; 3. Ed
Peirpont - Jefferson; 4. Bobby Messimer - Wiscasset; 5. Ian
Bresnahan - Bath; 6. Wally Henderson - Litchfield; 7. Mike St
Germain - Auburn; 8. Jamie Henderson - Litchfield; 9. Matt
Stuart - Pittston; 10. Chris Doucette - Sebego; 11. Chuck Colby
- Wiscasset; 12. Steve Peirpont - Cushing
AABLE AUTOPARTS MINI STOCKS (20 LAPS)
1. Ryan Ripley - Thomaston; 2. Pete McCollat - Readfield; 3.
Dylan Lancaster - Skowhegan; 4. Mike Dulaney - Richmond; 5.
Shawn Kimball - Pittston; 6. Natasha Dyer - Arrowsic; 7. Doug
Ripley - Thomaston; 8. Scott Theriault - South China; 9. Ryan
Hayes - Jefferson; 10. Ken Edgecomb - Readfield; 11. Greg
Cummings - Augusta; 12. Chelsea Young - Winterport; 13. Alex
Cromwell - Woolwich; 14. James Howland - Rye, NH; 15. Mac Hannan
Jr - Union; 16. Rob Greeneleaf - West Bath; 17. Ed Sleeper -
Vassalboro; 18. Steve Howard - Thomaston; 19. Tom True -
Wiscasset
NELCAR LEGENDS (20 LAPS)
1. Bob Weymouth - Topsham; 2. Charlie Buxton - Windham; 3. Ed
Getty - Gray; 4. Terry Kirk - Durham; 5. Tyler Jordan -
Scarborough; 6. Kevin Hutchens - E. Waterboro; 7. Patrick
Stewart - Beverly, MA; 8. Alan Smith - Lincoln; 9. Max Zachem -
Preston, CT; 10. Evan Beaulieu - Durham
No comments:
Post a Comment