He had never driven a Late Model race car until a Friday practice
session, but Hermon's Mike Hopkins is evidently a quick learner as he
won his first outing in the new division on Sunday by winning the
qualifier, then led the field from start to finish in the feature
event. The event went smoothly, with only a couple of single car
incidents causing the yellow flag to fly until a lap 17 melee on the
front stretch scattered the field. Winterport's Joey Doyon and
Liberty's Josh St.Clair, who were running second and third, came
together while racing for position and spun in front of the field.
Cars spun everywhere as the 14 car field tried to slow up and miss the
spinning leaders. Most made it through with minor damage, but Dale
Swoboda and Josh St. Clair were finished for the day. On the restart,
Hopkins held off Bar Harbor's John Phippen Jr. for the final 7 laps to
post the win. Phippen finished second, with Dave St.Clair of Liberty
coming in third. Dean Smart of Bradley and Duane Seekins of Stockton
Springs rounded out the top five in the season opener.
In Super Street action, Kris Watson of Hermon and Winterport's Mike
Lynch put on a side by side battle, swapping the lead for most of the
event, with Watson taking the win when Lynch ducked into the pits on
the white flag lap, leaving Watson to finish the race alone in the
lead. Steve Moulton of Holden finished second, with Hermon's Doug
Sinclair in third. Mike Overlock of Ellsworth and former Ladies
Division champion Lindsay Seekins-Young were fourth and fifth
respectively.
The Strictly Street field was led to the finish line by Bradley Norris
of Ellsworth after then leader Travis Poulin of Holden suddenly pulled
his Monte Carlo from the front of the field to the pit area. Norris
was followed to the checkered flag by Bangor's Shawn Hamel, Shawn
Racilla of Dover-Foxcroft and Shawn Hamel II of Bangor.
David Green of Hampden crossed the finish line ahead of the Sport-Four
field with Rick Grant of Lagrange close behind, as he had been since a
lap 16 restart. Grant finished second with Tim Robinson of Clinton
recovering from an early race trip off turn one to finish third.
Fourth went to Hermon's Ralph Allen with Brent Fletcher of Milford in
fifth.
In other racing action, the NELCAR Legends visited the speedway on
opening day, with Charlie Buxton of Windham picking up his first win
in the series. Buxton inherited the lead when early leader Max Zecham
of Preston Connecticut had his engine expire on the 14th lap. Second
place went to Bob Weymouth of Topsham, with Durham's Terry Kirk in
third. Windham's Bobby Timmons and Lincoln's Alan Smith rounded out
the top five.
Also on hand were the Maine Super Car Racing League with their ½ scale
racing machines. Josh Ireland of Howland picked up the win in the 20
lap feature with Hermon's Gerry Phillips in second. Third went to
Peter Rafuse of Milford with Francis Bernard and Fred Ireland, both of
Howland, fourth and fifth.
Adding a little old time flavor to the day's activities were the
Wicked Good Vintage Racing Association, with their resurrected bomber
and modified cars of yesteryear. Leading the field under the checkered
flag was Jim Sprague of Morrill in a 1932 Ford Modified. Second went
to Robert Hills of Searsmont in his 1938 Chevy Modified, followed by
Dick McPhail of Fairfield in a 1947 Ford Bomber, Haggie Pratt of
Dexter in a '38 Chevy and Mike Willett of Winslow in a 1946 Plymouth,
completing the top five in that order.
Racing continues at Speedway 95 on Sunday May 3 at 2:00, with an
opportunity for fans to hop a ride with their favorite driver starting
at 1:30
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