Jeff Burgess best in Unity Raceway Late Model race, Frank Moulton locks up third straight track title

Jeff Burgess best in Unity Raceway Late Model race, Frank Moulton locks up third straight track title

Unity, Maine – Jeff Burgess of Fairfield won his fourth Late Model feature race of the season Saturday night at Unity Raceway, while an eventful 10^th-place run was more than enough for Frank Moulton of Burnham to nail down his third consecutive track championship at the third-mile oval track.

Burgess was stuck deep in the pack as the 23-car field went 23 laps before the caution flag waved, but a rash of yellow fever over the next several laps eliminated many frontrunners from contention for the win, including Jefferson’s Mike Hodgkins, who led most of that race-opening green flag stretch.

Ed Drake made a late charge into second place, bouncing back after being spun from the lead by Moulton when the champion’s right front tire went flat. Moulton later got into David Folsom I of Skowhegan while racing for third position after the white flag waved, triggering a controversial yellow-checkered finish.

Burgess drove to victory lane with Drake posting an impressive second-place finish. Chelsea’s Poncho Darveau claimed his third straight podium finish since returning to competition after a five-year hiatus, crossing the line third in the Mo Young 03. Rookie Markus Lowe of Jackson finished fourth, with Steve Rackliff of Starks ending up with a season-best fifth-place finish.

Darveau and multi-time Unity Raceway Pro Stock champion Dean Fuller of Albion were victorious in Late Model heat race action.

The NELCAR Legends Cars touring series closed out their championship season at Unity Raceway with the 16-year-old ‘K-Man’ claiming victory in the race, and a 40-something guy who’ll still race bikes – even on ice – wrapping up the 2010 series championship with a third-place finish.

NELCAR Legends Cars races at Unity are rarely filled with caution flags, but the series finale was far from the norm, with multiple examples of minor mechanical failure turning into multi-car melees. The chief victim was Durham’s Evan Beaulieu, who entered the night’s competition nine points behind Topsham’s Bobby Weymouth, the aforementioned 40-something bike racer who paid some oval track dues at Unity Raceway, Wiscasset Raceway and other venues before finding a home with NELCAR. Beaulieu got wrecked trying to take evasive action to avoid the disabled mount of early contender Tyler Jordan of Scarborough.

Eventual winner Kevin ‘K-man’ Hutchens nearly suffered the same fate of driving into someone’s wreck as Bobby Timmons broke a hub just as it appeared he was going to take the lead away from the eventual winner – Timmons was hooked up – but at the checkered flag it was Hutchens in front of Field and new champ Weymouth, with Lincoln’s Alan Smith and Matthew Burgoine of Newport closing out the top-five.

Nick Huff of Orrington made it two straight wins in the Racin’ Paper Super Street division, bouncing back from early adversity to prevail in the 25-lap main event. Huff and Nate Weston, this year’s champion in the class, clashed while racing for the lead on more than one occasion during the 25-lapper, and after a restart found both at the back of the lineup Huff made progress while Weston encountered further problems, along with Josh Bailey. When the checkered flag flew it was Huff racing underneath it first in front of Waterville’s Ricky Burgess, who took a turn or two pacing the field before settling for runner-up honors. Bucksport’s Artie Maguire claimed the third-place trophy in front of Bailey and Weston.

Andy Turbovsky of Winslow did all that he could do, attempting to come from behind in the championship chase in the Keystone Automotive Wildcat division, entering the night nine points behind Burnham’s Chris King in the title bout. Turbovsky could do no better than to win the 20-lap main event, and the ‘Lazy Boy’ one-handed his way to another popular feature race triumph. Burnham’s Carl McAlpine, a multi-time division champion, kept things interesting in the end and claimed runner-up honors, while King drove from the back of the starting line-up into third position under the checkered flag, claiming the Wildcat championship by seven points, unofficially. Mo Young of Chelsea and Ed Sleeper of Vassalboro rounded out the top five.

Already champion of the Aable Auto Parts Flyin’ 4 division, Justin Moore of Madison aced the 50-lap special for the entry-level, four-cylinder class in dominant fashion, never more than a car-length from the lead. Cornville teen Brad Bosworth stayed close to the champion and claimed runner-up honors, with official third-place finishing honors earned by Clinton teenager Cole Robinson – still to young for a learner’s permit let alone a driver’s license. Young Robinson crossed the line in fourth position, but apparent third-place finisher Tim Collins did not pass post-race technical inspection with illegal tires that should have been enough to win the race with ease. Lance Chapman of Benton bounced back from several altercations to post a fourth-place finish, with early race frontrunner David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II of Skowhegan rounding out the top five in the official finishing order.

Despite a hard hit into the turn four sand pile during the 50-lap Waterville Oaks Ladies division race run in conjunction with the Flyin’ 4 class, Chelsea’s Mika Wilson was the chief survivor and winner in both heat race and feature event competition. Wilson had already clinched the 2010 championship in the division. Clinton’s Alicia Goodwin was second-best in the Ladies class, with Winterport’s Chelsea Young finishing third, nailing down season-long runner-up honors.

New Vineyard’s Corey Walker closed out his championship season in dominant fashion with a 20-lap feature win in the Uncle Henry’s Late Model Pro Four division. Walker’s closest rival in the race, Clinton’s Ben Clark, crashed coming out of turn four on the final lap, handing second-place to Skowhegan’s Bryan Lancaster. Multi-time division champ Steve Rackliff was third under the checkered flag, followed by Alex Fernald and Clark.

Mike Wilson wrapped up yet another championship season in the Monster Energy Drink Monsta Mini class with a feature race victory. Dylan Lancaster of Skowhegan claimed runner-up honors, with John Fortin of Vassalboro finishing in third position.

Detroit’s Ricky Pease drove to his first feature win in the Geo & Sons Teen Thunder main event, leading throughout the non-stop event by a comfortable margin. Newly-crowned Teen Thunder champion Wes Turner of Montville prevailed in a thrilling, three-car battle for second position. Kyle Robinson of Clinton just edged out Burnham’s Emily McAlpine for the final podium finishing position. Colby Robbins of Montville was the fifth-place finisher.

Saturday, October 2 Unity Raceway kicks off with a car show in the track parking lot at 9: 30 a.m., with trophies awarded to the top three cars in eleven classes. At 2:00 p.m. action shifts to the racetrack for a Fernald Frenzy Fun racing program, highlighted by a pair of 50-lap enduro races. Following that competition Be Bop Bob hosts a track dance.

The 2010 Unity Raceway season concludes on Saturday and Sunday, October 9-10 with the annual “Longjohn” program, with heat races on Saturday and feature events on Sunday. Late Models and Wildcats will race 100 laps on Longjohn Weekend, with all other weekly divisions contesting 50-lap feature events.

For more information visit unityraceway.info or call (207) 453-2021.

Late Model (35 laps): 1. X Jeff Burgess, Fairfield; 2. 09 Ed Drake, Vassalboro; 3. 03 Poncho Darveau, Chelsea; 4. 10x Markus Lowe, Jackson; 5. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 6. 22 Ajay Picard, Palmyra; 7. 87 Chuck Colby, Newcastle; 8. x15 David Folsom I, Skowhegan; 9. 9 Dylan Turner, Freedom; 10. 15 Frank Moulton, Burnham; 11. 6 Danny Smart, Buxton; 12. 3x Richard Jordan, Kingfield; 13. 1 Willy Pelotte, Oakland; 14. 3 Darren Doucette, Sidney; 15. 25 Will Collins, Appleton; 16. 20 Dean Fuller, Albion; 17. 27 Brenton Parritt, Steuben; 18. 23x Mike Hodgkins, Jefferson; 19. 15x Nick Hinckley, Wiscasset; 20. 12 Seth Raven, Waldo; 21. 34x Dickie Byron, Madison; 22. 99 Louis Picard, Palmyra; 23. 23 Dave Farrington, Jay. Heat race winners: Darveau, Fuller.

Racin’ Paper Super Street (25 laps): 1. 21 Nick Huff, Orrington; 2. 34 Ricky Burgess, Jr., Waterville; 3. 47x Artie Maguire, Bucksport; 4. 2 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset; 5. 47 Nate Weston, Madison; 6. 79 Rick Turner, Montville; 7. 94 Steve Rackliff, Starks, 8. 73 Mark Dodge, Anson. Heat race winner: Huff.

Keystone Automotive Industries Wildcat (20 laps): 1. 14 Andy Turbovsky, Winslow; 2. 18 Carl McAlpine, Burnham; 3. 29 Chris King, Burnham; 4. 03 Maurice Young, Chelsea; 5. 22 Ed Sleeper, Vassalboro; 6. 26 Andrew McLaughlin, Harrington; 7. 18x Ian Bresnahan, West Bath; 8. 8 Brad Norris, Ellsworth; 9. 24 Eddie Gilblair, Skowhegan; 10. 99 Al Libby, Brooks; 11. 33 Ed Gilblair, Sr., Skowhegan; 12. 98 Todd Rollins, St. Albans; DNS 53 Sonny Robinson, Clinton; DNS 2 Ryan Robinson, Waterville. Heat race winners: Sleeper, McAlpine.

Uncle Henry’s Late Model Pro Four (20 laps): 1. 20 Corey Walker, New Vineyard; 2. 81 Bryan Lancaster, Skowhegan; 3. 08 Steve Rackliff, Starks; 4. Alex Fernald, Benton; 5. Ben Clark, Clinton; 6. Tim Robinson, Clinton. Heat race winner: Walker.

Monster Energy Drink Monsta Mini (20 laps): 1. Mike Wilson, Chelsea; 2. 1 Dylan Lancaster, Skowhegan; 3. 46 John Fortin, Vassalboro; DNS 84 Jeff Minchin, Pittston; DNS 18 Tim Collins, Farmingdale. Heat race winner: Wilson.

Aable Auto Parts Flyin’ 4 (50 laps): 1. 5 Justin Moore, Madison; 2. 15 Brad Bosworth, Cornville; 3. 61 Cole Robinson, Clinton; 4. 21 Lance Chapman, Benton; 5. 11 David Folsom II, Skowhegan; 6. 17 Kris Matchett, Skowhegan; 7. 77 Rodney Williams, Oakland; 8. 19 Zach Audet, New Sharon; 9. 57 Brian Dickey, Madison; DQ 84 Tim Collins, Farmingdale. Heat Race winner: Moore.

Waterville Oaks Ladies (50 laps): 1. 92 Mika Wilson, Chelsea; 2. 00 Alica Goodwin, Clinton; 3. 18 Chelsea Young, Winterport; DQ 25 Christie Foster, Norridgewock. Heat race winner: Wilson.

Geo & Sons Teen Thunder (15 laps): 1. 20 Ricky Pease, Detroit; 2. 88 Wes Turner, Montville; 3. 62 Kyle Robinson, Clinton; 4. 18 Emily McAlpine, Burnham; 5. 15 Colby Robbins, Montville; DNS 1 Mike Fernald, Benton. Heat race winner: Pease.

Enduro (30 laps, top five of 16): 1. 71 Donny Silva, Hudson; 2. 95 Zack Gagnon, Clinton; 3. 16j Kayla Allen, Bucksport; 4. 5 Ryan Chadwick, Wiscasset; 5. 15 George Fernald III, Benton.

NELCAR Legends Cars (25 laps): 1. 72 Kevin Hutchens, East Waterboro; 2. 30 Ed Field, Deep River, CT; 3. 399 Bobby Weymouth, Topsham; 4. 33 Alan Smith, Lincoln; 5. 38 Matthew Burgoine, Newport; 6. 49 Pete Cannell, South Berwick; 7. 31 Bobby Timmons, Windham; 8. 29 Tyler Jordan, Scarborough; 9. 56 Evan Beaulieu, Durham; 10. 17 Terry Kirk, Durham; 11. 13 Carl Blandina, Milford, CT; 12. 48 Kendall Curit, Windham. Heat race winners: Burgoine, Timmons.