Chris Donnelly Takes Second Straight SCoNE Feature, Bats .750 for the Night at Bear Ridge Speedway
BRADFORD, VT – After winning a DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature and a Sprint Car heat race earlier in the night, Chris Donnelly of Piermont, NH turned in a dominating performance in the Sprint Cars of New England feature, coming from tenth place to earn his second consecutive SCoNE feature win. His sole non-win came in his final race of the night, when he started deep in the pack and “only” finished third in the second Modified feature.
Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT employed his customary unobtrusive, methodical and craftsmanlike style to advance from sixth to the runner-up spot while Dan Douville of Bridgewater, NH sliced and diced his way through the field to finish third, after an early race incident caused him to restart tailback.
“The car was just about perfect tonight, it would go wherever I needed to go,” Donnelly said, downplaying his own role in the outcome. “We’re running a new Triple X chassis and I found a set-up that really matches my driving style, even though we had to make some big changes from what Triple X recommends. I built the shocks myself and the first week of the season they were just awful. I pulled them off and rebuilt them and we’ve been going great ever since.”
Multi-time Granite State Mini Sprints champ Lacey Hanson finished fourth, turning in what may have been her strongest performance yet in a 360 ci Sprint Car. She started third, took the lead from polesitter Robbie Bodwell two laps later and drove away from the field until lap18 when Donnelly passed her in lapped traffic.
“Lacey ran a great race,” Donnelly said. “I know it’s no fun to lose the lead in lapped traffic because I’ve done it myself more than a few times.”
A competitive but self-effacing driver who is clearly comfortable in her own skin, Hanson phrased it this way to a fellow driver: “I really don’t have much experience passing lapped traffic. Usually, I am the lapped traffic”.
Former Star Speedway Big Block Supermodified Champion Jim Lowery, Jr. had another solid night, starting ninth and finishing fifth.
The Sprint Cars of New England go right back at it at Bear Ridge Speedway this Saturday, July 9.
Notes: It was an historic night for at least two reasons. The event marked the first known appearance of Sprint Cars and Midgets on the same program at any Northern New England track. Donnelly’s wins in both the Sprint Car and the Sportsman Modified probably marked the first time that a driver has ever won features in different classes on the same night at Bear Ridge Speedway. Long time speedway owner and operator C.V. Elms wasn’t able to recall that ever happening before… On Friday night, Andy Seuss finished third behind L. W. Miller and George Brunnhoelzl III in the 150 lap NASCAR Whelan Modified Southern Tour race at Caraway Speedway in North Carolina. He then hit the highway and battled Independence Day weekend traffic with a pair of co-drivers to make it to Bear Ridge. He arrived too late for hot laps – Matt Robie filled in for him- but Seuss turned in a noteworthy performance in the feature, especially for someone with very limited Sprint Car and dirt track experience. Starting 14th, Seuss raced his way into fifth before spinning late in the race. He recovered to finish ninth… Former Champ Sawn Lawler made his 2011 debut and wasted no time in getting his groove back. After a strong showing in his heat race, he finished seventh in his heat race, despite restarting from the rear after being involved – minimally- in an early race incident with Dan Douville, Tunk Berry and Brandon Valley. “Actually, I probably could have done better,” Lawler said, “but after the restart I was angry and I just don’t do so well when I’m angry”…. The two heats went green to checker so no cars were lost to the feature, but Will Hull scratched due to an oil leak… A near capacity crowd was on hand for what might have been the most value packed $10 adult ticket of the weekend. In addition to SCoNE, the program featured the USAC DRA Midgets and double features for most of the weekly classes.
SCoNE FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Chris Donnelly, 2. Kevin Chaffee, 3. Dan Douville, 4. Lacey Hanson, 5. Jim Lowery, Jr., 6. Jake Williams, 7. Shawn Lawler, 8. Mark Cole, 9. Andy Seuss, 10. Bruce Kimball, 11. Shawn Berry, 12. Brandon Valley, 13. Tyler Rich, 14. Robbie Bodwell, 15. Tunk Berry, 17. Dylan Campbell, DNS Will Hull.
Kreitz Oval Track Parts Award: Jim Lowery, Jr.
VP Racing Fuels Award: Shawn Berry
Sources: Mark McKeon