All-time Pro All Stars Series kingping Johnny Clark tops Big John Phippen Memorial Race entry list this weekend at Unity Raceway
Unity, Maine – The second annual Big John Phippen Memorial Race, presented by Clark’s Car Crushing, highlights a Father’s Day Weekend doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Unity Raceway. Twin 59-lap main events for Maine’s Fastest Late Model class, offering $1500 to the winner, make up the Phippen Memorial main event.
Phippen, of Town Hill, passed away two years ago minutes after climbing from his racecar at Speedway 95 in Hermon. He racked up many victories at Unity Raceway, Speedway 95 and Wiscasset raceway, and was a champion at all three oval tracks during his long and storied stock car racing career.
Topping the entry list for the event is Johnny Clark of Farmingdale, the most successful driver ever in the Pro All Stars Series. With six series championships racing with the East Coast’s fastest full-bodied stock cars, Clark returns to the site of a $25,000 victory several years ago.
Clark will steer a car owned by Albion’s Dean Fuller, a multi-time Pro Stock champion at Unity Raceway himself. Chad Dow, who occasionally drives the # 39 Fuller Late Model that Clark will drive, will serve as crew chief for the weekend.
Ending a long hiatus from the cockpit and entering the event is John Clark III, Johnny’s father, who turned the seat in the family racecar to his exceptionally-talented son well over a decade ago. He’ll wheel the # 21 Late Model normally driven by Ben Clark (no relation), and owned by Ben’s father, John Clark.
All Clarks will have their hands full, as a tough field of Late Models led by reigning track champion and point leader Jeff Burgess of Fairfield will try to foil Maine’s most successful stock car pilot. The field will also include the defending champion of the event, Dylan Turner of Freedom, and the driver with the most success in extra-distance events over the past couple of seasons, Brian Whitney of Burnham.
David Folsom, who led the championship standings most of the 2011 season before Burgess went on an incredible streak in September, will make his 2012 debut after being sidelined to date by a non-racing injury suffered during the off-season. Folsom’s son, David ‘Deuce’ Folsom II, expects to be a contender after running extremely well in his two appearances to date at Maine’s Toughest Racing Oval.
Double points are on the line in all racing divisions on Sunday afternoon. Post time is 1:00 p.m.
The weekend kicks off on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m., with 20-lap Late Model heat races, qualifying six cars for Sunday’s main event. A full card featuring all weekly racing divisions, including the season debut for the popular Teen Thunder class, will be presented by Benton Fun Park.
Adult grandstand admission for Saturday’s program is just $10, Sunday’s admission is $15 for adults. For more information visit unityraceway.info, johnnyclarkmotorsports.com, or call (207) 453-2021.
Sources: Unity Raceway PR