Donnelly Slips Into “Madness” Win at Bear Ridge Speedway
Doyle Garners First Coupe Win; Duhaime Dominates for USAC Midget win
BRADFORD, VT – Stock car racing champion Chris Donnelly became the first repeat winner of the season in the Bond Auto Parts DIRTcar Sportsman Modified division in the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series on Bond Auto Parts Night at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday. Donnelly slipped into the annual Modified “Madness” event win with a strong car and a little luck in the race’s three 40-lap segments.
The Piermont, NH driver posted finishes of first and thirteenth in the first two rounds of the cumulatively-scored race, entering the final 40-lap leg with fourteen points in a four way tie for second behind Jason Gray. Donnelly won the first segment in a wildly competitive event that saw five lead changes and a three wide battle for the lead, and then struggled in the second leg, finishing thirteenth for fourteen total points. Gray, of East Thetford, VT, was seventh in the first round, then drove to a second place finish in the second round to lead with nine total points.
As Gray struggled in the third round, Donnelly was able to choose the right lanes and post a runner-up finish for 16 total points. Gray’s ninth place run netted him a total of 18 points to finish second. Kevin Chaffee posted finishes of fourth, tenth and fifth to claim the third spot with a total of 19 points.
The entire 120-lap Modified event was slowed by seven caution flags through the three segments and paid the largest purse in the history of the division, more than $10,000 through the field including bonuses.
Rookie Danny Doyle took the win with a popular victory in the highly competitive 30-lap Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature. Doyle took the lead for the third and final time with six laps remaining; Jesse Smith rebounded from an early race incident to come from the rear to finish second with Terry Williams rounding out the top three.
Fifteen year old rookie Dylan Duhaime drove to his first USAC Dirt Midget Association win, leading every lap of the 25-lap affair. Duhaime bested the rapidly closing duo of Kevin Chaffee and Dean Christiansen. The duo bumped as they crossed the finish line, resulting in Christiansen flipping wildly into turn one.
Jason Giguere of Enfield, NH remains unbeaten in the Laquerre’s Sports Limited Late Model Division as he picked up another win, passing rookie Brandon Gray mid race. Gray held on for second with Brian Chaffee third. In the Weglarz Property Service Fast Fours. Kevin Harran picked up the win with Tim Martin second and Dave Durkee third.
Mike Ryan grabbed the win in the KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornets. He was followed across the line by Brent Warren in second and Charlie Lakin in third.
Veteran Modified chauffer Bob Shepard, who suffered a major medical event during the running of the third segment is breathing on his own and is under doctor’s care at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, NH. We hope and pray for a speedy recovery for Bob.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s season of stock car racing continues with Boudreault Septic/J&A Lawn Care Night on Saturday, July 6. The Sprint Cars of New England return along with the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series Modifieds, Coupes, Late Models, Fast Fours and Hornets. Special general admission is $13 for adults (age 18-61), $10 for teens (12-17) and seniors (62+), and $2 for children; Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Racing begins at the famous “6:00-ish” start time.
Bear Ridge Speedway is located on Kidder Road in Bradford, VT, just off Exit 16 on Interstate 91. For more information, call (802) 222-4052 or visit www.bearridgespeedway.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Bond Auto Parts Night
99ROCK Weekly Racing Series
Bear Ridge Speedway — Bradford, VT
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified “Madness” Feature (40 laps x 3)
Pos.-Driver-(Total Points)
1. Chris Donnelly, (16 pts.)
2. Jason Gray (18 pts)
3. Kevin Chaffee (19 pts)
4. Josh Sunn (20 pts)
5. Tim Hodge (21 pts)
6. Adam Pierson (28 pts)
7. Mike Gendron (29 pts)
8. Gary Seimons (29 pts)
9. Danny Eastman (29 pts)
10. Bryan King (29 pts)
11. Justin Comes (32 pts)
12. Eddie Patterson (36 pts)
13. Derek Barker (36 pts)
14. Jordan Fornwalt (37 pts)
15. Josh Currier (38 pts)
16. Tim Tucker (42 pts)
17. Troy Comeau (44 pts)
18. Bob Shepard (46 pts)
19. Robert Tucker (47 pts)
20. Billy Lussier (48 pts)
21. Mike Dunn (62 pts)
22. Travis Barker (62 pts)
23. Jack Cook (65 pts)
24. Adam Gage (67 pts)
Segment Winners: Chris Donnelly, Adam Pierson, Mike Gendron
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe Feature (30 laps)
1. Danny Doyle
2. Jesse Smith
3. Terry Williams
4. Martin Mastic
5. Louis Cadwell
6. Jason Horniak
7. Jason Colbeth
8. Josh Harrington
9. Teddy Salomaa
10. Josh Constantine
11. Rick Fletcher
12. Tom Placey
13. Melvin Pierson
14. Jeremy Beckley
15. Kane Pike
16. Jerry Catterall
17. Jeff Robbins
18. Billy Simmons
19. Buster Kathan
USAC Dirt Midget Association (25 laps)
1. Dylan Duhaime
2. Kevin Chaffee
3. Dean Christansen
4. Adam Whitney
5. Tim Gallant
6. Adam Pierson
7. Joe Krawiec
8. Scott Holcomb
9. Scott Viets
10. Ray Miller
11. Jamie Spaulding
12. Mike Chaffee
13. Tyler Rivard
14. Dylan Rock
15. Jeff Champagne
16. Jeff Horn
17. Josh Sunn
18. Denny Zimmerman
Laquerre’s Sports Limited Late Model Feature (20 laps)
1. Jason Giguere
2. Brandon Gray
3. Brian Chaffee
4. James Fadden
5. Matt Ellsworth
6. Skeeter Greene
7. Tina Catterall
8. Jason Blake
9. Eric Lang
Did not start: Travis King
Weglarz Property Service Fast Four Feature (20 laps)
1. Kevin Harran
2. Tim Martin
3. Dave Durkee
4. Jim Durkee
5. Ethan Bryd
6. Don Reynolds
7. Tyler Searles
8. Pickering
KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet Feature (20 laps)
1. Mike Ryan
2. Brent Warren
3. Charlie Lakin
4. Stan Otterman
5. Bobby Bell
6. Chris LaForest
7. Eric Post
8. Kelly Miller Jr
9. Joe Kemp
10. Steve Sheldon
11. Traci Nelson
12. Michael Phelps
13. Peter West
14. Cary Moulton
15. Mike Lique
16. Kasey Collins
17. Leah McGinley
18. Stearns
19. Deven Stearns
Sources: April May Preston/Bear Ridge Speedway PR