Former Champ Moeller Brings Home First Victory of the Season
WISCASSET, ME — Last Saturday was a great day for racing at the Wiscasset Speedway. The day was warm and sunny, and the grandstands were filled with people ready to watch some racing action. On the schedule was the group two lineup of divisions: Strictly Street, Mini Truck, Outlaw Mini’s, and Late Model Sportsman.
First on the track were the Strictly Street’s for a twenty lap race. The No. 39 of Gerard Freve was in the pole position. Behind him were Guy Childs in the No. 5 and Ben Erskine of the No. 43. During the first lap around the track, Childs passed Freve on the outside of turn three for the lead. Moving up quickly from a sixth place starting position was the No. 32 of Tasha Dyer. Dyer had navigated her Morse and Doak Builders Chevy through the pack, and during lap two passed Freve for second. Coming up behind Freve and Dyer was the No. 26 driven by Corey Morgan. Morgan passed Freve for third on the outside of the front stretch coming out of turn four during lap two.
Dyer was looking for her opportunity to pass Childs, and that opportunity came during lap seventeen. Dyer made a bid to pass on the inside of turn three. The two raced furiously around the track neck and neck. During lap eighteen, Childs slipped up the track on turn three going into four. Dyer held the bottom line and made a clean pass.
Dyer led the race and Childs was hot behind her attempting to retake first. During the final lap, Dyer and Childs were negotiating around lap traffic on turn four. As the pair headed out of turn four, Childs clipped the left rear of Dyers car while attempting to head to the inside. Dyers car went sideways and struck the wall on the front stretch while going at a great rate of speed. Dyers car crumpled, but she was able to walk away without serious injury. Childs went on the win the race. This makes Childs fourth first place finish in Strictly Street this racing season at Wiscasset. Morgan placed second. Freve took third.
The Mini Truck fifteen lap feature was action packed and filled with leader changes. The No. 22 of Jeff Schmidt was starting at the pole. Behind him were the No. 69 of Ryan Farrar and the No. 12 driven by Gerry McKenna. Right off the start, Ryan Farrar passed Schmidt on the outside of turn two. Then in lap three Gerry McKenna passed Schmidt on the bottom of the back stretch.
Race leaders remained the same until lap nine. Schmidt was able to move to second place when he passed Gerry McKenna on the back stretch. Schmidt was not satisfied with his second place position, and he moved to the outside making a bid for first during the final two laps.
Ryan Farrar and Schmidt raced furiously, battling for first. Then, Schmidt pulled ahead on turn three of lap fourteen to sweep beneath the checkered a fraction of a second ahead of Ryan Farrar. Prior to race time Schmidt said, “The truck is running good today. I’d like a top three finish tonight. That would make me happy.” Schmidt must have been more than happy with his top finish. This is Schmidt’s fourth win at Wiscasset this season, and his second first place finish.
Ryan Farrar placed second. Gerry McKenna rounded out the top three.
The Outlaw Mini feature was the next crowd pleaser in the lineup. The No. 8 of Calvin Rose Jr had the pole position. In second was the No. 13 of Nate Tribett. Behind Tribett was the No. 44 of Ozzie Cummings. When racing action began, Tribett pulled ahead of Rose, and looked like he was going to lead. However, Rose surged ahead on the inside of turn two and took back his lead.
Ozzie Cummings dropped back in the field during the first lap. Moving from an eighth starting position was Shawn Kimball driving his No. 20. Kimball slid into third place during lap two. Kimball looked ahead for a chance to pass Tribett. His chance came in lap eight, when he was able pass on the outside of the front stretch and take second place.
Lap thirteen saw another pass from a contender from the back of the pack. George Fortin of the No. 9 had woven through traffic from his ninth starting position to pass Tribett on the outside of turn two during lap thirteen to claim third. Ahead of Fortin, Rose was struggling to maintain his lead with Kimball hot on his heels. Kimball swept up from behind and passed Rose on the inside of turn one during lap fifteen to take the lead.
A caution in lap nineteen saw race contenders play out a new start. Fortin used the restart to his advantage and passed Rose on the inside of turn two for second place. Race leaders then remained constant until the conclusion of the race. Kimball’s ERA Webb Realty Mini car took first place. This was Kimball’s second first place finish this season at Wiscasset. Fortin placed second. This was Fortin’s sixth top three finish of the racing season. Rose took third place.
The spotlighted feature of the week was a forty-five lap Late Model Sportsman race. This was a high energy feature, and despite four cautions during race time, the action sped by quickly. The race began just as the bright lights of Wiscasset began to shine on the race track. In the pole position was the 33X of Josh St Clair. Behind him were Allan Moeller Sr in the No. 04 and Bill Pinkham driving the No. 5. When the green flag flew, Josh St Clair and Moeller raced furiously for the lead. Josh St Clair was able to hang onto first place, and Moeller slipped in behind him to watch for a chance to pass. Nick Hinkley in the No. 15 passed Pinkham on the outside of turn two for third during lap two.
The first caution of the race came in lap three. On the restart Ryan St Clair driving the No. 30 came from his sixth place start to take fourth.
During lap ten Josh St Clair fishtailed on turn four. Moeller used that to his advantage and made the pass to take the lead. While Josh St Clair struggled to get back on track, Hinkley moved up to challenge for second place. In lap thirteen, Hinkley came up the back stretch and passed Josh St Clair for second. Then, during lap sixteen, Ryan St Clair passed Josh St Clair on turn four for third.
The second caution of the race came during lap twenty-four. Hinkley was passing the lap car No. 33 driven by Ed Tyler when the two made contact on the back stretch. Both Hinkley and Tyler damaged their cars, and Hinkley went into the wall. As this was happening, Pinkham and the No. 27 driven by Nick Reno and were rounding turn two. Pinkham and Reno made contact, and Pinkham could not avoid the tangle on the back stretch and was caught up in the jumble, his car also hitting the wall.
On the restart, Moeller surged ahead, holding onto first. Ryan St Clair was behind him in second. Josh St Clair was in third. Another caution in lap thirty-five resulted in another restart. When racing action resumed, Reno passed Josh St Clair for on the outside of turn two for third. For the next five laps Reno and Josh St Clair battled for position, but Josh St Clair fishtailed on the track, and Reno solidified his lead.
The fourth and final caution of the race came in lap forty-one. There were no leader changes after the restart. Moeller placed first in his State Paving sponsored late model. Moeller previously had been a three time track champion at Wiscasset, but this was his first victory of the season. Once in Victory Lane, Moeller said, “Good to have the No. 04 back on the car. I have got to thank Scott Chubbuck for setting up the car- he sure knows how to set up a car!” Moeller also wanted to thank his pit crew, Alan Jr and Jonny C.
Ryan St Clair finished second. Nick Reno rounded out the top three in third.
Wiscasset Speedway resumes racing action, August 17, 2013 with its group one lineup of divisions: Prostock, Super Stock, New England 4-cylinder Prostock, and Thunder 4. The flex race of the week will be Classic Lights. Saturday is also Fan Appreciation Day for the group one line up. There will be a car show in the parking lot from 4PM-6PM. There is information on registering for the car show online at the Wiscasset Speedway website. There will be driver autographs on the racetrack at 5:30 PM. During intermission there will be two groups of bicycle races for the kids on the racetrack. The groups will be ages 5-7, and ages 8-12. Please remember the bike helmets! At the conclusion of the feature races there will also be fireworks. Pit gates open at 2:00 PM. Grandstand gates open at 4:00 PM. Prerace activities start at 5:30 PM. Admission is $5.00 for adults and children aged seven and older. Kids six and under are free. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset. For more information, head to the Wiscasset Speedway website at: http:www.wiscassetspeedway.com.
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH AUGUST 10, 2013
STRICTLY STREET (20 LAPS)
1. #5 Guy Childs, Turner
2. #26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston
3. #39 Gerard Freve, Turner
4. #4 Ben Erskine, Farmington
5. #13 Chuck Gray, Wiscasset
6. #32 Tasha Dyer, Arrowsic
7. #56 Thomas Smith, Boothbay
8. #66 Phil Main Sr, Boothbay
9. #88 Travis Dunbar, Lisbon
10. #1 Mike Moody, Topsham
11. #V7 Allen Higgins, Brunswick
12. #99 Phil Main Jr, Trevett
13. #2 Mark Murphy, Edgecomb
MINI TRUCK (15 LAPS)
1. #22 Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls
2. #69 Ryan Farrar, Sumner
3. #12 Gerry McKenna, NA
4. #3 Duane Booth, NA
5. #32 Herb Farrar, Mechanic Falls
6. #13 Neil McKenna, NA
7. #28 Kevin Oliver, Raymond
OUTLAW MINI (25 LAPS)
1. #20 Shawn Kimball, Augusta
2. #9 George Fortin, Greene
3. #8 Calvin Rose Jr, Turner
4. #13 Nate Tribett, Richmond
5. #5 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls
6. #17 Norm Cummings Jr, Augusta
7. #10 jimmy Childs, Leeds
8. #84 Michael Bolduc, Windsor
9. #44 Ozzie Cummings, Vassalboro
10. #41 Dixon Smith, Sidney
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (45 LAPS)
1. #04 Allen Moeller, Dresden
2. #30 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty
3. #27 Nick Reno, West Bath
4. #33X Josh St. Clair, Liberty
5. #34 Tyler Robbins, Montville
6. #00 Alex Waltz, Walpole
7. #3 Richard Jordan, Kingfield
8. #28 Steve Minott, Windham
9. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
10. #5 Bill Pinkham, Wiscasset
11. #1 John Rideout, Washington
12. #25 Will Collins, Appleton
13. #0 Lowell Simmons, Damariscotta
Sources: Lisa Maguire/Wiscasset Speedway PR