Chaffee, Viets and Donnelly win at New England Dirt Track Championships
Rich Tops Held Over SCoNE Triple Crown Feature
BRADFORD, VT – A jammed pit area saw a total of 117 race teams from five states competing on the seven-division card for the fourth annual New England Dirt Track Championships. Mother Nature tried it’s best to put a damper on the night with a persistent on and off drizzle delaying the start of the night by over two hours, but once the racing started it was hot and heavy for the regular 99ROCK weekly Racing Series divisions along with the USAC Dirt Midgets and the Sprint Cars of New England. The only event not completed was the Kids Bike Giveaways, as about 75 bikes were slated to be given away, this will now occur this week.
The final race of the Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) Triple Crown Series, held over from a rainout earlier in the year, kicked off the night on the ultra fast and smooth track with Tyler Rich of Lyme, NH coming to the front from his sixth starting position. Rich took the lead from Troy Comeau and went on to take a convincing win. Perennial front runner Chris Donnelly was second with Rick Martel, Troy Comeau and Clay Dow completing the top five. With the win Rich was named the Triple Crown Champion over Chris Donnelly. The feature saw both Lacey Hanson and Dan Douville take wild rides, destroying their mounts in separate incidents.
Kevin Chaffee blasted to the lead from his outside pole position at the drop of the green in the New England Dirt Track Championship event for the SCoNE Sprint Cars and was never challenged, taking the victory by nearly a second over Will Hull, who recovered from a spectacular oil fire in the first Feature. Chris Donnelly claimed third with Clay Dow and Butch Valley Jr completing the top five.
Chris Donnelly of Orford, NH took advantage of mid race caution to claim the lead from race long leader Bob Shepard on lap 28 and motored away to take the win by nearly four seconds over Kevin Chaffee in the Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Main event. Chaffee made a late race charge to claim the second spot with Adam Gage third, Bryan King fourth and Tim Hodge fifth.
Scott Viets claimed his first win of the season in the 25-lap USAC Dirt Midget race. Viets powered into the lead just past the one third mark of the feature and went on to a dominating win. “Flatfoot” Joe Krawiec claimed second after an extended battle with teammate Kevin Chaffee, who finished third. Dean Christiansen and Adam Pierson completed the top five.
Vershire, VT driver Louie Cadwell captured his second consecutive victory, and third on the season in the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe division. Cadwell, who started next to last in the 17 car field, methodically worked his way to the front, taking the lead from Billy Simmons with just six laps left in the 30 lap event. Josh Harrington was second with Simmons third, Ken Pike fourth and Terry Williams fifth. With the fifth place finish Williams unofficially claimed the Sportsman Coupe Championship with one race remaining on the schedule.
Jason Giguere once again drove to the winner’s circle in the 25-lap Laquerre’s Sports Limited Late Model feature. Giguere held off a hard charging Brandon Gray at the finish with James Fadden, Jeremy Hodge and Brian Chaffee rounding out the top five.
Tim Martin once again came home the winner in the Weglarz Property Service Fast Fours, taking the 25-lap feature. Martin and second place finisher Kevin Harran both lapped the entire field in the non-stop event. Jim Durkee, Rob Gioia and Dave Durkee completed the top five. With the win Martin unofficially clinched the Fast Four Championship.
Mike Ryan took the lead at the start of the 20-lap KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet feature and went on to post the victory. Derek Stearns finished a season best second with Eric Post third, Bobby Bell fourth and Traci Nelson fifth.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s 46th season of stock car racing will conclude with Wells River Savings Bank Night on Saturday, September 28. The DIRTCar Sportsman Modifieds will be running for $1000.00 to win in the Crate Motor Nationals, brought to you by Sabil & Sons. The rest of the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series divisions will be in competition as well as the USAC Dirt Midgets and the Granite State Mini Sprints. General admission for the event is still only $10 for adults (age 18-61), $8 for teens (12-17) and seniors (62+), and $2 for children; Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Racing will begin an hour earlier than usual with a 5:00PM 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 –
Bear Ridge Speedway — Bradford, VT
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Pos.-Driver-
Sprint Cars of New England (25 laps)-Triple Crown Series
- Tyler Rich
- Chris Donnelly
- Rick Martel
- Troy Comeau
- Clay Dow
- Jake Williams
- Kevin Chaffee
- Butch Valley Jr
- Spencer Allen
- Bob Giuliani
- Dan Douville
- Bruce Kimball
- Will Hull
- Tunk Berry
- Lacey Hanson
- James Hanson
Pos.-Driver-
Sprint Cars of New England (25 laps)-Regular
- Kevin Chaffee
- Will Hull
- Chris Donnelly
- Clay Dow
- Butch Valley Jr
- Jake Williams
- Rick Martel
- Tyler Rich
- Brian Gray
- Spencer Allen
- Bob Giuliani
- James Hanson
- Travis Hull
- Tunk Berry
- Bruce Kimball
Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Feature (35 laps)
- Chris Donnelly
- Kevin Chaffee
- Adam Gage
- Bryan King
- Tin Hodge
- Adam Pierson
- Josh Currier
- Robert Tucker
- Gary Siemons
- Bob Shepard
- Jason Gray
- Eddie Patterson
- Derek Graham
- Mike Dunn
- Jordan Fornwalt
- Josh Sunn
- Ross Derry
- Blake Shepard
- Matt Austin
- Mike Gendron
- D.J. Robinson
- Vince Quenneville Jr
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe Feature (30 laps)
- Louie Cadwell
- Josh Harrington
- Billy Simmons
- Kane Pike
- Terry Williams
- Jeremy Beckley
- Jason Colbeth
- Melvin Pierson
- Jeff Robbins
- Martin Mastic
- Teddy Salomaa
- Jason Horiank
- Tom Placey
- Buster Kathan
- Jesse Smith
- Logan Oliver
- Jerry Catterall
USAC Dirt Midget Association (25 laps)
- Scott Viets
- Joe Krawiec
- Kevin Chaffee
- Dean Christiansen
- Adam Pierson
- Scott Holcomb
- Josh Sunn
- Tim Gallant
- Adam Whitney
- Jamie Spaulding
- Mike Chaffee
- Jeff Horn
- Tyler Rivard
- Dylan Rock
- Denny Zimmerman
- #17
- Dana Shaw
- Ray miller
- Jeff Champange
- Dylan Duhaime
Laquerre’s Sports Limited Late Model Feature (25 laps)
- Jason Giguere
- Brandon Gray
- James Fadden
- Jeremy Hodge
- Brian Chaffee
- Jack Whynot
- Eric Lang
- Matt Ellsworth
- Sam Comeau
- Travis King
- Tyler Stygles
- Anthony Perkins
- Tina Catterall
Weglarz Property Service Fast Four Feature (25 laps)
- Tim Martin
- Kevin Harran
- Jim Durkee
- Rob Gioia
- Dave Durkee
- Charlie Pickering
- Don Reynolds
- Taylor Morse
- Jacob Roy
- Derek Durkee
- Lenny Garduno
KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet Feature (20 laps)
1. Mike Ryan
2. Derek Stearns
3. Eric Post
4. Bobby Bell
5. Traci Nelson
6. Chris LaForest
7. 6x Cole
8. Joe Kemp
9. Stan Otterman
10.Charlie Lakin
11.Cary Moulton
12.Michael Phelps
13 Mike Lique
14. Justin Keenan
Sources: April May Preston/Bear Ridge Speedway PR