McLaughlin Takes Long-Awaited Season-Opener at Wiscasset Speedway
Opening day at Wiscasset Speedway finally arrived last weekend. But similar to the landscape seen around the business and sports world, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic it was met with changes and restrictions that everyone would need to adjust to. The 2020 season, which was originally scheduled to start in late April, was put on hold while track officials worked with State of Maine officials to help find a safe way to include fans in the stands. The final weekend of July the state released guidelines that restricted grandstand seating to just 200 fans, separated into 4 distinct sections of 50 people. Other standard coronavirus safety protocols were implemented to keep people safe while enjoying a day they had waited over 3-months to arrive. Track officials made the decision to start up the schedule wherever it happened to fall in the season, so Group 2 divisions got the nod to race. The show included a 50 lap main event for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman, along with races in the Modified, Outlaw Mini, and Strictly Street divisions.
Clinton’s Frank Moulton and 5-time defending LMS champion Chris Thorne of Sidney got the honors to lead the first feature race of the season to the green flag, thanks to their respective heat wins. Moulton got out to a good start shaking off the challenge of Thorne. Former champ Will Collins moved up into second to pressure the leader, bringing Josh St Clair and Andrew McLaughlin into contention as well. In the meantime, Thorne struggled with handling on his car and began to drop back on the outside. While Moulton enjoyed a two car-length advantage, Collins had his hands full trying to hold off the pair behind him. Mclaughlin carefully picked his way around the outside and took over second by lap 16 along with St Clair moving up to 3rd. Moulton was now a half straightaway ahead, but his car soon began to get tight and he slowly fell back into the clutches of McLaughlin. A balance of patience and persistence paid off on lap 22 with McLaughlin driving around Moulton to take the lead. All the while St Clair stayed just a car length behind the pair, waiting for a mistake by either driver. Once McLaughlin took the lead he steadily pulled away over the second half of the race and ran away to the win in his #26 McLaughlin’s Garage sponsored ride. It was a prototypical win for the 2018 champion and driver of the year. St Clair never had a real shot to pressure Andrew for the win over the second half of the race. He would settle for 2nd. Moulton held strong despite his handling issues and came home with a strong 3rd place finish. Brandon Bailey of Wiscasset made a late-race charge to finish 4th while Collins held on for 5th. The race went caution-free.
In other action, third-generation racer Jonathon Emerson of Sabattus picked up an emotional victory in the 25 lap feature for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. He raced door to door with his father and defending champ Zach Emerson for the first 16 laps of the race, trading the lead 5 times, until he finally secured the lead and went on to the win. His father joined him in victory lane to claim the 2nd place trophy after a tight battle with Brad Erskine who settled for 3rd, In victory lane, the Emerson family shared in the victory and shed some tears as they paid tribute to the patriarch and mentor of the family, Larry Emerson (Jonathon’s grandfather and Zach’s father) who had passed away early last winter following an illness. “There are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” said the winner as he held tight to a special checkered flag his family had made for the occasion.
In the 30 lap feature for the Hancock Heights Modifieds, defending champ Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich held off rival Nick Reno of West Bath for the wire to wire caution-free victory. Reno took home the 2nd place trophy while Brian Treadwell of Hancock ran a strong race finishing 3rd. The 25 lap feature for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis was also a caution-free contest that was led wire to wire by Zach Audet from Norridgewock. James Grover of Newcastle matched his career-best Outlaw Mini race with a runner-up finish. Ryan Keniston rounded out the top three with his first podium finish.
Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, September 8th with Group 1 making their season debut. The Norms Used Cars ProStocks have center-stage with a 50 lap spotlight feature. Also in action will be the Maxwell’s Market Super Streets, The Schooner Bay Taxi Thunder 4 Minis, and the Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros. There will also be a 100 lap enduro to wrap up the program, sponsored by Ideal Portable Toilets of Wiscasset. Full race day schedule and other information on the remainder of the 2020 schedule can be found on the website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH 8/1/20
WOOD PELLET WAREHOUSE LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (50 laps – spotlight)
OFFICIAL RESULTS 8/1/20
GROUP 2
WOOD PELLET WAREHOUSE LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (50 laps – spotlight)
Pos No. Name Home Town State Laps Diff Gap Best Tm In Lap
1 26 Andrew McLaughlin Harrington ME 50 15.959 3
2 33 Josh St. Clair Liberty ME 50 1.285 1.285 15.901 2
3 15M Frank Moulton Clinton ME 50 6.560 5.275 15.886 2
4 47 Brandon Bailey Woolwich ME 50 9.971 3.411 15.969 6
5 25 Will Collins Waldoboro ME 50 11.307 1.336 15.842 2
6 26R Brent Roy Vassalboro ME 50 12.202 0.895 16.071 4
7 10 Scott Hall Jay ME 50 12.494 0.292 15.995 8
8 41 Logan Melcher Fayette ME 50 13.311 0.817 16.034 7
9 72 Branden Fowler Rome ME 50 14.113 0.802 16.097 11
10 14 Dave St. Clair Liberty ME 49 1 Lap 1 Lap 16.203 19
11 21x James Barker Turner ME 49 1 Lap 2.685 16.083 3
12 00 Alex Waltz Walpole ME 29 21 laps dnf 16.121 7
13 17 Chris Thorne Sidney ME 22 28 laps dnf 16.052 6
14 73 Matt Bourgoine Stetson ME 0 dns dnf 0
HANCOCK HEIGHTS MODIFIEDS (30 laps)
HANCOCK HEIGHTS MODIFIEDS (30 laps)
Pos No. Name Home Town State Laps Diff Gap Best Tm In Lap
1 1 Adam Chadbourne Woolwich ME 30 15.849 5
2 77 Nick Reno West Bath ME 30 0.549 0.549 16.102 4
3 48 Brian Treadwell Hancock ME 30 1.505 0.956 16.017 6
4 24 Jeff Prindall Lisbon Falls ME 2 dnf 17.882 1
KENNEBEC EQUIPMENT RENTAL OUTLAW MINI (25 laps)
Pos No. Name Home Town State Laps Diff Gap Best Tm In Lap
1 1 Adam Chadbourne Woolwich ME 30 15.849 5
2 77 Nick Reno West Bath ME 30 0.549 0.549 16.102 4
3 48 Brian Treadwell Hancock ME 30 1.505 0.956 16.017 6
4 24 Jeff Prindall Lisbon Falls ME 2 dnf 17.882 1
Pos No. Name Home Town State Laps Diff Gap Best Tm In Lap
1 19 Zach Audet Norridgewock ME 25 17.425 23
2 66x James Grover Jr Newcastle ME 25 8.975 8.975 17.669 12
3 8 Ryan Keniston Smithfield ME 18 7 Laps 7 Laps 17.830 6
dns 10 Jimmy Childs Leeds ME dns
dns 20 Jason Kimball Pittston ME dns
PORTLAND GLASS STRICTLY STREETS (25 laps)
Pos No. Name Home Town State Laps Diff Gap Best Tm In Lap
1 24 Jonathon Emerson Sabattus ME 25 17.716 16
2 23 Zachary Emerson Sabattus ME 25 1.234 1.234 17.803 2
3 29 Brad Erskine Solon ME 25 1.559 0.325 17.780 2
4 94 Steve Rackliff Starks ME 25 3.681 2.122 18.059 5
5 05 Brett Osmond Wiscasset ME 25 4.252 0.571 17.980 11
6 78 Brady Romano Livermore Falls ME 25 5.091 0.839 17.979 5
7 67 Michael Haynes Livermore Falls ME 23 2 Laps 2 Laps 18.027 5
8 4x Calab Emerson – Mains Richmond ME 13 12 laps dnf 17.901 2
9 02 Paul Hopkins Camden ME 7 18 laps dnf 19.220 5
dns 64 Dean Rice Nobleboro ME dns
Sources: Ken Minott/Wiscasset Speedway PR