Many local race tracks are beginning to crown their 2023 track champions, but Wiscasset Speedway still has a handful of weeks left on its calendar. With that being said, the track extended an invitation for all local drivers to come try their hand at Maine’s biggest and fastest oval this past weekend. Saturday didn’t disappoint as over 75 drivers showed up to compete in five different divisions.
The night’s racing action kicked off with a 25-lap feature for the Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Minis. Ryan Stilwell took off with the early lead, but Michael Golding was quick to take over as both Ricky Austin and Zach Audet trailed closely behind. Austin took over on lap five, but a mid-race caution on lap 13 brought the field back together.
Audet powered ahead on the restart and never looked back, securing the victory and further extending his point lead in the division. Austin and Golding rounded out the podium.
Next on the agenda was the $3,000-to-win, 100-lap invitational race for the Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks. Twenty-seven drivers showed up to compete and Josh St. Clair, Evan Beaulieu, and Logan Melcher led the way over the course of three qualifying heat races.
St. Clair took off with the early lead over Beaulieu, but multiple early-race cautions led to a start-stop effect for the first 20 laps of the race. The melee resulted in many drivers’ collecting damage, including Melcher, Kevin Douglass, Dan McKeage Jr., Nick Hinkley, and Miller Buzzell, among others.
Once the field settled, St. Clair powered ahead once again as Beaulieu filed in behind him. After being caught up in multiple cautions and forced to the tail-end of the field more than once, Douglass maneuvered through the field, breaking the top three on lap 75. St. Clair maintained his command through two late-race cautions, picking up the victory and a nice $3,000 check. Beaulieu and Douglass followed, rounding out the top three.
Ben Overlock took off with the early lead in the 25-lap Wicked Good Vintage Racers feature. Addison Bowie took over at the halfway mark, but the leaders began to approach heavy lap traffic in the closing laps of the race. The top three were neck and neck as the laps began to wind down, but Doug Laleme was able to take control, picking up the victory. Overlock and Bowie followed, completing the podium.
Jack McKee dominated the heat race and continued his performance in the 25-lap feature race for the Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros, taking off with the early lead over Reed Reno. Ben Burgess was also coming through the field, breaking the top three on lap eight. A late-race caution brought the field back together and McKee and Reno went toe-to-toe on the restart. McKee pulled ahead with five to go and remained steadfast, picking up his second win of the season. Reno and Burgess rounded out the top three.
The night concluded with a 30-lap feature for the Gosline Insurance Group Super Streets. It got off to a chaotic start with a lap-one caution followed by another pileup on lap six that collected James Osmond, Andy Kaherl, Brett Osmond and others.
Jason Oakes got the upper hand on the restart, but was struck with devastation as his car ignited on lap 16, ending his night prematurely. St. Clair inherited the lead following the incident, pulling away on the restart.
Another pileup on lap 22 resulted in a late-race caution but St. Clair maintained command, picking up his second feature win of the night. Bubba Pelton and Kevin Sherman rounded out the podium.
The racing action was red-hot on Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway and it’s only bound to continue as the track hosts its Group 2 championship night plus the 11th annual Amsoil Dominator Strictly Shootout on Saturday, Sept. 30. As always, admission is just $5 and the green flag flies at 4 p.m.!
For the official track schedule, race results, and more, go to wiscassetspeedway.com.
Official results
Group 1 plus Wicked Good Vintage Racers
Norms Used Cars Prostocks
Heat 1 (15 laps)
1. #14 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
2. #N40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
3. #84 Jamie Wright, Woolwich
4. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
5. #77 Nick Reno, West Bath
6. #17 Andy Gilbert, Jackman
7. #9 JT Thurlow, S. Durham
8. #18ME Miller Buzzell, East Baldwin
9. #29 Brett Osmond, Woolwich
Heat 2 (15 laps)
1. #56 Evan Beaulieu, Durham
2. #18 Kevin Douglass, Sidney
3. #47 Kelly Moore, Scarborough
4. #09 Sylas Ripley, Warren
5. #15m Frank Moulton, Pittston
6. #11b Matt Beers, Farmingdale
7. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro
8. #09x Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, N.H.
9. #81 Brian Lancaster, Skowhegan
Heat 3 (15 laps)
1. #41 Logan Melcher, Fayette
2. #99B Charlie Buxton, Biddeford
3. #01 Jett Decker, Chesterville
4. #38 Daniel Harding, Fairfield
5. #72c Charlie Colby, Newcastle
6. #4 Conner Wenners, Edgecomb
7. #07 Nick Calvert, Steep Falls
8. #88 Dave Getchell, Cornville
9. #00 Jeremie Whorff, Bath
Feature (100 laps)
1. #14 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
2. #56 Evan Beaulieu, Durham
3. #18 Kevin Douglass, Sidney
4. #84 Jamie Wright, Woolwich
5. #9 JT Thurlow, South Durham
6. #15m Frank Moulton, Pittston
7. #01 Jett Decker, Chesterville
8. #09x Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, N.H.
9. #N40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
10. #29 Brett Osmond, Woolwich
11. #99B Charlie Buxton, Biddeford
12. #17 Andy Gilbert, Jackman
13. #09 Sylas Ripley, Thomaston
14. #47 Kelly Moore, Scarborough
15. #81 Brian Lancaster, Skowhegan
16. #11b Matt Beers, Farmingdale
17. #18ME Miller Buzzell, East Baldwin
18. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro
19. #77 Nick Reno, West Bath
20. #38 Daniel Harding, Fairfield
21. #4 Conner Wenners, Edgecomb
22. #72c Charlie Colby, Newcastle
23. #07 Nick Calvert, Steep Falls
24. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
25. #88 Dave Getchell, Cornville
26. #41 Logan Melcher, Fayette
Dns. #00 Jeremy Whorff, Bath
Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pro
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #28 Jack McKee, Dixmont
2. #77 Reed Reno, West Bath
3. #70 Taylor Lane, Phillips
4. #4 John Ricci, Westbrook
5. #19 Chassidy Shorty, Winslow
6. #7b Ben Burgess, Hartford
7. #51 Jacobee Thacker, Winthrop
8. #117 Josh Hall, Mt. Vernon
Feature (25 laps)
1. #28 Jack McKee, Dixmont
2. #77 Reed Reno, West Bath
3. #7b Ben Burgess, Hartford
4. #4 John Ricci, Westbrook
5. #70 Taylor Lane, Phillips
6. #117 Josh Hall, Mt. Vernon
7. #19 Chassidy Shorty, Winslow
Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Mini
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #81 Ryan Stilwell, Lamoine
2. #26x Michael Golding, Pownal
3. #19 Zach Audet, Norridgewock
4. #42x Ricky Austin, Norridgewock
5. #88c Derek Cook, Livermore Falls
6. #25 Gunner Josselyn, New Vineyard
7. #19x Gregg Norton, Lewiston
8. #7 Shane Webber, New Vineyard
9. #18 Dustin Salley, South Paris
10. #08 Kyle Willette, Winslow
11. #7x Mickey Landry Jr., Norridgewock
Feature (25 laps)
1. #19 Zach Audet, Norridgewock
2. #42x Ricky Austin, Norridgewock
3. #26x Michael Golding, Pownal
4. #25 Gunner Josselyn, New Vineyard
5. #7 Shane Webber, New Vineyard
6. #19x Gregg Norton, Lewiston
7. #88c Derek Cook, Livermore Falls
8. #81 Ryan Stilwell, Lamoine
9. #18 Dustin Salley, South Paris
10. #7x Mickey Landry Jr., Norridgewock
Dns. #08 Kyle Willette, Winslow
Gosline Insurance Super Streets
Heat 1 (10 laps)
#11s Kevin Sherman, Woolwich
1. #41 Nicole Benincasa, Buxton
2. #19 Andy Kaherl, Saco
3. #11 Jason Oakes, Boothbay
4. #35 Sean Johnson, Oakland
5. #58 David Greenleaf, Woolwich
6. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #50 Brett Osmond, Wiscasset
2. #03 Maurice Young, Chelsea
3. #33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
4. #00m Nick Morton, Woolwich
5. #74 Keith Drost, Etna
6. #85 Kenny Harrison, Durham
7. #27 Richard Pelton, Scarborough
8. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
9. #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset
Feature (30 laps)
1. #33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
2. #27 Richard Pelton, Scarborough
3. #11s Kevin Sherman, Woolwich
4. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
5. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
6. #74 Keith Drost, Etna
7. #03 Maurice Young, Chelsea
8. #00m Nick Morton, Woolwich
9. #35 Sean Johnson, Oakland
10. #11 Jason Oakes, Boothbay
11. #58 David Greenleaf, Woolwich
12. #85 Kenny Harrison, Durham
13. #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset
14. #50 Brett Osmond, Wiscasset
15. #41 Nicole Benincasa, Buxton
16. #19 Andy Kaherl, Saco
Wicked good Vintage Racers
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #19 Ben Overlock
2. #87 Parker Long
3. #82 Addison Bowie
4. #282 Bobby Symonds
5. #151 Dave Foster
6. #420 Keith Smalley
7. #32 Jim Kinney
8. #78 Bruce Arsenault
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #97 Brian Hughes
2. #74 Doug Laleme
3. #9 Norman Judkins
4. #8 John Knapp
5. #7x Adrian Williams
6. #1 Paul Fouquette
7. #10 Nick Williams
Feature (20 laps)
1. #74 Doug Laleme
2. #19 Ben Overlock
3. #82 Addison Bowie
4. #282 Bobby Symonds
5. #87 Parker Long
6. #151 Dave Foster
7. #9 Norman Judkins
8. #97 Brian Hughes
9. #420 Keith Smalley
10. #32 Jim Kinney
11. #8 John Knapp
12. #7x Adrian Williams
13. #1 Paul Fouquette
14. #78 Bruce Arsenault
