Nick Morton happily celebrates his second career Super Street victory. (Photo courtesy Jasen Dickey Photography)
With both opening days in the rearview, the season at Wiscasset Speedway is now rolling full steam ahead with many exciting events on the horizon. Saturday’s Group 1 racing action added to the anticipation, featuring some twists, turns and surprises that left fans on the edge of their seats throughout the program.
The night kicked off with a 40-lap Spotlight feature for the Gosline Insurance Group Super Streets. Series standout Bubba Pelton won the qualifying heat race and took off with the early lead in the feature, but Nick Morton was slowly reeling him in. Morton made his way to Pelton’s outside door on lap 15, challenging for the top spot before overtaking the lead the lap following.
Melee ensued mid-race with an incident that collected Maurice Young, Jason Oakes, and Kenny Harrison, resulting in a caution. Morton held strong on the restart, pulling away by a sizable margin. He maintained command, taking home his second career win in the division. While Morton celebrated joyously in Victory Lane, Pelton and James Osmond joined him, completing the podium.
Kyle Willette took off like a rocket in the 25-lap feature race for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Thunder 4 Minis. Meanwhile, former champion Shane Webber faced trouble early as he was black flagged for a loose wheel, forcing him to retreat to the pits. Willette maintained his advantage through the conclusion of the feature, picking up his first win of the season. Derek Cook and Gunner Josselyn rounded out the top three. Race results from the Thunder 4 Mini race are still unofficial due to a pending tech review.
A pile-up at the tail end of the field resulted in a slow start to the 25-lap Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pro feature, but Taylor Lane led the field as the feature got rolling. Meanwhile, rookie John Ricci was on the move, overtaking the top spot on lap eight.
A mid-race caution brought the field back together and Ricci fought to hold off a hard-charging Ben Burgess. As the laps wound down, Burgess turned the heat up and the two young drivers battled it out until the bitter end. After an exciting back and forth, Burgess took home his second consecutive victory in the division while Ricci and Jack McKee followed, completing the top three.
During practice for the Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks, J.T. Thurlow unfortunately fell ill, resulting in a surprise driver change for the #9 machine for both the heat and feature. Who better to fill in than the reigning PASS North and Boss Hogg 150 champion, Max Cookson?
Cookson topped the leader board in final practice and even won the track’s 50/50 raffle, but it was multi-time champion Nick Hinkley who got the early jump in the 40-lap feature. Three-wide mayhem in the opening laps of the race also led to a big mix-up as Matt Beers was shuffled to the back of the pack. The chaos continued as Sylas Ripley and Shawn Knight made contact on lap 13, resulting in a caution.
Hinkley maintained command through two late-race restarts, leaving Cookson and Dan McKeage Jr. battling it out for the runner-up spot behind him. After a heated door-to-door battle, Cookson pulled away with the spot with just five laps to go. He wasn’t quite able to catch up to Hinkley, who took home his first victory of the season. McKeage rounded out the top three, scoring his third-straight podium finish at the speedway.
The first Group 1 night race of the season surely brought the excitement to Wiscasset Speedway, but there is still so much more racing action to come! Join the fun as the Wicked Good Vintage Racers return to the track this Saturday, May 11 for their first appearance of the season. The green flag flies at 5 p.m. and as always, grandstand admission is just $5 for adults and free for kids 6 and under!
For the official track schedule, race results and more, please visit wiscassetspeedway.com.
Official results
Gosline Insurance Super Streets
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #27 Richard Pelton, Scarborough
2. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
3. #00m Nick Morton, Woolwich
4. #19 Andy Kaherl, Biddeford
5. #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset
6. #03 Maurice Young, Chelsea
7. #80 Todd Libby, West Baldwin
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #41 Nicole Benincasa, Buxton
2. #11s Kevin Sherman, Woolwich
3. #11 Jason Oakes, Boothbay
4. #58 Dave Greenleaf, Woolwich
5. #85 Kenny Harrison, Durham
6. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
7. #117 Josh Hall, Mt. Vernon
Feature (40 laps – spotlight)
1. #00m Nick Morton, Woolwich
2. #27 Rich Pelton, Scarborough
3. #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset
4. #11s Kevin Sherman, Woolwich
5. #58 Dave Greenleaf, Woolwich
6. #11 Jason Oakes, Boothbay
7. #41 Nicole Benincasa, Buxton
8. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
9. #117 Josh Hall, Mt. Vernon
10. #85 Kenny Harrison, Durham
11. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
12. #80 Todd Libby, West Baldwin
13. #03 Maurice Young, Chelsea
14. #19 Andy Kaherl, Biddeford
Kennebec Equipment Rental Thunder 4 Mini
(Finish is currently unofficial pending further tech review)
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #19x Gregg Norton, Lewiston
2. #08 Kyle Willettem, Winslow
3. #88c Derek Cook, Livermore Falls
4. #42x Ricky Austin, Norridgewock
5. #25 Gunner Josselyn, New Vineyard
6. #89 Mike Landry, Madison
7. #81 Ryan Stilwell, Lamoine
8. #41me Brody Cook, Farmington
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #19 Zach Audet, Norridgewock
2. #7x Mickey Landry Jr., Norridgewock
3. #7 Shane Webber, New Vineyard
4. #26x Michael Golding, Pownal
5. #0 Jeff Farrington, Alna
6. #72 Cody Hodge, Orleans, Vt.
7. #59 Corey Beaulieu, Buckfield
8. #88d Donnie Fletcher, Farmington
Feature (25 laps)
1. #08 Kyle Willette, Winslow
2. #88c Derek Cook, Livermore Falls
3. #25 Gunner Josselyn, New Vineyard
4. #19x Gregg Norton, Lewiston
5. #19 Zach Audet, Norridgewock
6. #89 Mike Landry, Madison
7. #42x Ricky Austin, Norridgewock
8. #72 Cody Hodge, Orleans, Vt.
9. #88d Donnie Fletcher, Farmington
10. #26x Michael Golding, Pownal
11. #7x Mickey Landry Jr., Norridgewock
12. #0 Jeff Farrington, Alna
13. #59 Corey Beaulieu, Buckfield
14. #81 Ryan Stiwell, Lamoine
15. #41me David Cook, Farmington
16. #7 Shane Webber, New Vineyard
Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pro
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #7b Ben Burgess, Hartford
2. #4 John Ricci, Westbrook
3. #28 Jack McKee, Dixmont
4. #19 Chassidy Shorty, Winslow
5. #70 Taylor Lane, Phillips
6. #26 Max Parlin, Winthrop
Feature (25 laps)
1. #7b Ben Burgess, Hartford
2. #4 John Ricci, Westbrook
3. #28 Jack McKee, Dixmont
4. #70 Taylor Lane, Phillips
5. #19 Chassidy Shorty, Winslow
6. #26 Max Parlin, Winthrop
7. #51 Jacobee Thacker, Winthrop
Norms Used Cars Prostock
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
2. #72c Charlie Colby, Newcastle
3. #17 Andy Gilbert, Jackman
4. #11b Matt Beers, Farmingdale
5. #28 Will Collins, Waldoboro
6. #88 Dave Getchell, Cornville
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #09 Sylas Ripley, Thomaston
2. #25 Shawn Knight, Turner
3. #N40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
4. #41 Logan Melcher, Fayette
5. #02 Shane Lane, N. Anson
6. #9 Max Cookson, Pittsfield
Feature (40 laps)
1. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
2. #9 Max Cookson, Pittsfield
3. #N40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
4. #72c Charlie Colby, Newcastle
5. #41 Logan Melcher, Fayette
6. #11b Matt Beers, Farmingdale
7. #09 Sylas Ripley, Thomaston
8. #25 Shawn Knight, Turner
9. #88 Dave Getchell, Cornville
10. #02 Shane Lane, N. Anson
11. #17 Andy Gilbert, Jackman
12. #28 Will Collins, Waldoboro
