Jon Emerson and family happily celebrate his first career Late Model win. (Photo courtesy Jasen Dickey Photography)
An unfavorable weather pattern threatened to dampen yet another race day at Wiscasset Speedway on Saturday, but the track powered through and successfully hosted their first Group 2 night race of the season without any delays to the main racing program.
The racing action kicked off with a 30-lap spotlight feature for the Chestnut Auto Roadrunners. Carl Conant took off with the early advantage in the feature, but Dylan York was hard charging at the front of the pack, overtaking the lead on lap three. Several heavy hitters fell victim to multiple cautions over the course of the feature but York held strong at the front of the pack. Although the leaders faced heavy lap traffic in the closing laps of the race, York maintained command, picking up his first feature victory in the division.
The Wicked Good Vintage Racers also visited the track on Saturday and both divisions put on a spectacle. Chris Oglivy, who is an accomplished doctor by trade but race car driver by hobby, took home the victory in the Early Late Models. Meanwhile, Ed Hughes held strong in the Outlaws and was crowned the race winner.
Jet Decker secured the early lead in the 40-lap feature for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models, which was their final tune-up prior to the $15,000 to win Coastal 200 on Sunday, May 26. While Decker paced the field, Jon Emerson was slowly biting into his lead, overtaking James Doucette for second on lap 15 before swiftly taking over the top spot. Emerson held a full straightaway lead with 10 laps to go, but Brett Osmond suffered an equipment failure with just four laps remaining, halting the racing action.
Emerson maintained command following the restart, picking up his first feature victory in the division. He happily celebrated with a large group of friends and family in Victory Lane and Decker and Tiger Colby rounded out the podium.
Reed Reno had quite a day in the T&L Automotive Modifieds, scoring the heat victory and leading the majority of the 30-lap feature. As the laps began to wind down, the handling started to fall off on Reno’s #77 machine, making way for veteran driver Chuck Colby as the leaders battled lap traffic. Colby took over with a handful of laps to go and held strong following a late-race caution, picking up the feature victory. Reno, with a top career finish, and Brian Treadwell completed the top three.
The night concluded with a 25-lap feature for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. Multiple early race cautions plagued the racing action but once the field settled, Jeremy Glazier took off with a less-than-comfortable lead. Zach Emerson and Ashton Burgess remained pinned to Glazier’s back bumper but were in their own battle for the runner-up spot. Meanwhile, Dan McKeage Jr. was quickly charging through the field and had mowed down over a dozen competitors in the second half of the race, joining the lead pack.
The top five were deadlocked with just two laps to go and it was truly anybody’s race to win. Drivers were three-wide for third coming into the final turn, but Burgess was unable to hold onto it, taking a spin as the leaders crossed the finish line. Glazier scored the win while Zach Emerson followed. Wade Kennedy completed the top three, picking off his teammate McKeage at the line to pick up his first podium finish of the season.
Saturday’s program, especially the Street Stocks, had fans on the edges of their seats until the very last lap. It truly epitomized the thrill of short track racing and Wiscasset Speedway can’t wait to be the host of many more memories like these over the course of the season!
Catch the next Group 1 race on Saturday, May 18, which will also include the first Enduro race of the season. Grandstands open at 4 p.m., racing begins at 5 p.m., and admission is still just $5 for adults and free for kids 6 and under.
For the official track schedule, race results and more, go to wiscassetspeedway.com.
Official results
Group 2 Plus Wicked Good Vintage Racers
Chestnut Auto Roadrunners
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #7 Carl Conant, Lewiston
2. #27 Logan Odone, Appleton
3. #99x Kerrigan Glazier, Pittston
4. #46 Ches Williams, Hope
5. #57 Jason Meservey, Warren
6. #75 Skip Meservey, Warren
7. #78 Tyler Field, Warren
8. #71 Jarody, n/a
9. #77 Jesse Lyons, Woolwich
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #5 Kyle Enman, Durham
2. #30x Noah McGrath, Sanford
3. #02 Chip Farrington, China
4. #5x Cooper Beaulieu, Canaan
5. #39a Alec Brown, Hope
6. #02x Gavin Gerow, Clinton
7. #7x Dylan York, Damariscotta
8. #27f Brooklyn Forbes, Wilton
9. #28 Kevin Greenbagh, Farmingdale
Feature (30 laps – spotlight)
1. #7x Dylan York, Damariscotta
2. #02x Gavin Gerow, Clinton
3. #7 Carl Conant, Lewiston
4. #71 Jarody, n/a
5. #78 Tyler Field, Warren
6. #46 Ches Williams, Hope
7. #75 Skip Meservey, Warren
8. #57 Jason Meservey, Warren
9. #77 Jesse Lyons, Woolwich
10. #28 Kevin Greenbagh, Farmingdale
11. #02 Chip Farrington, China
12. #99x Kerrigan Glazier, Pittston
13. #5 Kyle Enman, Durham
14. #39a Alec Brown, Hope
15. #5x Cooper Beaulieu, Canaan
16. #30x Noah McGrath, Sanford
17. #27 Logan Odone, Appleton
Note: #5x, #30x, #27 failed post race technical inspection
Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #28 James Doucette, Skowhegan
2. #01 Jett Decker, Chesterville
3. #19me Shane Kaherl, Jay
4. #15c Colton Chubbuck, Bowdoin
5. #39 Chad Dow, Pittsfield
6. #00 Alex Waltz, Walpole
7. #86 Patrick Murphy, Woolwich
8. #72x Ben Nile, Farmington
9. #17me Kris Matchett, Skowhegan
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #09 Sylas Ripley, Warren
2. #14j Josh St. Clair, Liberty
3. #24 Jonathon Emerson, Oxford
4. #26r Brent Roy, Vassalboro
5. #78 Tiger Colby, Dresden
6. #72 Brandon Fowler, Rome
7. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro
DQ #32 Brandon Bailey, Woolwich
Heat 3 (10 laps)
1. #15m Frank Moulton, Pittston
2. #05 Brett Osmond, Wiscasset
3. #51 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty
4. #47 Chris Burgess, Hartford
5. #30a DC Alexander, Carmel
6. #09T Jeremy Turner, Norway
7. #28 Dave Getchell, Cornville
8. #8 Randy Barker III, Wilton
9. #21 Shane Clark, Winterport
Feature (40 laps)
1. #24 Jonathon Emerson, Oxford
2. #01 Jett Decker, Chesterville
3. #78 Tiger Colby
4. #15c Colton Chubbuck, Bowdoin
5. #09 Sylas Ripley, Warren
6. #39 Chad Dow, Pittsfield
7. #14j Josh St. Clair, Liberty
8. #21 Shane Clark, Winterport
9. #51 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty
10. #17me Kris Matchett, Skowhegan
11. #72 Brandon Fowler, Rome
12. #47 Chris Burgess, Hartford
13. #00 Alex Waltz, Walpole
14. #28 James Doucette, Skowhegan
15. #32 Brandon Bailey, Woolwich
16. #26r Brent Roy, Vassalboro
17. #15m Frank Moulton, Pittston
18. #30a DC Alexander, Carmel
19. #86 Patrick Murphy, Woolwich
20. #72x Ben Nile, Farmington
21. #09T Jeremy Turner, Norway
22. #28 Dave Getchell, Cornville
23. #05 Brett Osmond, Wiscasset
24. #8 Randy Barker III, Wilton
25. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro
26. #19me Shane Kaherl, Jay
T & L Automotive Modifieds
1. #77 Reed Reno, West Bath
2. #89 Faith Cleaves, Pownal
3. #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich
4. #48 Brian Treadwell, Hancock
5. #87 Chuck Colby, Edgecomb
6. #44m Jeff Meserve, Saco
7. #79 Scott Tucker, Winthrop
8. #8 Doug Phillips, Phillips
Feature (30 laps)
1. #87 Chuck Colby, Edgecomb
2. #77 Reed Reno, West Bath
3. #48 Brian Treadwell, Hancock
4. #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich
5. #44m Jeff Meserve, Saco
6. #89 Faith Cleaves, Pownal
7. #79 Scott Tucker, Winthrop
8. #8 Doug Phillips, Phillips
Portland Glass Strictly Streets
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. #99 Jeremy Glazier, Appleton
2. #31 Chuck Wagstaff, Boothbay Harbor
3. #49 Ryan Esancy, Appleton
4. #26 Scott Wiggin, Somersworth, N.H.
5. #78 Brady Romano, Livermore Falls
6. #27d Mike Delano, Woolwich
7. #00m Dan Morton, Woolwich
8. #8x Ethan Dinsmore, Hope
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. #34 Ashton Burgess, Waterville
2. #2 Dale Lawrence, Lisbon Falls
3. #58 David Greenleaf, Woolwich
4. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
5. #23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus
6. #4 Calab Emerson-Mains, Richmond
7. #67 Mike Haynes, Livermore Falls
8. #96 Alex Cromwell, Westport
Heat 3 (10 laps)
1. #00x Wade Kennedy, Sebago
2. #n40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
3. #08 Mac Hannan Jr., Washington
4. #95 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
5. #27 Scott Eck, Lisbon
6. #31x Brandon Bourne, Wakefield, N.H.
Feature (25 laps)
1. #99 Jeremy Glazier, Appleton
2. #23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus
3. #00x Wade Kennedy, Sebago
4. #n40 Dan McKeage Jr., Gorham
5. #08 Mac Jannan Jr., Washington
6. #4 Calab Emerson-Mains, Richmond
7. #25 Landon Tapley, Washington
8. #96 Alex Cromwell, Westport
9. #2 Dale Lawrence, Lisbon Falls
10. #49 Ryan Esancy, Appleton
11. #67 Mike Haynes, Livermore Falls
12. #58 David Greenleaf, Woolwich
13. #27 Scott Eck, Lisbon
14. #31 Chuck Wagstaff, Boothbay Harbor
15. #26 Scott Wiggin, Somersworth, N.H.
16. #31x Brandon Bourne, Wakefield, N.H.
17. #34 Ashton Burgess, Waterville
18. #8x Ethan Dinsmore, Hope
19. #78 Brady Romano, Livermore Falls
20. #00m Dan Morton, Woolwich
21. #27d Mike Delano, Woolwich
22. #95 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
