Ladies Acceleration Tour 4 Cylinders top three at the Wiscasset Speedway Saturday, Oct. 5. From left: Jody Rose, Destiny Overlock, and Delaney Dunn. (Photo courtesy Jasen Dickey Photography)
After six months of racing excitement, Wiscasset Speedway bid adieu to their 2024 race season on Saturday with their annual Fall Fury event. This year’s program included the Wicked Good Vintage Racers, the Ladies Acceleration Tour, and a 150-lap enduro.
The racing action kicked off with a 25-lap feature for the Wicked Good Vintage Racers Late Models. Addison Bowie was a dominant force until lap 20, where he came to a slow on the track, causing the field to check up. George Haskell took over on the restart and never looked back, picking up the feature victory while Bobby Symonds and Parker Long rounded out the podium.
Alan Dakin held onto the early lead in the 25-lap feature for the Wicked Good Vintage Racers Hobby class, but Bub Dow was steadily tracking him down. A lap car checked up in front of the leaders at halfway, powering Dow into the top spot. Unfortunately, Dakin made hard contact with the turn three wall with just three laps to go, resulting in a red flag. Gary Seekins was all over Bub Dow in the closing laps of the race, but Dow held him off, securing the victory. Dylan Lancaster followed, completing the top three.
The Wicked Good Vintage Racers Outlaws were joined by Richard Jordan’s Senior Modifieds for their 25-lap feature, making for a stacked field. Eddie Hughes got a big jump early, but Lyman McKeage was also quick to pick up the runner-up spot. McKeage pulled to Hughes outside on lap 10, overtaking the top spot the following lap. Eddie Hughes reclaimed the lead following a mid-race restart and took off from there, scoring the feature victory. Allan Moeller and Doug Tourtelotte rounded out the podium.
Destiny Overlock powered to the early lead in the 20-lap feature for the Ladies Acceleration Tour 4-Cylinders while Jody Rose quickly overtook Delaney Dunn for the runner-up spot. Overlock set the pace from there, leaving just the top three on the lead lap by halfway. She continued her dominance in the following laps, putting Delaney Dunn a lap down on lap 12.
Overlock took home the victory while Jody Rose and Delaney Dunn completed the top three.
Ladies Acceleration Tour founder and director Betty Nelson held the early command in the 8-Cylinder feature. Breanna Tucci began reeling her in as the laps wound down, making her way to Nelson’s door on lap 12.
The two drivers remained deadlocked to the finish and Nelson held the edge at the line, picking up the feature victory. Nelson disqualified herself following the race, granting Tucci with the win. Chloe Kiley and Kasie Kolby followed, rounding out the podium.
The racing action concluded with a 150-lap enduro. Unlike traditional enduro races at Wiscasset Speedway, weekly and veteran drivers were allowed to compete in the race. A handful of weekly regulars were in the field, including Logan Melcher, Chip Farrington, and Jeremy Glasier, among others.
Forty-six cars started the enduro and Josh Thurlow led the charge until pulling off-track at the halfway mark due to a flat tire. Jamie Heath took over from there. Only 10 cars were left on the track by lap 110. Heath was the only driver to complete all 150 laps and was deemed the initial race winner, but failed post-race inspection.
Chip Farrington took home the official race win while Phil Main, Jr. and Gunnar Josselyn rounded out the top three.
Following the conclusion of the racing action, Team Wiscasset welcomed all of their staff, drivers and season ticket holders to an end-of-year cookout and awards ceremony. There, the track handed out various awards to both drivers and staff.
Penny Shorette won the “Volunteer” award thanks to her hard work running the Kids Club weekly and spearheading the Racin’ Cancer Walk, which raised over $20,000 this season. Track photographer Jasen Dickey received the “Promoter” award after capturing Wiscasset Speedway beautifully throughout the entirety of the season.
Team owner and speedway sponsor Steve Ward also won the “Integrity” award, which honors a member of the Wiscasset Speedway family who exhibits strong moral principles both on and off the track.
The final “Driver of the Month” award winner of 2024 was Zack Emerson, who joined his son, Jon, as well as Nick Hinkley, Bubba Pelton, and Dan McKeage, Jr. as a candidate for the biggest award of the season, “Driver of the Year.”
The latter award, sponsored by Amsoil Four Season Synthetic, honors a driver that exhibits greatness both on and off the track. The recipient also receives a full-season sponsor of lubricants from Amsoil as well.
Dan McKeage, Jr. was awarded the honor after making history this year at the speedway.
It was later announced that McKeage has also been nominated for “Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame Driver of the Year” and will be recognized at the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, Nov. 9 among the other nominees.
Although the 2024 race season at Wiscasset Speedway is now in the rearview, the track will still be hosting their annual “Trunk or Treat” event from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27.
For the official track schedule, race results and more, go to wiscassetspeedway.com.
