TJ Brackett
Two-time Oxford Plains Speedway track champion TJ Brackett, of Buckfield, drives off Turn 4 at Oxford during a practice session earlier this season. Brackett earned his first Super Late Model win of 2017 on Saturday, June 17.
OXFORD — Two-time track champion TJ Brackett worked his way past fellow track champion Shawn Martin on lap nine and pulled away to record his first Super Late Model victory of 2017 Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Brackett, of Buckfield, started third on the 16-car grid behind pole-sitter Martin and Ellsworth veteran Andy Saunders. Martin and current point leader Alan Tardiff, of Lyman, raced hard for several laps in a spirited battle for second, with Tardiff eventually prevailing using the patented crossover move.
Martin settled for third, while Saunders finished fourth. JT Thurlow put in one of his best efforts to date to complete the top five. Finishing sixth through 10th in the Super Late Model Trophy Dash were Brad Babb, Kyle Treadwell, Dennis Spencer Jr., Tim Brackett and Alan Wilson.
Billy Childs Jr. notched the third Street Stock win of his season with another impressive performance. Childs, of Leeds, drove around the outside of Andrew Breton on lap 12 and cruised home for top honors.
Point leader Bryce Mains, of Bridgton, powered his way to second place after starting 11th on the grid, while Lisbon’s Richard Spaulding continued his strong 2017 efforts with a third-place finish.
Turner veteran Matt Dufault and West Poland’s David Whittier rounded out the Street Stock top five. Dufault, who won seven features in 2016, is still winless this year as he works to perfect the chassis setup on the Rodney Williams-owned ride.
In the entry-level Bandit division, Auburn’s Scott Jordan held off Waterford veteran Jamie Heath to claim the feature victory. Oxford native Chachy Hall filled out the podium in third, while Adam Sanborn and Tyler Jalbert finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Longtime Oxford racer Tommy Tompkins claimed his fourth Figure 8 feature of 2017 on Saturday evening. The veteran from Carthage held off Lisbon’s Dale Lawrence and Erik Hodgkins, of Minot, for top honors. South Paris native David Smith hustled to a fourth-place finish, and Kyle Kilgore came in fifth.
The Wicked Good Vintage Racing Association joined the four-division program at Oxford Saturday, with Arthur Hannaford (Outlaw division), Neil Martin (Late Model), and Hal Clark (Hobby) all earning feature wins. The vintage racers always bring back memories for longtime race fans.
Hall edges Lanpher at Beech Ridge
Among the stout field of regulars who compete weekly at Andy Cusack’s historic Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough native Garrett Hall is one of the best at getting the most out of his car when it matters most.
Hall managed to find the speed to succeed Saturday evening, edging 2015 Pro Series champion Reid Lanpher to claim his first feature win of 2017. Hall’s margin of victory was a scant .031 seconds, close to the slim margin of Joey Doiron’s win the previous week over Lanpher by just .013 seconds.
Defending Pro series champion Curt Gerry filled out the podium in third, while Hall of Famer Mike Rowe (Caruso/Fowler Racing) finished fourth. Scarborough driver Nick Cusack completed the top five.
In the evening’s headline event, Clyde Hennessey claimed his second consecutive victory in the annual 100-lap tilt for Sport Series teams. The veteran from Windham held off Terry Merrill and recent winner (June 3) Charlie Sanborn for top honors in the extra-distance affair.
Beech Ridge veteran Richard Pelton and Matt Dow finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The Sport Series was always been known as one of the most competitive support classes in the entire state. Tyler King picked up the victory in a caution-free 50-lap Wildcat battle over Zach Bowie and Travis Lovejoy.
On Saturday, June 24, the Pro Series 125 will headline the NASCAR program.
Ripley makes them believe at Wiscasset
Veteran short track ace Daren Ripley made believers out of doubters on Saturday, pulling away from the field to win the Pro Stock feature at Wiscasset Speedway. The talented driver from Thomaston held off multi-time Wiscasset champion Scott Chubbuck for top honors, while Ajay Picard finished third.
Kevin Morse, of Woolwich, and Brandon Sprague, of Edgecomb, completed the top five in the headline division for Group 1. For Ripley, it was his first win in two years, and he earned it by leading every lap.
In Super Street action, defending points champion Marc Lucas picked up a second straight win. The MVRCA’s 2016 Driver-of-the-Year inherited the win after Jason Curtis failed post-race inspection. Jason Oakes, of Boothbay, ended up in second, while Wiscasset’s Josh Bailey filled out the podium.
In the night’s Spotlight feature, second-generation driver Logan Melcher, of Jay, claimed his third win of the 2017 season in Thunder 4 Minis. Melcher was awarded the victory after Travis Pouliot failed post-race inspection. Michael Golding, of Pownal, was bumped up to second, while David Brunswick was credited with third. Spencer Sweatt and Devan Robinson completed the top five.
Windham’s rising star Austin Teras completes the list of feature winners at Richard and Vanessa Jordan’s beautiful grass-roots short track facility in the 25-lap tilt for New England 4-Cyl. Pros. Max Rowe and Kamren Knowles filled out the podium in a class where young talent learns to race.
Wiscasset Speedway returns to action on Saturday, June 24, with Group 2 classes.
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