Racing, Racing, Racing

Episode 66 August 2, 2015

Spud Speedway Northern Maine Street Stock 100 winners. Left to right 2nd place Jeff Willette, Presque Isle, winner Dwayne Seekins, Stockton Springs, and 3rd place Jeffrey Alley, Machias. A purse of $5000 was split up among the 12 drivers in the race. Photo courtesy Lynn Martin

Spud Speedway Northern Maine Street Stock 100 winners. Left to right 2nd place Jeff Willette, Presque Isle, winner Dwayne Seekins, Stockton Springs, and 3rd place Jeffrey Alley, Machias. A purse of $5000 was split up among the 12 drivers in the race. Photo courtesy Lynn Martin

First Northern Maine Street Stock 100 Won By Stockton Springs’ Dwayne Seekins

Spud Speedway played host to the first Northern Maine Street Stock 100 Sunday afternoon. The winner Dwayne Seekins took home the $1500 first prize and a spot in the Ikey Dorr Memorial race later this season. Racers and fans were treated to 80 degree weather and no rain. The last two races, including the 100 lapper which was to be run last weekend, were postponed due to rain. No complaints this weekend as a good crowd watched racers in all divisions compete for the checkered flag.

In Junior Champ Kart races Brayden Thibodeau, Caswell on left won the feature, with Bryan Searles, Presque Isle second and in background third place Noah Coventry, Van Buren. Photo courtesy BAS Racing

In Junior Champ Kart races Brayden Thibodeau, Caswell on left won the feature, with Bryan Searles, Presque Isle second and in background third place Noah Coventry, Van Buren. Photo courtesy BAS Racing

Something you never like to see in any form of racing, holes through blocks. This is the reason Damian Theriault was unable to run the feature at Spud Speedway Sunday  afternoon. The day before he won one feature and finished second in the first at Thundering Valley Raceway in St. Albans. Photo courtesy JRT Customs

Something you never like to see in any form of racing, holes through blocks. This is the reason Damian Theriault was unable to run the feature at Spud Speedway Sunday afternoon. The day before he won one feature and finished second in the other feature at the Summer Sizzler at Thundering Valley Raceway in St. Albans. Photo courtesy JRT Customs

Austin Theriault awaits post race interview at Pocono where he raced the Venturini Motorsports Linda Bean's Lobster/ Maine Toyota to a fourth place finish. First lap damage is visible on the nose of the #55. Photo courtesy Austin Theriault Racing

Austin Theriault awaits post race interview at Pocono where he raced the Venturini Motorsports Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster.com  to a fourth place finish. First lap damage is visible on the nose of the #55. Photo courtesy Austin Theriault Racing

Austin and ARCA

Fort Kent’s Austin Theriault raced in his second Automobile  Racing Club of America (ARCA) in the ModSpace 125 at Pocono Raceway Saturday afternoon. Theriault once again was in the Venturini Motorsports Toyota sponsored by Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster.

After a first lap check-up incident which messed up the nose on an aerodynamic dependent track, Theriault fought for a fourth place finish. Cole Custer won the race becoming the youngest winner of an ARCA race.

“We definitely would have liked to won, but you will have days like that,” said Theriault in his post race interview. “We’ll go back to work and come back again”.

His next race is  September 18 at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Swanson Fourth at USAC Silver Crown “Hustle at the High Banks”

Kody Swanson placed fourth in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Silver Crown race at the high banked dirt track at Belleville Speedway in Belleville, Kansas. Swanson qualified on the outside pole but slipped back at the beginning of the race and held on to place fourth. Winner and pole sitter Chris Windom dominated the race leading all 50 laps.

With his fourth place finish Swanson continues to hold a 64 point lead over second place Jerry Coons, Jr.

Swanson raced in the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana. After qualifying for the feature his sprint car failed to start as he was pushed out for the feature.

Then off to Findlay, Ohio where Sunday evening he raced in the BOSS Feature race at Millstream Speedway. In dusty conditions Swanson charged from his 17th place starting spot to 4th.

If you ever get a chance to watch sprint cars in action do it! You will not be disappointed. Make sure you have your earplugs!

Mark Chessick's Honda S2000 will be one of the favorites at the three day autocross at Loring next weekend. Photo courtesy Mark Chessick

Mark Chessick’s Honda S2000 will be one of the favorites at the three day autocross at Loring next weekend. Photo courtesy Mark Chessick

Cumberland Motor Club Giant 6th Annual Autocross Coming to Loring

The abandoned runways at Loring Air Force Base will come alive once again next Friday August 7-9, 2015. The sixth annual event will feature a “Test and Tune” day on Friday for all registered contestants.Contestants for the Loring Autocross will be at Burger Boy Friday evening to display their cars and talk shop.

Saturday and Sunday will feature autocross events both days. The Loring venue is one of the largest in the United States. Nearly 120 competitors are registered for each day.

Autocross Chairman Per Chris Molberg informed me that, “Loring offers the largest venue for autocross in all of North America. it draws competitors from Northern New England and 2 provinces in Canada.”

Mark Chessick another perennial favorite at the Loring event said, “Loring also has awesome support from the locals!

Spectators are welcome as long as they register and sign a waiver. Ride alongs will be available for those interested in getting the actual experience of high speed autocross.

I suspect there will be some slots available for those who show up on autocross days and have not pre-registered. See the clubs website for autocross tips. They are at www.cumberlandmotorclub.com

Graham Rahal wins IndyCar Mid Ohio. Photo courtesy Honda Racing

Graham Rahal wins IndyCar Mid Ohio. The track is considered the “home course” of Honda as you see in the photo. Photo courtesy Honda Racing

Rahal Wins #2 This Season

Graham Rahal, driver of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda, won his second race of the season at the Mid Ohio Road Course in Lexington, Ohio. Honda Racing’s post race report had this to say:

Graham Rahal drove a flawless race and his Rahal Letterman Lanigan team employed perfect pit strategy to win Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Rahal’s second IndyCar Series victory of 2015 moves him to within nine points of leader Juan Pablo Montoya in the battle for the drivers’ championship, with two races remaining.

I noted the results because Honda only had one qualifier in the top 10 yet managed to take the top two spots in the race and seven of the top ten in the race. Finishing in the top five were:

1. Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda

2. Justin Wilson, Andretti Autosports Honda

3. Simon Pagenaud, Penske Chevrolet

4. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet

5. Tony Kanaan, Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet

I have been to Mid Ohio twice and love the road course. Both times were SCCA events. Maybe someday I will see the IndyCars in action. They have very good viewing areas with technical turns that challenge the best of drivers.

Wyatt Alexander Racing (WAR) putting in shop time prepping for upcoming races as well as the Oxford 250. This is a very familiar scene  for race teams from all over the region.  Photo courtesy WAR

Wyatt Alexander Racing (WAR) putting in shop time prepping for upcoming races as well as the Oxford 250. This is a very familiar scene for race teams from all over the region. Photo courtesy WAR

It is getting closer to the Oxford 250 August 30. I will be following the Wyatt Alexander Racing (WAR) effort to make the race as well as Spencer Morse of the Aspire Higher Oxford Hills Middle School Team. I have followed their progress all year.

The WAR team went to Oxford Friday evening to utilize the 50 lap race as a “tune-up” for the 250 later this month. They did not race in the 150 lap PASS race Sunday since they were saving their equipment for Wiscasset’s “Boss Hog 100” next Saturday night.

Caribou Car Show held in conjunction with Thursday Nights on Sweden Street July 30, 2015. Photo courtesy Adam McCory

Some of the automobiles at the Caribou Car Show held in conjunction with Thursday Nights on Sweden Street July 30, 2015. Photo courtesy Adam McCrory

Cannot leave without mentioning the  Caribou Car Show. Show organizer, Adam McCrory had this to say about the downtown event, “The event went pretty well considering it was the first car show they had and the potential bad weather.”

The space that I was given for the show was full pretty quick and I was expecting about another 10 cars to come but because of the thunder showers I think decided to hang back but hopefully it was successful enough for another one next year and we can get an even bigger turn out.”

Let’s Go Racing (See you at Loring and Spud Speedway next weekend)

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Tom Hale

About Tom Hale

Tom wrote 14 years as freelancer for the Bangor Daily Sports covering motorsports in Maine. Now blogging and concentrating on human interest stories about people and places in racing. He races Champ Karts and owns HTF Motorsports in remote Westmanland, Maine