Snowmobile race results and Austin Theriault’s Daytona racing schedule

Episode 251

February 10, 2019

Polar Blast snowmobile race results posted

And they are off at the Tame the Track Snowmobile Tour Races at the Polar Blast held in Eustis, Maine Saturday. Racers in the Teen class blast out of the starting gate. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

Race four of the Vicious Vintage Championship Series co-hosted by the Arnold Trail Snowmobile Club took place in Eustis Saturday. Results are as follows:

Dysart’s Truck Stop KIDS 120cc STOCK —
1st Aubri Keaton: Stratton, Polaris
2nd Ashton Sullivan: Turner, Polaris
3rd Trenton Hanscom: Benton, Polaris

Witham’s Heating KIDS 120cc IMPROVED —
1st Riley Hartford: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, Polaris
2nd Colby Martin: Turner, Polaris
3rd Ben Ciampa: Mount Vernon, Arctic Cat

Witham’s Paving & Machias Savings KIDS 120cc MODIFIED –
1st Jack Faulkner: Arctic Cat
2nd Riley Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH Polaris
3rd Emmett Walker: New Vineyard, Arctic Cat

Katahdin Motorsports & Pro Industrial Plus KIDS 200 STOCK
1st Jayce Rose: Skowhegan, Yamaha
2nd Kaden Rose: Skowhegan, Arctic Cat
3rd Cayleigh Rose: Turner,  Arctic Cat

Katie Letourneau was running third in the Women’s Invitational when she flipped her Polaris Indy. “I ran out of talent”, said the Auburn racer. She only bruised her pride. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

Casella Waste Systems WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL —
1st  Alley Ripley: Center Ossipee, NH, Yamaha
2nd Haley Frohlich: Auburn, Polaris
3rd Krysti Leach: Beverly, Massachusetts, Arctic Cat

TNT Road Company JUNIORS INVITATIONAL —
1st  Austin Witham: Levant, Yamaha
2nd Aiden Murray: Turner, Arctic Cat
3rd Hailey Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH, Yamaha

Christian Hanscomb on his Yamaha, leads Asa Grace’s Yamaha by a nose in the Teens Invitational race. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

Houlton Powersports & RV TEENS INVITATIONAL —
1st Christian Hanscom: Benton,Yamaha
2nd Henry Moneypenny: West Ossipee, NH, Yamaha
3rd place Caleb Morris: Turner, Arctic Cat

Mike Morris on left and Shawn Martin battle it out in the 27 lap Single Cylinder Showdown. Morris went on win both the qualifier and feature. When asked about comparing stock car racing to vintage sled racing Martin replied,” Car racing is all about finesse and knowing when to use your stuff. Vintage sled racing is all about holding on for dear life as the sled tries to buck you off. I finished 3rd yesterday and won at Rangeley two weeks before.” (Katie Letourneau photo)

Blanchard’s Towing & Recovery SINGLE CYLINDER STOCK
1st Mike Morris: Turner, Arctic Cat
2nd Calvin Rose: Turner, Arctic Cat
3rd Shawn Martin: Turner, Arctic Cat

Harry’s Motorsports & Equipment SINGLE CYLINDER MODIFIED —
1st Mike Morris: Turner, Arctic Cat
2nd Adam Polevinen: Hebron, Arctic Cat
3rd Justin Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH, Yamaha

Renegade Race Fuels 340 STOCK —
1st Justin Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH Yamaha
2nd Ben Eldridge: Effingham, NH Yamaha
3rd Daytona Gould: Dexter, Arctic Cat

Justin Hartford, New Hampshire, leads the way out of the turn on his way to victory. He won both 340 Stock and 340 Modified classes. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

Savage Paint & Body 340 MODIFIED —
1st Justin Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH Yamaha
2nd TJ Leach: Naples, Arctic Cat
3rd Dalton Varney: Effingham, NH, Mercury

Bangor Motorsports & J McLaughlin Construction 440 STOCK —
1st Shawn Berry: Center Ossipee, NH, Yamaha
2nd Daytona Gould: Dexter, Arctic Cat
3rd Justin Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH, Yamaha

Shawn Berry turns on the Yamaha power on his way to victories in the 440 Stock and 440 Modified classes at the Polar Blast race. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

O’Reilly Auto Parts 440 Modified —
1st Shawn Berry: Center Ossipee, NH, Yamaha
2nd Justin Hartford: Wolfeboro, NH, Yamaha
3rd Dalton Varney: Effingham, NH, Merc Twister

1st Rate Bait and Cyr & Sons Repair IFS 440 STOCK —
1st Caleb Morris: Turner, Polaris
2nd Andrew Campbell: Union, Ski Doo
3rd Daytona Gould: Dexter, Arctic Cat

Justin Hartford on the Ronnie Weeks Ski Doo on right tries to hold off the charging Caleb Morris aboard his Polaris in action at the Polar Blast in Eustis Saturday. Morris went on to win both IFS 440 and IFS Outlaw races. (Jamie Hathcock photo)

Mission Trailers & Unifirst IFS OUTLAW —
1st Caleb Morris: Turner, Polaris
2nd Daytona Gould: Dexter, Arctic Cat
3rd Ben Eldridge: Effingham, NH, Yamaha

County racers have success at 19th Annual Lincoln Snowhound Snocross

Limestone’s Gage Theriault won the 120 modified on both days of racing coupled with a win in the 200 Modified. Theriault races an Arctic Cat. (GT Racing photo)

Fort Kent men battling it out in the Pro class at the Lincoln Snocross. Brandon Ouellette on the green 2019  ZR600r sled took two seconds and a third in Pro Classes on Saturday followed by first place in Pro 500, Pro 600, and Pro Open on Sunday. Joe Pelletier on his Ski Doo is ahead of Ouellette in this part of the race. (Photo courtesy Brandon Ouellette)

Worn out from a day at the Lincoln Snocross is Joe and Allie Pelletier’s daughter, Savannah. Despite her exhaustion she clings to dad’s 3rd place Pro 600 trophy. Her dad finished 2nd in Pro 500 both days. (Allie Pelletier photo)

It’s Daytona time and Austin is going to be racing

The #92 Ricky Benton Racing Ford,sponsored by Black’s Tire & Auto Service/Highland Construction, just before loading for Daytona. This is Black’s Tire & Auto Service 90th Anniversary and Ricky Benton Racing’s 10th year competing in the truck series. (AT Racing photo)

I asked Austin what he was doing prior to loading up the #92 Ford F150 for Daytona. He replied, “The team is based in Cerro Gordo North Carolina. The shop is located a couple of hours from where I live.”

“I am not there every day, but there are two guys that work full-time in the shop. I’ve been there getting the interior of the truck ready for me to drive at Daytona.”

“The schedule is only a partial one right now, with Daytona, Martinsville twice, Charlotte, and Bristol. I will be helping Crazy Horse at Dillon SC. The race, 14th Annual Winter Meltdown 200 PASS Season Opener, is coming up in a few weeks.”

The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series will have two practice sessions on Thursday February 14, one at 2:35 and final practice at 4:35. Both sessions will be on FS1. Qualifying for the NextEra Energy resources 250 will take place on Friday February 15 at 4:40 pm followed by the race at 7:35. The race will be on FS1 and MRN Radio.

WAR will be at PASS opener also

Wyatt Alexander practicing at Dillon Motor Speedway for the first time in SLM without his father Brett or grandfather Bob in attendance. He was ably assisted by Clattenburg Racing Fabrication (CRF) part-time helpers Robert Hamke and Jody Measamer. Alexander is prepping for the PASS season opener mentioned above. (WAR photo)

Hendrick Motorsports pulls off qualifying domination

Hendrick Motorsports sent a message rippling through the Monster Energy Series garage area by qualifying all four of their team cars in the top spots in preparation for next Sunday’s Daytona 500. On the pole for the first time is William Byron in the #24 Chevy. Outside pole is Alex Bowman in the #88 Chevy followed by Jimmy Johnson 3rd in the #48 and Chase Elliot 4th with the #9 NAPA Chevy.

Hendricks Motorsports earns Chevrolet their 700th pole celebrated by Rick Hendricks (center) and left to right drivers Chase Elliot who will start fourth in the Thursday evening preliminary race. Alex Bowman who will start from the outside pole on Sunday. Hendricks, William Byron, pole sitter for Sunday, and Jimmy Johnson who will start third in the qualifying race Thursday. (Chevy Racing photo)

“Yeah, it’s awesome for Chevrolet,” said William Byron. “The Axalta Chevy was really fast. Credit to (crew chief) Chad (Knaus) and all the guys. It’s been a great off-season. We’re prepared. We’re ready. This is kind of the first step of our process together, so hopefully it goes well next Sunday. We can kind of chill out throughout the Duel races and learn a little bit. I’m looking forward to it. This is awesome. It’s pretty special. It’s definitely a huge blessing.”

After Crew chief Chad Knaus’ driver William Byron won the pole, Jimmy Johnson shook his former crew chief’s hand. Knaus reported, “He said, ‘You got me my first pole and you got William his first pole. That’s pretty cool.’ “
“Yeah, man, that’s pretty fantastic. I couldn’t be more proud of everybody on the No. 24 team; and honestly, everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. A lot of effort went into all four of those cars. So, to come down here and qualify on the pole with these guys, a new team, a new driver; representing Axalta and the No. 24 car has been a lot of fun.”
Knaus continued saying,“Yeah, it’s such a huge accomplishment. We’ve got a small little military group of guys that really work hard on our Superspeedway program. And all these guys really put a lot of effort into them. There are many others, obviously, as well; but they work really hard over the off-season.”
“To be able to see those cars 1-2-3-4 on the first two rows, is awesome. It’s a cool photograph. I’m enjoying working with William and the guys. It’s really neat to come down here and be able to perform like that for Axalta and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports.

Jimmy Johnson’s new sponsor Ally aboard the #48 Hendricks Motorsports Chevy. Johnson won Sunday’s Clash which ended with a crash fest as rain blanketed the speedway again. (Chevy Racing photo)

Jimmy Johnson was asked about his win in the rain-shortened Clash.
“It feels good,” he replied. “I’m just really happy about honestly, a great day for Hendrick Motorsports, for Chevrolet, for Ally coming on board and qualifying third for the Daytona 500 and then to win the Clash. Kevin Meendering, leading this team; there have been a lot of things going on. I’m extremely excited to win. It’s not a points race, but it’s a good start.”
 When asked about the split with Chad Knaus and how Knaus helped him win his first pole, the 7 time champion remarked,“Yeah, you’re right. I hadn’t thought about that, exactly. But I did mention to Chad that he was able to win me my first pole here for the 500, and did the same for William. I’m really happy for those guys. With this group of Ally team members I have behind me, these guys have been working so hard and we’re off to a great start this year.”
Daytona turf is looking good thanks to a County man

Logo on front stretch with turf grass showing the stars and bars design grown into the most famous turf in motorsports. (Daytona International Speedway photo)

Front stretch left showing the stars and bars design grown by Woodland, Maine native and Director of Grounds Jason Griffeth. (Daytona International Speedway photo)

Let’s go racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:13-15)

 

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