County Man joins vintage racers at Lobsta Fest

Episode 281

September 15, 2019

County racers part of the show at “Lobsta Fest”

The black and white photo tends to lend and aura of vintage 1960s to Caribou’s Jesse Michaud’s 1956 Chevrolet four door vintage racer. (Stacy Robey photo)

Jesse Michaud and his girlfriend/pit crew member/ photographer Stacy Robey, Caribou made the trek south to Arundel, Maine near Kennebunkport Saturday for Rosey Gerry’s Arundel Speedway Fun Day 2019. In tow was his 1956 Chevy four door #37 that was raced by Hardie Ketch at Spud Speedway in the 1960’s. This car was featured in Episode #271 July 7, 2019.

Michaud added some modern go fast parts and has gone over 150 mph at the Loring Timing Association events this year. The Arundel Speedway event was totally different with comradeship and conversation rather than speed the order of the day.

The owner of the track is Michael Morceau who owns The Lobster Company, a wholesale distributor for live Maine and Canadian lobster. Participants were able to get lobster for only $5.00.

Nicknamed the “Lobsta Fest” by Jesse Michaud, the Arundel Speedway Fun Day featured lobster from track owner Michael Morceau, The Lobster Company. (Stacy Robey photo)

Marcia Buck Barker, formerly from Maine now living in Boonton, New Jersey, aboard her Model A frame, 23 T bodied, 32 B engined vintage racer. Marcia has participated in a multitude of vintage races this past season including drag races, hillclimbs, and shows. She was featured in UpNorth Motorsports in 2018. (Stacy Robey photo)

This photo of three vintage racers was one of my Stacy Robey album favorites. The black and white captured the vintage nature of the event. Inside right is Tom Crompton, Bedford, New Hampshire (He has raced at Loring in the Loring Timing Association speed trials), Frank Finnegan, New Gloucester, Maine, and Jack Wegman. (Stacy Robey photo)

A view of the field of vintage race cars on the front stretch of Arundel Speedway, a .333 mile track that ran from 1964 until 1974. (Flying Seven photo)

Holler Customs Jurassic Park Jeep

When I visited Garrett Holler at his shop in Addison, Vermont this spring, I got an insider look at a few of his projects ready for the “Holler Touch”. One was the Jeep in the photo below. He showed me the detailed graphics that duplicated the Jeep used in the hit movie Jurassic Park.

The Jeep was a 1994 Wrangler 4.0L high output in Jurassic park specs. This is the before shot. (Holler Customs photo)

The after shot before the Jurassic Park Jeep was picked up by the owner in Vermont. Holler Customs has always amazed me with his attention to detail and high quality work. (Holler Customs photo

Photo of the week

This week’s photo of the week comes with a story. Friday morning while driving downtown in Caribou, I spotted this bright red Corvette. The driver of the Corvette parked in front of the Caribou Theater. I pulled up next to the Vette and asked the driver if I could take a photo of him and his car. He said I could take a photo of his car but not him, I handed him my business card explaining that his car would be featured in this week’s episode of UpNorth Motorsports. See next photo for the surprise result (HTF Motorsports photo)

The driver of the 2019 ZO6 Corvette asked me if I was the Tom Hale who grew up on Grimes Mill Road? It turns out the owner of the Vette is Tom Kelly who was my neighbor. We did many “growing up boys” types of things all the way to 1970 when I went away to school at the University of Maine, Orono . I do not recall seeing Tom for more than 40 years! He now lives in Vergennes, Vermont . He has owned several Mustangs, a Lotus Elise, and this is his third Vette. He bought this ZO6 three months ago since the new ones (C8) will not have manual transmission option. What a pleasant surprise! And obviously, he let me sit in his car. He knew me from childhood and was smart enough to not let me drive his car. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Northern Maine Karting Association Finale finally

After three weeks of rainouts, the Northern Maine Karting Association (NMKA)  will try again to have their season finale September 21 at Spud Speedway. The pit gates will open at 8am and racing will get underway at 10:30. Grandstands are free and pit admission is $10. Note the time changes. (NMKA photo)

NMKA Junior Cage Kart 2019 Champion, Gage Theriault was at Speedway Karting in Hermon, Sunday and took first place in the Junior Animal class heat race and feature. (Gage Theriault Racing photo)

One of Northern Maine’s largest snowmobile racing events of the year will be taking place in Ashland next weekend. I will be heading over to Ashland to the new racing venue immediately after completing the race season at Spud Speedway. Say hello when you see me at the Grass Drags. Should be an exciting motorsports event.

Caribou Marathon Relay Team “Wambulance”

The Annual Caribou Marathon was Sunday with a big crowd of racers and fans on hand at the start finish line in front of the Caribou Wellness Center on Bennett Drive. I was their to cheer on several folks especially my nephew Jamie Bell, his wife Jessica and two daughters Kayley and Maggie the “IncrediBells”. The family relay team finished fourth in the Half Marathon Relay portion of the race.

Jim Bell, Caribou, with his poster supporting his son Jamie, daughter-in-law Jessica and two grandaughters Kayley and Maggie Bell at the 2019 Caribou Marathon. The family is from Caribou. (HTF Motorsports photo)

The Marathon race men’s division was won by Caribou native, Spencer McElwain now living in Saco. The ladies full marathon was won by Jackie Deppen, Swampscott, Massachusetts.

The 1/2 Marathon winner was Evan Graves, Caribou. The ladies division was won by Eliza Tibbits, Old Town.

My favorite “chase vehicle/support vehicle” was this lime green 1972 VW Bus Transporter Type II owned by Dave Corriveau of Caribou.  (HTF Motorsports photo)

The Cary Medical Center OB Crew used Corriveau’s van during the race and nicknamed it “Wambulance”. The team placed sixth in the 1/2 Marathon Relay Race. (Pete Freeman capture 21 Photography)

FREE Giveaway

This stock Soap Box Derby car was given to me to give away to a young man or woman for use in the Soap Box Derby in Houlton 2020. My only stipulation is that it be used for the race otherwise I am going to deliver it to the Houlton Soap Box Derby Committee for their use soon. I am not working on this car nor sponsoring it. Send an email to thale@reagan.com if interested within the next week.The car was donated by the former Crown Equipment, now Beauregard Equipment folks in Caribou. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Helping to load the Soap Box Derby car donated by Beauregard Equipment, employees l to r Herm Taylor, Ken Stackhouse , and Whitney Smith. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Closing this week’s episode with one of my favorite race car driver, Mark Donohue, Penske Racing AMC Javelin used in the Trans Am in early 1970s. Give this a listen if you need to be perked up. I can almost smell that Sunoco Race Fuel.

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Let’s Go Racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:16)

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