Craven dominates GNN tour race

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HOLLAND, N.Y. – It was as dominating a performance as Ricky Craven has had in his NASCAR Grand National North career.

Craven took the lead from Billy Clark on lap eight and survived six restarts to win the Busch 150, pulling away at the three-eighth mile Holland International Speedway on Saturday.

On the last restart, with 16 laps remaining, Craven held off Ron Lamell of Essex Junction, Vt., to win his second race this season.

Clark of Farmington was third with Stub Fadden of Haverhill, N.H., fourth and Kelly Moore of Scarborough fifth.

“The car was perfect,” Craven said. “We lapped every car except the top six. It’s the best setup we’ve had this season, no doubt about it.”

It was Craven’s third career win on the GNN tour.

The Busch 150 Top 10 finishers

1. Rick Craven, Concord, N.H.; 2. Ron Lamell, Essex Junction, Vt.; 3. Billy Clark, Farmington; 4. Stub Fadden, Haverill, N.H.; 5. Kelly Moore, Scarborough; 6. Mike Rowe, Turner; 7. Joey Kourafas, Randolph, Mass.; 8. Dick McCabe, Kennebunkport; 9. Tony Hirshman, New York; 10. Dave Dion, Hudson, N.H.

Unity Raceway

Steve Nelson added two more trophies to his ever-growing collection at Unity Raceway on Saturday winning the late model sportsman and the limited sportsman division feature races.

In the late model sportsman class, Nelson took the lead on the 15th lap and held off Marty Leblanc of Madison and Jimmy Burns of Winslow for the win.

In the limited sportsman division, Nelson finished first ahead of Chuck Lachance of Thomaston and Randy Creamer of Camden.

Other Unity Raceway results

Chargers (the Coca Cola 50): 1. Mark Bogue, no hometown given; 2. Richard Carter, Winslow; 3. Pat Ellis, Chelsea

Sport 4: 1. Jeff Robinson, Vassalboro; 2. Al Buker, Clinton; 3. Scott Mason, Guilford

Strictly street: Sports car: 1. Darren Ripley, Thomaston; 2. Todd Cummings, Coopers Mills; 3. Bob Trask, Chelea; Sedan car: 1. Ricky Burgess, Oakland; 2. Dana Strout, Waterville; 3. Mark Mathews, Augusta

Winterport Dragway

Chris Lord of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, making a pit stop while en route to an NHRA race in New Hampshire, picked up $1,000 by winning the super eliminator race at Winterport Dragway on Sunday.

Lord outdragged runnerup Jeff Lafrenia of Poland Spring for the money.

Linda Fuller of Old Town also had a successful day on Sunday. She won the powder puff division (over Karin Dixon of Bucksport) and finished second (to Harry Webber of Penobscot) in the street stock class.

Other Winterport Dragway results

Motorcycle money: 1. Dan Duncombe, Newport; 2. Mark Sawyer, Ellsworth

Super pro: 1. Joe Paluga, Bar Harbor; 2. Darrell Winchenbach, Waldoboro

Pro: 1. Mark French, Spruce Head; 2. Jamie Thomas, Bucksport

Next week: Car show and $500-to-win bracket race.

Speedway 95

Randy Smith of Cherryfield held off Daren Bucknam’s comeback bid from an early-race spinout to win the hobby division feature race at Speedway 95 in Hermon on Saturday.

Bucknam of Addison spun early, but moved into second place on the 17th lap of the 20-lap feature. He pulled up beside Smith for the final two laps, but Smith, last year’s track champion, held on for the win.

In the late model sportsman class, Gary Bellefleur of Stetson took the lead on the only restart of the race to win the feature. Andy Saunders of East Eddington was second while Duane Seekins of Stockton Springs was third.

Other Speedway 95 results

Super street: 1. Greg Bergeron, Milford; 2. Alan Gardner, East Machias; 3. Jack Dyer, Winterport

Strictly street: 1. Milton Ketch, Milford; 2. John Snow, Penobscot; 3. Dale Hooper, Blue Hill. (Note-Third place finisher Scott Pearson was disqualfied following the post-race tech inspection for being to light)

Sport 4: 1. Terry Bragg, Bangor; 2. Duane Dunifer, Carmel; 3. Mike Giguere, East Eddington

Oxford Plains Speedway

Bob Gerry of Fryeburg won Saturday night’s Winston Series late model sportsman race at Oxford Plains Speedway holding off Bub Bilodeau of Bar Mills for the checkered flag.

Tommy Rowe of Turner was third.

Other Oxford Plains Speedway results

Chargers: 1. Shane Green, South Paris; 2. Steve Bennett, Buckfield; 3. Dana Grover, North Waterford

Street stocks: 1. Carey Martin, Windham; 2. Tommy Tompkins, Carthage; 3. Mark Webber, Lisbon

Compacts: 1. Tim Cook, Poland; 2. Richie Morse, North Waterford; 3. Dick Gibba, Portland

Modifieds: 1. Gary Drew, Raymond; 2. Bruce Haley, Minot; 3. Willie Elliott, Kezar Falls

Beech Ridge Speedway

Defending late model sportsman champ Mike Maietta of Scarborough edged out Barry Babb of Windham by a nose to win the late model sportsman class at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough on Saturday.

Bob Randall of Sanford was third while Bobby Babb of Windham was fourth.

All races on Saturday were 43 laps in celebration of the track’s 43rd birthday.

Other Beech Ridge Speedway results

Super sportsman: 1. Tim Maloney, Cumberland; 2. Chris Rule, Scarborough; 3. Kevin Durgin, Scarborough

Limited sportsman: A: 1. Danny Bubar, Falmouth; 2. Jeff Morgan, Saco; 3. Beaver Norton, Standish; B: 1. Richard Olin, Biddeford

American Canadian Tour

Overcoming brake problems, Junior Hanley of Campbelleville, Ontario, won his first American Canadian Tour race of the season in Bowmanville, Ontario, on Sunday.

Hanley held off Robbie Crouch of Georgia, Vt., for the win at the Mosport International Speedway. Roger Laperle of St. Denis, Quebec, was third.

Bud Triple Crown 150 Top 5

1. Junior Hanley; 2. Robbie Crouch; 3. Roger Laperle; 4. Brad Leighton, Center Harbor, N.H.; 5. Russ Urlin, London, Ontario

Maine finishers: 25. Phil Pinkham, Scarborough; 29. Dick Belisle, Vassalboro; 34. Ralph Nason, Unity