Seekins races, builds winners at Hermon’s Speedway 95

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He says he has been “struggling” all year.

A lot of people would like to `struggle’ like Stockton Springs’ Duane Seekins.

The 42-year-old Seekins is leading both the sportsman and super street stock classes at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

The bad news for his competitors in the sportsman class is that his `struggles’ in that class may be over.

“My car had been loose because the hubs were too narrow,” said Seekins referring to the piece of equipment that the wheels are bolted to. “My hubs are three inches in width while the hubs on most of the other cars were three and a half inches wide.”

Jeff Taylor, owner of Distance Racing Products in Unity, devised a way to remedy the two-year-old problem, according to Seekins, by “narrowing the car up and putting half-inch spaces on both sides so the wheels are where they should be.

“The car feels a lot better now. I can really drive it,” said Seekins who won last Saturday night’s sportman race and finished fourth in the Q106.5 Sportsman 100 on Sunday with the recently-improved Monte Carlo.

He said he has had a pretty good year in the super street class but he has faltered a little lately “because I’ve put a lot of effort into my pro stock car.”

Seekins has been driving a race car for 23 years and, like an actor who goes into directing, he has found a new challenge in building race cars.

He has built his own race cars although his Monte Carlo has a Distance Racing Products chassis. He designed the motor and built both the motor and chassis for his super street Camaro.

In addition, five other drivers in various classes at Speedway 95 are driving cars with either a Seekins chassis, a Seekins motor or both.

He enjoys watching his cars race but he also stays involved.

“I’m not a happy spectator because I’m always seeing what I can do to help them get to the front,” said Seekins.

The 1975 Searsport High School graduate has racked up five points championships in his career.

He has won four pro stock points championships, two apiece at Speedway 95 and Unity, and a super street title at Speedway 95. His super street championship occurred last year at Speedway 95 and he was second in the pro stocks. He won five races in each class.

He figures he spends approximately three hours a night working on his Monte Carlo and the Camaro.

He said he has been aided by a “real good crew” that works on both cars with him. His brother, Horace, acts as his crew chief for both cars and Alan Dakin acts as assistant crew chief.

Seekins, a terminal manager for Sprague Energy based in Searsport, has some limited sponsors but a lot of the money comes out his own pocket.

However, that adds to his motivation.

“It’s a challenge to put a motor together for a few thousand dollars and race against guys who buy MacMaster motors for $5,000-$10,000. It feels great if I can beat them,” said Seekins who is married (Cecile) and the father of a daughter (Lindsey).

Seekins considers himself a fairly aggressive racer but says, “When you’re racing out of your own pocket book, you have to play it smart. My goal is to try to get my cars in the top three. I feel like I’ve won if I`ve done that.”

Craven sticks with time, starts 26th

Newburgh’s Ricky Craven did not qualify for the Brickyard 400 on Thursday as the top 25 qualifying times did and his was 26th best. However, he stood on his time for Friday’s requalifying and will start 26th on Saturday.

Bob Clidinst, public relations assistant at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, explained that at a drivers meeting on the morning of requalifying, drivers can either stay with the time they attained on the first day of qualifying or throw that time out and requalify.

If you elect to requalify, you can’t fall back on your first day time if it was better that your requalifying time.

Craven was one of 15 drivers who stuck with his Thursday time and it paid off.

As for provisionals, they are awarded to non-qualifiers based on owner points. There can also be a provisional set aside for a former Winston Cup points champion who fails to qualify.

Drivers are allowed as many as six provisionals in a season, according to Clidinst.

NEPSA sets Quebec races

The North East Pro Stock Association will race in Quebec the next two Saturdays. They will race in Montmagny and Chicoutimi, respectively.

Mike Rowe leads the points chase by 20 points over defending champ Kenny Wright. Rounding out the top 10 are Gary Smith, Gary Bellefleur, Jon Lizotte, Ralph Nason, Travis Benjamin, Chuck Lachance, Sam Sessions and Andre Sylvain.