St. Peter shows off improved racing

Aaron St. Peter couldn’t wait to get his driver’s license in 1989.

But not for your typical reasons.

“I wanted to start racing,” said St. Peter, who has been driving stock cars ever since and has moved up the ladder.

Although he wasn’t from a racing family, St. Peter and family members used to attend stock car races at Hermon’s Speedway 95 and watch NASCAR events on television.

Now people are watching him race as he is currently leading the pro stock division at Speedway 95 with 372 points, nine ahead of Stockton Springs’ Duane Seekins, the defending two-time champ.

St. Peter who, like Seekins also drives in the super street class, received a big thrill recently when he won the pole for the Pro All Stars Series Pine Tree 150 at Speedway 95.

“That was one of our biggest accomplishments this year,” said St. Peter, a 1991 Brewer High School graduate. “We didn’t expect it. We thought we might have qualified in the top 10 or 15 because we’re familiar with the track. That really made the night.”

He also led several early laps until his fuel pump “went bad.

“It was a little disappointing but, all in all, it was fun,” added St. Peter who would like to run the PASS series but doesn’t have the necessary financing.

Still, he has been pleased with their performance in the pro stocks at Speedway 95.

“We’ve had a great year so far. The car [Chevy Monte Carlo] has been handling great,” said the 28-year-old St. Peter, who has already won three races.

Auto racing is very much a “family affair” for St. Peter, who received a degree in accounting from Bangor’s Husson College in 1995.

His father, Richard, is his crew chief and crew members include his brother Matt, father-in-law Mel Hills and cousin Tom Fowler. Aaron’s wife, Melinda, and his brother’s girlfriend, Candace Gagnon, also help out.

Jim Knight, who owns the super street car St. Peter drives, is also on the crew.

St. Peter, who has never won a points title but has been chosen the most improved pro stock driver at Unity Raceway and Speedway 95, still has the same exuberance he had for the sport in 1989.

“I enjoy the competition. Everybody helps each other out. If one competitor has a problem, another one will come along and help him out, even if they are battling for the points lead. If Duane Seekins had a problem and needed a part, I’d loan it to him. He’d do the same for us. If I beat Duane, I’d rather do it on the track instead of him having an accident or mechanical problem,” said St. Peter, who works for Lindsco Equipment in Brewer, a steel fabricator.

Sports editor enjoys racing

Kalle Oakes is one of the state’s most knowledgeable and respected motorsports writers.

Now he knows, first-hand, what it’s like to be a stock car driver.

Oakes, the sports editor at the Lewiston Sun Journal, is driving a 1986 Buick Regal in the outlaw class at Oxford Plains Speedway.

“It is eye-opening,” said Oakes. “It has been an amazing learning process. You think if you watch a sport enough years, and I started going to Oxford when I was five years old, that you know the sport and its nuances pretty well.

“But when you get out there with 30 other guys, they don’t know your name or think you’re anything special and they let you know it,” said Oakes, whose first three races produced 19th, 13th and 17th-place finishes.

The Monmouth native decided to get involved last fall when a friend, Wiscasset strictly street racer Greg Garnett, suggested they buy the Regal for $600.

“It took me an hour [to take Garnett up on his offer],” said Oakes who actually shares the car with Garnett’s wife, Cherie, who drives the Regal in the ladies division at Oxford.

Oakes said he has written in the past that he would never drive a race car.

“Now I’m hopelessly addicted to it,” said Oakes. “No matter how well you do, you always feel you could have done better.”