HERMON – Jason Thayer doesn’t have a driver’s license. He hasn’t even taken driver’s education.

In fact, the 15-year-old (by two weeks) high school freshman from Hermon never even drove a real race car on a real track until a few weeks ago.

His driving experience: six years as making the rounds of the area’s karting tracks, building up a solid resume in the process.

But there was Thayer on Sunday, making his Speedway 95 debut in the competitive limited sportsman class – one step below the top-notch pro-stock entries. Ready to trade paint with the big boys … though he hoped it didn’t come to that.

All that, despite the fact that he’d had to get a waiver from the track just to drive at all: The minimum age is 16.

“It’s the first time out with other cars today,” the soft-spoken Thayer said before his heat race during Speedway 95’s opening day.

The 5-foot-6, 115-pounder had a few concerns, but was dealing with them calmly as his crew tinkered with his black No. 60 car.

“None of the other drivers have really said anything, but I’m just worried I might get tangled up with something or something like that,” he said. “Just a little bit nervous.”

Thayer’s dad, Maury, said he was confident in his son’s karting experience and ability.

The decision for Jason to debut in a limited sportsman car was made, he explained, because they’ll make his eventual transition to pro stocks easier.

“The main thing was, we wanted him to drive a car that was adjustable, that had all the basic racing components,” Maury Thayer said.

Getting to the track wasn’t exactly simple. They had to receive the age waiver. And the only time Maury Thayer tried to drive the car, in a practice last year, he crashed it.

And a couple weeks ago, Jason’s engine blew in practice. The price tag for the replacement: $7,000.

Still, for much of the heat race, Thayer did exactly what he tried to do: He stayed out of trouble and gained some experience.

Then the heat ended. And his worries became reality.

“I thought we were gonna make it [without an incident], but they slowed down,” he said with a wry grin. “I didn’t quite see the checkered [flag], I guess. I came onto the brakes a little late, and the brakes didn’t grab. Then I hit another car and slid off the track.”

Maury Thayer described it more simply: “[It’s] just not getting whoa’d down quick enough,” he said.

On opening day at Speedway 95, there were plenty of people who didn’t get whoa’d down quick enough. And others who did.

Old faces moved into new places, competing in different divisions. But the veteran Speedway 95 fans remembered.

Like when they greeted Wayne Parritt of Steuben when he won the feature in his new class, the limited sportsman division.

Parritt won three points titles in the strictly street division, but felt right at home when the fans took sides after his victory.

Some booed and jeered. Others cheered.

“If you’re gonna come up here regular, you’re gonna learn, you mention Parritt, you wanna watch out,” he said with a grin. “They’re 50-50. Fifty percent don’t like me.”

He’s philosophical about the crowd’s reaction, though.

“It’s like Jeff Gordon: When he wins, nobody likes him,” Parritt said. “And we win a lot.”

In another feature, Jay Robichaud of Orrington finished third in a three-vehicle field as Speedway 95 unveiled a new four-cylinder truck class.

Robichaud, who has been a fixture in the sport four class, loved every minute of the heated battle with winner Roger Chipman and runner-up Kenny McGraw.

“It’s a little difficult to drive a truck because it doesn’t corner quite as well as a car, but it was a ball of fun,” Robichaud said.

Later in the day, Thayer fared better, finishing sixth of 11 cars in the feature race. He avoided two crashes, didn’t create any problems for other drivers, and emerged from the race with his grin intact.

And after explaining that he was happy to have avoided any further trouble, and to have gained experience, the 15-year-old showed that he’d learned plenty in his first day.

“I’d like to thank my sponsor, Pottle’s Transportation,” Thayer said with a shy grin.

SPEEDWAY 95 RESULTS

Four-cylinder trucks: 1. Roger Chipman, 2. Kenny McGraw, 3. Jay Robichaud; Sport Four: 1. Chad Ashey, 2. Rick Grant, 3. Jim Johnson; Super Street: 1. Duane Seekins, 2. Matt Eaton, 3. Dean Smart; Half-scale Winston Cup: 1. Bob Leighton, 2. Tim Reynolds, 3. Chris Pangburn; Limited Sportsman: 1. Wayne Parritt, 2. Paul White, 3. Ricky Morse; Sportsman: 1. Duane Seekins, 2. John Phippen, 3. Aaron St. Peter; Strictly Street: 1. Mike Thayer, 2. Brent Parritt, 3. Jeff Bean