HERMON – Winterport’s Ernie Wallace used to be a highly-competitive driver in the Sport-Four class at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

A year ago, he decided to give the Pro All-Stars Series Sportsman class a try.

“I never even led a lap,” said Wallace, who returned to Victory Lane for the first time since 2006 when he took the checkered flag in the Full-Sized Truck division on opening day at Speedway 95 Sunday afternoon.

Wallace was the class of the Trucks division, leading from start to finish and crossing the finish line with a comfortable margin over Orrington’s Dana Harlow.

Clifton’s Peter Drake was third with Glenburn’s Jordan Pearson and Clifton’s Jim Carr Jr. rounding out the top five.

Eight trucks started the race. The Full-Sized Truck division was making its weekend debut as it had previously been run on the Wacky Wednesday card.

Wallace said his daughter Jessica and her husband, Casey Kingsbury, bought the truck driven by last year’s points champion Keith Kingsbury and asked him to drive it.

“The truck was excellent. Keith gave me his notes and we set it up just like he did. The truck stuck to the track,” said Wallace.

Harlow, driving despite a broken hip, closed the gap in the latter stages of the race but couldn’t get past Wallace, who won by six truck-lengths.

“[Wallace] started pushing [up the track] a little bit,” said Harlow, who felt he might have been able to pass Wallace if the race was a few laps longer.

Wallace said he might have been losing air pressure in one of his tires so he drove cautiously in the late laps.

In the Super Streets, Hermon’s Kris Watson turned in a dominant performance as he pulled away on the first lap and withstood four cautions to beat Lamoine’s Derek Mingo by eight car-lengths.

Watson’s restarts were flawless as he was always able to extend his lead in short order.

Franklin’s Greg Pung was third, Montville’s Bryan Robbins was fourth and Michael Overlock of Franklin was fifth in the 12-car field.

In the Strictly Streets class, Ellsworth’s Brad Norris took the lead for good on lap six when leader Wayne Parritt Jr. of Steuben was black-flagged for leaking fluid.

He won by 25 car-lengths over Stockton Springs’ Harry Patterson. Parritt, who fell two laps off the pace while pitting to stop the leak, rallied to finish third, one lap down.

Montville’s Craig Turner and Glenburn’s Jordan Pearson finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Eight cars began the race.

The Sport-Fours featured a duel between Hermon’s Mike Hopkins and Hampden’s David Green with Hopkins passing Green on the inside groove with seven laps remaining and holding him off to win by three car-lengths.

Holden’s Steve Moulton, Belfast’s Spencer Garvin and Milo’s Steve Heath completed the top five in the 23-car field.

In the new Pro-Limited division, Liberty’s Josh St. Clair battled a loose race car all afternoon and it appeared to cost him the race when Glenburn’s Scott Modery passed him with 10 laps remaining.

St. Clair slid up the track into the dirt and Modery drove under him.

But Modery, who finished seven car-lengths ahead of St. Clair, failed the postrace technical inspection due to multiple infractions and was disqualified, according to a track spokesperson.

St. Clair, who is a senior at Thorndike’s Mount View High School, was followed across the finish line by his grandfather, Dave.

Seven cars entered the race.

Dave St. Clair said his tires weren’t right, which hampered his chances to win.

“But we brought the car home in one piece so that’s not bad at all,” said Dave St. Clair.

Hudson’s Glenn Curtis was third, Stockton Springs’ Duane Seekins was fourth and Steuben’s Rowland Robinson Jr. was fifth.

Speedway 95 co-owners Del Merritt and Alice Baker decided to drop the expensive Pro Stock class after last season so the Pro-Limited Class is now the track’s top division.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

990-8231