HERMON – Hermon’s Mike Hopkins said he lost his clutch for “the last two restarts” in the 35-lap Sport-Four feature at Speedway 95 Sunday afternoon.

But he said it turned out to be an advantage over the final 15 laps.

“That’s why I had such fast restarts [in high gear],” said Hopkins, who cruised to a 16 car-length victory over Hampden’s David Green in the first of three Sport-Four series races.

Carmel’s Phil Richardson finished third with Belfast’s Spencer Garvin and Lagrange’s Rick Grant rounding out the top five.

Hopkins’ triumph also qualified him for the four-cylinder national championship race sponsored by Kraze Korlacki Speed Equipment at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough on July 27.

Richardson pursued Hopkins for 33 laps after Hopkins passed him for the lead on the first lap and Richardson cut his best friend some slack on the last two restarts.

“I knew he had a clutch problem. We work on each other’s cars together along with David [Green]. So when he gave me the sign, I knew what had happened,” said Richardson, noting that they’ve been best friends since they were 5 years old.

Richardson could have tried to exploit the situation but he allowed Hopkins to get a rolling start on the restarts to circumvent his clutch problem.

“If he had taken off too quickly, he could have been sent to the back of the pack. I wanted to make it as even as possible so there would be a good finish and the race would be decided by us racing for it instead of having someone put to the back,” said Richardson.

Hopkins was grateful.

“Anybody else could have had me [on the restarts] but he helped me out,” said Hopkins, who tried to reciprocate by giving Richardson plenty of room in which to pass him on the inside groove.

“But my car got tighter and tighter as the race went on,” said Richardson. “I tried to get him so much, I drove the tires out from under us.”

The tire wear and lapped traffic enabled Green to slip under Richardson for second with two laps remaining.

“I knew if I could get under him with the lapped traffic [on the outside groove], I had it made,” said Green.

Green said he was “happy” to finish second.

“I was dealing with a push,” said Green referring to a tight condition in which the front tires lose grip and tend to make the car hard to turn. “I can’t get it out of the car. I’ve learned to drive it with a push.

“Mike is always fast. If I can run with these guys all the time, I’m happy,” said Green.

Hopkins was elated with his win and the fact he qualified for the nationals.

“It was my second win [this season], but it has come hard between the rain and the transmission and clutch problems I’ve had,” said Hopkins, who stayed on the faster outside groove. “Phil was tough on the bottom and if I was a couple-tenths slower, he would have driven by me like I was standing still. My car was awesome. I couldn’t have asked for a better car.”

There were seven cautions and 25 cars started the race.

Hopkins, who drove a 1980 Ford Mustang, credited his father-in-law, Randy Gardner, for his sponsorship and allowing him to work on the car in his race shop. Green drove a 1986 Mustang and Richardson has a 1996 Saturn.

In the other races, Hermon’s Kris Watson continued his dominance of the Super Street division in which he has won every heat and feature race this season.

He beat Winterport’s Travis Beale by 20 car lengths, but Beale was later disqualified because he failed the post-race technical inspection.

So Bucksport’s Artie Maguire was second with Hermon’s Doug Sinclair, Franklin’s Greg Pung and Hermon’s Jeff Overlock Jr. completing the top five.

In the Strictly Streets, Glenburn’s Jordan Pearson took the checkered flag followed by Stebuen’s Wayne Parritt Jr., Ellsworth’s Brad Norris, Holden’s Travis Poulin and Bangor’s Shane Hamel II.

Peter Drake of Holden held off Ernie Wallace of Winterport by a length and a half to win the Truck division race.

Jordan Pearson was third, followed by Hermon’s son-and- father team of Andrew and Brett Crosby, respectively.

In the Pro Limited class, race leader Dale Swoboda lost his transmission on lap 10 and the man who took the checkered flag, Glen Curtis Jr. of Hudson, failed to pass post-race inspection which gave the win to Stockton Springs’ Duane Seekins.

Brenton Parritt of Steuben wound up second with Hermon’s Scott Modery, St. Albans’ Ray-Allen Morse and Hermon’s Bernier Thayer rounding out the top five.

Curtis, like Super Street driver Beale, was disqualified for an illegal motor, according to track officials.

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