September 20, 2024
AUTO RACING

Ellsworth’s Saunders breezes past White in Pro Stock feature

HERMON – Ellsworth’s Andy Saunders is well on his way to defending his Pro Stock points championship at Speedway 95.

He has already repeated as the Pro Stock Series titlist after completing a sweep of the three-race series by cruising to a comfortable victory over Corinna’s Paul White in the 50-lap feature Saturday night.

“One of my goals was to pull off this series again. The car has been almost flawless all year,” said the 32-year-old Saunders, who started fourth, took the lead from pole-sitter White on a lap-19 restart and wound up winning by 30 car-lengths.

“Typically, I wouldn’t say my car gets better but I think it stays the same and some of the other guys appear to drop off a little bit,” said Saunders, who won for the eighth time.

White, whose car became “really loose”, was second with Winterport’s Ryan Deane third, Carmel’s Don Alexander Jr. fourth and Surry’s Dwayne Overlock fifth.

In the Legends race, Topsham’s Bob Weymouth passed Gray’s Ed Getty on a lap-21 restart and beat Getty across the finish line by three car-lengths.

Herve Thibodeau Sr. of Saco was third, Dana Fox of Portland was fourth and fifth went to Josh Leach of Islesboro.

“The caution was just what I needed. It’s an outside-groove race track,” said Weymouth who added that although the outside groove may be a little faster, you can also race on the inside making it a “multi-groove track.

“I love coming to this racetrack,” added Weymouth.

Hermon’s Kris Watson picked up his seventh win in the four-cylinder truck class despite starting sixth.

Aided by a wreck in the first few laps, Watson took the lead for good just six laps into the race by driving around eventual runner-up Hugh Doucette of Oakland on the outside.

“The truck has been right on a rail. I thought we had it dialed in a couple of weeks ago but this week it was just going [even better],” said Watson.

Hermon’s Phil Richardson was third with Kenduskeag’s Clarence McCullough fourth and Atkinson’s Rick Eastman fifth.

Ernie Wallace Jr. of Winterport triumphed in the Sport Fours as he started second but drove outside of pole-sitter Colin Arey II of Greenville on the second lap and led the final 18 laps.

“The car was excellent. My father [Ernie Wallace Sr.] is doing a superb job. It’s all in the handling. He’s finally got it nailed down,” said Wallace Jr.

Colin Arey was second and his son, Colin Arey II, was awarded third when original third-place finisher Jason Witts of Bangor was black-flagged for rough driving.

Newburgh’s Darrin Durrell was fourth and Dixmont’s Lewis Batchelder was fifth.

Fifteen-year-old Bobby Seger Jr. of Frankfort sped past Corinna’s Andy Migliore on the outside on a lap-20 restart and took the checkered flag in the Strictly Street feature while driving a car he borrowed from his brother, Bruce Coulter.

“He got the jump [on the restart] but he had a little bit of a push and I was handling pretty good. Everything worked out, I guess,” said Seger Jr.

“I didn’t have a starter a half-hour before the race but Bobby Seger let us borrow one along with the nine car [Jim Carr, Jr.],” said Migliore, the points leader.

Garret McKee of Dixmont was third followed by Levant’s Joe Allen and Gleburn’s Jordan Pearson.

Hudson’s Keith Peirce posted the victory in the Super Streets, ending Brent Parritt’s string of 12 straight wins.

Parritt and Glenburn’s Ricky Bowness swapped paint on lap 13 and Steuben’s Parritt got sideways, causing a caution and sending Parritt to the back of the pack.

Peirce got around Bowness on a restart and nabbed the win in just his fourth race this season.

“This feels very nice,” said Peirce.

Bowness was second followed by Franklin’s Greg Pung, Parritt and Frankfort’s Ross Robinson.

St. Albans’ Greg Morse posted his first-ever win in the Limited Sportsman class after moving up from the Super Street division midway through last season.

He blew by leader Scott Modery of Hermon on a restart with two laps to go.

Modery said he had trouble getting his car into second gear.

“It held him up just long enough for me to get up beside him,” said the 23-year-old Morse.


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