photo by RPM 360
story by Chris Roy
The 2015 race season at Wiscasset Speedway gets underway this weekend on Saturday, April 18th and, Wyatt Alexander of Ellsworth, Maine will be there in the #96 Pro-stock.
Over the winter months Wyatt has kept busy, “In the off season I have been focusing on my school work and playing some indoor soccer, and of course preparing the car for the 2015 season.”
There is a number of track in New England that Super Late Models race at, like Wiscasset Speedway, and Oxford Plains Speedway, as well as the two super late model touring series, Pro All Stars Series (PASS)and the Granite State Pro-Stock Series “Our plans are to try our hand at a few different tracks and series and learn as much as possible. I will be racing the Super Late Model full time and possibly a couple other divisions throughout the year.”
The schedule for the pro-stocks at Wiscasset Speedway alternates every other week with the late models giving the drivers a week off between racing. “Right now our tentative schedule is set around racing full time with our group at Wiscasset Speedway. That may change throughout the year depending on how it is all going but we are looking forward to spending a lot of time with the great people at that track, the staff/workers, competitors and the fans.”
Wiscasset Speedway is known as “Maines Fastest Oval”, so what does it take to get around this 1/3 mile race track. “Wiscasset is one of my favorite tracks because it is what I consider a drivers track. You have to be smooth and consistent throughout, but it also allows for some aggressive style driving with your “elbows up” working the wheel. It can get multiple grooves in it also, which combined with the speed of the high banked oval makes for great racing. But I think the most important part about getting around Wiscasset is how you get off of the 4th turn. Since it is so rough you especially have to have a lot of throttle control to get off that corner and down the front stretch without spinning the rear tires or sliding around too much. As a driver, I don’t mind the bumps there at all, I like them. It certainly adds character to Maine’s Fastest Oval.”
Last race season Wiscasset Speedway made modification to the race track, “The widening of the back stretch in my opinion was a great idea, it allows us to run the same line up off the corner without getting too close the wall. I’ve had my fair share of close calls with that concrete in both a Legend Car and Pro Stock but you get used to it. It is nice to have that moved back and one less thing to worry about out there.”
The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) is having its first ever race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this year, “I will be competing on both the PASS and GSPSS series throughout the year. Right now we are going to try and run about 3 PASS races including the Oxford 250, the race at Speedway 95, and the May race at Star. For the GSPSS we are looking at running at White Mountain and Star in the fall. We have been talking a lot about the PASS race at NHMS, it is certainly something we are interested in and are considering we just are not sure if we will run it or not.”
Before each race drivers like to get their mind set or get into the zone. “Depending on the length of the trip to the track I tend to doze off for short periods of time (but not too long to feel groggy and out of focus), it makes me feel that much more rested for the day ahead. I always listen to music, to get my thoughts straight and get pumped up again for the day. Music is great for that. At the track I just do my thing, get the car ready, talk to the people that come by. When we are ready to go I think about what I need to do and how to get the job done. Im usually out and talking to everyone throughout the day, it keeps me excited and ready to go, but at points during the day I go back into the trailer to take a break and chill out a little bit and gather my thoughts before we get ready to rip. My mind gets “into the zone” and the nerves go away the second they drop the green flag, that’s when it starts for me.”
The fans at Wiscasset create the hometown atmosphere of short track racing, “The fans at Wiscasset Speedway are some of the best I’ve ever raced in front of and I am proud to do so. They make the atmosphere so much fun at Wiscasset. Richard, Vanessa, and all the people involved at the Speedway do their best to make it a fun family environment and that’s exactly what it is, they do it for the fans. We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the fans and for that I thank them.”
Wyatt would like to thank his sponsors – K&B Automotive, Puzzled Racing/MH Humphrey and Sons, F/V Resolute, M&T Trucking, R.F. Jordan and Sons Construction, Linnehans Rightway Auto, Speedway Sports Park, NAPA, Renaissance Dogs, Pilgrim Enterprises,AR Bodies- The Body Shop.