MELCHER CLAIMS THUNDER 4 MINI TITLE WITH WIN ON SPECIAL NIGHT AT WISCASSET
by Ken Minott
Saturday night Wiscasset Speedway hosted Group 1 Fan Appreciation Night with the help of Mainely Motorsports TV. Along with the usual pre-race driver autograph session and kids bike races, the two organizations combined forces to help race sponsor Bozzutos Inc raise money for Maine Special Olympics through their Hometown Foundation. Over 70 Special Olympians were in attendance as the sponsor’s special guest, but 12 of them got a treat as they were chosen to help present trophies to the drivers in victory lane. A brief rain shower delayed the start of the show by an hour, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the fans and drivers.
There probably wasn’t a driver having more fun on Saturday night than Thunder 4 Mini driver Logan Melcher of Jay. He put the bow on a dream season with a convincing win in the 30 lap spotlight feature. The point leader was forced to restart at the rear of the field after a lap 3 spin. But it took him just 7 laps to charge around the outside of the pack to grab the lead. From there he built up a full straightaway advantage and cruised to his track-high 6th win of the season. Just by taking the green flag alone, Melcher locked up the 2017 division crown with one race to spare. The remaining trophies presented in victory lane traded hands in the tech building as Brian Sweatt and Jeff Minchin both failed post-race inspection. Wiscasset’s Noah Haggett and Brunswick’s David Greenleaf took home the hardware instead. Devan Robbinson or Warren and Donald Mooney of New Glouster filled out the top 5.
The other spotlight feature on the night was a 50 lap tilt for the ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks. With the season winding down, the division title hopes rest in the lap of veteran racers Charlie Colby and Daren Ripley. While the point leader Colby struggled on the night, the points chaser Ripley dominated. Ripley quickly grabbed the lead from his mid pack starting position and set a torrid pace in the caution-free race. By the time they had reached lap 45 there were just 4 of the 12 cars left on the lead lap and Ripley had built up a half-track advantage over the 2nd place car of #99 Ajay Picard. Ripley set it on cruise control and ran the final laps in the tire tracks of 4th place car of #15 Scott Chubbuck to secure the easy victory. For Ripley is was his class high 3rd win of 2017. Picard took home the 2nd place trophy. Third place went to Bath’s Jeremy Whorff who was running just his second race of the season at Wiscasset. The top 5 was filled out by Scott Chubbuck and Cody Tribbett. As of the press release time, the win for Ripley remains “unofficial” pending a mandatory engine inspection that comes after a driver’s 3rd win. Should the victory stand, Charlie Colby would enter the season finale with a 4 point lead over Ripley.
In the 25 lap feature for the N.E. 4-cylinder Pros, Connor Wenners backed up his first career win with an even more impressive victory. Thanks to his win from 2 weeks ago, he had to start last in the running order. This didn’t seem to deter the talented 12-year-old from Edgecomb. He took just 10 laps to get to the front and from there he would cruise to his 2nd win in a row. Spencer Vaughn of Canton rebounded from a recent string of tough luck and picked up a strong 2nd place finish. Point leader Max Rowe of Turner continued his solid rookie campaign with a 3rd place finish. Kamren Knowles and Hayden Norris filled out the top 5. While Wenners recently made history by becoming the track’s youngest feature winner at 12 years old, Rowe has his sights set on becoming the track’s youngest ever champion at 13 years old.
The Super Streets ran the final feature of the night with a 25 lap feature. It was a bit of a rough night for the Supers with cautions flying in both the heat and feature. While the top drivers in the class struggled, some other drivers took advantage and continued their recent hot streak. Jefferson’s Mike Hodgkins, coming off a season-best 2nd place finish, took the lead just before the midpoint of the race and held on for his first career win at Maine’s fastest track. Zach Poland of Woolwich picked up his 3rd straight podium finish taking the runner-up trophy. Oakland’s Sean Johnson was 3rd followed by Barry Poulin of Benton and Michael Harrison of Durham.
Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday night September 16th with Group 2 in action. The show will provide racing action in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models, the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis, the Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds, and the Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets. The flex division will be filled by the Amsoil Nelcar Legends in their final appearance of the season. Pit gates will open at 1:00 pm, grandstand gate at 3:00 pm, and racing action will begin at 5:00 pm. More information is available at www.wiscassetspeedway.com or by calling (207) 491-3720.
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY RESULTS 9/9/17
MAINELY MOTORSPORTS GROUP 1 FAN APPRECIATiON NIGHT
presented by Bozzutos Inc Hometown Foundation
.
THUNDER 4 MINIS (30 laps)
* Logan Melcher 6th win of 2017 – clinched 2017 Thunder 4 championship
Pos No. Name Home Town Laps Diff
1 41 Logan Melcher Jay 30
2 54 Noah Haggett Wiscasset 30 10.797
3 58 David Greenleaf Brunswick 30 13.193
4 20 Devan Robinson Warren 30 14.039
5 80 Donald Mooney New Gloucester 29 1 Lap
6 04 Curtis Anderson Richmond 29 1 Lap
7 1 Jeff Davis Woolwich 29 1 Lap
8 00 Nick Morton Newcastle 29 1 Lap
9 03 Ryan Shea Richmond 29 1 Lap
10 26 Michael Golding Pownal 29 1 Lap
11 30 Keith Rankin Pittston 27 3 Laps
DQ 94 Brian Sweatt Albion 30 DQ
DQ 3 Jeff Minchin Pittston 30 DQ
dns 19 Travis Poulliot China dns
.
.
N.E. 4-CYLINDER PROS (25 laps)
* Connor Wenners 2nd straight win – youngest feature winner ever (12yr)
Pos No. Name Home Town Laps Diff
1 4 Connor Wenners Edgecomb 25
2 7 Spencer Vaughan Canton 25 2.829
3 12 Max Rowe Turner 25 5.954
4 98 Kamren Knowles West Gardiner 25 9.077
5 03 Hayden Norris Gardiner 25 9.429
6 70 Taylor Lane Phillips 25 10.301
7 42 Mike Kibbin South China 25 13.759
8 55 John Shorey Alna 25 15.288
9 24 Jeff Prindall Lisbon 25 21.695
10 10 Kate Re Lovell 25 26.92
11 01 Jet Decker Chesterville 24 1 Lap
12 41 Larry Melcher Jay 15 10 Laps
13 9x Jim Weymouth West Gardiner 8 17 Laps
.
.
SERVPRO OF BIDDEFORD SACO PROSTOCKS (50 laps)
* caution free race
* Ripley 3rd win of 2017 (pending mandatory engine inspection – 3 wins)
Pos No. Name Home Town Laps Diff
1 09 Daren Ripley Thomaston 50
2 99 Ajay Picard Palmyra 50 5.731
3 8 Jeremy Whorff Bath 50 8.544
4 15x Scott Chubbuck Bowdoin 50 15.39
5 13t Cody Tribbett Richmond 49 1 Lap
6 7 Nick Reno West Bath 49 1 Lap
7 13 Nate Tribbett Richmond 49 1 Lap
8 5 James Osmond Wiscasset 49 1 Lap
9 72 Charlie Colby Newcastle 49 1 Lap
10 29 Kevin Morse Woolwich 49 1 Lap
11 41 Brian Whitney Etna 40 10 Laps
12 84 Jamie Wright Woolwich 7 43 Laps
.
.
SUPER STREETS (25 laps)
* Mike Hodgkins – first career win at wiscasset
Pos No. Name Home Town Laps Diff
1 23x Mike Hodgkins Jefferson 25
2 06 Zac Poland Wiscasset 25 1.761
3 9 Sean Johnson Oakland 25 2.035
4 32 Barry Poulin Benton 25 3.736
5 85 Michael Harrison Durham 25 5.234
6 3 Bob Crocker Freeport 25 13.868
7 30 Cory Creamer Randolph 24 1 Lap
8 48 Dan Nessmith Wiscasset 3 22 Laps
9 8 Bouncer Knight Jay 0
10 2 Josh Bailey Wiscasset 0
dns 54 Neil Evans Jr Brunswick dns
dns 5 Mark Lucas Harpswell dns