Currently viewing the category: "Wiscasset Speedway"

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A hearty crowd of racing-starved fans huddled into a blustery Wiscasset Speedway Saturday afternoon for the start of the 2013 Maine racing season. This is a new chapter in the history of the state’s fastest track. The coastal speed plant has been relatively silent for nearly three years. Saturday it roared to life as new track owners Richard and Vanessa Jordan of Kingfield unveiled the results of their off-season work, and kick started the revival of racing action.

East Madison’s Jeff Burgess didn’t have a very large group of cars chasing him in the 30 lap Prostock feature. It probably did not matter to the veteran racer. This was one win that he wasn’t about to let slip through his hands. On this day his late father, Butch Burgess, who built his legendary resume with wins from Wiscasset, was to be inducted into the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame. Jeff honored him in perhaps the best way he could- by winning at the same track his father had won at so many times before. Burgess used the first half of the race to gradually pull away from Bill Penfold of Yarmouth, and cruised from there to the win. It wasn’t his first Wiscasset win, his most difficult win, or the biggest win of his long career. However, there was no doubt it was one of the most important. Penfold finished second by nearly a full straightaway and John Rideout of Washington finished third. Read Full Article →

DSC_0258Story by Evan Beaulieu
Photos by Chris Roy

After a harsh North East off-season, the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Car Tour was the first tour in the North ready to go racing in 2013. Braving the harsh winds and 40 degree weather, the Tour brought 21 cars to the newly re-opened, and one of Nelcar’s longtime homes, Wiscasset Speedway for opening day. The fans packed into see the re-opening of Maine’s fastest track, and another grueling season for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour was set to begin.

The first heat race rolled onto the track with Shaun Buffington, who had a hot streak at the end of 2012, on the pole position with the 60 of Legends Car veteran Anthony Pagliarulo on the outside. On the start, Buffington got out to the lead, with defending Nelcar champion Matt Bourgoine closely behind. The heat ran caution free, and Buffington took the win over Bourgoine with Alan Smith holding off Bob Weymouth for third.
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DSC_5866story by Christopher Roy
Next weekend the Amsoil NELCAR Legends kick off their 2013 racing schedule at Wiscasset Speedway. Returning this season is young gun driver Wyatt Alexander, in the 96 K&B Automotive, and the Alexander race team is geared up and ready to go. “Yes, the car is ready. We were able to work out a few gremlins in the car in NC, so hopefully we are all set for a good race there.”

Though this won’t be his first race of the season as Wyatt and his father Brett, recently made the trip down south. His father explains, “We traveled down and had him do some work with Kyle Beattie Racing in Concord, NC. We traveled had him do some work to the car a few weeks ago and then went back last week to have the final set up done. While we were down there we raced at Concord Speedway to give the car a shake down with their assistance. They are a great group of guys. We had a great time.”
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Wiscasset2013logoWISCASSET SPEEDWAY SET TO RE-OPEN FOR 2013 SEASON

(Lisa Maguire)

  
The racing season is upon us again, and Wiscasset Speedway will be celebrating its 44th year with an action packed itinerary.  New owners, Richard and Vanessa Jordan, invite race fans everywhere to bring their families and come join in the fun.  The 3/8 mile high banked track is set to open on April 6 at 1:00 PM, and hold divisional races on Saturdays’ through Fall Fury on October 5, 2013.  Wiscasset Speedway first opened in 1969, and to this day remains the fastest in the state.
 
This year, in an effort to provide a timely and action packed show, the new management team has decided to split their regular divisions into two groups that will alternate week to week.  Group one will feature Prostock, Superstock, Thunder 4’s, and Northeast 4 cylinder Prostocks divisions.  Group two will showcase Late Model Sportsman, Strickly Streets, Outlaw Mini’s, and Mini Trucks.  Also on the schedule are exciting enduro races, Nelcar Legends, Northeast Mini Stock Tour, The Wicked Vintage Racers, and more.  Wiscasset will run a Saturday afternoon program throughout the month of April and then bring the action under the lights beginning in May. Read Full Article →

DSC_5093story by Christopher Roy
In 2012 Mathew Bourgoine won the Amsoil NELCAR Championship as well as the TNT Championship. So what is it like to win the championship, “Its Awesome!! It was a goal I set for myself when I started racing Legends, and now that I have done it. It feels awesome!!”

In the off season Bourgoine has been enjoying the winter sports and, finding new business adventures. “I went to some car shows, did some snowmobiling, and did a little ice fishing. I also have been getting things going on a new business called Bourgoine Designs. We’ll be doing T-shirts, stickers, and a bunch of stuff!!”
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DSC_7893story by – Christopher Roy
A new race season and a new racing adventure as 2011 Amsoil NELCAR Legends Champion, Evan Beaulieu, changes gears and get behind the wheel of a super late model. “This season we will be racing the 56 Super Late Model at BRMS in the Pro Series for Dan McKeage and the Naughty40 Racing team. This will be my first time driving in a full size car with fenders, and I’m looking forward to the challenge and I know we can succeed in this division just as we have in anything we’ve done.”
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8591As a Nor’ Easter blankets New England the NELCAR “Winter Storm” is ready for the 2013 race season. Dan Winter and some of his fellow drivers from the NELCAR Legends Tour were on hand for the “Racin’ Preview” in Portland, Maine.

Though the Amsoil NELCAR legends haven’t been racing the last few months, the drivers have been busy getting ready for Opening Day at Wiscasset Speedway on April 6th. “This offseason we’ve been mostly getting the cars cleaned up and ready for the 2013 season.”
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Wiscasset Speedway Fall Fury
Saturday, October 20th, 2012
Rain Date Sunday, October 21st, 2012

Pit Gate Open 6:30am – Main Gate Open at 8:00am – $5.00 Donation Per Person Each Gate
Practice Begins at 9:00am
Drivers Meeting Promptly at 10:15am
Racing Begins Promptly at 11:05am w/Wicked Good Vintage Race Cars
All Entries $5.00 Donation Per Person

In dedication to everyone who supported Save Wiscasset Speedway, we say THANK YOU and invite you to celebrate with the one racing event for the 2012 season…….
Run What Ya Brung & Have Lots of Fun!
This is a low cost, end of the season racing event for pure fun and entertainment. Just like last year, you bring it and we’ll find a place for you to race it! There will be tires and fuel available for sale only for your convenience – no requirements to purchase, feel free to race your own tires and fuel.
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If mid-October’s turnout and the mood among drivers and fans provided any kind of litmus test as to the future of Wiscasset Raceway, then “Maine’s Biggest & Fastest” could indeed have a bright future ahead. Things have been quiet in the hills bordering Wiscasset & Alna for much of the summer. The once buslting racetrack had fallen quiet with a “For Sale” sign replacing the sign that would typically welcome fans each weekend. But on October 15th, thanks to a large and enthusiastic group of volunteers, the track came to life for one day and the result was astounding. Over 2000 fans & supporters packed the stands on the sunny & blustery autumn day to watch nearly 170 cars circle Maine’s fastest oval as a sign of support in a cause deemed “Save Wiscasset Raceway”. Local businessmen Tony True & Dale Chadbourne got together, leased the track, and put the event together to spotlight the viability of the track to potential buyers and to keep Wicasset town noise ordinances in effect, making it easier for a buyer to keep the 42 year facility alive. The pair called it a non-profit raceday “with a twist”. Fans & drivers alike were charged a modest $5 admission fee in which all proceeds went back to sponsors who stepped up to cover the cost of putting on the event. Any money left over would be split evenly between all drivers participating. The promotion drew fans & drivers from throughout northern New England, some who had not been to the track in years. One particular guest that caught the attention of many was Wiscasset native Wilfred Cronk, the man who originally built the track back in 1968. “This day has been amazing” said Chadbourne. “It’s bigger than I ever imagined, I’m speechless”. True echoed his friends thoughts as the two recieved placques of recognition and enthusiastic appluase from the grateful audience during a break in the action. “I can’t think you guys enough. This will hopefully show someone out there, interested in buying this place, that this place can work and people want to see this place succeed”. Word came later in the day that there were as many as three interested parties at the track on the 15th taking in the show. While fans got to see many of their favorite drivers in victory lane thoughout the day, the general concensus was that the track itself and the event organizers were the big winners.
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Peter Taylor

Wiscasset Raceway

An all volunteer team headed by Tony True of Wiscasset and Dale Chadbourne of Woolwich have worked to put together the tracks first race of the 2011 season. True secured a lease agreement between all interested parties, allowing the event to take place on Saturday October 15th with a rain date on the 16th. Because of financial difficulty the track did not open this season and “there was concern that if we didn’t have one race the town noise ordinance could be changed” said True.
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The race for the championship begins!

The race for the first Maine Late Model championship began this Sunday at The Center of Speed, Wiscasset Raceway! 24 Late Models from all over the state lined up on the front stretch for the first of three Maine Alliance races. The 100 lap feature started with a wave off from all of the drivers as the paraded past the grandstands. The three heat winners started up front with Darren Ripley in his #70 “big race car” starting in the pole position. Also starting up front on Sunday were heat winners Michael Landry in the #40 and Nick Reno in the #41. Corey Morgan, coming off his top 3 Oxford 250 finish, also started up front in the #26 car. Two generations of Maine racers, Dave “Boss Hogg” and Josh St. Clair driving the #14 and #33 also ended up up front with second place heat finishes.

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Story by J. Stevens

Two weekends past, the students from the “Life Skills Class” were invited to Wiscasset Raceway, to watch a day of racing. Sunday June 13th, was full of excitement as over half a dozen different racing series hit the track. The day included cars bursting into flames, flipping upside down, and racing for the checkered flag to take the win.

The students got to take a tour through the pits to meet the owner of Wiscasset raceway, Doug White, along with some of the drivers as well. While touring the pits, they got to watch the race teams work on the cars. A bit later the cars hit the track for qualifying heat races.

 

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