Bear Ridge Speedway almost beat mother nature calling it a night to the rain just 8 laps shy of completing half of the features this past Saturday night for the 99ROCK weekly racing series sponsored by Bond Auto Parts.
The KDD NAPA Ridge Runner Hornets were lined up in the staging area, but will have to wait until next week to see who claims the checkers for their 20 lap Bond Auto Parts sponsored event.
The same holds for the Journal Opinion Fast Fours who will also see double features for them next week, as they will hit the dirt first with their makeup event for the Bond Auto Parts sponsored night, and then come back for their regular scheduled event.
The A Notch Above Limited Late Models were one of the lucky ones hitting the dirt early with #22 Shane Race setting the pace for their main event. Track conditions were perfect for all, but of course the man of the year, Danny Eastman #8 Thetford Center VT, especially liked the conditions as he quickly worked his way to the front to claim the lead, and then sailed on to yet another victory. Joining Eastman in victory lane were Jeremy Hodge #17 who was able to get by #61 Will Hull East Montpelier VT late in the race who was struggling to hold on to a top three spot. Hull would hold on, for third even with the flat tire, which caused his car’s handling to go south.
In the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes the Rookies continue to impress with some great racing excitement and competition for the veteran drivers in this division. #X Bryan King and #7m Mike McGinley brought the field to the green, but ill handling machines would see these two slide to the back as the laps ticked off. Ready to take advantage of any luck given would be #16 Billy Simmons Bradford VT as he took over the lead and watched the laps tick off. Late in the race the rookie would have to earn his keep as #71 Josh Harrington Topsham VT raced him hard and clean for several laps. Braking hard in turn two for Simmons, Harrington would fade just enough to allow Simmons to drive home for his first win. Harrington maintained the second place spot with the final victory lane position going to Melvin Pierson #33 E Corinth VT with his third victory lane appearance this year.
For the BOND Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds it was a full field of cars ready to do battle for the victory on this their division sponsor’s race night. Thirty laps were set for competition with #6 Mike Dunn and #44 Bob Shepard bringing the field to the initial green. Fierce competition ensued from lap one, with mother nature throwing in a bit of a twist offering up some intermittent sprinkles along the way. The veterans of racing would quickly show the fans that sometimes experience helps get you to the front and then luck is thrown in at the last minute which isn’t a bad thing at. #44 Bob Shepard W Topsham VT was able to capitalize on the rookies inexperience to claim the lead by the end of the first lap, and looked impossible to beat as traffic behind him made advancement for some a bit more difficult than usual. #01 Ryan Avery Thornton NH starting mid pack was not to be swayed and bided his time, being where he needed to be to make his way to the front. Avery would set challenge to Shepard with #19 Mike Capra Alstead NH thrown in the mix. On lap 22 the yellow would fly for the final time of the night, for a spin in turn two, and then mother nature picked up her pace to finally claim the race. The lucky dog of the night in the truest sense would be Shepard, who when the caution waved would end up in the pits with a flat tire. BUT because the Ridge always goes back to the last completed lap for all restarts etc, Shepard would be declared the winner as his flat occurred under the caution. Avery would be your second place finisher with Capra coming home in third, still trying to make his way to the checkered spot in victory lane.
Making a special appearance to the Ridge tonight were the Sprint Cars of New England. Thirteen machines were on hand for competition and put on a great show for the fans. A late race caution put the lap cars to the rear which gave the top three a chance to battle it out for the win, and a battle it was with #17 Si Allen and #15 Anthony Cain duking it out for the victory. Cain would succeed coming home the winner, a sweet win as he rolled the car the night before, and his first win in Vermont .Allen held on for second with #58 Clay Dow coming home in third.
99ROCK Weekly Racing Series RESULTS:
Sponsored by Bond Auto Parts
KDD NAPA Ridge Runner Hornets:
Heat winners: #19 Karl Sheldon, #19x Steve Sheldon
Feature Top Five: Rained Out make up next week
Journal Opinion Fast Fours:
Heat winners: #5 Mitch Durkee
Feature Top Five: Rained Out make up next week
A Notch Above Limited Late Models:
Heat winners: #8 Dan Eastman
Feature Top Five: #8 Dan Eastman; #17 Jeremy Hodge; #61 Will Hull, #16 Frank Thurston; #22 Shane Race.
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes:
Heat winners: #X Bryan King
Feature Top Five: #16 Billy Simmons; #71 Josh Harrington; #33 Melvin Pierson; #X Bryan King #3 Jason Horniak
BOND Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds:
Heat winners: #44 Bob Shepard, #5 Gary Siemons
Feature Top Five: #44 Bob Shepard; #01 Ryan Avery; ##19 Mike Capra; #00 Jason Gray; #1d Wayne Stearns;
Coming up June 20th it is the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series makeup features for the KDD NAPA Ridge Runner Hornets, Journal Opinion Fast Fours, and the P&C Hornet Queens sponsored by Bond Auto Parts. Then it is a regular full card of racing with KDD NAPA Ridge Runner Hornet Madness, and a special appearance of the Redneck Lawnmowers, all sponsored by Bradford Mini Mart/Jiffy Mart.
Admission: adults (17 to 61) $10.00, teens (12 to 16) & seniors (62 & up) $8.00, children (11 & under) $2.00. Bear Ridge Kids Club members get in FREE with their ID.
Bear Ridge Speedway continues to offer the best source of GREAT inexpensive high quality. Any and all one race passes and/or season passes are good for the grandstand gate only. Pit gate fees will be $20.00 for members and $30.00 for non members (cannot be combined with free one race or season passes.) Master card and Visa will be accepted at both ticket gates in 2009!!
Bear Ridge Speedway is as an alcohol free family friendly entertainment spot, with our goal to make each experience at the Ridge better than the last. Remember “Dirt where every lap is the last lap”.
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