Wiscasset Speedway
St. Clair brothers keep the family legacy alive
Mon, 08/08/2016 - 4:45pm
St. Clair is one of those family names synonymous with Wiscasset Speedway; a name that is ingrained in the history of Maine’s fastest track, much like Ripley or Reno. It began with Dave “Boss Hogg” St. Clair, who has turned laps since its opening in 1969 and still races today. Then came son, Puncin St. Clair, who was a regular winner in Super Streets and Late Models in the ’90s and 2000s and winning Driver of the Year honors in 1996. The family legacy remains intact today with Puncin’s sons, Josh and Ryan, becoming rising stars in the track’s Late Model Sportsman division. The third generation racers from Liberty each visited victory lane Saturday night with Group 2 in action; eldest brother Josh taking honors in the regular 35-lap points feature, and younger brother Ryan winning the special Dave’s World Dash For Cash at night’s end. It was a busy night on the track, and also turned out to be a busy night in the tech garage with trophies changing hands in all four classes.
Saturday’s race program started a half hour late due to a pair of mid-afternoon showers passing through the area. That didn’t dampen the spirits of eager fans and anxious racers.
The Late Model Sportsman division rolled out for the first feature of the night with 22 drivers going after the checkers. #00 Alex Waltz and #4 Ben Erskine made up the front row as several heavy hitters lurked back in the field. While Waltz and Erskine waged a good early battle for the lead, two early movers in the race were #33 Josh St. Clair (starting 13th) and #17 Chris Thorne (starting 15th). It took the pair just 8 laps to run up the outside lane and into the top 5. The field would be bunched up for a lap 10 restart and that is all the help Josh needed, taking over the lead on lap 11 and quickly pulling away. It turned out to be the only caution of the 35 lap race. St. Clair would lead the remainder of the race on his way to his second win of the season. But there were plenty of racers scrambling to join him in victory lane. #21 Shane Clark came out of the group to claim second as Waltz desperately tried to hold on to third through the midpoint of the race with Thorne, Erskine, #30 Ryan St Clair and his grandfather #14 Dave St. Clair all in hot pursuit. On lap 22 Waltz slipped up exiting turn four just enough for Ryan St Clair to sneak underneath to grab the third position and Thorne to follow into fourth. Things settled down for the remainder of the race as they all chased Josh St. Clair to victory lane. It was the older St. Clair brother’s second win in as many weekends. Clark took the second place trophy but would soon have to return it as he would fail post-race inspection. The runner up honors then passed on to Ryan St. Clair and Thorne would be bumped up in the official finish to take third.
The Strictly Street 25-lap feature was slowed by 3 early cautions in the first five laps as youngsters Faith Cleaves (#89), Brett Osmond (#05), and Dylan Varney (#42) were each involved in minor spins. Prospect, Maine’s DJ Moody in the #4 held the early lead until #51x of Bryan Robbins took over on a lap 5 restart. From there he would cruise to the checkers with the brothers Hewins chasing him across the stripe. However Robbins, having grabbed his third win of the season, refused post-race engine inspection resulting in a disqualification and forfeiture of his win. Point leader Kurt Hewins would then be declared the winner, resulting in his third win of the season. Defending champ Kyle Hewins (#51) would be bumped up to second and 5-time champ Maurice Young (#03) took third. As of press time the full results of the Strictly Street race remain Unofficial pending engine inspection on Kurt Hewins’ car.
The Napa Modifieds went caution free for their 30-lap feature. Wiscasset’s Chuck Colby held point wire to wire for what appeared to be his first open wheel victory. However his #87 mod failed post-race inspection turning the win over to the #15 of Joe Williams. It would be the veteran racer’s first win in over 20 years at Wiscasset. Former modified champ Allen Moeller Sr would be awarded the second place trophy and third went to the #7 of Nick Reno. Defending champ and point leader Mark Lucas struggled to a fifth place finish, just his second outside the top 3 in nearly two years.
The Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Mini race also had a twist of fate for drivers following their 25-lap feature. Action packed as always, the race was slowed by three mid race cautions. Augusta’s Shane Smith held the lead in the early going as the top drivers stormed up from the back of the pack until former champ Jimmy Childs took over the lead on lap five. Childs looked well on his way to his best finish of the season in his #5 Ford Mustang. However, Justin Trombley grabbed the lead away from Childs at the midpoint of the race with an inside pass out of turn four. The race went caution free through its completion with the class chasing Trombley to the checkers. His victory celebration did not last long with the win being voided in post-race inspection. Point leader Zach Audet, who thanks to ongoing engine issues had made a last minute decision to race at all, would move up in line to take the win, his fifth of the season. Bryan Lancaster notched a season best second place finish in his #81, and Childs claimed the third place trophy.
As the program started with the Late Model Sportsman, so it would end with the Late Model Sportsman and a race called the “Dave’s World Dash for Cash,” a special non-point 25-lap feature for Wiscasset Late Model drivers who had not won a feature in the past two years. The race was the brainchild of Dave St. Clair, bringing back a race he had held in his time as track owner. Thirteen of the 15 eligible drivers answered the call and found out their starting position by random draw on the front stretch at race time. The #3 of Richard Jordan drew the pole position and took the bonus challenge of starting at the back of the field for an extra $500 bonus should he win the race. With the entire starting field moving up a spot, Buxton’s Danny Smart took point in his #7x with the #66 of Bryan Robbins alongside. It took just one lap for the #30 of Ryan St. Clair to blow by the pair from his third starting slot to take the lead on the front stretch. From there he cruised to a caution free victory and happily pocketed the $500 cash that his grandfather had put up for the race winner. Nate Tribbett drove his #13 to the runner-up finish. The big mover of the race was Windham’s Steve Minott, starting 12th and blasting up through the pack to claim the third place trophy.
Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, Aug. 13 with Group 1 in action plus special double features for the Amsoil NELCAR Legends. The spotlight division will be the Thunder 4 Minis.
For the 2016 Race Schedule and much more, visit www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Be part of the action by following Wiscasset Speedway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL RESULTS 8/6/16
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (35 LAPS)
1. #33 JOSH ST. CLAIR LIBERTY
2. #30 RYAN ST. CLAIR LIBERTY
3. #17 CHRIS THORNE SIDNEY
4. #15 NICK HINKLEY WISCASSET
5. #14 DAVE ST. CLAIR LIBERTY
6. #25 WILL COLLINS WALDOBORO
7. #26 ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN HARRINGTON
8. #00 ALEX WALTZ WALPOLE
9. #13 NATE TRIBBETT RICHMOND
10. #33t TREY BROWN WINTERPORT
11. #47 BRANDON BAILEY WOOLWICH
12. #74 ADAM CHADBOURNE WOOLWICH
13. #4 BEN ERSKINE FARMINGTON
14. #28 STEVE MINOTT WINDHAM
15. #7 JAY BAILEY WISCASSET
16. #38 DAN TRASK CHELSEA
17. #3 RICHARD JORDAN KINGFIELD
18. #7x DAN SMART BUXTON
19. #11 CODY VERRILL EDGECOMB
20. #88x WES TURNER FREEDOM
21. #66 BRYAN ROBBINS MONTVILLE
DNS #34 TYLER ROBBINS MONTVILLE
DQ #21 SHANE CLARK WINTERPORT
STRICTLY STREET (25 LAPS) NOTE: RESULTS ARE UNOFFICIAL PENDING ENGINE INSPECTION
1. #55h KURT HEWINS LEEDS
2. #51 KYLE HEWINS LEEDS
3. #03 MAURICE YOUNG CHELSEA
4. #4 DJ MOODY PROSPECT
5. #84 JAIRET HARRISON FREEPORT
6. #85 CHANLER HARRISON FREEPORT
7. #42 DYLAN VARNEY WINDHAM
8. #00 KIMBERLY KNIGHT CHESTERVILLE
9. #05 BRETT OSMOND WISCASSET
10. #89 FAITH CLEAVES FREEPORT
DNS #2 MIKE TAYLOR BOOTHBAY
DNS #27 PAT THORNE STANDISH
DQ #51x BRYAN ROBBINS MONTVILLE
NAPA MODIFIEDS (30 LAPS)
1. #15 JOE WILLIAMS WOOLWICH
2. #04 ALLEN MOELLER DRESDEN
3. #7 NICK RENO WEST BATH
4. #1 ADAM CHADBOURNE WOOLWICH
5. #5 MARK LUCAS HARPSWELL
6. #85 JAIRET HARRISON FREEPORT
7. #21 TOM YOUNG FREEPORT
8. #00 TODD LADD FARMINGTON
9. #4c NICK COATES TURNER
10. #61 SHAWN AUSTIN NORRIDGEWOCK
DNS #27 SHANE KAHERL JAY
DNS #8 RICHARD JORDAN KINGFIELD
DQ #87 CHUCK COLBY WISCASSET
KENNEBEC EQUIPMENT RENTAL OUTLAW MINI (25 LAPS)
1. #19me ZACH AUDET SKOWHEGAN
2. #81 BRYAN LANCASTER SKOWHEGAN
3. #5 JIMMY CHILDS LEEDS
4. #26 BRENT ROY VASSELBORO
5. #20 SHAWN KIMBALL AUGUSTA
6. #41 SHANE SMITH AUGUSTA
7. #61 COLE ROBINSON CLINTON
8. #27 JAKE HENDSBEE WHITEFIELD
9. #83 BRADY ROMANO LIVEMORE FALLS
10. #13 CODY TRIBBETT RICHMOND
11. #7 STEVE HOWARD THOMASTON
12. #00 SHAWN GILLEY FREEDOM
DQ #34 JUSTIN TROMBLEY WINTER HARBOR
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN – DAVES WORLD DASH FOR CASH (25 LAPS) – non point race
1. #30 RYAN ST. CLAIR LIBERTY
2. #13 NATE TRIBBETT RICHMOND
3. #28 STEVE MINOTT WINDHAM
4. #66 BRYAN ROBBINS MONTVILLE
5. #00 ALEX WALTZ WALPOLE
6. #74 ADAM CHADBOURNE WOOLWICH
7. #11 CODY VERRILL EDGECOMB
8. #3 RICHARD JORDAN KINGFIELD
9. #7x DAN SMART BUXTON
10. #7 JAY BAILEY WISCASSET
11. #47 BRANDON BAILEY WOOLWICH
12. #33t TREY BROWN WINTERPORT
13. #88x WES TURNER FREEDOM
DNS #38 DAN TRASK CHELSEA
DNS #34 TYLER ROBBINS MONTVILLE
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