After last weekend’s “Super Saturday” Washout, competitors returned to Beech Ridge on Saturday night, ready for battle. Throughout the day, drivers and teams worked hard to stay hydrated as the temperature continued to rise both on and off the track.
The first 12-lap Wildcats heat started with a bang as Brian Caswell, Tucker Cole and Mike Rowe made contact on the initial start, leading to the first caution of the night.
Once things settled down after the caution, Dave Cameron pulled to the front of the pack. Nate Leavitt was also on a roll, climbing up to the runner-up spot on lap 3. The rest of the race went caution-free as Dave Cameron ran away with the heat victory.
Josh Childs ran away with the early lead in the second Wildcats heat, but Wade Kennedy was on a roll behind him, breaking into the top 5 on lap 5 after starting in the rear of the field. Josh Childs sailed off into the sunset, taking home the second heat victory.
Richard “Bubba” Pelton took off with the lead in the first Sport Series heat, putting a good distance between his #27 car and the rest of the leaders. The field was widely spread out by lap 10, with Jason Curtis taking a surprise right turn into the pits on that lap. Pelton took home the heat victory, followed by Terry Merrill.
Chasing the Checkered’s Charlie Sanborn started on the pole for the second Sport Series heat, but he was quickly overthrown by the #84 of Matt Dow. Frank Wear was bringing the heat behind Dow, making his way into the runner-up spot on lap 9. He made his way to the inside of Dow on lap 10, capturing the lead. Wear took home the heat victory, and Alex Lacognata made a last-lap pass on Matt Dow for the runner-up spot.
Trevor Sanborn sailed off with the early lead in the first Pro Series heat as Dave Farrington, Jr. quickly moved into the runner-up spot behind him. Sanborn managed to hold off Farrington and the rest of the competition, capturing the heat victory.
Brandon Barker took the early lead in the final heat of the night, but Bill Rodgers was all over him for the lead by lap 7. Dan Winter took a hard lick on lap 8, catching a piece if the turn 2 wall. This incident ended Winter’s night prematurely and led to the first caution of the heat.
Bill Rodgers made his way around Brandon Barker for the lead on the restart, but trouble was brewing behind them. Garrett Hall and Donnie Colpritt made contact on lap 10 in turn 4, leading to Colpritt taking a spin. This led to a late-race caution.
Bill Rodgers wound up holding off Brandon Barker and Garrett Hall, sailing into the heat victory.
Josh Childs took off with the early lead in the Wildcat 50. Wade Kennedy went off-track and through the dirt in turn 3 on lap 3. But, he was able to save it as the field remained green. Cole Watson was bringing the heat early, powering into the runner-up spot on lap 10. Nate Leavitt took a spin on lap 12 in turn 1, leading to the first caution of the feature.
After climbing through the field, Dan Bean found his way into the runner-up spot on lap 15. Dave Cameron was also on a roll, breaking the top 5 on lap 18 after starting in the rear of the field. Lewis Anderson faced troubles on lap 25, taking a spin and rolling into the sandpit in turn 2. This led to yet another caution.
After winning his heat and leading every lap of the feature, Josh Childs blew his motor on lap 36, leading to a late-race caution and ending his night prematurely.
The caution moved Dan Bean into the top spot as Dave Cameron quickly tried to reel him in. Cameron got close a few times, but Dan Bean ultimately held him off for the heat victory. The win was Bean’s first of the season, but his third Wildcat 50 victory in his career.
Dave Cameron, Travis Lovejoy, Cole Watson and Cody Webster followed Bean, rounding out the top five.
Bubba Pelton took off with the early lead in the 75-lap Sport Series feature, but Frank Wear was on the move behind him. By lap 20, Wear was all over Terry Merrill for the runner-up spot. After battling it out for a handful of laps, Wear finally completed the pass to the inside of Merrill on lap 29. By lap 40, Pelton had nearly a 1/2 straightaway lead over Frank Wear and began lapping cars on lap 45.
Lap 60 brought trouble to some fan-favorite competitors. Terry Merrill’s #12 machine began to overheat as Dave Charest took a trip through the dirt in turn 3. Shortly after, Merrill brought his car down to the pits, ending his night early.
Matt Dow and Devin Curit made contact on lap 65 in turn 2 after battling it out for position. Both drivers managed to straighten out their cars as the field remained green. Joey Pastore took a spin on lap 67 in turn 1, leading to a late-race caution.
After running in the runner-up spot for the majority of the race, Frank Wear finally stole the top spot from Bubba Pelton on the restart. After being plagued by brake issues all night, Charlie Sanborn retired to the pits early on lap 71 after suffering from more issues from a bent spindle.
Frank Wear managed to hold off the competition, taking home the feature victory. Bubba Pelton, Alex Lacognata, Clyde Hennessey and Mike St. Pierre followed, rounding out the top five.
The Pro Series 125 was a Seekonk Speedway qualifier, with Trevor Sanborn and Bill Rodgers starting on the front row. The race was also Alex Lacognata’s big Pro Series debut in the secondary #24 Rowe machine.
Bill Rodgers took off with the early lead as Brandon Barker and Garrett Hall filed in behind him. Hall was bringing the heat in the early laps, capturing the runner-up spot on lap 17. He kept the momentum going, stealing the lead away from Rodgers on lap 30. Corey Bubar and Bob Babb both went around on lap 33 in turn 4, leading to the first caution of the night. Dan McKeage, Gary Smith and Joey Pole were among some of the drivers that elected to pit.
Garrett Hall, Brandon Barker and Bill Rodgers took on a 3-way battle for the lead on the restart, as Rodgers was able to regain the lead. After starting the race back in the twelfth spot, Curt Gerry sneakily made his way into the top 5 on lap 42. By lap 49, Mike Rowe and Curt Gerry had joined the battle for the top spot. Garrett Hall managed to advance into the runner-up spot on lap 49 as Brandon Barker fell back to third.
Curt Gerry advanced to third on lap 55, later joining the battle for the lead with Bill Rodgers and Garrett Hall on lap 60. He pulled up alongside Hall on lap 65, challenging him for the runner-up spot. The battle briefly died down, but heated back up on lap 73. After running towards the back of the day, Joey Pole retired to the pits on lap 75. Alex Lacognata and Gary Smith both went around on lap 87 in turn 2, leading to another caution.
Garrett Hall dived down to the inside of Bill Rodgers on lap 90, stealing away the lead. Curt Gerry quickly made his way to the inside of Garrett Hall, challenging him for the lead. By lap 100, there was a 2-car breakaway at the front of the pack. Scarborough Texas Roadhouse driver, Donnie Colpritt, was coming up through the field quickly, advancing into the top five on lap 102.
The battle for the lead settled down for a few laps, but Gerry picked the pace back up on lap 108, challenging Hall once again. Garrett Hall managed to get Curt Gerry loose on lap 109 in turn 2, leading to Curt losing some ground on the racetrack. After having a solid run all night, Travis Buzzell’s car blew up on lap 114, leading to a late-race caution.
Garrett Hall got the edge over Curt Gerry on the restart as Mike Rowe and Donnie Colpritt filed in behind them. The two were running head-to-head as Hall managed to get Curt Gerry loose once again on lap 119 in turn 2. After being involved in an earlier incident on the track, Corey Bubar powered his way back into the top 5 on lap 122.
Garrett Hall managed to edge out Curt Gerry for the Pro Series 125 win, with a margin of victory of .132 seconds. The victory was Hall’s first weekly Beech Ridge victory of the season. Mike Rowe, Donnie Colpritt and Corey Bubar followed, rounding out the top five.
Weekly competitors only have one more day to get their cars ready for the annual Miller Lite American celebration. The night of competition begins on Monday, July 2nd at 7:00 pm. As always, children 12 and under are free and adult admission is only $15 for the special event!
Get out and support your local short track. We hope to see you there!
Thank you again to Drown Excavation and Four Season Synthetic for their endless support for Chasing the Checkered. Contact Drown Excavation for all of your demolition and excavation needs and Four Season Synthetic for all of your oil, lube and filter needs!
