After another washout last Thursday forced the cancellation of Thursday Night Thunder, drivers and teams returned to the track with vengeance last night.
As scheduled, the Beetle Bug Varisty division was the first division of the night, with Jon Talbot taking the early lead in the 15-lap feature.
The 2018 series dominator, Jeff Walker, took a spin on the front stretch on lap 2. Walker collected the tires, taking out his rear end. He also collected the #82 of Ben Krauter in the wreckage. The incident led to the first caution of the night.
Brandon Varney lost momentum on the restart, falling to the back of the pack.
A caution was brought out right after the restart for debris in turn 4. After the initial restart was called off by starter, Bobby Timmons, 5 laps were added to the lap count.
Dave Stone, Jr. got a great jump on the restart, powering into the top spot. Jon Talbot proved strong, stealing the lead back away on lap 8.
After his early-race incident, Jeff Walker had climbed his way back into the runner-up spot by lap 10.
Jon Talbot managed to hold Jeff Walker off for the final 5 laps of the feature, capturing his victory of the season. Ed Johnson, Dave Stone, Jr. and Ray Phillips rounded out the top five.
Michael “Brick” Ramsey took off like a bullet in the 25-lap Mad Bomber Varsity feature.
Steve Taylor and Betty Nelson made contact on lap 5 in turn 2. Both drivers managed to correct their cars, but Taylor took a spin in turn 2 just two laps later, collecting Betty Nelson. Both drivers headed back to the pits, and the fire ignited under the hood of the #8 car. Thankfully, Betty was able to walk away from her car unharmed.
Steve Taylor took another spin on the restart, but managed to save his car once again.
Tom Lovejoy, Sr. was on the move mid-race, powering into the runner-up spot on lap 12. Jason Gammon was on his heels, making his way into the third spot just two laps later.
The competition caution was brought out on lap 17, bringing the field together for the final time.
Jason Kennedy lost momentum on lap 20, falling to the back of the pack.
Mike Ramsey and Tom Lovejoy, Sr. put on a great show until the very last lap. The two drivers made contact on the final lap in turn 3, but Ramsey managed to edge out Lovejoy for the victory.
Jason Gammon, Todd Libby and Chris Burgess rounded out the top five.
Next up was the Mighty Trucks, where Dave Lamson took the early lead in the 15-lap feature.
Drivers were 3-wide for third on lap 2, with Keith Petrin pulling away with the spot.
Keith Petrin and Jared Kimball took Mark Grantham 3-wide for the runner-up spot the following lap, with Keith Petrin advancing position once again.
Keith Petrin made contact with Dave Lamson on lap 6 in turn 4, turning the driver. While the two drivers took each other out, Jeff Gillette powered into the lead.
Both Petrin and Dave Lamson were sent to the back of the pack for the restart.
Jeff Gillette, the 2017 Mighty Trucks Varsity champion, wound up capturing his first victory of the 2018 season. Jared Kimball, Will Potter, Keith Petrin and Mark Grantham rounded out the top five.
Nicole Bell rocketed away with the early lead in the 20-lap Ladies League feature.
Holly Gain took a spin on lap 2 in turn 2, collecting Taylor Graffam, Desiree LaChance and Mary Price. The incident led to the first caution of the feature.
After the extended caution concluded, 5 laps were added to the lap count.
Jenna Webster powered into the lead on lap 8 with Sara Libby in tow.
Laura McKeage advanced to the outside of Sara Libby on lap 10, capturing the runner-up spot.
The aunt/niece duo battled it out tooth-and-nail, with the two drivers nearly taking each other out on lap 12 in turn 2. Laura later got sideways coming out of turn 2 on lap 15, allowing Jenna to gain some ground in her #25 machine.
Jenna Webster took home the victory, collecting her first win of the season. Laura McKeage, Sara Libby, Nicole Bell and Mary Price rounded out the top five.
The #77 of Ryan Doucette took off with the early lead in the 25-lap Legends feature while Austin Teras and Trevor Sanborn filed in behind him.
Trevor Sanborn was on the move early in the #29 Legend, powering into the top spot on lap 9.
Wyatt Alexander, Chris Burgess, Kevin Girard, Jr. and Danny Wear got caught up on lap 10 in turn 4, leading to the first caution of the feature.
By lap 20, the field was widely spread out with Trevor Sanborn leading the charge.
Sanborn took home the victory, making it his first win of the Thursday Night Thunder season. Austin Teras, Tylar Braunschweig, Kevin Girard, Jr. and Matt Bourgoine rounded out the top five.
Alex Parechanian took a spin on the initial lap of the 20-lap Beetle Bug Junior Varsity feature, collecting the #12 of Darryl Quinlan. Parechanian lost his front bumper as a result of the contact, and the incident led to an early-race caution.
“Mad Max” Dolliver shot into the lead on the restart, pulling away from the rest of the field.
The #46 of Mark Brulotte, Jr. nearly lost control on lap 2 in turn 2, skipping over the sand pile. Miraculously, Brulotte was able to hold onto it and kept it rolling.
Chris Case was on a mission in the early laps, clearing Brandon Lizotte for the third spot on lap 6.
Darryl Quinlan and Jim Emmons made contact on lap 7 in turn 1, resulting in Emmons sliding into the tires. The incident led to the second caution of the feature.
Chris Case was still on the move after the caution, clearing Adam Warnock for the runner-up spot on lap 9.
Derek McKeen took it 3-wide for position on lap 12, resulting in Adam Warnock and Darryl Quinlan both taking trips through the sand in turns 3 and 4 as the caution was brought out.
Chris Case powered into the lead on the restart, never looking back. He took home his second victory of the season, making it a 2-peat at Beech Ridge.
Max Dolliver, Brandon Lizotte, Derek McKeen and Mark Brulotte, Jr. rounded out the top five.
“The ‘Dream Machine‘ loves the hot weather! It’s awesome to finally get the momentum swinging my way after a rough first few weeks. I need to thank my sponsors, Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, The Maine Sales Company, Hartford Safe and Lock, Advantage Pest Control and Leviathan Tattoo. I also need to thank all of my family and friends, near and far, who support me on a weekly basis,” Chris Shared in our post-race interview.
The Mad Bombers Junior Varsity division orchestrated the finale of the night with their feature.
Jenna Webster, Cam Jones, Robert Pierce and Richard Maynard made hard contact on the initial lap in turn 2, with Cam Jones receiving the brunt of the damage. Thankfully, all drivers were able to walk away from the wreckage.
Devon McConologue took a spin on the front stretch on lap 2, saving his car as the field remained green. 5 laps were also added to the lap count this lap.
Tom Lovejoy, Jr. was a rocket in the early laps of the feature, powering into the top spot on lap 8.
Young gun, Garrett Lamb, was on the move, challenging Lovejoy for the lead on lap 12.
Lovejoy, Jr. used lap traffic to his advantage on lap 13, distancing himself from Garrett.
By lap 16, Garrett was all over Lovejoy once again, eventually pulling away with the lead two laps later.
Garrett Lamb was able to hold Lovejoy, Jr. off, rolling into his second victory of the 2018 season. Jason Ricker, Scott Eck and Kyle Gailloux rounded out the top five.
Jason Ricker had a scary moment after the race in the pits as his car ignited into a ball of flames. Thankfully, he was able to jump out of the car under his own power.
With fierce competition in all 7 divisions, Thursday Night Thunder didn’t disappoint this week!
As the season winds down, the competition will only get hotter.
Join the fun and come enjoy a night of Thursday Night Thunder, which continues on next Thursday, August 9th. Adult admission is only $7 and children 12 and under are FREE!
Get out there 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!
