The 2022 season at Wiscasset Speedway rolled on this past Saturday with a full group #1 program that included the Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Minis. The division continues to be one of the biggest at the speedway and 28 drivers joined the field on Saturday for the spotlight feature.
Ches Williams and Gunner Josselyn went head-to-head for the early lead in the first 10-lap qualifying heat. Trouble was brewing behind the leaders early as Adreonna Dodge spun on the backstretch of the initial lap, collecting Derek Cook. This resulted in an early caution.
Gunner Josselyn held a slight advantage on the restart, but Bruce Hall, Jr. was quick to steal it away and Josselyn began to descend through the field. Hall took home the heat victory while Richard Austin and Jeff Davis rounded out the top 3.
Butch Keene took off with the early lead in the second qualifying heat. Shane Webber began reeling him in, eventually making his way to Keene’s outside on lap 3. Webber cleared Keene just 2 laps later and maintained his advantage, picking up the heat victory as Butch Keene and Jeff Farrington followed.
Dustin Salley held the early advantage in the third and final qualifying heat, but both David Cook and Zach Audet were on his heels. David Cook powered to Dustin Salley’s outside on lap 5, challenging for the top spot. Cook spun in turn 4 on the same lap, collecting Audet. The incident resulted in a mid-race caution.
Dustin Salley powered ahead on the restart as Dylan Cook trailed closely behind. He maintained his advantage through the closing laps of the heat, picking up the victory. Dylan and David Cook followed, rounding out the top 3.
Richard Austin took off with the early lead in the 35-lap feature. He held onto it through lap 5, where he began to descend through the field. Chaos erupted on lap 5 as drivers from fourth-back tangled, collecting Jeff Davis, Butch Keene, Doug Degroat and Zach Audet. The incident resulted in an early caution.
The restart was messy as Steve Hall and Paul Hopkins tangled in turn 2, resulting in Hopkins’ car going over Steve Hall’s hood before he collided with the wall. This led to another caution and Dustin Salley also got caught in the crossfire, heading to the pits under yellow.
David Cook took off with the lead on the restart as Adam Audet took a wild ride through the infield grass – miraculously maintaining control of the wheel. Trouble was brewing once again as Jeff Farrington and Dylan Cook collided on lap 11, resulting in Cook slamming the front stretch wall.
The race briefly went green until Adreonna Dodge and Jeff Davis collided on the backstretch, leading to another caution. At this point, race control reduced the race to 25 laps as this was the fourth caution in just 12 laps.
David Cook held his ground on the restart, pulling away with the lead as Adam Audet powered into the runner-up spot behind him. Following his early race troubles, Zach Audet was on the rebound in the second half of the race, breaking the top 3 on lap 16. He caught up to his son Adam’s back bumper in the closing laps of the feature yet wasn’t able to fully clear him before the field crossed the checkers.
David Cook sailed into yet another victory, picking up his third consecutive win in the division. Adam and Zach Audet rounded out the podium while Shane Webber and Derek Cook completed the top five.
David Cook continues his dominance in the Thunder 4 Minis, but the Audet boys are always right there, knocking on his door. Who will be the first driver to snap Cook’s winning streak? Stay tuned to find out!
You can catch the Thunder 4 Minis again on Saturday, June 18th. Until then, please join us for a full Group #1 program next Saturday, June 11th. Grandstands open at 4:00 pm and green flag flies at 5:00 pm. As always, grandstand admission is just $5 for adults and FREE for kids 6 and under.
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See you next time!
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