The Portland Glass Strictly Streets returned to Wiscasset Speedway on Saturday with a field of 20 drivers, making it one of the biggest divisions of the night. The division is not only one of the biggest at the speedway, but one of the most competitive as well.
The Strictly racing action kicked off with three 10-lap qualifying heats. Ethan Densmore took off with the early lead over Chaz Briggs in the first heat but was forced to the pits on lap 3 due to leaking fuel. Brady Romano was all over Chaz Briggs in the closing laps of the heat, hungry for the top spot. Briggs was able to hold him off, ultimately scoring the heat victory. Ashton Burgess rounded out the top 3.
Keith Drost jumped out to the early lead over Jeremy Glazier in the second qualifying heat. Meanwhile, Calab Emerson-Mains and Josh St. Clair were battling it out for third behind the leaders.
St. Clair quickly took over the spot from Emerson-Mains before making way to Jeremy Glazier’s door, challenging for the runner-up spot. Glazier was able to hold off St. Clair to the finish line, securing second as Keith Drost scored the heat victory.
Jason Gaboury and Donald Knight battled it out for the early lead in the third and final qualifying heat. Jonathon Emerson made it a 3-way battle on lap 3, overtaking both of his competitors for the top spot. Emerson was black flagged the following lap for leaking fuel, resulting in Jason Gaboury reclaiming the top spot.
Jason Gaboury maintained his advantage through the remainder of the heat, picking up the victory as Kurt Hewins and William McCullough rounded out the top 3.
The Strictly Streets rounded out the weekly program with a 25-lap feature race. Chaz Briggs took off with the early advantage over Ashton Burgess, but Josh St. Clair was quickly maneuvering through the field.
St. Clair overtook Ashton Burgess for the runner-up spot on lap 7 and quickly made his way to Chaz Briggs’ door, eventually claiming the top spot on lap 10. Trouble was brewing mid-race for Ethan Densmore, who took a spin on lap 13. This resulted in the first caution of the feature.
Chaz Briggs reignited the battle for the lead with Josh St. Clair on the restart, but St. Clair was able to hold him off. Kurt Hewins took advantage of the situation, overtaking Briggs for the runner-up spot on lap 15.
Josh St. Clair was able to run away from Kurt Hewins in the closing laps of the feature, securing his second win of the night and his 11th victory of the season overall.
Kurt Hewins, Chaz Briggs (1st podium finish at Wiscasset!), Jeremy Glazier and Mac Hannan, Jr. rounded out the top five.
Josh St. Clair continues to be a dominant force in every division that he competes in. Who will break the mold next in the Strictly Streets and knock St. Clair off of the podium? Stay tuned to find out as the second half of the season begins to unfold!
You can catch the Strictly Streets again on Saturday, July 23rd. Until then, please join us for a full Group #1 program next Saturday, July 16th. Grandstands open at 4:00 pm and the green flag flies at 5:00 pm. As always, grandstand admission is just $5 for adults and free for kids 6 & under.
Please continue to support your local short tracks and help them thrive for years to come!
See you next time!
Please consider donating to Chasing the Checkered as the website and Chasing the Checkered community are not monetized! All money donated will go directly back into the website and will cover monthly website expenses, promotional materials, traveling/gas costs and more. Thank you for your support!
