Johnny Clark wins Unity Raceway Pro-Stock 105

UNITY, Me. - Johnny Clark of Hallowell regained the lead after a lap 81 restart and survived a tenacious challenge from Jeff Burgess of Oakland to capture the Unity Raceway Pro-Stock 105 Sunday afternoon.

Clark, the defending Pro All-Stars Series (PASS) champion, started second in the field and jumped to an early lead when pole-sitter Matt Lee of Albion's Monte Carlo vaulted into the fourth-turn embankment on the initial lap.

After a lap 53 caution, Randy Turner of Freedom overtook Clark and held the front-runner's position until action was halted again after Scott Chubbuck of Wiscasset spun into the infield with a flat tire.

But Turner's lead was short-lived as the defending Unity Raceway Pro-Stock champ discovered a power steering leak and dashed to the pits for repairs, forcing him to start at the rear of the field on the restart. Clark regained the lead, Burgess took runner-up honors, Turner recovered for a third-place run and Gary Smith of Bangor and Chubbuck rounded out the top five.

The 105-lap feature was also the first race in the track's Triple Crown Series for the premier division.

One of the pre-race favorites, Ralph Nason of Unity, exited early with engine problems and finished 13th.

In other action Sunday afternoon, Joe Ritchey of Waterville won his first Budweiser Super Sportsman event of the season as he chased down race-leader Seth Raven of Waldo with five laps remaining in the feature. Raven finished second in the caution-free race with Chris Thorne of Sidney third.

Ed Drake of Vassalboro won his third Coca-Cola Late Model Pro-4 race of the season in a hard-fought race slowed by four cautions. Drake took the lead away from Judd Derbyshire of Mount Vernon on lap 13 to clinch the checkers, dropping Derbyshire back to second-place. Paul Shorette of Winslow, Jim Dennis of Benton and Steve Rackliff of Starks took the next three positions.

Reggie Bickford of Oakland went from the outside pole to victory lane without a hitch in the Coyote's Lounge Mini-Stock feature, finishing ahead of 2004 track champion Seth Wills of Rome and Frank Moulton of Unity.

Mark Dodge of Anson won his second Sunoco Racing Fuels Super Street feature in three tries Sunday afternoon, leading every circuit of the 20-lap feature. Micky Landry Jr. of Anson finished second, just ahead of his father, Mickey Landry Sr. Nate Weston of Madison was inches behind Landry Sr. for fourth while veteran Hal Stratton of Belgrade finished fifth.

And Kevin Nutting of Fairfield made a successful trip to victory lane in the Sun Auto Mini-Truck series, as the race was halted by only one caution at the beginning of the feature. Justin Drake of Dover-Foxcroft and Saturday night's feature winner Darren Doucette of Sidney took the next two trophies.

Unity Raceway

May 29, 2005

Pro-Stock 105

1. Johnny Clark, Farmingdale

2. Jeff Burgess, Fairfield

3. Randy Turner, Freedom

4. Gary Smith, Bangor

5. Scott Chubbuck, Wiscasset

6. Steve Nelson, Albion

7. Billy Whorff Jr., Topsham

8. John Phippen Jr., Bar Harbor

9. Tim Turner, Freedom

10. Gary Norris Jr., West Gardiner

11. Skip Decker, Chesterville

12. Travis Benjamin, Morrill

13. Ralph Nason, Unity

14. Craig Anderson, China

15. Matt Lee, Albion

 

Budweiser Super Sportsman

1. Joe Ritchey, Waterville

2. Seth Raven, Waldo

3. Chris Thorne, Sidney

4. Mike Harnish Jr., Orrington

5. Dan Trask, Chelsea

 

Sunoco Racing Fuels Super Street

1. Mark Dodge, Anson

2. Mickey Landry Jr., Anson

3. Mickey Landry Sr., Anson

4. Nate Weston, Madison

5. Hal Stratton, Belgrade

 

Coca-Cola Late Model Pro-4

1. Ed Drake, Vassalboro

2. Judd Derbyshire, Mt. Vernon

3. Paul Shorette, Winslwo

4. Jim Dennis, Benton

5. Steve Rackliff, Starks

 

Coyote's Lounge Mini-Stock

1. Reggie Bickford, Oakland

2. Seth Wills, Rome

3. Frank Moulton, Unity

4. Ken Lord, Smithfield

5. David Green, Hampden

 

Sun Auto Mini-Trucks

1. Kevin Nutting, Fairfield

2. Randy Theriault, Waterville

3. Darren Doucette, Sidney

4. Mike Rackliff, Starks

5, James Towers, Rumford