We spend a lot of time talking about the ACT tour, Devil's Bowl and Thunder Road, but don't forget there's another local track with local drivers doing great things. Here's the release from this weekend's race at Bear Ridge, featuring star Adam Pierson, who went to Spaulding High School (with me, in the interest of full disclosure).
BRADFORD, VT – Defending Bond Auto Parts DIRTcar Sportsman Modified stock car champion Adam Pierson returned to victory lane in the 30-lap R&M Automotive main event at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday night. The Fairlee, VT driver passed Justin Comes late in the race to score his first win of the season.
Comes, 18, of Middlebury, VT grabbed the lead from Josh Sunn on lap 19 and looked like a certain first-time winner, but Pierson was able to reel Comes in and take the lead late in the going. A final restart with just a handful of laps remaining gave Pierson the jump and solidified him in the top spot. Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT snuck past Comes as the runner-up. Comes, Sunn, and Derek Graham completed the top five.
Troy Comeau of Rumney, NH scored his first-ever Bear Ridge victory in the Sportsman Modified Rookie feature, beating Eddie Patterson and Josh Currier.
Josh Harrington of Topsham, VT was the surprise winner in the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature. Much like Comes in the Modifieds, sophomore driver Teddy Salomaa of Bradford, VT was out front and headed to an apparent first career win, but the driveline broke on his car in the final corner, stacking the field up behind him.
Harrington, who was running in second place, was the first driver to mash the gas pedal and crossed the line as the winner. Jason Horniak of Bradford, VT slipped past for second place, and Gene Pierson limped his badly damaged car home in third. Salomaa coasted across the line in fourth place – still a career-best effort – with Terry Williams fifth.
“Flat Foot” Joe Krawiec of Bristol, CT earned his first USAC Dirt Midget Association win of the season in convincing fashion. Double-duty racer Chaffee drove from deep in the field to finish second, with Tim Gallant of Wales, MA a career-best third. Scott Holcomb and Chase Dowling ran fourth and fifth, respectively.
Mike Greene of Pike, NH squeaked out his first A Notch Above Automotive Limited Late Model win in a thrilling, razor-close battle with youngster Jordan Fornwalt of Bradford, VT. Greene nipped his 15 year-old rival by less than three feet for the victory. Rookie Sam Comeau was third ahead of Brian Chaffee and Travis King.
Chuck Simmons of Bradford, VT scored an emotional win in the Weglarz Property Service Fast Four feature, avenging a loss from the previous week after suffering a flat tire while leading. Tim Martin of White River Junction, VT was second with Rochester, VT’s Danny Doyle third.
Charlie Lakin of Groton, VT took down his first KDD NAPA of Bradford Hornet win in several years, leading every step of the way. Rookie driver Brandon Gray of East Thetford, VT was second with Andy Mooney of Danville, VT third; each scored the best finishes of their Bear Ridge careers.
In Granite State Mini Sprint action, Rich Crooker of Nashua, NH ran to his first Bear Ridge win of the year in the 600cc division after early leader Dave Morgan had a mechanical failure. Troy Boissoneau and Jake Williams completed the podium. Josh Boissoneau of Bedford, NH won the crash-marred 500cc feature ahead of Mike Bubnis and Kyle Belliveau.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s 45th season of stock car racing continues with the Remembrance of Lost Friends event presented by Dad’s 4 By Tool & Supply. A full card of the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series Modifieds, Coupes, Late Models, Fast Fours, and Hornets is on tap, along with the WYKR Sprint Cars of New England and the Hornet Queens. Special general admission is $13 for adults (age 18-61), $10 for teens (12-17) and seniors (62+), and $2 for children; Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Racing begins at the famous “6:00-ish” start time.
Bear Ridge Speedway is located on Kidder Road in Bradford, VT, just off Exit 16 on Interstate 91. For more information, call (802) 222-4052 or visit www.bearridgespeedway.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – R&M Automotive Night
Bear Ridge Speedway -- Bradford, VT
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# - denotes rookie)
Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified
1. Adam Pierson, Fairlee, VT
2. Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee, VT
3. Justin Comes, Middlebury, VT
4. Josh Sunn, White River Junction, VT
5. Derek Graham, Woodsville, NH
6. Jeff Elliott, Benton, NH
7. Bryan King, Corinth, VT
8. Gary Siemons, Orford, NH
9. Dan Eastman, Thetford Center, VT
10. Robert Tucker, East Topsham, VT
11. Richie Simmons, Bradford, VT
12. Jack Cook, Moultonboro, NH
13. # Eddie Patterson, Websterville, VT
14. # Troy Comeau, Rumney, NH
15. Bob Shepard, West Topsham, VT
16. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT
17. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, NH
18. # Josh Currier, Newport, NH
19. Evan Kingsbury, Bradford, VT
Did Not Start: Jason Gray, East Thetford, VT
Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Rookie Feature
1. Troy Comeau, Rumney, NH
2. Eddie Patterson, Websterville, VT
3. Josh Currier, Newport, NH
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe
1. Josh Harrington, Topsham, VT
2. Jason Horniak, Bradford, VT
3. Gene Pierson, Jr., East Corinth, VT
4. Teddy Salomaa, Bradford, VT
5. Terry Williams, Wells River, VT
6. Jason Colbeth, Newbury, VT
7. Mike McGinley, East Barre, VT
8. # Josh Constantine, East Corinth, VT
9. Tim Hodge, Vershire, VT
10. Jeremy Beckley, Woodsville, NH
11. Buster Kathan, Ludlow, VT
12. Steve Ellsworth, Corinth, VT
13. # Jesse Smith, Topsham, VT
14. Rick Fletcher
15. # Jerry Catterall, Piermont, NH
16. Martin Mastic, Bradford, VT
17. # Tom Placey, Bradford, VT
18. Jeff Robbins, Woodsville, NH
USAC Dirt Midget Association
1. Joe Krawiec, Bristol, CT
2. Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee, VT
3. Tim Gallant, Wales, MA
4. Scott Holcomb, Granby, CT
5. # Chase Dowling, Roxbury, CT
6. Ray Miller, East Granby, CT
7. Denny Zimmerman, Glastonbury, CT
8. # Matt Covey, Corinth, VT
9. Dean Christenson, Granby, CT
10. Adam Whitney, Warren, VT
11. Greg Olson, East Providence, RI
12. Kevin Tefft, Wakefield, RI
13. Jamie Spalding, Chaplin, CT
14. Dave Hotchkiss, East Granby, CT
15. # Jeff Champagne, Westfield, MA
16. David Rose, Jr., Keene, NH
17. Jim Close, Ellington, CT
18. Dana Shaw, Plainfield, CT
A Notch Above Automotive Limited Late Model
1. Mike Greene, Jr., Pike, NH
2. Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford, VT
3. # Sam Comeau, Rumney, NH
4. Brian Chaffee, West Topsham, VT
5. # Travis King, Corinth, VT
6. # Val Lund, Vershire, VT
7. Matt Ellsworth, Corinth, VT
Weglarz Property Service Fast Four
1. Chuck Simmons, Bradford, VT
2. Tim Martin, White River Junction, VT
3. Danny Doyle, Barre, VT
4. Steve Bell, St. Johnsbury, VT
5. Kevin Harran, St. Johnsbury, VT
6. Dave Durkee, Sr., White River Junction, VT
7. Bobby Bell, St. Johnsbury, VT
8. Jim Durkee, Sharon, VT
9. Rob Gioia, East Thetford, VT
10. Derrick Durkee, Sharon, VT
KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet
1. Charlie Lakin, Groton, VT
2. # Brandon Gray, East Thetford, VT
3. Andy Mooney, Danville, VT
4. Brent Warren, Salisbury, VT
5. Joe Kemp, Leicester, VT
6. Mike Ryan, Chelsea, VT
7. Mike Lique, West Lebanon, NH
8. Mike Stender, South Strafford, VT
9. Don Reynolds, Springfield, VT
10. # Ryan Farnham, Fairlee, VT
11. Eric Lang, Groton, VT
12. # Donna Racine, Danville, VT
13. # Jacob Blake, Waterbury, VT
14. Rob Isham, St. Johnsbury, VT
15. # James Fadden, North Haverhill, NH
16. # Travis Tattersall, Bradford, VT
17. Lisa Austin
Granite State Mini Sprint 600cc
1. Rich Crooker, Nashua, NH
2. Troy Boissoneau, Bedford, NH
3. Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, NH
4. Tim Beard
5. Spencer Allen, Plainfield, NH
6. Josh Boissoneau, Bedford, NH
7. Jim DeCombra
8. Jackie Nocella, Woburn, MA
9. # Frankie Sweeney
10. # Lyman Bryden
11. Greg Smith
12. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
13. Dave Morgan, Woburn, MA
14. Brian Gray
15. Scott Preston, Monkton, VT
Granite State Mini Sprint 500cc
1. Josh Boissoneauu, Bedford, NH
2. Mike Bubnis, Walpole, NH
3. Kyle Belliveau, Hopkinton, NH
4. Peter Belliveau
5. Patrick Smith, East Andover, NH
6. Robyn Boisvert, East Andover, NH
7. # Eva LeClair
8. Kevin Ellis, Fair Haven, VT
9. # Shena Covey
10. # Lauren Boisvert, East Andover, NH
11. Don Collins, Laconia, NH
12. Stephen Hutchinson, Manchester, NH
13. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
14. Dylan Rock, Enfield, NH
15. # Brandon Berry, Center Ossipee, NH
16. # Derrick Barker
17. Chad Southworth, Fairlee, VT
And here's a photo of Pierson from the event:
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