WISCASSET

A hot and humid evening welcomed race fans and drivers to Maine’s fastest oval for a full card of action Saturday night.

The “dog days” of August are when top drivers begin to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, and also when some title chases are just beginning to heat up. Group 2 was in action Saturday night at Wiscasset Speedway, including Outlaw Mini’s Modifieds, Strictly Streets and Late Model Sportsman. Plus the “flex” division race of the week was the Amsoil Nelcar Legends.

The Outlaw Minis were the spotlight division on the evening with a 35-lap feature, and former champ Shawn Kimball riding a two race win streak. Shane Smith started at the pole position with Shane Kaherl alongside. Smith held the lead through the first 16 laps of the race with the division’s top contenders racing their way up through the pack. Kimball finally chased down Smith from his ninth starting position and took the lead on lap 17.

Just two laps later, Justin Trombley slipped by Smith to take second. From there they raced uninterrupted to the checkers, with Kimball crossing the line about four car-lengths ahead of Trombley. However, Kimball failed a post race inspection. Trombey was awarded the victory, his third of the season. Smith, who had taken over the No. 41 for his dad Dixon Smith just a month ago, secured his first podium finish with the runner-up trophy. Defending champ Jimmy Childs rebounded from a heat race incident, making right front repairs and racing his Ford Mustang to take home the third place trophy.

Points leader Cody Tribbet’s primary car broke down at the start of the heat race, but he managed to race his backup car to an eighth place finish. He came into the weekend with a 78-point lead over Childs and maintained his solid hold on the division’s top spot.

The Modifieds rolled onto the speedway next with the crowd still buzzing over West Bath’s Nick Reno putting an end to Mark Lucas’ seven-race win streak in the previous race. The 30-lap race lined up with Joe Williams and Ron Bryant on the front row and Richard Jordan behind. All eyes were on the pair of Reno and Lucas starting the feature midway through the 10-car field.

By lap 3, Reno had raced up the outside lane and was challenging Jordan and Kevin Douglass for second. Reno spun in turn four, bringing out the first caution. Three laps later, the race took a major turn. A minor spin by Bryant brought out the caution, bunching up the field. After two failed attempts at a clean restart, Williams and Douglass were put to the back, handing over the lead to Lucas. From there, the veteran racer from Harpswell easily drove to his track-high eighth win of the season. Reno gave Lucas a late race challenge, but fell short by a couple car lengths and settled for second. Jairet Harrision of Freeport turned in another solid run to finish third.

The Amsoil Nelcar Legends rolled out a stout field of 19 cars for their 25- lap feature. It was the eighth out of nine appearances on the 2015 schedule. The class had a tall order as points leader and multi-time winner Kevin Girard Jr., took advantage of a rare front row starting spot. Rookie Colby Meserve of Buxton had his machine at the pole position with Girard alongside. Phil “Buckshot” Brackett and defending champ Matthew Bourgoine were lined up on row two.

Girard quickly secured the lead and the race settled into a game of chase, with Bourgoine following him through traffic. In the meantime Matt Grant, the winner at Wiscasset just two weeks earlier, was charging up from his 19th starting position. He picked his way up to 10th in just the first five laps.

The only caution of the race came out on lap 20 for a minor spin by Dylan Varney. This gave Bourgoine one more shot at Girard, and gave Grant a chance for a podium finish as he took the restart in sixth. Girard was up to the challenge and drove to his fifth win at Wiscasset and 10th overall on the tour schedule. Bourgoine settled for second in his pursuit of his third straight championship. Brackett held off both Matt Grant and Alan Smith for the final spot in victory lane.

The Strictly Street division rolled out for their 25-lap feature, with the Hewins brothers from Leeds both locked in a battle with Dan Brown of Peru for the division title. The 25 lap feature lined up with Guy Childs and Kim Knight sharing the front row.

It took little time for points leader Kyle Hewins to get into the picture. On lap three he jumped from fourth into second in turn four. A couple early cautions in the first 10 laps bunched up the field, but Hewins was not to be denied. He easily raced to his second win of the season and put a little breathing room between himself and his closest rivals for the championship. Kurt Hewins took home the runner-up finish, rebounding from a post race disqualification two weeks prior. Brown was involved in the first caution of the race on lap 4, but picked his way back into contention, settling for the third-place finish.

Kyle Hewins came into the weekend with a scant six-point advantage over Brown, and extended his lead to 12 points by night’s end. On a side note, the Strictly race also welcomed longtime popular Street Stock veteran Dean Rice of Nobleboro in his familiar white No. 64. It had been around 10 years since Rice had run competitively at Wiscasset. He finished 10th.

The Late Model Sportsman division finished off the program with an action-packed 35-lap feature. The class rolled out 17 cars for the feature with seven different winners in eight races this season.

As usual, many of the top drivers had to work their way up from the back of the field. The front row for the feature was a wide spectrum of youth versus experience. Rookie Nate Tribbet of Richmond had the pole position. He was flanked by veteran racer Tracy Gordon. The popular driver known by fans as “the Flyin’ Flea” recently came out of retirement to race both Late Models and Super Late Models.

Gordon quickly disposed of Tribbet and took the lead, bringing Josh St. Clair up from third to second. St. Clair began to pressure Gordon for the lead and the two made contact heading into turn one on lap eight. St. Clair secured the lead. The race settled into a long green flag run with St. Clair leading TJ Watson and Tyler Robbins. Back in the pack, contenders including Andrew McLaughlin, Chuck Colby and Will Collins were charging through the field.

The next caution of the race came out on lap 26 for a minor spin. It was at that moment that the second place car of Watson dropped out under caution with a flat left side tire. St. Clair was strong on the restart and withstood a challenge from Robbins and his own father Puncin St. Clair. Josh, the third generation racer and winner of the 2014 Coastal 200, remained strong and drove to his second win of the season, and second win in his last three races, joining McLaughlin as the division’s only repeat winners.

Colby was able to get by McLaughlin on the final restart of the race and complete his run from 16th to finish second. McLaughlin, not to be out done, started 17th and finished third. The division’s top two drivers Nick Hinkley and Will Collins came into the weekend separated by just eight points and finished the night with the same separation. Hinkley is the division’s defending champ.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action this upcoming Saturday with action in Group 1 divisions (Prostock, Napa Super Streets, Thunder 4 Minis and N.E.4-cylinder Pro Stocks). The flex division race will be the return of the popular Wicked Good Vintage racers.

The pit gate will open at 2 p.m., and the grandstand gate will open at 4 p.m. Racing action will begin at 6 p.m.

Grandstand admission is just $5, with kids 6 and under free. Pit admission is $20 for all.

Information on everything happening at Wiscasset Speedway can be found at www.wiscassetspeedway.com.