Wiscasset Speedway kicked off the final month of racing Saturday with a full card of action in its Group 1 division.

Near perfect weather greeted a large and enthusiastic crowd at Maine’s fastest oval for the program presented by NAPA Auto Parts. As the 2015 season heads into the home-stretch, championship point chases continues to tighten up while one title was wrapped up by the conclusion of Saturday racing action.

Just a week after his son Chuck Colby notched his first Late Model victory of the season, Charlie Colby covered the field and took his first checkered flag. Other winners on the night included Mark Lucas in the NAPA Super Streets, Cody Tribbet in the Thunder 4 Minis and Kamren Knowles in the New England 4-Cylinder Prostocks.

Also on the program were the Senior Tour Auto Racers (S.T.A.R. Tour). Richard Eastman of Merrimac, Mass., took home the victory in the Sportsman class, while Charlie Lima of New Bedford, Mass., was the victor in the Modified class.

Not to be outdone, Leandra Martin of Richmond topped the night with a history making runner-up finish in the Thunder 4 Mini’s. By finishing second, Martin won the points race and became the first female driver to win a championship racing head-to-head against men.

In Saturday’s 30-lap Thunder 4 feature race, Jeff Minchin Jr., started at the pole position with Michael Golding alongside. While the two rookie drivers were each gunning for their first career win, eyes were also fixed back in the pack as Martin lurking. The race got off to a tough start with a pair of cautions in the first two laps of the race, both for spins by Noah Haggett. Minchin held the lead through the first five laps until Joe Katula took it away, with defending champ Ryan Chadwick following. Katula and Chadwick put on a great side by side battle for the lead for the next five laps until they made contact in turn two. Katula was unable to continue and Chadwick was forced to go to the back of the field for the restart.

Richmond’s Cody Tribbet inherited the lead with Michael Harrison and Curtis Anderson in tow. Tribbet held the lead for the remainder of the race, picking up his second win of the season. His cousin Martin patiently raced her No. 31 ride from the back of the pack and took over second from Harrison on lap 23. This was a key pass in the race as she cruised to the runner-up finish.

The NAPA Super Streets was the spotlight division on NAPA Night and rolled out the first feature of the night. Jamie Norton and Brandon Sprague led the field to the green for the 35-lap race. A pair of minor cautions early in the race bunched up the field. Heat winner Tasha Dyer took the lead on the third lap from her fourth starting spot and held the top spot until a lap 13 restart. Mark Lucas had started back in eighth and had already picked his way up to fourth for the lap 14 restart. He continued his charge to the front and took the lead away from Dyer with a pass and was at the top of the scoreboard just past the midway marker.

Back behind Lucas there was a great battle for position between Dyer and the division’s top two drivers, Josh Bailey and Adam Chadbourne. The two drivers finally got by Dyer with 10 laps to go and tried to reel in the leader Lucas. It was not to be and Lucas easily cruised to his second victory of the season in his Freeport NAPA sponsored ride. Josh Bailey, the division points leader, secured the runnerup finish, regaining his 26-point advantage over Chadbourne, who finished third.

The NAPA Super Streets will have its final points race on Sept. 26, with Bailey seeking his first career title.

The Prostock division rolled out for its 40-lap feature next. Rookies Nate Tribbet and Mike Moody took up the front row, with defending champ Mike Orr and rookie Kevin Morse in row two.

Tribbet, who had dominated his heat race, looked fast in the feature as well, pulling out to a comfortable half straightaway lead over Moody. Andy Saunders moved up from mid pack and Charlie Colby quickly moved up from back in the pack to wage a good battle for third by lap 10. Just two laps later, as Colby took the spot in turn three, Saunders got into the back of Colby, sending him spinning and bringing out the first caution of the race.

In a show of sportsmanship, Saunders declared “Gentleman’s Rule,” giving Colby back his thirdplace position for the restart and only sending Saunders to the back. On the ensuing restart, Tribbet resumed his lead with Colby following him past Moody to take second. Just a lap later Colby moved to the inside of Tribbet in turn one and took the lead.

Through the midway point of the race, point leader Jeff Burgess brought himself into contention along with top rookie Wyatt Alexander, who wrestled the third position away from Burgess by lap 29. Just two laps later, Burgess spun out in turn 3, bringing out the second caution of the race and dropping him out for the remainder of the race. Colby shook off Tribbet on the restart and cruised to the win. It was the first victory of the season for the former twotime Prostock champ, and made him the division’s sixth different winner in 2015. Tribbet briefly gave over the second spot to Alexander on the restart, but took it back on lap 34. He then followed Colby to the runner-up finish and his first podium appearance of the year. Alexander took home the third place trophy, making for a moral victory of his team that had been battling steering pump issues for much of the day.

Saunders’ fourth place finish, combined with Burgess’ last-place finish, tightened the Prostock title chase. Burgess came into the night with a 28 point advantage and will enter the final points race with just a 10-point advantage.

The New England 4-Cylinder Prostocks had the final race of the program with a 25-lap feature. The dominance of defending champ Kamren Knowles was on display again. He started back in 13th in the 15-car starting field and took just six laps to get to the front. A pair of cautions bunched up the field. Knowles, the division point leader and defending champ, remained in charge and ran to his class high fifth win of the season. Alex Waltz started 10th and raced his way to second, nearly catching the leader in the closing laps. Jeff Prindall of Lisbon drove to a third-place finish, his first podium appearance since May.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action this upcoming Saturday with Group 2 Fan Appreciation Night. The program will start with an on-track driver autograph session at 5 p.m., followed by kids bike races in three divisions. Green flag flies on the racing action around 6 p.m. Pit gates will open at 2 p.m., and grandstand gate opens at 4 p.m. Grandstand admission is just $5 for adults. Kids ages 6 and under are admitted free. Pit admission is $20 for all.

For schedule information, points and photos, go to the website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on the West Alna Road in Wiscasset.