BRADFORD — Dan Eastman has dominated the point standings at Canaan Fair Speedway throughout his rookie season, but had yet to taste success at his home track at Bear Ridge Speedway. That changed on Saturday night.

Eastman, of Thetford Center, broke into victory lane for his first Sportsman Modified win at the track, holding off three-time defending champion Gary Siemons over the final laps.

“It means a lot to win up here again,” said Eastman, who won eleven times en route to the Limited Late Model division championship last season.

Running in the high groove, Eastman was unaware of Siemons’ late rally until there were three laps remaining.

“[Siemons] showed his front end one time and that’s why I went down to the bottom,” said Eastman. “It was the best the car has handled in about a month. I lost the handle on the car about a month ago and this was the best it’s run by far.”

Rookie Derek Graham posted his third podium finish of the season in third place, followed by Adam Pierson and Bryan King. The top ten was completed by point leader Jason Gray, Mike Dunn, Jack Cook, and rookies Justin Comes and Ryan Dutton. Unofficially, Pierson closed the gap to just three points behind Gray, 782-779.

Josh Harrington of Topsham took his second straight Sportsman Coupe victory in a caution-laden 25-lap event. Harrington started 12th on the 14-car field and was running in fourth place when Kane Pike spun Gene Pierson out of second with eight laps remaining. Harrington darted under leader Bryan King on the ensuing restart, then survived one final restart on his way to the win. Chris Carbee finished second and point leader Melvin Pierson was third. King dropped to fourth, with rookie Jeremy Beckley a career-best fifth.

Hometown racer Tyler Stygles stormed to his fourth Limited Late Model win after starting at the rear of the field. Stygles took control with four laps remaining ater passing Jason Blake. Blake ran in second place until spinning out in the final corner of the 20-lap race. Troy Comeau drove by for the runner-up position with T.C. Forward third; Blake finished eighth.

Travis Hull of Graniteville had a sterling debut in the Fast Four division, winning in his first-ever start on dirt. Hull was a winner earlier in the season on the asphalt as Thunder Road in Barre. Brandon Lamere of Lebanon, N.H., also in his Bear Ridge debut, finished second, with rookie Josh Connors third. A season-high 13 cars competed in the Fast Four division.

Tom Placey of Bradford earned his ninth Hornet victory of the year over rookies Jesse Smith and Brad Martin. Most of the action was three-wide throughout the entire race. Melissa King of Corinth took her sixth Hornet Queen win over Donna Racine and Marissa Osgood.

Chris Donnelly of Orford, N.H., won the Sprint Cars of New England event, clinching the series’ championship and Rookie of the Year titles in the process. Dan Douville recovered from a flip on lap one to finish second, followed by Shawn Lawler, Donny Sharp, Jr., and Si Allen. Click here for the SCoNE event recap.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Swenson Insurance Night
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, August 21, 2010

(Pos.-Driver-Hometown)
# – denotes rookie

Bond Auto Sportsman Modified (30 laps)
1. # Dan Eastman, Thetford Center
2. Gary Siemons, Orford, N.H.
3. # Derek Graham, Woodsville, N.H.
4. Adam Pierson, Fairlee
5. Bryan King, Corinth
6. Jason Gray, East Thetford
7. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, N.H.
8. Jack Cook, Moultonboro, N.H.
9. # Justin Comes, Middlebury
10. # Ryan Dutton, Bradford

WYKR Sprint Cars of New England (25 laps)
1. # Chris Donnelly, Orford, N.H.
2. # Dan Douville, Concord, N.H.
3. Shawn Lawler, Mason, N.H.
4. Donny Sharp, Jr., Grafton, N.H.
5. Si Allen, West Windsor
6. Floyd Billington, Jr., South Glens Falls, N.Y.
7. # Kevin Chaffee, Orange
8. # Shawn Berry, Ossipee, N.H.
9. Robby Bodwell, Sanford, Me.
10. # Dalton Varney, Effingham, N.H.

Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe (25 laps)
1. Josh Harrington, Topsham
2. Chris Carbee, South Ryegate
3. Melvin Pierson, East Corinth
4. Bryan King, Corinth
5. # Jeremy Beckley, Woodsville, N.H.
6. Jason Horniak, Bradford
7. # Jeremy Stygles, Bradford
8. Gene Pierson, Jr., East Corinth
9. Kane Pike, Thetford
10. Mike McGinley, East Barre

A Notch Above Auto Limited Late Models (20 laps)
1. Tyler Stygles, Bradford
2. Troy Comeau, Rumney, N.H.
3. T.C. Forward, Lyme, N.H.
4. Jeremy Hodge, Newbury
5. Robert Tucker, Thetford

Journal Opinion Fast Four
1. # Travis Hull, Graniteville
2. Brandon Lamere, Lebanon, N.H.
3. # Josh Connors, White River Junction
4. Kevin Harran, St. Johnsbury
5. Andy Johnson, Wilder

KDD NAPA Hornet
1. Tom Placey, Bradford
2. # Jesse Smith, Topsham
3. # Brad Martin, Thomaston, Conn.
4. Don Reynolds, Springfield
5. J.T. Descoteaux, Concord

Hannaford Supermarkets Hornet Queen
1. Melissa King, Corinth
2. Donna Racine, St. Johnsbury
3. Marissa Osgood, Bradford