Touring Series News
Chaffee Seals Twin State Title At Bear Ridge
BRADFORD -- Kevin Chaffee is having the kind of season drivers dream of. The Orange, Vt., racer clinched the six-race Gravco Janitorial/Jasper Engines Twin State Modified Series championship with a victory at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday.
In just his sophomore season in a Sportsman Modified, Chaffee posted a pair of wins, three runner-up finishes, and recovered from a hard crash to finish seventh in the six Twin State events. He opened the series with a win at Canaan Dirt Speedway in June.
Chaffee encountered a bit of luck by drawing the pole position for the main event, but sailed around the track en route to the win. Only one caution flag slowed the 40-lap race on lap four. Chaffee beat runner-up Gary Siemons of Orford, N.H., by about a quarter-track for the win.
“That was the bookend right there. I won the first one and I won the last one,” said Chaffee. “I came in fourteen points ahead of Ryan Avery and I knew I had to beat him. When I drew the pole I just figured I’d try to stay up there as long as I could. Nobody ever went by me and I kept clicking off [lapped] cars.”
In addition to his Modified success, Chaffee also has four top-three finishes as a rookie in the Sprint Cars of New England series.
“The Sprint Cars are a lot of fun, and this is actually my last race in the Modified. I sold the car tonight,” said Chaffee. “That was a good way to end the season and end the Twin State thing, now I’m looking forward to running the Sprint Car the rest of the summer. This [championship] is pretty big. This is only my second full year in a Modified. It feels pretty good.”
Bear Ridge Speedway point leader Adam Pierson of Fairlee rode the outside lane from his 13th starting position to finish third. Avery, of Thornton, N.H., was fourth and finished second to Chaffee in Twin State points. Jason Gray of East Thetford was fifth. Bryan King, Mike Dunn, Jim Morgan, and rookies Jeff Elliott and Justin Comes rounded out the top ten finishers.
Rookie Dwight Burgoyne of Jaffrey, N.H., earned his first career Sportsman Coupe victory after a hard-fought, race-long battle with Chris Carbee. Steve Ellsworth finished a close third, followed by point leader Melvin Pierson, who borrowed a ride from Bryan King when his own car suffered drivetrain problems. Josh Harrington completed the top five.
Will Hull of East Montpelier nipped Jason Blake with a final corner pass for the Limited Late Model win at the finish line. Blake, of Moretown, took a season-best runner-up finish, followed by Troy Comeau, Jeremy Hodge, and Jon Dube.
Vershire driver Tim Hodge snapped a ten-race win streak by Josh Sunn in the Fast Four division. Sunn spun out as he made a move for the lead under Hodge with three laps to go. Kevin Harran finished second, and Sunn passed three cars in the final lap to recover for third place. Andy Johnson and Josh Connor were fourth and fifth.
Rookie Eric Lang of Groton was the overall winner of the three-segment Hornet “madness” event over Bobby Bell, Mike Ryan, Mike Pittman, and Jessie Smith. Overall leader Tom Placey crashed out of the final segment, finishing sixth overall.
The Hornet Queen feature was postponed by rain to next Saturday.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- J&A Lawn Care/Boudreault Septic Night
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
(Pos.-Driver-Hometown)
# - denotes rookie
Gravco Janitorial/Jasper Engines Twin State Modified Series
1. Kevin Chaffee, Orange
2. Gary Siemons, Orford, N.H.
3. Adam Pierson, Fairlee
4. Ryan Avery, Thornton, N.H.
5. Jason Gray, East Thetford
6. Bryan King, Corinth
7. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, N.H.
8. Jim Morgan, Woodstock
9. # Jeff Elliott, Haverhill, N.H.
10. # Justin Comes, Middlebury
Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes
1. # Dwight Burgoyne, Jaffrey, N.H.
2. Chris Carbee, South Ryegate
3. Steve Ellsworth, Corinth
4. Melvin Pierson, East Corinth
5. Josh Harrington, Topsham
6. Gene Pierson, Jr., East Corinth
7. # Robert Tucker, Thetford
8. Jason Horniak, Bradford
9. Buster Kathan, Ludlow
10. # Steve Bell, St. Johnsbury
A Notch Above Auto Limited Late Model
1. Will Hull, East Montpelier
2. Jason Blake, Moretown
3. Troy Comeau, Rumney, N.H.
4. Jeremy Hodge, Newbury
5. Jon Dube, Bethlehem, N.H.
Journal Opinion Fast Four
1. Tim Hodge, Vershire
2. Kevin Harran, St. Johnsbury
3. Josh Sunn, White River Junction
4. Andy Johnson, Wilder
5. Josh Connor, White River Junction
KDD NAPA Hornet
1. # Eric Lang, Groton
2. Bobby Bell, St. Johnsbury
3. Mike Ryan, Corinth
4. Mike Pittman, Corinth
5. # Jessie Smith, Topsham
