Sunn, Williams earn first career victories

(From track press release)

BRADFORD — Chris Donnelly took his third Sprint Cars of New England victory of the season at Bear Ridge Speedway on Walker Motor Sales Saturday. The Piermont, N.H., driver capitalized on a mid-race restart to grab the lead from rookie Will Hull and drove to the win.

After two early red flag stoppages including one for polesitter Randy Wimert’s flip, Hull passed Bob Giuliani to lead lap 5. Hull, from East Montpelier, held on to the runner-up position once Donnelly got by for his best career SCoNE finish. Another rookie, Tyler Rich of Lyme, N.H., finished third for the second straight event. Dan Douville finished fourth after being involved in one of the red flag crashes, and Kevin Chaffee was fifth. Shawn Lawler, Robby Bodwell, Jake Williams, Matt Robie, and Tunk Berry completed the unofficial top ten.

Twenty-three cars attempted to qualify for the main event, tying the Sprint Cars of New England record set at Bear Ridge Speedway on July 30.

Josh Sunn of White River Junction drove to his first career victory in the 35-lap John Poor Memorial for the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified division. After winning multiple championships and more than 80 feature races in four-cylinder divisions in Vermont and New Hampshire, Sunn moved up to the Modified class full-time this summer. Sunn led every lap of the feature in a dominant win over veteran Jim Morgan of Woodstock. Justin Comes of Middlebury, who earned his first career win last week, finished third. Mike Dunn was fourth with Gary Siemons fifth, followed by Bryan King, Jeff Elliott, Donnelly, Jason Gray, and Dan Eastman.

Point leader Adam Pierson was involved in a hard crash at lap 4 and finished last on the 18-car field.

Sunn’s victory gives him an automatic qualifying berth for the second annual New England Dirt Track Championships on Saturday, September 24.

Terry Williams of Wells River followed in Sunn’s footsteps and notched his first career win in the 25-lap Sportsman Coupe class. Williams took the lead at lap 15 and never looked back. Shane Race of South Strafford was second with Gene Pierson of East Corinth third. Josh Harrington and Louie Cadwell were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Robert Tucker of East Corinth carried his fifth checkered flag of the season in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature. Ray Johnson of Campton, N.H., was second with Richie Simmons of Bradford third.

St. Johnsbury rookie Bobby Bell got his second Fast Four victory of the year in a 20-lap feature. Danny Doyle and Travis Hull completed the podium. Eric Lang of Groton made it a half-dozen wins in the Hornet class over Tom Placey and Don Reynolds, and Dominic Bassett of Lyndonville picked up his first win in the Hornet Stinger youth division.

Bear Ridge Speedway is back in action on Saturday, August 20, as Swenson Insurance presents a full card for the 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series, plus the USAC Dirt Midget Association, the Northeast Mini Sprints, the Hornet Queens, and kids’ race car rides. Racing action begins at 6:00pm.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — John Poor Memorial presented by Walker Motor Sales
Bear Ridge Speedway — Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, August 13, 2011

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

WYKR Sprint Cars of New England (25 laps)
1. Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
2. # Will Hull, East Montpelier
3. # Tyler Rich, Lyme, N.H.
4. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H.
5. Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee
6. Shawn Lawler, Mason, N.H.
7. Robby Bodwell, Sanford, Me.
8. # Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
9. # Matt Robie, Hill, N.H.
10. Tunk Berry, Center Ossipee, N.H.
11. # Jim Lowrey, Jr., Tilton, N.H.
12. Shawn Berry, Center Ossipee, N.H.
13. # Brandon Valley, Center Ossipee, N.H.
14. Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
15. Bob Giuliani, Middetown, N.H.
16. # Dylan Campbell, Southboro, Mass.
17. Lacey Hanson, Orwell
18. Randy Wimert, Falmouth, Me.
Did Not Qualify: # Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H.; Matt Shuart, Walkill, N.Y.; Nick Berry, Manchester, N.H.; Bruce Kimball, Lebanon, N.H.; Rob Shuart, Walkill, N.Y.

Bond Auto DIRTcar Sportsman Modified (35 laps)
1. # Josh Sunn, White River Junction
2. Jim Morgan, Woodstock
3. Justin Comes, Middlebury
4. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, N.H.
5. Gary Siemons, Orford, N.H.
6. Bryan King, Corinth
7. Jeff Elliott, Benton, N.H.
8. Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
9. Jason Gray, East Thetford
10. Dan Eastman, Thetford Center

Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe (25 laps)
1. Terry Williams, Wells River
2. Shane Race, South Strafford
3. Gene Pierson, Jr., East Corinth
4. Josh Harrington, Topsham
5. Louie Cadwell, Vershire
6. Bob Shepard, West Topsham
7. # Jason Colbeth, Newbury
8. Buster Kathan, Ludlow
9. # Tim Hodge, Vershire
10. Jeremy Beckley, Woodsville, N.H.

A Notch Above Automotive Limited Late Model (20 laps)
1. Robert Tucker, East Corinth
2. Ray Johnson, Campton, N.H.
3. Richie Simmons, Bradford
4. Tyler Stygles, Bradford
5. Troy Comeau, Rumney, N.H.

Weglarz Property Service Fast Four (20 laps)
1. # Bobby Bell, St. Johnsbury
2. Danny Doyle, Barre
3. Travis Hull, Graniteville
4. Kevin Harran, St. Johnsbury
5. Steve Bell, St. Johnsbury

KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet (20 laps)
1. Eric Lang, Groton
2. Tom Placey, Bradford
3. Don Reynolds, Springfield
4. Mike Stender, South Strafford
5. Andy Mooney, Danville

Hornet Stinger (10 laps)
1. Dominic Bassett, Lyndonville
2. Travis King, Corinth
3. Kodie Pittman, Corinth