Hoyt trying to seal up first SCoNE championship on Saturday night
UNITY, Maine (September 27, 2024) – Nick Comeau scored one for the little guys on Friday, September 27, at Maine’s Unity Raceway. Comeau’s low-budget car and home-built engine was the dominant force on the opening night of NAPA Championship Weekend, leading all 25 laps and earning the first win of his McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) Tour career.
The Hebron, N.H., driver – following in the footsteps of his legendary great-grandfather, 1962 and ’64 Vermont Milk Bowl champion Harold “Hard Luck” Hanaford – started on the outside of the front row and jumped out to the early lead. Restarts on laps 3 and 7 proved to be no issue for Comeau, and point leader Matt Hoyt was unable to run him down in the waning laps. Comeau celebrated in front of a roaring crowd in Unity’s covered grandstand, and became the ninth different winner in 12 SCoNE features in 2024.
Hoyt drove through traffic from seventh starting position and had an entertaining late-race battle with Jake Williams before securing the runner-up spot. Williams, who was equally impressive in traffic, finished third. Will Hull challenged Comeau for the lead mid-race before slipping back to fourth place, and Travis Billington rounded out the top five. Rookie Caiden Herbert was sixth, followed by Kadyn Berry, Dylan Menditto, Nick Kruger, and Troy Comeau.
For his part, Hoyt’s runner-up finish widened his lead in the championship point standings, and he enters Saturday’s NAPA Championship Finale with a 23-point cushion on Hull and 26 points on Berry.
RACE NOTES:
• A field of 16 cars made the trip to Unity Raceway to compete with SCoNE. Former champion Tunk Berry made his first start of the season, and newcomer Shawn Cassidy made his first start ever in Sprint Car.
• Nick Comeau’s victory was the first of his SCoNE career. He is the 51st different driver in SCoNE history to win a feature race.
• The two qualifying heat races were won by rookie Nick Kruger and Floyd Billington, with each grabbing a $100 bonus from CK & Sons Trucking of Barnstead, New Hampshire.
• Karen’s Shirt Barn, also of Barnstead, N.H., presented the Hard Charger Award, with a $50 bonus going to Matt Hoyt, who started seventh and finished second to gain five positions.
• Caiden Herbert of New Hampton, N.H., won a $50 bonus from Dave Bowser Motorsports as the top-finishing registered rookie in sixth place; Nick Kruger finished ninth, Shawn Cassidy was 14th, and Donnie Ottati was unable to start the A-Main after engine problems in hot laps.
• Entering the final event of the 2024 season with the McGee Automotive Family SCoNE Tour, Matt Hoyt leads with 478 points. Will Hull is second with 455 and Kadyn Berry is third at 452; they are the only two drivers with a mathematical chance at overtaking Hoyt for the title.
Racing at Unity Raceway starts at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 28. To learn more about the Sprint Cars of New England, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England
NAPA Championship Weekend
Unity Raceway – Unity, Maine
Friday, September 27, 2024
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (2) Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (7) Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
- (6) Jake Williams, Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (5) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (8) Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (10) Caiden Herbert, New Hampton, N.H.
- (11) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (4) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn, Conn.
- (1) # Nick Kruger, Rupert, Vt.
- (12) Troy Comeau, Wentworth, N.H.
- (14) Tunk Berry, North Conway, N.H.
- (13) Mike Kondrat, Freedom, N.H.
- (9) Clay Dow, Barnstead, N.H.
- (15) # Shawn Cassidy, Bethel, Vt.
- (3) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Did Not Start: # Donnie Ottati, Rumney, N.H.
Lap Leaders (1 lead change among 2 drivers): Nick Kruger, grid; Nick Comeau, 1-25.
Cautions (3): Laps 3, 7, 7.
Contingency Award Winners:
• CK & Sons Trucking Heat Winners: Nick Kruger, Floyd Billington
• Karen’s Shirt Barn “Hard Charger” Award: Matt Hoyt (+5 positions)
• Highside Racewear Award: Matt Hoyt (2nd)
• 802 Print Award: Jake Williams (3rd)
• VT Fire Award: Will Hull (4th)
• Venom Choppers Award: Travis Billington (5th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Kadyn Berry (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Dylan Menditto (8th)
• Dave Bowser Motorsports Rookie of the Race: Caiden Herbert (6th)
Upcoming Events:
• Saturday, September 28 – Unity Raceway – Unity, Maine
(Jasen Dickey Photo)