Defending champion holds off father-son duo
BRADFORD, Vt. (May 28, 2023) – Chris Donnelly saved his best for last in the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) event at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday, May 28. The seven-time tour champion fought through traffic before making a late charge into the lead to score his first win of the season in a 25-lap race presented by Green Mountain Gear-Heads of Williston, Vermont.
Sophomore driver Nick Comeau started the race on the pole position but was overtaken on the first lap by veteran racer and fellow front-row starter Jim Lowrey Jr. Lowrey held the point for the first two circuits before another long-time SCoNE racer, Jake Williams, made his way to the front.
Williams was glued to the inside lane on the multi-groove surface and was able to pull about five car-lengths away from a torrid battle for second through sixth that involved Lowrey, Troy Comeau, the father-son duo of Floyd and Travis Billington, and eventually Donnelly. Travis Billington and Comeau each had an outstanding run on the outside lane while Donnelly picked his way through on both grooves.
Comeau had a bobble in the second half of the race that shook things up, allowing Donnelly to fill a hole and make some big moves. Once he broke free from traffic, Donnelly chased down Williams and overtook the lead on lap 18. Donnelly was sailing off uncontested before the race’s lone caution flag, which flew on lap 22 when Kadyn Berry’s car broke its front suspension.
With the field stacked up two-wide behind him for the Delaware-style restart, Donnelly was able to scoot away for the final three laps and score the 41st win of his SCoNE career, extending his all-time record for the tour. Williams was unable to recapture the magic he had in the first 22 laps and fell out of second place after the restart, allowing Travis Billington to take the runner-up finish.
Floyd Billington and Clay Dow got past Williams in the final moments to finish third and fourth, respectively. Behind fifth-place Williams were Will Hull, Doug McPhail, Troy Comeau, rookie Ron Davis Jr., and Nick Comeau.
RACE NOTES:
• The Bear Ridge event marked SCoNE’s first race under new title sponsorship and marketing partnership with McGee Automotive Family chain, with support from McGee Mazda of Claremont, N.H., McGee Toyota of Claremont, N.H., and McGee Toyota of Epping, N.H.
• A field of 15 cars attended the event. The two qualifying heat races were won by Will Hull and Clay Dow, with each grabbing a $50 bonus from CMD Logging of Barnstead, N.H.
• Rockingham Boat of Hampstead, N.H., presented the Hard Charger Award for the first time, with a $50 bonus going to Doug McPhail, who drove from 13th starting position to finish 7th.
• Rookie Lane Saville was not able to start the feature due to crash damage in his qualifying heat.
• Nick Comeau, Jason Goff, and Mark Cole each made their first appearances of the season with SCoNE.
The Sprint Cars of New England tour is in action with the second half of a Memorial Day weekend doubleheader on Sunday, May 28 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., starting at 6:00 p.m. The next event is at Bear Ridge on Saturday, June 24. For more information, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – McGee Family Dealerships Sprint Cars of New England
Presented by Green Mountain Gear-Heads
Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, May 27, 2023
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (6) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
- (7) Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (5) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (8) Clay Dow, Barnstead, N.H.
- (3) Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (9) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (13) Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H.
- (4) Troy Comeau, Rumney, N.H.
- (11) # Ron Davis Jr., Meredith, N.H.
- (1) Nick Comeau, Rumney, N.H.
- (2) Jim Lowrey Jr., Tilton, N.H.
- (12) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (10) # Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.
- (14) Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
Did Not Start: # Lane Saville, Warrensburg, N.Y.
Lap Leaders (3 lead changes among 4 drivers): Nick Comeau, grid; Jim Lowrey Jr., 1-2; Jake Williams, 3-17; Chris Donnelly, 18-25.
Cautions (1): Lap 22.
Contingency Award Winners:
• CMD Logging Heat Winners: Will Hull, Clay Dow
• Green Mountain Gear-Heads Award: Chris Donnelly (1st)
• MDP Promotions Awards: Travis Billington (2nd), Clay Dow (4th)
• 802 Print Award: Floyd Billington (3rd)
• Hull Motorsports Award: Jake Williams (5th)
• Big Al’s Photos Award: Will Hull (6th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Doug McPhail (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Troy Comeau (8th)
• Karen’s Shirt Barn Awards: Ron Davis Jr. (9th), Nick Comeau (10th)
• Dave Bowser Rookie of the Race Award: Ron Davis Jr.
(SCoNE Media Photo)