Donnelly out front; next seven drivers just 31 points apart
BRADFORD, Vt. (July 21, 2023) – The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) tour has entered the second half of its season with exciting finishes behind it and dramatic storylines ahead. The “winged, wild, and wicked fast” warriors head home to Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vt., on Saturday, July 22, for a special $1,000-to-win event, and the championship point battles are as intense as the summer heat.
Seven-time SCoNE champion Chris Donnelly (306 points) has built up a comfortable 77-point cushion on the field entering the Bear Ridge race, despite scoring only one win so far in 2023. The Piermont, N.H., driver’s lone victory came at Bear Ridge on Memorial Day weekend in May, and his ultra-consistent run to this point has seen him finish fourth or better in all six races completed on the SCoNE tour this year.
Behind him, however, rages a seven-car inferno that has just 31 points of separation from second place to eighth. Two-time SCoNE champion Will Hull (229) holds the runner-up spot, even though a hard crash last week at The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) left his car wrecked and on the sidelines for the A-Main feature race. Floyd Billington (221) is in third place, but he, too, had a bad night at NHMS with a cartwheel flip down the frontstretch. Fourth-place Jake Williams (220) has had a roller-coaster season, but he was a contender for the victory at Bear Ridge in May.
Matt Tanner (218) rides in fifth place and is the only driver to score two SCoNE victories in 2023, with both coming at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Tanner finished third at NHMS last week and has indicated that he will likely be at Bear Ridge on Saturday, where he earned his first-ever SCoNE win in 2009. Troy Comeau (207), Kadyn Berry (204), and Clay Dow (198) – who won at Bear Ridge in June – are all well within striking distance of Hull, meaning it’s an “anyone’s guess” scenario for the final four races of the season. After them, the battle for ninth through 12th is just 16 points apart with Caleb Lamson, Doug McPhail, Ron Davis Jr., and Nick Comeau. The fight for the Rookie of the Year title between Davis and Jason Goff is just a 23-point margin.
The Bear Ridge event closes out a busy July run, and it is followed by a four-week break before the stretch drive to the championship finale. Saturday’s race pays a special $1,000 purse to the winner, courtesy of Hoosier Tire East and Bear Ridge Speedway promoters Butch Elms and April May Preston-Elms.
Bear Ridge Speedway is located on Kidder Road in Bradford, Vt., and racing starts at the famous “6:00-ish” post time on Saturday, July 22. Grandstand general admission is $15 for adults and $2 for kids 11 and under. Pit passes are $35. For more information, visit www.bearridgespeedway.com.
To learn more about the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS – McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England
After 6 of 10 Races Completed
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown-Points-(Wins)
(#) - denotes rookie
- (17) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H. – 306 (1)
- (61) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt. – 229
- (69K) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y. – 221
- (73) Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H. – 220
- (90) Matt Tanner, Stephentown, N.Y. – 218 (2)
- (89) Troy Comeau, Rumney, N.H. – 207
- (12) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H. – 204
- (31) Clay Dow, Barnstead, N.H. – 198 (1)
- (68) Caleb Lamson, Moretown, Vt. – 165 (1)
- (6) Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H. – 156
Upcoming Events:
• Saturday, July 22 – Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
• Saturday, August 26 – Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
• Sunday, September 3 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
(Photo by Alan Ward/Big Al's Photos)