Underdogs have strong runs in top five
BRADFORD, Vt. (August 28, 2023) – There’s something special about the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) at Bear Ridge Speedway in 2023. For the third time in four races this season, the 25-lap A-Main feature race on Saturday, August 26, went non-stop without a yellow flag, and for the third time, SCoNE championship point leader Chris Donnelly went to victory lane.
But the race, which was presented by Green Mountain Gear-Heads, was also special for a handful of underdog racers who turned in solid performances. Doug McPhail started the race on the pole position and led for the first three circuits before giving way to Troy Comeau. Driving quickly from the sixth starting spot, Comeau blasted up the outside lane to grab the point and initially threatened a runaway as he sought his first-ever SCoNE victory.
Donnelly, meanwhile, threaded his Fornwalt Excavation/Tuck’s Repair No. 17 through traffic as he came from 10th place at the start, and he broke out of the pack after eight laps. He caught Comeau and the pair raced side-by-side for two laps before seven-time SCoNE champion Donnelly took off. He calmly navigated lapped traffic through the balance of the race and cruised to the win.
Jake Williams, however, was not as calm in his charge through the pack. The SCoNE veteran was a spitfire in the second half of the race, and he squeezed his way under Comeau in the battle for the runner-up spot late in the race. At the finish, it was Donnelly over Williams and Troy Comeau, each of whom posted his best finish of the season; for Comeau, the third-place effort was his first podium finish on the SCoNE tour since 2015.
Behind them, sophomore competitor Nick Comeau – Troy’s cousin – had an entertaining fight for fourth place in the final laps with two-time SCoNE champion Will Hull, and Hull took the spot. Nick Comeau’s fifth-place finish was first-ever top-five with SCoNE. Rookie Jason Goff took sixth ahead of McPhail, Floyd Billington, Kadyn Berry, and Mark Cole.
RACE NOTES:
• A field of 15 cars attended the event. Hebron, N.H.’s Sam Comeau and New Hampton, N.H.’s Caiden Herbert each made his first-ever SCoNE appearance, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively.
• The 25-lap A-Main feature race ran caution-free and was completed in just six minutes and 22 seconds. In eight A-Mains in 2023, SCoNE has had only six total caution flags.
• Chris Donnelly’s victory was the 43rd of his SCoNE career, extending his all-time lead for tour.
• The two qualifying heat races were won by Donnelly and Goff, with each grabbing a $50 bonus from CMD Logging of Barnstead, New Hampshire. The heat win was Goff’s fourth in a row, dating back to Devil’s Bowl Speedway on July 8.
• Rockingham Boat of Hampstead, N.H., and Karen’s Shirt Barn of Barnstead, N.H., presented the Hard Charger Award, with a $50 bonus and a new Hoosier racing tire going to Chris Donnelly, who drove from the 10th starting position to finish first.
• Travis Billington and car owner Dave Bowser were awarded the Panther Frameworx “Hard Luck” Award after blowing an engine in their heat race.
The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England tour is back in action at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., on Sunday, September 3, as part of the track’s annual Vermont 200. 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.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England
Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
Dead River Co. Night presented by Green Mountain Gear-Heads
Saturday, August 26, 2023
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (6) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
- (8) Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (4) Troy Comeau, Wentworth, N.H.
- (5) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (7) Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (1) # Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.
- (2) Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H.
- (9) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (11) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (3) Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
- (12) # Sam Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (11) # Caiden Herbert, New Hampton, N.H.
- (2) # J.P. Vaillancourt, Campton, N.H.
- (14) Toby Stark, Canaan, N.H.
Did Not Start: Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Lap Leaders (2 lead changes among 3 drivers): Doug McPhail, 1-3; Troy Comeau, 4-9; Chris Donnelly, 10-25.
Cautions: None.
Contingency Award Winners:
• CMD Logging Heat Winners: Jason Goff, Mark Cole
• Rockingham Boat/Karen’s Shirt Barn “Hard Charger” Award: Chris Donnelly (+9 positions)
• Panther Frameworx “Hard Luck” Award: Travis Billington
• Dave Bowser Motorsports “Rookie of the Race” Award: Jason Goff (6th)
• Green Mountain Gear-Heads Award: Chris Donnelly (1st)
• 802 Print Award: Trophy: Troy Comeau (3rd)
• VT Fire Award: Will Hull (4th)
• Hull Motorsports Award: Nick Comeau (5th)
• Big Al’s Photos Award: Jason Goff (6th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Doug McPhail (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Floyd Billington (8th)
• Uncommon Deeds Podcast Award: Kadyn Berry (9th)
Upcoming Events:
• Sunday, September 3 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
• Saturday, September 16 – Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt. – CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE
(Photos by Alan Ward/Big Al's Photos)