First official SCoNE event in Maine is a rousing success
UNITY, Maine (July 15, 2024) – Unity Raceway was the center of the New England racing universe for at least one night on Friday, July 12. The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) Tour thrilled a standing-room-only crowd at the 1/3-mile Maine oval as it hosted its biggest event in recent history with the first full-blown Sprint Car race held in the Pine Tree State in at least a half-century.
At the end of it all, Campton, N.H.’s Matt Hoyt stood tall in victory lane with his first SCoNE Tour win in two years, and the jam-packed covered grandstand echoed with cheers late into the night.
The 25-lap A-Main got off to a scary start, as the right-rear tire of Chase Moran’s car made contact with the left-rear tire of Troy Comeau’s machine, sending Moran flipping wildly. With just two laps complete, the race was halted as Moran was extricated from his car and taken by ambulance to MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Center for Health in nearby Waterville. Moran – who entered the event as the SCoNE Tour championship point leader – was held overnight for testing and observation; he was diagnosed with a sprained back but no broken bones, and he was released on Saturday morning.
The balance of the SCoNE race was delayed until a second ambulance was able to be on site, pushing the resumption of the A-Main to about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Still, the crowd stayed, eager to watch. Rookie driver Donnie Ottati had led the first two laps before Moran’s accident and he held the lead for two more laps once the race resumed, but Nick Comeau powered past and into the lead at lap 5.
Hebron, N.H., youngster Comeau, who scored a surprise win in his qualifying heat earlier in the night, looked the part of a first-time winner until his car bobbled and he briefly lost momentum. Hoyt, who had charged from his eighth-place starting position, capitalized on Comeau’s misfortune and took control at lap 10. From there, he ran away from everyone else at the front of the field as the race went caution-free to the end.
Behind Hoyt, Comeau held on for a career-best finish as the runner-up, and South Glens Falls, N.Y., driver Travis Billington powered his way from 10th at the start to the final podium spot. The trio received a loud welcome in victory lane, and the crowd was especially appreciative of Billington’s third-place finish, as his Dave Bowser-owned machine was the only Maine-based car in the field.
Will Hull ran a consistent race to finish fourth, and Kadyn Berry scored his first top-five run of the year in fifth place. Jake Williams was sixth, followed by Scott Holcomb, Ottati, Mark Reynolds, and Floyd Billington.
RACE NOTES:
• A field of 16 cars made the long tow East to Unity Raceway to compete with SCoNE. Caleb Lamson, who was fifth in the point standings before Unity, missed the race due to flooding and road washouts in his hometown of Moretown, Vt., and the greater Waterbury, Vt., area in the days before the Unity race.
• Matt Hoyt’s victory was the seventh of his SCoNE career and his first since June 24, 2022 at Legion Speedway. He is now in a four-way tie for ninth on the all-time SCoNE win list, joining Tyler Rich, Luke Greenwood, and former champion Shawn Lawler.
• The two qualifying heat races were won by Will Hull and Nick Comeau, 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 originally started eighth and finished first to gain seven positions. Travis Billington and Jake Williams also gained seven positions each, but Hoyt was given the tiebreaker based on his better finish.
• Donnie Ottati of Rumney, N.H., won a $50 bonus from Dave Bowser Motorsports as the top-finishing registered rookie in eighth place; fellow rookie Caiden Herbert was unable to start the A-Main after a driveline failure in qualifying.
• Through the first five events of the 12-race McGee Automotive Family SCoNE Tour schedule, Matt Hoyt is the new championship leader with 245 points. Chase Moran is second, nine points behind at 236, followed by Scott Holcomb (228), Jake Williams (221), and Will Hull (214).
The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England Tour returns of Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vt., on Saturday, July 20, for the halfway point of the SCoNE season and the third round of the five-race Green Mountain Gear-Heads Championship Series presented by Hull Motorsports. 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
Unity Raceway – Unity, Maine
Friday, July 12, 2024
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (8) Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
- (3) Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (10) Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (7) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (6) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (13) Jake Williams, Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (11) Scott Holcomb, Granby, Conn.
- (1) # Donnie Ottati, Rumney, N.H.
- (2) Mark Reynolds, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
- (5) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (14) Ron Davis Jr., Moultonborough, N.H.
- (4) Troy Comeau, Wentworth, N.H.
- (9) Chase Moran, Fultonville, N.Y.
- (12) Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.
Did Not Start: # Caiden Herbert, New Hampton, N.H.; Sam Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
Lap Leaders (2 lead changes among 3 drivers): Donnie Ottati, 1-4; Nick Comeau, 5-9; Matt Hoyt, 10-25.
Cautions (1): Lap 2 [red].
Contingency Award Winners:
• CK & Sons Trucking Heat Winners: Will Hull, Nick Comeau
• Karen’s Shirt Barn “Hard Charger” Award: Matt Hoyt (+7 positions)
• Highside Racewear Award: Nick Comeau (2nd)
• 802 Print Award: Travis Billington (3rd)
• VT Fire Award: Will Hull (4th)
• Venom Choppers Award: Kadyn Berry (5th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Scott Holcomb (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Donnie Ottati (8th)
• Dave Bowser Motorsports Rookie of the Race: Donnie Ottati (8th)
Upcoming Events:
• Saturday, July 20 – Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
• Saturday, July 27 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
(Photos by Jasen Dickey)