Fireworks event kicks off run of seven races in eight weeks
BRADFORD, Vermont (June 23, 2025) – It’s time to get serious. Things are finally looking up for the “winged, wild, and wicked fast” warriors of the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England Tour (SCoNE), and racers are ready to kick off their busiest stretch of the summer. Bradford, VT’s Bear Ridge Speedway will start it up on Saturday, June 28, to begin a run of seven events in eight weeks.
The busier schedule may come as a shock to the system for the SCoNE teams; after a miserably rainy start to the season during which only two races were run from April 19 to June 13, the summer grind will test the mettle of drivers, crew, and equipment. From the tight confines of the 1/4-mile track at Bear Ridge to the wide-open spaces of tracks like Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Airborne Park Speedway, and Unity Raceway, keeping up with the constant changes in speed and setup will be key.
SCoNE is part of a seven-division holiday extravaganza at Bear Ridge on Saturday night, which also includes the track’s annual Independence Day fireworks show. Racing begins at the famous “6:00-ish” start time.
Matt Tanner appears to be in control entering Bear Ridge. The Stephentown, NY driver will assume the de facto lead coming in; he currently sits second in the McGee SCoNE Tour championship standings close behind Jordan Poirier, but Poirier does not plan to chase the full schedule and is not expected to race at Bear Ridge. Even if he was, Tanner is hot there: Bear Ridge is the site of both his first SCoNE win in 2009 and his most recent win – in the group’s 100th feature race at the track last September.
Tanner has plenty of company up front. Chase Moran – a first-time winner at Bear Ridge in 2024 – sits a tight third in the points, and defending champion Matt Hoyt is coming off a stellar performance in heavy traffic at Albany-Saratoga Speedway two weeks ago. Two-time SCoNE champ Will Hull has already won twice in Xtreme Dirt Midget Association competition at Bear Ridge this season and is ready to carry that momentum over to his Sprint Car.
Travis Billington has turned heads in 2025 and is knocking on the door of his first SCoNE win. The South Glens Falls, NY racer has finished in the top five in both events this season and has been agonizingly close to victory at Bear Ridge on several occasions. Veteran Jake Williams, young gun Kadyn Berry, and rookie Tyler Chartrand have also been solid to start the year.
The biggest surprises have been those who have struggled to get going in 2025, but Bear Ridge could provide some respite; Caiden Herbert, Nick Kruger, Troy Comeau, and Floyd Billington have had some bad luck, as have former SCoNE Tour champions Tunk Berry, Shawn Lawler, and Chris Donnelly. Past Bear Ridge success could bode well for each, though: Herbert won the five-race track championship as a rookie last year, Donnelly is a 12-time champion there across several divisions, and all the rest but Kruger – who was also a rookie last year – have previously won races at Bear Ridge.
SCoNE rules require axle tethers, cockpit safety bars, and mufflers on all cars. Any tire and any fuel are permitted for competition, and wicker bills may be three inches (3”) maximum height. In-cockpit adjustments are not allowed, except wing sliders. Drivers are required to purchase either a full-season or temporary SCoNE license and file a $20 race entry fee. Starting lineups will be set by the SCoNE handicap system.
The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England Tour is part of a seven-division event at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT on Saturday, June 28; racing begins at 6:00 p.m. and grandstand admission is $18. To learn more about the Sprint Cars of New England, visit nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook. For more information about McGee Mazda Claremont, NH, McGee Toyota of Claremont, NH, and McGee Toyota of Epping, NH, visit their award-winning dealerships or click on McGeeCars.com.
(Alan Ward photo)