Beech Ridge results 8/6 w/Photos

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

Beech Ridge results 8/6 w/Photos

WhelenModifiedTour · WMT Moderator

RE: Beech Ridge results 8/6

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

Written by: Michelle C. Lavigne

David Pinkham Wins First Modified Racing Series Start for Hometown Fans

Scarborough, ME: A ten year break from behind the wheel of a modified did not stop David Pinkham from dominating the True Value Modified Racing Series Dixie Chopper 100 at Beech Ridge Speedway Saturday night. With owner and driver Gary Casella out of town the Roscoe Racing Team #25 put Maine native David Pinkham behind the wheel. Not only did Pinkham win the 100 lap feature he dominated the field by lapping all but five cars which remained on the lead lap.

The True Value Modified Racing Series traveled to Beech Ridge Speedway in Scarborough, Maine on Saturday, August 6th for the first time since the Series was formed in 2004 by driver, car owner and series President Jack Bateman.  Twenty-three teams put on a show for the Maine fans starting the night with three flawless qualifying heats and a consolation race. Motor trouble for veteran driver Rusty Ball in the 20 and rookie Mike Douglas Jr. in the number 3 sidelined these two teams for the night.

Roger "The Rocket" Raymond started on the pole in the John C. Stewart & Son sponsored number 62 with veteran NASCAR tour driver Bob Polverari of West Springfield, MA in the number 7 on the outside making up the front row. The second row was held by Jimmy Dolan in the 69 and Andy Seuss in the 70. Flagman John Spence Jr. gave the signal to go green next time by as the ground pounders rolled through the 1/3 mile semi-oval track powering off turn four to take the green. The Rocket took the lead followed by Jimmy Kuhn in the 72 of Bridgewater, MA taking over Polverari, Dolan and Seuss from his fifth starting position.  Six laps were completed when the first caution of the night came out for contact between the 72 of Kuhn and the leader Roger Raymond. Raymond retreated to the pits for repairs and restarted with Kuhn at the back of the pack.   The leader on the restart was David Pinkham of Buxton, ME who was filling the seat of Gary Casella's number 25. Pinkham who has not been behind the wheel of a modified for over ten years welcomed the opportunity to jump back in the seat for Casella. Pinkhams racing career holds three modified track championships, two at Beech Ridge and one at former Claremont Speedway.

Pinkham held the lead with veteran driver Bob Polverari in the 7 locking down the second spot. Dolan's 69 held its own through the caution and remained in the third spot followed by Dale Evonsion of East Hartland, CT in the number 35. The ground pounders would run forty-five head to head laps until lap forty-nine when the caution would fly. Rookie Karl Fredrickson in the 41 of Fremont, NH exited turn two down the back stretch with a great puff of white smoke. With this being Fredrickson's first time qualifying for a True Value Modified Racing Series event his crew was disappointed but relieved to find that it was only a power steering line letting loose.

Pinkham and Polverari held steadfast to the front row for the restart. Dolan restarted in fourth after giving up the third spot to Danbury, Connecticut's Ed Dachenhausen in the number 48. Dachenhausen having impressive runs over the past few races with two third place finish's along with two other top tens. As the field took the green shot down the backstretch trouble would send cars scrambling through turn three to gain control after contact between Dachenhausen and lapped car Jack Bateman in the 17 made contact. Miraculously the field kept it together and continued through three and four without caution. Completion of lap fifty Pinkham received the half way Black Mountain Painting $100.00 bonus for leading at that point.

The third caution of the night came out on lap sixty-seven for the 17 of Jack Bateman of Canaan, NH. Bateman had a tire go down that sent him sliding through the inside of the backstretch only stopping after making contact with the sand embankment. Bateman pitted and repaired the Jack's Competition Engines number 17 and returned to the track. A single file restart had Pinkham out front once again with Polverari still strong enough to challenge for the lead. Dachenhausen remaining in third had the modified number 71, owned by Maine's own Goodwin and Anne Hannaford driven by Jim Boniface of Winchester, NH knocking on the backdoor. Points leader Kirk Alexander in the 43 made his way from the twenty-first starting position to hold down fifth for the restart. With thirty-three laps remaining the question on hand was if Alexander had enough to make it nine in a row. Pinkham lessened those chances when checked out on the restart and gave himself a marginal lead over the second through fifth place cars.

The final caution of the night came with only five laps remaining. A pile up in turn one collected the 71 of Boniface, Suess in the 70, Kuhn's number 72 and the 06 of Les Hinckley.  Boniface escaped with only a flat tire and was able to return catching the restart before going a lap down. Polverari took one last attempt to challenge the impressive Pinkham on the last lap. Pinkham prevailed to collect the win with Polverari having his best 2005 finish in second. Ed Dachenhausen placed third with points leader Kirk Alexander finishing fourth. Dale Evonsion in the 35 rounded out the top five.

Kirk Alexander gained a twenty-one point advantage over second place points runner Peter Daniels. Daniels who did not have a successful run at Beech Ridge finished tenth two laps down. Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, VT in the number 28 remains third only two points behind Daniels.

Contingency awards for the night of racing were awarded to David Pinkham in the 25 for leading the half way mark. David received a $100.00 dollar bonus from Black Mountain Painting. Sunoco Hard Charger Award went to Kirk Alexander for gaining the most positions from his twenty-first starting spot. Alexander gained a total of seventeen positions. The Sherwood Tire 5th place award went to Dale Evonsion in the 35 and the NorthEast Race Cars and Parts Awards went to Dwight Jarvis and Jack Bateman.

The True Value Modified Racing Series makes their final appearance at Star Speedway in Epping, NH next Saturday, August 13th for the One Stop Toy Shop 100.   For more information on the True Value Modified Racing Series visit their site at www.modifiedracingseries.com.

Full Results

25
Pinkham, David

7
Polverari, Bob

48
Dachenhausen, Ed

43
Alexander, Kirk

35
Evonsion, Dale

71
Boniface, Jim

28
Jarvis, Dwight

83
Wenzel, Chris

69
Dolan, Jimmy

76
Daniels, Peter

17
Bateman, Jack

77
Batchelder, Bruce

72
Kuhn, James Jr.

06
Hinckley, Les

32
Abele, Tom

70
Seuss, Andy

2
Royea, Luke

41
Fredrickson, Karl

22
Nichols, Dave

62
Raymond, Roger

8
Monteith, Kirby