WISCASSET

Wiscasset Speedway was back in action Saturday night with Group 2 on the track, plus the final appearance of the season for the NELCAR Legends.

With just one more week of racing for the group in two weeks, the championship point chases came more into focus by the end of the night, while one division — the Strictly Streets — was locked up.

The Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman was the spotlight division for the night with a 45- lap feature. Brandon Fowler led the 15-car field to the green flag. But as usual, the heavy hitters were lurking deep in the field, and with the extra 10 laps in the race, there was little doubt the typical challengers were going to rise to the front.

Heat 2 winner Will Collins was the first to get there from his seventh starting position, grabbing the lead with relative ease from Fowler and pulling out to a comfortable advantage. Chris Thorne and Josh St. Clair were next to arrive on the scene. While the pair were able to get to the lead pack, they were not able to mount much of a challenge to Collins. For Collins it was his first win of the season, making him the eighth different winner in the division’s 11 races. St. Clair, the division runner-up, tightened up the points chase with another strong secondplace finish. Thorne settled for 3rd. The top 5 was filled by rookie Brandon Bailey of Wiscasset and Cody Verrill of Richmond. The race went caution-free.

While all other Group 2 divisions have one more points race on Sept. 30 to determine the champions, the Norm’s Used Cars Strictly Streets held its points finale on Saturday night. The title hopes came down to a pair of veteran racers looking for their first career title. Zach Emerson of Sabattus came into the 25- lap feature with a manageable 16-point lead over Mike Haynes of Livermore.

Emerson knew that all he had to do was keep Haynes within reach to maintain his position atop the class. His strategy paid off as he drove to a fourth-place finish, good enough to claim the 2017 Strictly Streets crown. Meanwhile, Glenn Reynolds held the lead much of the race over Jonathan Emerson and Tiger Colby of Wiscasset. However, Reynolds’ win didn’t hold up long as he failed post-race inspection. The win went to Jonathan Emerson, his second victory of the season. Colby took home the second-place trophy and Zach Emerson was bumped up to third. Kimberly Knight took fourth. Haynes finished fifth.

The Strictly Streets’ next race will be the fifth annual Amsoil Dominator Strictly Shootout on Sept. 30 — a special non-point 40-lap race attracting many of the top Strictly/Wildcat drivers from the region.

In other action, Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich led the 30-lap Midcoast Region NAPA Modifieds wire to wire for his third win of the season. He was joined in Victory Lane by point leader Allan Moeller of Dresden and Nick Reno of West Bath.

The 25-lap Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Mini feature went to Rob Greenleaf of West Bath. It was the first win of the season for the four-time champ. Jake Hendsbee of Whitefield took over the point lead with one race to go thanks to his second-place finish. Matt Glidden of Chelsea finished third.

The 25-lap Amsoil NELCAR Legends feature went to Austin Teras of Windham. His win wrapped up the 2017 NELCAR title for the talented young driver. He was joined in Victory Lane by Parker Varney of Windham and Kevin Gerard Jr., of Old Orchard Beach.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action this upcoming Saturday with Ames True Value NEMA Night. The race for series champions will take place in Group 1, along with a special 65-lap race for the lightningquick NEMA Lite asphalt sprint cars. Plus there will be a special 12-lap exhibition race for the Star Troopers, an entry-level kids division that runs regularly at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.

Pit gates will open at 1 p.m., grandstand gates at 3 p.m., and racing begins at 5 p.m. Grandstand admission is just $5, with kids 6-and-under free. Pit admission is $20 for all.

For more information, go to the track website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com, or call 491-3720.

Wiscasset Speedway

Top 5 finishers from Saturday Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman (45 laps)

1. Will Collins, Waldoboro.
2. Josh St. Clair, Liberty.
3. Chris Thorne, Sidney.
4. Brandon Bailey, Woolwich.
5. Cody Verrill, Richmond.

Norm’s Used Cars Strictly Streets (25 laps)

1. Jonathon Emerson, Sabattus.
2. Tiger Colby, Wiscasset.
3. Zachary Emerson, Sabattus.
4. Kimberly Knight, Chesterville.
5. Michael Haynes, Livermore Falls.

Midcoast Region NAPA Modifieds (30 laps)

1. Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich.
2. Allan Moeller, Dresden.
3. Nick Reno, West Bath.
4. Tom Young, Freeport.
5. Dan Brown, Peru.

Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis (25 laps)

1. Rob Greenleaf, Bath.
2. Jake Hendsbee, Whitefield.
3. Matt Glidden, Chelsea.
4. Shane Smith, Augusta.
5. Scott Trask, Richmond.

Amsoil NELCAR Legends (25 laps)

1. Austin Teras, Windham.
2. Parker Varney, Windham.
3. Kevin Girard Jr., Old Orchard
Beach.
4. Chris Burgess, Buckfield.
5. Thomas Eveson, Gilmanton.

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