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| Contributed photo Keith Thibeau of Fort Fairfield (32) and Rick Saucier of Wallagrass (28) take part in a Fast Fours race at Spud Speedway recently. Both are expected to compete in the special 44-lap race Sunday. |
By Tom Hale
Special to the Aroostook Republican
CARIBOU — Will this be the year that the dominance of the race car drivers from the St. John Valley in Aroostook County is broken at the fourth annual Last Chance 150 (formerly the Spud 150)?
According to promoter/race director Jere Humphrey of Washburn, “I know that there is going to be 20-25 Late Model Sportsmen (LMS) that are very competitive. I would not count out Austin Theriault of Fort Kent [Theriault won inaugural Spud 150 in 2009] or Frenchville native Shawn Martin now residing in Turner. [Martin won in 2010 and 2011] I am sure there are a lot of people wanting to dethrone these from their position such as Ellsworth’s Andy Saunders, who finished second in each of the previous Spud 150s. Saunders is point leader in LMS at Speedway 95.”
Racing at Spud Speedway gets under way on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. and will feature Spud Speedway regular classes plus a 44-lap Fast Fours feature race in addition to the Last Chance 150. The Fast Fours division at most Maine tracks is one of the most popular divisions.
“The Fast Fours is one of the largest divisions throughout the state,” Humphrey said.” They usually do not fend for a big purse. They’ll get $444 to win. They normally get $100-$150 for a Saturday night event. We feel there could be as many as 30 cars entering this race.”
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| Connor Thibeau of Fort Fairfield, left, celebrates a Late Model Sportsman race win at Spud Speedway earlier this year. His brother Keith Thibeau II joins him in Victory Circle. Both will be seeking wins Sunday at Spud Speedway — Connor in the Last Chance 150 LMS race and Keith in the 44 lap Fast Four race. |
Local Fast Fours champion Rick Saucier of Wallagrass said with a smile, “Our goal this year was to win this championship before we get too old.”
Turning his thoughts to the upcoming 44-lap feature, Saucier continued, “I’ll tell you what, these guys are coming here with no junk. They are loaded for bear. We are going to do the same. I think everyone coming has a chance of doing well. The fans are going to get a good show!”
Fast Fours track champion in 2011, Keith Thibeau of Fort Fairfield, had this to say about the upcoming race. “My plan is to win it but we will see how it turns out. I’ll be dedicating this race to my grandfather [Barry Thibeau who passed away earlier this year]. He owned the track some 25 plus years ago. My dad grew up here. Racing is in my blood. Hopefully I can pull off a checkered flag that day,” Thibeau said.
Thibeau’s younger brother, Connor, is the local favorite to win the Last Chance 150. He has won two of the three LMS races this season at Spud Speedway. “I am going to try to keep my car together to the end and be there at the end. I am going to try to keep my nose clean throughout the race,” Connor Thibeau said. This is my ‘hometown track.’ I have been racing there for six years.”
Fort Kent’s Austin Theriault, who was recently named the winner of the Maine Young Guns competition, which will provide him a racecar for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at New Hampshire later this month, will be attempting to capture his second 150-lap feature. Theriault, at the age of 16, won the inaugural race in 2009.
“I’m glad they are able to keep the tradition going,” said Theriault. “It was special to win that race at 16. It was the longest race I had run at that time. It will be fun to race at the track I started at and see all the fans again.”
Theriault, who currently is third in points on the American Canadian Tour (ACT), will be racing at Autdrome Chaudiere in Valle-Jct, Quebec the night before the Last Chance 150. The crew will scramble from the Quebec track, which is four hours north of Fort Kent, and prepare the racer to run at Spud Speedway.
Local Late Model Sportsman racers such as Jeff Willette from Presque Isle and Milo Haney from Connor plan to be at the race. Fort Fairfield’s Tharren MacDougal is moving up from the Super Street Stock class to contest for the win.
“We stepped out on a limb and made a one race lease agreement with owner Troy Haney,” Humphrey said. “We will try to get as many cars as we can at Spud Speedway to show the racing community and the people that we can have a real competitive race here at Spud Speedway.”
When Humphrey was asked if he was excited he replied, “Excitement is probably an under-estimate!”
Prices for tickets in the grandstands will be $10 for adults, ages 6-15 years of age will be $5 and children 5 and under free. Pit area tickets will cost $25. For more information, go to “Last Chance Motor Sports Racing Supplies” page on Facebook.
