Race Director/organizer Jere Humphrey noted, “The racing was very competitive in most of the 15 various divisions, with the 440 stock, being the largest class offered.”
“The temperatures were brisk and with the predicted winter storm approaching numbers were slightly down from our average with only 80 total registrations. But, in the past, our Season Opener, located far north generally is in that ballpark.”
“The few hundred spectators that did brave the elements, had a great view of the race course, perched on the hill, overseeing the entire course.Tame the Track Tour Snowmobile Racing was pleased to offer the Season Opener –Snoflake Showdown offering double points for the VVCS active members in the first of eight venues in 2019.”
Results from the Tame the Track Season Opener at Shin Pond Village:
Dysart’s Truck Stop KIDS 120cc STOCK —
1st place Trenton Hanscom
2nd place Kaleb Partridge
3rd place Colten Brown
Witham’s Heating KIDS 120cc IMPROVED —
1st place Riley Hartford
2nd place Ben Ciampa
3rd place Nick Ciampa
Witham’s Paving KIDS 120cc MODIFIED —
1st place Riley Hartford
2nd place Emmett Walker
3rd place Evan Witham
Katahdin Motorsports & Pro Industrial Plus KIDS 200 STOCK —
1st place Kaden Rose
2nd place Jayce Rose
3rd place Emmett Walker
Casella Waste Systems WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL —
1st place Haley Frohlich
2nd place Alley Ripley
3rd place Katie Rose
TNT Road Company JUNIORS INVITATIONAL —
1st place Austin Witham
2nd place Aiden Murray
3rd place Hailey Hartford
Houlton Powersports & RV TEENS INVITATIONAL —
1st place Caleb Morris
2nd place Christian Hanscom
3rd place Landon Collins
Blanchard’s Towing & Recovery SINGLE CYLINDER STOCK —
1st place Mike Morris
2nd place Daytona Gould
3rd place Jordan Taylor
Harry’s Motorsports & Equipment SINGLE CYLINDER MODIFIED —
1st place Justin Hartford
2nd place Mike Morris
3rd place Caleb Morris
Renegade Race Fuels 340 STOCK —
1st place Justin Hartford
2nd place Mike Morris
3rd place Daytona Gould
Savage Paint & Body 340 MODIFIED —
1st place Justin Hartford
2nd place Brian Gendreau
3rd place Andy Gendreau
Bangor Motorsports & J McLaughlin Construction 440 STOCK —
1st place Justin Hartford
2nd place Daytona Gould
3rd place Caleb Morris
O’Reilly Auto Parts 440 Modified —
1st place Shawn Berry
2nd place Justin Hartford
3rd place Daytona Gould
1st Rate Bait and Cyr & Sons Repair IFS 440 STOCK —
1st place Matt Weeks
2nd place Justin Hartford
3rd place Joe Pelletier
Mission Trailers & Unifirst IFS OUTLAW —
1st place Matt Weeks
2nd place Joe Pelletier
3rd place Toby Caron
Next up for Tame the Track Snowmobile Race Tour will be The Adrenaline Rush Reunion Saturday January 26, 2019 at Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport, Loon Lake, Rangeley, Maine. Racing is slated to begin at 10 am. For more information visit http://www.tametracktour.com
The 5th Annual Caribou Snowmobile Racing Drag race will be Sunday January 27, 2019 at the Lodge on the Van Buren Road in Caribou with gates open at 7 am with racing beginning at 11 am. For more information check out the Caribou Snowmobile Club Racing Facebook page.
Fort Kent snowmobile racer on Arctic Cat
Typically you will find Fort Kent’s Joe Pelletier on a Ski Doo when racing. This Saturday, Pelletier drove the Last Chance Motorsports 1997 Arctic Cat ZR 440 to a 3rd in the IFS 440 Stock and 2nd in the IFS Outlaw at the Snoflake Showdown at Shin Pond Village.
“It took a little while to get used to riding an old style sled, but we made a few changes and got it better, said Pelletier. “We will adjust a few other things and it should be even better, but a little more seat time will be key. I have raced twice on borrowed Arctic Cats before, when racing cross-country.”
Northern Maine Antique Tractor Club (NMATC) begins their 2019 raffle project tractor
NMATC 2019 raffle project, 1946 John Deere Model H tractor before restoration. (Carol Bell photo)
A group of County antique tractor enthusiasts are spending their Saturday mornings working on the NMATC 2019 raffle project tractor, a 1946 John Deere Model H. The club sells raffle tickets to raise funds for area charitable organizations. The tractor will be ready for the 1st Annual Kiwanis Swing into Spring Show at the Presque Isle Forum March 23 & 24, 2019.
The tractor club will be selling raffle tickets for the restored tractor until October. The club will draw the winner’s name at their annual meeting in November 2019. Last year the club was able to donate several thousand dollars to Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education and Recovery (C.A.N.C.E.R.) and Aroostook House of Comfort in Presque Isle.
NMATC members meet every Saturday to work on the club’s tractor restoration project. Working this day from l to r were Richard Carter, Castle Hill, Paul Beaulieu, Limestone, Norm Driscoll, Presque Isle, Meredith Folsom, Monticello, and Wayne Spitzer, Presque Isle. Not in photo Carol Bell, Presque Isle. Between the six members they own 51 antique tractors. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Despite it being his 75th birthday Norm Driscoll, Presque Isle, worked on getting the club restoration project getting it ready for paint. The club repaired the brakes, clutch, rebuilt carburetor, and replaced the old tires with new front and rear. The club utilizes Caldwell Auto in Limestone for painting their projects. (HTF Motorsports photo)
The club also does an annual Tractor Trek in the summer to raise money for charitable causes that the club supports. This year the club will be trekking in the Monticello area. NMATC also sanctions antique tractor pulls throughout the northern Maine area. For more information check their website http://www.nmatc.org
Daytona bound
My brother Bill Hale and I will be covering many stories at the 2019 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this week and weekend. We will do our best to dig up some human interest stories as well as some of the technical side of sports car racing while at America’s premier endurance event. The event will start 47 entries in four classes; DPi, LMP2, GTLM, and GTD. For more information check out http://www.imsa.com
Imagine what it will be like to have four different classes of races starting at the same time on your local track. It is slightly easier on the 3.81 mile road course which gives more room for passing, however, the braking zones are a blast to watch as the high-powered cars overtake the slower cars.
There will be four Indy 500 winners in the field with seven wins between them. NASCAR will only have two former drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and AJ Allmendinger. Formula 1 will be represented by three former drivers with 50 F1 wins.
The local County connection to CORE Autosports will be pursued as well as a meeting with Daytona International Speedway Head of Grounds, Jason Griffeth, a 2000 Caribou High School graduate and former assistant groundskeeper with the Boston Red Sox.
An interview that I have been looking forward to since last year, when after getting snowed in at Presque Isle International Airport for one day, I had to cancel my appointment with Don “Big Daddy” Garlits. Watch this video courtesy the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) about “Big Daddy”.
https://www.facebook.com/NHRA/videos/10157118341196410/
Please note
Because the race at Daytona does not get done until 2:30 pm on Sunday January 27, I hope to post on Monday January 28th. I think that it will be worth your wait to see how this story developed. NBCSN will be providing about 18 hours of coverage with IMSA.tv filling in the gaps. Who knows, maybe you will get a glimpse of the Maine boys.
Lets go racing,
Tom Hale
