Champions Crowned As Beech Ridge’s ‘17 Thursday Night Thunder Season Closes

Column By: AMY HARROP / RPW – SCARBOROUGH, ME – With the championship title on everyone’s mind, drivers from all eight divisions brought their A-game to Beech Ridge on Thursday night. Spectators filled the stands, ready to cheer on their favorite drivers and ready for an exciting night of racing.

The Legends division kicked off the racing action, with Ed Getty and Tylar Braunschweig starting on the front row for the feature. Parker Varney, Ryan Doucette and Chris Burgess followed, rounding out the top five. Tylar Braunschweig stuck to Ed Getty’s outside and pulled away, taking off with the early lead. But, the #19 of Kevin Girard was on the move behind him, navigating his way into the top 5 on lap 5 after starting in the rear of the pack. By lap 7, Girard made his way up to P3, continuing his fight toward to front. Last week’s winner Ivan Kaffel also showed strength early, breaking the top 4 on lap 8 after starting in the rear. Trevor Sanborn, a driver who has been a dominant force all season, followed suit, breaking the top 5 on lap 9. Kevin Girard cleared Chris Burgess for the runner-up spot on lap 12 in turn 4, setting his sights on the #70 of Braunschweig. He found his way to Braunschweig’s back bumper on the next lap, challenging him for the top spot. Meanwhile, Ivan Kaffel and Kevin Girard made contact on lap 15 in turn 3, sending Girard for a spin and drawing out the first caution of the night. This sent Girard to the back of the pack for causing the caution, leaving him to try to make up all of the positions that he just gained on the track. Tylar Braunschweig maintained the lead through the restart, but Trevor Sanborn was in hot pursuit. Sanborn made his way to Braunschweig’s inside for the lead on lap 16 as Ivan Kaffel was shuffled to the outside line, losing a handful of positions. Sanborn took home the feature victory and the Beech Ridge 2017 Legends Championship. Chris Burgess, Ryan Doucette, Ivan Kaffel and Parker Varney followed, rounding out the top 5 in the feature.

The Mad Bombers Junior Varsity division came into the night with a tight points battle between points leaders Garrett Lamb, Scott Eck and Danny Wear, with only 4 points separating the three drivers. Jamie Savoie started on the pole for the feature, followed by Seth Leeman, Richard Bourgeois-Lang and Steve Holbrook. The #53 of Seth Leeman cleared Jamie Savoie for the top spot in turn 2 on the first lap, pulling to the front of the field. The #27 of Scott Eck was shuffled to the outside on lap 3 after making contact with the #7 of Tim Gosch, leading to the first caution of the feature. Gosch headed to the pits while Scott Eck stayed out on track, making for a quick caution. After the initial restart was waved off, Justin Gailloux, Jenna Webster and Jimmy Dean went sailing into the dirt in front of the start/finish line, missing the memo. When the field settled down and went back to green, the #92 of Richard Bourgeois-Lang made his way around Seth Leeman for the lead on lap 3 in turn 1. The #20 of Danny Wear was on the move early, making his way around the #2 of Jamie Savoie for P5 on lap 6 in turn 3. Seth Leeman took a spin on lap 7 in turn 2, but he kept rolling, leaving the field green. The #18 of Devon McConologue pulled to Bourgeois-Lang’s door on lap 10, challenging him for the top spot. He cleared him on lap 11 in turn 3, taking advantage of the empty track in front of him. Danny Wear went around on lap 12 in turn 4, leading to another caution. Wear was sent to the back of the pack and race control moved the race up to lap 17 to speed things along. The #53 of Seth Leeman went around again on lap 17 in turn 1, leading to another quick caution. McConologue pulled away once again on the restart, but Scott Eck was on the move, clearing the #92 of Bourgeois-Lang for P4 on lap 22 in turn 3. Devon McConologue and the #00 of Wade Kennedy were side-by-side coming into the checkered, but Devon beat him out for the position, taking home his first career victory. Wade Kennedy, Jimmy Dean, Scott Eck and Garrett Lamb followed, rounding out the top 5 in the feature. Scott Eck took home the ‘17 Mad Bombers Junior Varsity championship.

With a dominant year under his belt, all Nick Calvert needed to do to win the Mighty Trucks JV championship was to start the race. Jay Leach and Robert Ferguson started on the front row for the feature, followed by Will Potter, Tanner McDougal and Nick Calvert. The #14 of Robert Ferguson pulled into the early lead, but Nick Calvert was sailing to the front early, capturing the runner-up spot on lap 2. He quickly found his way to Ferguson’s back bumper, clearing him for the top spot on lap 3 in turn 4. Jared Kimball was charging to the front, making his way into the runner-up position on lap 6 after starting in the rear. A competition caution was brought out on lap 15, bringing the field back together once again. Will Potter got into Tanner McDougal on the restart in turn 1, sending McDougal for a spin and bringing out another caution. Jared Kimball made his way to Nick Calvert’s inside on lap 16 in turn 1, later making his way around him for the top spot in turn 2. Jared Kimball ran away with the victory in the feature, followed by Nick Calvert, Tanner McDougal, Robert Ferguson and Will Potter. The drama between Potter and McDougal continued, with Ferguson once again turning around the #22 of McDougal at the start/finish line. After coming into the season with no career victories, Nick Calvert blew everyone away by becoming a dominant force in the JV truck division in 2017, taking home his first track championship.

The JV Beetle Bug division came into the night with a tight points battle between Alex Parechanian, Chris Case and Brandon Lizotte. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Chris Case was unable to compete on championship night, which was a devastating blow to both him and the #45 team. With just 6 points separating the two drivers, this left Alex Parechanian and Brandon Lizotte to battle it out for the championship. Mark Brulotte and Alex Dargi led the field to green, followed by Derek McKeen, Robert Taylor, Jim Emmons and Darryl Quinlan. Both Brandon Lizotte and Alex Parechanian started in the rear of the field. Alex Dargi immediately stole the lead away from Mark Brulotte, pulling away from the field. Alex Parechanian was on the move, clearing Brandon Lizotte for P4 on lap 7 in turn 4. A competition caution was brought out on lap 12, bringing the field back together. Brandon Lizotte made it a 3-way battle for the runner-up spot on the restart, capturing the position on lap 13 in turn 2. Alex Dargi ran away with the victory, which was his first career victory in the JV Beetle Bug division. Brandon Lizotte, Derek McKeen, Alex Parechanian and Darryl Quinlan followed, rounding out the top five in the feature. Alex Parechanian wound up with the championship victory, edging out Brandon Lizotte by just 2 points.

Betty Nelson came into the night with just a 6-point lead over the #32 of Kaitlynn Leavitt in the Ladies League division, meaning that the battle for the championship was far from over. Kiyah Gammon started on the pole for the feature, followed by Holly Gain, Mary Price, Sara Libby and Shelby Brannon. Kiyah Gammon pulled away with the early lead, but Shelby Brannon was on the move behind her. Brannon powered into the runner-up spot on lap 3 in turn 3, setting her sights on the #5 of Gammon. She took a slide in turn 4, saving her car but falling to the back of the pack. The #8 of Betty Nelson was charging toward the front, making her way to Gammon’s door for the lead on lap 5. She eventually captured the lead on lap 6 in turn 3, pulling away with the checkered flag (and the championship) on her mind. Championship contender Kaitlynn Leavitt had an uncharacteristically slow car on the worst night, falling to the back of the pack on lap 9. The #2 of Courtney Cameron went around into the dirt on lap 11 in turn 1, bringing out the first caution of the feature. Kiyah Gammon went around in turn 2 after the restart, but she managed to save it as the field remained green. The #2 of Courtney Cameron also faced troubles on lap 18 in turn 3, taking a spin. The field remained green and Betty Nelson took home the feature victory and the Ladies League championship, which is her first career championship victory. Shelby Brannon, Holly Gain, Jenna Webster and Mary Price followed, rounding out the top 5 in the feature.

Andre Gailloux and Michael Roe led the field to green in the Mad Bombers Varsity feature, followed by Brian Picard, Isaiah Reynolds and Stephen Taylor. The #41 of Roe pulled into the early lead, but the #18 of Brian Picard made it a 3-way battle for the top spot in turn 4, capturing the lead in turn 1 on lap 2. Isaiah Reynolds and Scott Libby both went around on lap 6 in turn 2, bringing out the first caution of the feature. The #18 of Brian Picard pulled away on the restart. By lap 15, he was leading by nearly ½ a straightaway over the rest of the field, displaying dominance. A competition caution was brought out on lap 15, bringing the field together once more. The #18 of Brian Picard pulled away again on the restart, seemingly untouchable. Brian Picard took home the feature victory, followed by Chris Burgess, Jason Gammon, Dale Alley and Jason Kennedy. Chris Burgess took home the championship title, making it his second consecutive championship.

3-time track champion Jeff Gillette came into the night with a 6-point points lead over Keith Petrin in the Mighty Trucks Varsity points standings. The #99 of Troy Leach started on the pole in the feature, followed by Brad Weismann, Mark Grantham, Matt Curtis and Brian Darling. There was a 3-way battle for the lead coming into turn 1, with Mark Grantham winning the battle and briefly pulling away from the rest of the field. Jeff Gillette was charging toward the front of the pack, clearing Brian Darling for the runner-up spot on lap 3 in turn 4. He made his way to Grantham’s back bumper on lap 6, challenging him for the top spot. Keith Petrin was also on the move, clearing Brian Darling for P3 on lap 13 in turn 3. Mark Grantham managed to pull away with the victory, making the win his first career victory in the Mighty Trucks Varsity division. Jeff Gillette, Keith Petrin, Matt Curtis and Brian Darling followed, rounding out the top five. Jeff Gillette took home the Mighty Trucks Varsity Championship, making it his third track championship in just four years.

The Varsity Beetle Bug drivers were the last to take the stage, with Dave Stone and Randy Pimpare leading the field to green. Gerard Cote, Todd Hubbard and Jeff Walker followed, rounding out the top five. Dave Stone pulled away from the field early, setting his sights on the checkered flag. Jeff Walker was on the move behind him, making his way up to P3 by lap 10 after starting in fifth. He made his way to Randy Pimpare’s back bumper on lap 12, later making his way to his inside on lap 17, clearing him for the runner-up spot in turn 4. Dave Stone was leading by 5+ car lengths coming into the last lap, displaying dominance over the rest of the field. Stone ran away with the feature victory, followed by Jeff Walker, Randy Pimpare, Wade Worster and Gerard Cote. Todd Hubbard was crowned the ‘17 Beetle Bug Varsity champion.

After the racing action was over, drivers from all 8 divisions lined up on the frontstretch for the final Autograph Night of the season and the top 5 Awards Ceremony.

The top 5 drivers in points from each division were as follows:

Legends

• Trevor Sanborn
• Brian Daigle
• Chris Burgess
• Ryan Doucette
• Parker Varney

Mad Bombers JV

• Scott Eck
• Garrett Lamb
• Danny Wear
• Brandon Johnson
• Wade Kennedy

Mighty Trucks JV

• Nick Calvert
• Jared Kimball
• Tanner McDougal
• Robert Ferguson
• Will Potter

Beetle Bug JV

• Alex Parechanian
• Brandon Lizotte
• Darryl Quinlan
• Chris Case
• Jim Emmons

Ladies League

• Betty Nelson
• Kaitlynn Leavitt
• Shelby Brannon
• Mary Price
• Sara Libby

Mad Bombers Varsity

• Chris Burgess
• Jason Gammon
• Todd Libby
• Archer Bernard
• Jason Kennedy

Mighty Trucks Varsity

• Jeff Gillette
• Keith Petrin
• Mark Grantham
• Brian Darling
• Matt Curtis

Beetle Bug Varsity

• Todd Hubbard
• Gerard Cote
• Randy Pimpare
• Dave Moreau
• Craig Pyy

Excitement filled the crowd as these drivers were awarded trophies, but excitement and hopefulness were also in the air as 3 drivers scored their first career victories on Thursday night, capping off an exciting and unpredictable 2017 Thursday Night Thunder season at the track.

We wish all of the Thursday night competitors and teams the best in the 2017 offseason, and our thoughts and well wishes are with Chris Case as he recovers. We know we’ll see you back in the #45 next season, stronger than ever and contending for a championship!

The Thursday Night Thunder season may be over, but the ‘17 NASCAR Nite season still rolls on at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Catch us this Saturday, August 19th, as the racing action continues! Heat races always begin at 7:00 pm.