Chris Case Comes Back Strong In 12th Annual Midweek Series Open At Beech Ridge

Column By: AMY HARROP / RPW – SCARBOROUGH, ME – Two weeks after the conclusion of the regular NASCAR Nite season at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, drivers from 8 different divisions returned to the track for the 12th Annual Midweek Series Open at the track.

The night full of racing included divisions that run at both Beech Ridge and Oxford Plains Speedway, giving drivers the chance to compete against new cars that they have never competed with before in regular competition. Nearly every division had 8-lap qualifying heat races, which was a little different for Thursday Night Thunder Beech Ridge drivers who don’t run qualifying heats during the regular season.

The Beetle Bug drivers were the first on the track. After being sidelined from the final week of Thursday night Beech Ridge competition due to a serious illness, Chris Case returned to the track for his redemption tour. After losing the championship title under such unfortunate circumstances, Chris won the first qualifying heat after running away from the #1 of McKeen on lap 3. The second qualifying heat was loaded with regular Oxford Plains Speedway competitors, with Cam Childs edging out Kyle Hewins for the heat victory. Beech Ridge’s Jeff Walker also put on an impressive show in the heat, finishing in the top-5 after starting the heat from the rear of the field.

Archer Bernard managed to hold off all of the competition to win the first Mad Bombers qualifying heat over fellow Beech Ridge competitors Todd Libby and Jason Gammon, who both battled to the front of the field in the heat. PASS 150 Open Weekend newcomer Brandon Johnson put on an impressive show in the second qualifying heat, but Wade Kennedy was able to hold him off for the heat victory.

Kris Knox made his return to Beech Ridge in the #0 truck on Saturday, taking the early lead in the 8-lap Trucks heat. 2017 Mighty Trucks Varsity champion Jeff Gillette was on the move early, making his way to Knox’s back bumper by lap 4. He eventually cleared him on lap 6, taking home the first heat victory. Beech Ridge regulars Jared Kimball, Nick Calvert and Danny Wear started in the front of the pack for the second qualifying heat. Wear began making his pursuit to the front early, clearing Kimball for the top spot by lap 3. After briefly falling back to third, Nick Calvert captured the runner-up spot on lap 2. He tried to catch up to Wear, but Wear was simply too fast for the competition and went on to win the feature.

Next up was the Bandits division, with Kyle Hewins taking the early lead over Tyler Green. After a large pile up on lap 2 that included Adam Sanborn, Shawn Knight and a handful of others, Jamie Heath got a great jump on the restart, clearing Hewins for the lead on lap 4. Heath went on to win the qualifying heat over Tyler Green and Kyle Hewins.

Emerson Mains pulled to the early lead in the first Outlaws qualifying heat, but Oxford Plains’ Gary Babineau was on a mission. He eventually cleared Mains for the top spot on lap 7, running away with the heat victory over Mains and Skip Tripp. After Todd LIbby jumped into the early lead in the second Outlaws qualifying heat, Jerry Freve started making his voyage to the front of the field. After clearing Jason Gammon for the runner-up spot on lap 3, he cleared Libby for the lead on lap 6. Freve wound up running away with the heat victory, followed by Guy Childs and Steve Moon.

In the first rebels qualifying heat, the Childs family put on a wild show for 8 laps. After Cody Childs took the early lead, Cam Childs made his way into the runner-up spot on lap 2. By lap 4, Cam was all over Cody’s back bumper. He made his way to Cody’s outside on lap 7, but Cody managed to hold off Cam for the heat victory, winning by a nose. After taking the early lead in the second qualifying heat, Wade Worster was feeling the heat from Dave Stone, Jr. for the better half of the race. When Stone was unable to get it done, Jeff Walker made his way around the #28 on lap 4, hoping to catch up to Worster. Wade Worster managed to hold off both Gillette and Stone for the heat victory.

Chris Case and Cam Childs started on the front row for their 20-lap Beetle Bugs feature. Cam pulled into the early lead, but Chris Case was all over his back bumper by lap 4. Jeff Walker was also on the move early, breaking into the top 5 on lap 5. By lap 8, Case and Childs were door-to-door, battling it out for the top spot. Meanwhile, Jeff Walker was clearly on a mission, clearing Wade Worster for P4 on lap 9. Chris Case kept challenging Childs, eventually clearing him for the lead on lap 10 in turn 2 after a well-fought battle for the top spot. By lap 12, Jeff Walker was challenging Cam Childs for the runner-up spot, eventually clearing him in turn 2. But, Chris Case was already long gone by lap 15, leading the field by 10+ car lengths. Chris Case went on to win the feature, which was his first PASS weekend victory and a bittersweet one, at that. After feeling the disappointment of losing a championship due to circumstances out of his control, this was the perfect redemption moment for Chris and the #45 team. Jeff Walker, Wade Worster and Kyle Hewins followed.

Scott Libby was on a mission early in the 35-lap Mad Bombers feature, pulling to the outside of Wade Kennedy right off the bat and leading the first lap. Jason Gammon was also on a move early, making his way into the third spot on lap 2 and challenging Kennedy for the runner-up spot on lap 9. After clearing Kennedy for the position on lap 10, he made his way to the inside of Libby for the top spot on lap 12. After finally clearing Libby on lap 13, Gammon started approaching lap traffic on lap 15, something that is unfamiliar for the Mad Bombers division. Gammon powered through the lap traffic, pulling into a 5 car-length lead by lap 20. Gammon went on to win the feature, followed by Scott Libby, Wade Kennedy, Brandon Johnson and Bill Gibson.

Phil Moulton and John Poulin took to the track next for a two car, 15-lap shootout in the Cruisers division. Both drivers had never raced at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway prior to Saturday, so it was bound to be an interesting race. After Moulton lead the race until lap 10, Poulin made his way to his outside, eventually leading lap 12. Moulton took control of the lead again on lap 13, but it was a well-fought battle to the finish, with John Poulin beating him out by a nose for the feature victory.

Jeff Gillette took control of the field early in the 20-lap Trucks feature. Gillette had maintained a steady lead for the first 10 laps of competition, but Danny Wear cut the lead down to two car lengths by halfway. By lap 13, the leaders were approaching lap traffic. Lap 14 brought a late-race caution, with Kris Knox and Nick Calvert getting tangled in turn 2. Jeff Gillette jumped back into the lead on the restart, eventually running away with the victory. Danny Wear, Nick Calvert, Brian Darling and Mark Grantham followed, rounding out the top five.

Jamie Heath ran away with the early lead in the 20-lap Bandits feature. After finding his way into the runner-up spot early, Kyle Hewins was at Heath’s door by lap 5, challenging him for the lead on the outside. Hewins managed to lead lap 10, but Heath pulled back into a one car-length lead by lap 15. By lap 14, the leaders were approaching lap traffic. Heath managed to hold onto the lead and win the feature, followed by Kyle Hewins, Adam Sanborn and Tyler Green.

Gary Babineau proved strong in the 25-lap Outlaws feature, maintaining his lead through lap 1. Steve Moon was on the move early, breaking the top 5 on lap 3. Babineau was running away with the lead, leading by nearly ½ of a straightaway by lap 10. He continued his dominance on lap 13, meeting lap traffic at the tail-end of the field. He sailed away smoothly with the victory, followed by Jerry Freve, Emerson Childs, Guy Childs and Steve Moon.

The Rebels division rounded out the competition with a 25-lap feature. Cody Childs pulled into the early lead, but Cam Childs was on a move early. After starting the feature from outside the top five, Cam Childs already found his way into the runner-up spot on the first lap of competition. By lap 3, he was at Cody’s outside, challenging him for the top spot. Cody Childs got sideways on lap 5 in turn 2, powering Cam into the top spot. The #04 of Proctor went around on lap 13, leading to a mid-race caution. Cam Childs maintained control of his lead on the restart, pulling away from Cody once again. Dave Stone, Jr. was on a move, clearing Cody for the runner-up spot on lap 15. By lap 18, Cam Childs had pulled into a 10+ car length lead over the rest of the field, which extended to a ½ straightaway lead by lap 18. Cam Childs rounded out the night with the feature victory, followed by Cody Childs and Dave Stone, who were nose-to-nose coming into the finish. Wade Worster and Jeff Walker followed, rounding out the top five.

Although the Beech Ridge season is over, the open season continues at Oxford Plains Speedway with the Oxford Acceleration Series on Sunday, October 15th. Racing action begins at 1:30 pm.