Proving once again that there is some truth to the old adage ‘It ain’t over until it’s over”, John Phippen Jr. of Bar Harbor took a roller coaster ride to victory lane in the 50 lap Dysart’s Late Model feature event at Speedway 95 Saturday night. Phippen started the event in fourth, and had just taken the lead from Duane Seekins of Stockton Springs in a move that saw Phippen dive low and Seekins take the high road past slower traffic on lap 12. Just as Phippen emerged as the leader, the caution flag flew, and Seekins regained the lead for the restart. Phippen passed Seekins early on, and held the lead until lap 33, when Rowland Robinson Jr. was attempting to pass Phippen for the lead. The two cars came together, sending Robinson for a ride off turn 1. Phippen restarted in the lead, but began fading and fell as far back as 6th, when another caution stopped the action on lap 44. Greg Morse and Josh St.Clair of Liberty came together on the front stretch while fighting for the lead and trying to pass slower traffic at the same time. This sent St. Clair off turn one and Morse to the pit for a tire change. Phippen also headed for the pits to change a tire on his car that had been going flat from the earlier skirmish with Robinson. On the restart, Phippen Morse and St. Clair had all returned from the pit, and resumed their battle for the lead. When the checkered flag finally flew on lap 50, Phippen was first, followed by Morse, Matt Eaton of Deer Isle, St. Clair, and Bradley’s Dean Smart. The 16 car starting field had been reduced to 5 cars by the time the race was over. Qualifying races for the 50 lap event were won by Josh St.Clair and Duane Seekins.

In earlier action, Greg Morse of St. Albans took the win in the feature that had been postponed from last Sunday due to rain.  Don Alexander Jr. of Levant was second, followed by Dave St. Clair of Liberty, Dale Swoboda of Hermon and John Phippen Jr. of Bar Harbor. That event, too, had it’s share of mishaps, with cautions flying on lap 1, 2 and 8 before the race really got going.

The Super Streets also did double duty Saturday night as their rained out feature event from last Sunday was also made up. In that make up event, Josh St. Clair took the lead on the 17th lap when he came out ahead in a 3 wide battle for the top spot with Kris Watson of Hermon and Steve Moulton of Holden. After St. Clair assumed the lead, which he held to the end, Watson passed Moulton for the second spot, and Moulton held on to finish third. Pole sitter Doug Sinclair of Hermon finished in fourth with Franklin’s Mike Overlock in fifth. In the regularly scheduled event, St. Clair was again the winner, followed this time by Moulton in second and Watson in third. Fourth and fifth were again Sinclair and Overlock, in that order. Steve Moulton won the lone qualifying race held for the Super Streets.

The second event was interrupted on lap 11 when driver Ikey Dorr of Addison pulled his car to a stop on the front stretch just out of turn four. The wrecker crew came to assist, and Dorr waved to them to push him. As they attempted to push the car, it just drifted toward the infield. They then went to the car to see what happened, found Dorr unconscious in the car, and called for assistance from the track medical team. Efforts to resuscitate Dorr at the scene were unsuccessful, and a second ambulance was called to transport him to the hospital. Dorr was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the hospital due to a heart attack. Dorr was 56 and had been racing at Speedway 95 since 1988. His two sons were with him at the track Saturday night working on his pit crew. The thoughts and prayers of the Speedway 95 racing community are with Ikey’s family during this very difficult time.

In Strictly Street action, Bradley Norris of Ellsworth picked up his fourth win of the season after fighting off a hard charge from Shawn Hamel II of Bangor over the final five laps. In earlier action, Melanie Judkins of Orrington started on the outside pole, briefly held the lead and ran in the top three until her car started drifting high in the corners, allowing the field to dive underneath and pass her. As the field then sorted itself out, Norris worked his way to the front and went under the checkers first followed by Hamel II in second, his father, Shawn Hamel of Bangor third, Brad Finnemore of Dover-Foxcroft fourth and Judkins in fifth.

Brent Fletcher of Old Town made it two in a row in the Sport Four division, keeping his Mustang in front Kyle Gallant of Veazie who was glued to Fletcher’s bumper for a good portion of the race. As the race wound down, Gallant’s car started to fade, and David Green of Hampden moved into second, challenging Fletcher for the win as the checkers flew, only to come up short by half a car length. Gallant finished in third, with Jeff Overlock Jr. of Hermon, driving a car borrowed from Rick Grant, finishing in fourth. Gary Richards of Stetson was fifth. The race was stopped only once by a caution flag when James Johnson II of Bucksport tangled with another car on the front stretch and wound up on his side after a trip down the turn 1 embankment. Once Johnson’s car was righted and pulled back to the racing surface, he attempted to rejoin the race, but mechanical issues forced him to retire early.

The Maine Supercup Racing League was also on the evening’s slate, in a race won by Gerry Phillips of Hermon. Early leader Fred Ireland of Howland finished in second, followed by Frances Bernard of Howland in third. Dean Smart of Bradley was fourth and Bob Leighton of Milford finished fifth. Tony McLaughlin of Carmel failed to make the feature  as his car was unable to recover from a flip and slide on the roof on the front stretch during the qualifying race that was won by Ireland. McLaughlin was uninjured in the mishap that saw the car right itself before coming to a rest under the flagstand, where McLaughlin climbed unassisted from the wreck.

Racing continues at Speedway 95 on Saturday June 13, with a full slate highlighted by a 50 lap event for the Super Streets. Also on the schedule are the Dysart’s Late Models, Strictly Streets, Allenfarm Fence Co Sport-Fours and the NELCAR Legends, along with the Maine Supercup Racing League.