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Nelcar announces $4,000 Points Fund Increase, and more from Racin' Preview

The Nelcar Legends were once again back at the Racin' Preview show in Portland, Maine this past weekend.  The tour has announced that thanks to ZMax, the leader in Micro-Lubricants, the series will have an increased points fund, by $4,000.  More details will come soon.  Also new this weekend is the appearance of the series new dealer.  Longtime president, Terry Kirk will run "New England Legends Sales and Service" out of his garage in Durham, Maine.  More information coming soon as well.  The 2010 season is looking better as each day goes by for the Nelcar tour.  If you'd like to be behind the wheel of a Legend, please contact any of our directors, there are many good used cars around and they will point you in the right direction to get you on the track this season!

Photos From Racin' Preview 2010
By Chris Roy, official photographer of the Amzoil Nelcar Legends Tour

Nelcar at the 22nd Annual NorthEast Motorsports Expo

The Nelcar Legends were on hand at the NorthEast Motorsports Expo in Augusta, Maine this past weekend.  Not only were they displaying their cars, new tentative schedule and to help promote Legends Car racing, they were announcing the new series title sponsor, longtime series supporter AmsOil will move from Thursday Thunder sponsor to Nelcar tour sponsor in 2010.  There are plenty of other great things in the works as well for the series, including six races with the Pro All Stars Series Tour, twice at Beech Ridge, and Lee USA Speedway, Riverside Speedway, Speedway 95 and Unity Raceway at one a piece. Stay updated on Nelcar.net for the latest news and for more information about how to get behind the wheel of a Legends Car in 2010!

Photos From The Show
Photos by Evan Beaulieu and Chris Roy

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Zachem Takes Title In Style

The final race of the season for the Nelcar Legends tour was held during one of the biggest racing weekends in New England, the PASS 300 weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Going into the race, Max Zachem had the championship basically locked up, but that wasn’t going to keep him from going for the win, along with the 20 other drivers in the line up.

After a six hour rain delay, the field for the first heat took to the track and it was the 48 of rookie Kendall Curit leading the field to the green flag. He got a good start, but the 38 of Bobby Timmons got the lead on the outside. The 20 car of Max Zachem came to the lead in a hurry though, as he took the lead and took the win in the 10 lap heat race in front of Timmons and Curit.

The second heat race was up next, and the action started right away as the 39 of former champion Doug Coombs spun after contact with his car owner in the 399, Bob Weymouth. Once the field settled in it was all Weymouth at the front as he took the heat win while another former champion, Jacob Dore in the 64X finished second and Aaron Boucher, fresh off his first win a few weeks ago, finished third.

Along with being the biggest race of the season, it was also the longest. 50 long and grueling laps in the already hard to drive cars with no power steering, was going to be a difficult task for the drivers and on their equipment. When the green flag flew, Zachem took off with Weymouth right behind him. The top five broke away from the rest of the field a bit while there was racing all over the track. The first caution flew on lap eight when the 72 of Kevin Hutchens and the 21 of Chris Sargent made contact in turn one. Both were able to continue as Zachem took the green flag once again and broke away from the field. After a long green flag run, the caution flew again as the 22 of Forest Boucher, having a great run in the top five all night, hit the wall off turn two after contact with the 70 of Tylar Braunschweig, ending his night early.

As a heavy fog set on the track, Weymouth and Zachem were showing why they are considered the two best of the tour while they had a stranglehold on the rest of the field as they fought back and forth for the race lead. Coming to the closing stages of the race, Zachem had the lead when the green flew again. After only a few laps, the 19 of Jim Manchester and the 33 of Alan Smith made contact going into turn one, sending Smith’s car over the side of Manchester’s and ending his night early. After the cleanup, it was set to be a three lap dash to the finish, and Zachem got a great restart as he lead the field around. He got about a three car length lead while Dore was fighting a very loose racecar behind him with pressure from Timmons and Weymouth. When the checkered flag flew, Zachem rolled across the line first to take the 2009 championship in style. Timmons was able to finish second, while Weymouth finished third. Dore was able to hold on for fourth while the 56 of Evan Beaulieu quietly made his way through the field after starting 13th to finish in the fifth spot.

At the conclusion of the race, the racing on the track was more than expected as the whole race had exciting points in it. It was only fitting however, that the kid who has dominated the season, end it while being on top. While the tour season is over however, the series is still active as they will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this coming weekend for the Nascar Cup weekend, this being their third time to the track. For more info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

50 Laps, $400 To Win, Season Finale? Sounds Like An Exciting Recipe

 With just one race remaining in the 2009 Nelcar tour season, it comes in one of the biggest weekends in New England , PASS 300 weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. The tour will take to the track on Saturday for 50 laps around the 3/8s mile oval, with the winner taking home $400.

Going into the race, the odds on favorite is the current points leader, the 20 of Max Zachem.. Zachem has six wins in the first twelve races and is eyeing his first Nelcar championship. His first win in New England came at Beech Ridge two years ago and he won the Thursday Thunder championship at the track this season.

The two drivers that have the best shot to contend with Zachem over 50 laps are Bob Weymouth and rookie Bobby Timmons. Weymouth is the 2008 track champion, and has two wins at the track this season. Timmons has showed all year that he can contend with his first win coming at the track earlier this year, and he showed he could last in a long race, winning the Four Cylinder Nationals earlier this year.

Also looking to take home the $400 check at the end of the night are Evan Beaulieu, Ed Getty, Terry Kirk, Alan Smith and Kevin Hutchens, among others as the race will put the drivers to the test as this is the longest race of the season, and sure to be the most exciting.
Along with the Legends feature there will be a 35 lap Road Runner event along with a 75 lap Stricklys/Wildcat event. Also on the card will be qualifying for the PASS Pro Stocks, Sportsman and Modifieds. This is all leading up to the big Sunday feature, the PASS 300. Tickets on Saturday are $35 for the pits and $15 for the grandstands. For more news, info and points visit Nelcar.net.

Max Zachem Becoming A Legend

Max Zachem of Preston, CT is on his way to becoming a racing legend. Max is competing in the NELCAR Legend Series and races a 1934 Ford Coupe as well as a 1934 Sedan. To date, Max has had over 20 career wins in the Legends series. In his racing career he has had a total of 10 racing championships, and 70 wins in Quarter-Midgets. 

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Max. I asked him, “ How did you get your start in racing”? He replied, “My Dad worked on the Nascar Whelen Modified Tour for many years with two legendary car owners Arthur Barry and Len Boehler. When I was young I went to the races whenever I could and eventually got hooked”!

Max’s favorite track to race at is Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. The reason Max likes Beech Ridge is because “it’s fast, flat 1/3 mile track on a beautiful facility in Scarborough, Maine and run by Mr. Andy Cusack.” 

As previously mentioned, Max drives both a ’34 Coupe and a ’34 Sedan. I asked Max what the two different types of engines in Nelcar were and what were there differences. He explained, “The two different types of motors are the 1200cc and the 1250cc (sealed) Yamaha engines. The 1200cc motor is built by a specialized engine builder from a professional to a local guy’s shop. The 1250cc motor is built ‘In House’ at 600 racing. While he races with both types of engines, he prefers the 1200cc motor because the 1250cc engines being built in house are being produced too quickly which causes many engine problems. “The 1200cc motor I have is built by Hank Scott. It’s all done by hand and is professionally sound to last the whole season and more.” 

With his last race of the season coming up, I asked Max if he felt he could hold off the rest of the field and claim the NELCAR Championship. Max modestly responded, “We shall see. These guys are tough every week and you never know anything can happen. September 11th and 12th is the big weekend finale for the NELCAR Legends at Beech Ridge. A whopping 50 lap race which in fact, is the longest race of the year.” 

Max stated that he had many memorable moments in his career, but two were stand outs. “ In 2007 in the Inaugural 4 cyc Nationals I got my 1st Legends win over Golden Master Terry Kirk at my favorite race track. Then in 2008 my first win at Waterford Speedbowl passing the track champion with 3 to go on a restart was also a very memorable moment!” 

I asked him what the key to getting around Unity was? He answered, “The way to getting around is the bottom. Everyone says the top line is the preferred grove. I beg to differ. The bottom is the shortest distance around the track which is always faster, but it’s also the roughest line around the track. You get comfortable and get your car working on the bottom and it’s the fastest the way around the track”. 

With the season coming to a close, I asked Max what his plans were for the 2010 race season and where he saw himself in the next five years. He said, “We are talking with teams to run in the Camping World East Series or the Whelen Modified Tour. It’s a long winter and anything can happen. As for the future, hopefully in five years I can be competing in either the True Value Mods, Whelen Modified Series, even possibly the Camping World East Series. However, sponsorship is key and we are always looking for more sponsors.” 

Like most drivers, Max said, “Even when I’m not racing, most of my time is spent out in the garage. My senior year of high school I participate in Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track & Field, and Bowling Club. I also love taking rides in my 2007 Ford Mustang. Most of all I love playing Playstation 3 with my little brother Jack.” 

I’m sure we’ll see more of Max in years to come and on his way to becoming a racing legend.

Photos and Story by Chris Roy
 

Legends Heat Up Cold August Night In Unity, Zachem Takes Home Another Win

The Nelcar Legends Tour made the trip up to Unity, Maine for the final time in the 2009 on Friday night.  It was the first cold evening in what has been a hot Maine summer, as some of the best Legends Cars drivers looked to take home the final checkered flag at the tricky speedway. The race would not dissapoint, as some familiar faces made their way to the front.

The first of two heat races saw the 10 of Ed Getty on the pole, with the 33 of Alan Smith lined up on the outside. Getty got the jump from the pole, but Smith rallied hard on the outside and took the lead out of turn two. He opened up a long gap over Getty and didn’t look back as he took his first ever heat win. Getty was able to keep the 72 of Kevin Hutchens, driving the car his dad usually runs, behind him as he took second and Hutchens had to settle for third.

When the high point heat hit the track, it was the 29 of Tyler Jordan leading the field to the green with the 17 of Terry Kirk on his outside. Kirk got the jump on Jordan from the outside, and led for the first half of the heat before the 38 of Bobby Timmons took it away, making the inside line work well. From there it looked as if Timmons would roll to the victory, but the 20 of Max Zachem had other plans, as he took the lead with two to go and cruised to the win as Jordan spun his 29 car in turn three while the 399 of Bob Weymouth and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu made abasive action to avoid. Timmons finished second and Kirk held on for third.

Getty once again sat on the pole for the feature race, as Jordan was lined up to his outside for the green flag. When the field roared into turn one, Jordan was able to take the lead as Beaulieu followed close behind in second. Those two were able to check out, running bumper to bumper for the race lead, and it looked for a while the race would be decided by the two sophomore drivers. Coming up through the pack however was Nelcar tour points leader Zachem, as he picked off the cars one at a time and made his way to the front, making his way to Beaulieu’s bumper around the half way point. Zachem tried a couple times, but the three drivers made their way around the track mostly single file before Zachem drove under Beaulieu, and was able to clear, and went around Jordan on the very next lap. In hot pursuit was defending champion Weymouth, as he made his way to second, but it was too little too late as Zachem took the checkered flag again at Unity. Weymouth finished second, Jordan had his best tour run and finished third, while Beaulieu put the rough luck he’s had to rest with a fourth place finish, and the 19 of Jim Manchester showed his best performance of the season, rouding out the top five.

With the win, Zachem increased his already demanding points lead, and will probably lock up the title after he takes the green flag in the final race on September 12th at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. The fight for second though is close, as only 30 points are between second place Weymouth and fourth place Beaulieu when the throwaways are in affect. It will be an interesting final race, as many drivers are still winless in the ’09 season, and want to end the season on a high note going into ’10. It will all be apart of the biggest Pro Stock race in Maine, the PASS 300 weekend at Beech Ridge. The Nelcar tour will be apart of the Saturday night show, the day before the PASS show on Sunday. For more info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Boucher wins first, while Zachem takes the title

            After nine grueling races, the Nelcar Legends car tour went into their final night of Thursday Night Thunder at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway.  Max Zachem came into the night with a comfortable 46 point lead over Kevin Hutchens.  With five different winners in the nine races, it was yet to be seen if a new face would pop into victory lane at the end of the night to close out the Thursday Thunder season.

            The 1 of Aaron Lewis brought the field to the green flag with the 22 of Forest Boucher on his outside.  Coming out of turn four at the end of two laps, the 88 of Steve Fox, running fourth at the time, went in a spin while the 19 of Jim Manchester and the 21 of Chris Sargent spun to avoid.  The top two in points, Zachem and Hutchens made contact at the rear of the field with Hutchens going up over the side of the 20 car and coming to a rest on the front stretch.  Fox, Zachem and Hutchens limped back to the garage area and saw their days end early, leaving Zachem in a vulnerable position to lose the title.

            When the green flag flew again, Lewis was able to get a jump up front, but the 22 of Forest Boucher, and rookie in the series, got around Lewis and was able to take over the race lead.  Lap nine the 33 of Alan Smith and the 64 of Chris Ogilvy made contact in the middle of the field, sending Ogilvy in a spin and Smith into the back stretch wall.

            The field was reset and Boucher brought them to the line, Boucher was able to get up to the lead in front of Lewis, the 29 of Tyler Jordan and the 10 of Ed Getty.  Boucher lead the field and got himself a good lead over Jordan and Lewis as Getty and the 38 of Bobby Timmons were fighting for fourth behind him. 

            On the final lap, the 48 of Kendall Curit spun while racing for eighth with the 17 of Terry Kirk, as he spun up the track the 72 of Dan Hutchens hit the backstretch wall going to avoid.  Meanwhile at the front, Boucher was able to keep the lead, and take his first checkered flag, becoming the second rookie to take a win in 2009.  Jordan held on for second, while Lewis crossed the line third and Timmons got fourth at the line over Getty.

            Watching the race from the pits, Zachem was able to celebrate as the 2009 Thursday Night Thunder champion as he edged Getty out by 28 points in the final tally.  Jordan ended the Thursday season in third in points, while Weymouth, the leader in wins, was fourth and Timmons was able break a tie with Hutchens for the fifth spot due to his win earlier in the year.  While the Thursday Thunder season is over, the Nelcar tour will still roll on into September, with their next race coming August 28^th at Unity Raceway, and the final race on September 12^th during PASS 300 weekend at Beech Ridge.  For more info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Lloyd Alexander
 

Zachem Continues Dominance, Wins Sixth Tour Race

After being postponed weeks ago due to rain, the Nelcar tour was back at Unity Raceway for their 11th event of the season. What has been named, “New England’s toughest oval,” holds true for some of the trickiest cars to handle. The previous two races have been won by two of the series best, Bob Weymouth won the first round while Max Zachem held the checkered flag in the second round.

Terry Kirk in the 17 car lead the field to the green flag for the heat race, but Weymouth was able to get his 399 car to the lead early, and didn’t look back as the incident free 10 lap heat was completed with Weymouth taking the checkered flag. Bobby Timmons was able to grab second, while Zachem made his way to third.

For the feature race, it was the 29 of Tyler Jordan on the pole, while Kirk was on the outside for the green. When the flag flew, Jordan opened up quite a lead on the field, as he lead the first portion of the event until Zachem’s 20 car made his way through and challenged Jordan for the top spot. Just as he took the top spot, the 83 of Brandon Ingalls, making his Legends car debut, spun in turn three, as rookie Tyler Braunschweig went into the sand bank to avoid the spin. When the two were back on the track, the green flag flew again as Zachem took off from the lead, as Timmons’ grabbed second. Zachem didn’t look back, and continued his dominance in the series, grabbing his sixth win. Timmons’ finished second, while Weymouth was able to get around Jordan for third, and Alan Smith had a good run, rounding out the top five.

The next scheduled race is August 28th at Unity once again, and with only a handful of races to go, the rest of the field is running out of time to catch Preston, Connecticut’s Max Zachem, as he holds on to the points lead over Weymouth and Timmons’. Evan Beaulieu was able to compete at Unity after his hard wreck at Beech Ridge the Thursday before, in Terry Kirk’s owned car, once driven by series standout Chris Seavey. Beaulieu currently holds fourth in points ahead of Kirk, who rounds out the top five. For more info, news, and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Weymouth Runs Away With The Win In Round Nine

Round nine of Thursday Night Thunder at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. With Max Zachem pulling away from the field in the points standings, it’s still a tight battle for second, with only 24 points separating Bobby Timmons from eighth place Terry Kirk. After a few weeks hiatus after some rough luck, Chris Sargent was back in the series behind the wheel of his 21 car, while Nelcar tour driver Charlie Buxton made his first appearance in the Thursday series. While in practice, the 56 of Evan Beaulieu’s bad luck continued as he hit the wall while going to avoid a spun car, ending his day early.

When the green flag flew, it was veteran Aaron Lewis in the 1 car leading the field with defending champion in the 399, Bob Weymouth on his outside. On lap two, Bobby Timmons and Steve Fox made contact running for the fifth spot, sending both of them for a spin, and leading them at the tail end of the field as the green stayed out.

Bob Weymouth got the lead from Lewis, and checked out on the field as the 27 of Kevin Hutchens drove his way to second. Zachem however, had to start from the rear of the field after winning the previous week, and had his work cut out for him as he made his way up through the field. When the checkered flag flew, Weymouth held a straightaway lead over Hutchens, who held off Zachem in a heated battle for second. Forest Boucher put up an impressive run in fourth, and Tyler Jordan rounded out the top five.

With just one race remaining, Zachem holds a 45 point advantage over Hutchens, while Ed Getty is third, 51 points back. While Zachem looks to hold his first Thursday Thunder championship next week, you can believe the rest of the field won’t give up, as anything can happen. The final race is Thursday, August 13th, racing starts at 7 PM and grandstand tickets are only $4. For more info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Lloyd Alexander
 

Timmons hangs on to win the 4 Cylinder National!

With a light mist hovering over the track for most of the day, the Nelcar Legends Car tour took to the 3/8s mile Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on Sunday, August 2nd for the National Qualifier event. The winner of each division will get an guarantee spot in the A-Main event in the Legends Nationals at Lanier Speedway in Georgia. Drivers from Virginia to Canada made the trip to “the Ridge” for the 30 lap feature event and it did not disappoint.

For the first heat race it was Evan Beaulieu in the 56 car who drew the #1 pill and got to start on the pole. On his outside was the 22 of James Buescher. When they went green Beaulieu got the early lead, and was able to pull away a bit over the field. When the 38 of Bobby Timmons got around Buscher for second however, he closed in on Beaulieu’s back bumper and made his way around Beaulieu’s loose handling car, and he was able to put it in cruise as he took the heat win and got the pole spot for the feature. Beaulieu held on to second ahead of the 7 of Brad Hancock from Virginia.

For the second heat race, it was the 88 of Steve Fox who drove away from his pole starting spot. He made it look easy as he drove away to secure the outside pole position in the feature. The 27 of Kevin Hutchens was able to take second while the 25 of Ian Mollins from Canada took third.

After many delays and still a light mist over the track, the weather cleared enough for the 24 car field to take the green flag for the 30 lap feature race. When the green flag flew it was Timmons who took off from his pole spot, leaving Fox and Beaulieu to race it out for second. Once Beaulieu cleared Fox, he was not able to keep the spot for long as Hancock got a run low and was able to send Beaulieu to the outside, leaving him freight trained to 7th. Back up front Hancock led the charge back to Timmons rear bumper, as Mollins, the 20 of Max Zachem, the 23 of Shawn Buffington and the 399 of Bob Weymouth were all in line behind him. With the race winding down, and no caution in sight, Hancock put a lot of pressure on Timmons rear bumper, but the rookie driver was not phased as he weaved his way through lapped cars and was able to hold on to take the win. Hancock got what he needed however as he was the highest finishing Pro driver, and behind him from Canada was Mollins who took the Masters spot. Fourth was Zachem from Connecticut and fifth was Buffington.

As this race was both a Nelcar and TNT points race, Zachem still holds the lead in both standings, but Timmons made the biggest jump in TNT points, to third behind the 10 of Ed Getty and just ahead of the 27 of Kevin Hutchens, who fell out early with a broken axle. With only two TNT races to go, the points are tight as only 24 points separate second through eighth. While the TNT series runs Thursday night on August 6th, the Nelcar tour will be back in action on Sunday, August 9th at the Unity Raceway. You won’t want to miss any of the action as the season is coming to a close. For more info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net.

 

Zachem Takes Lead Late, Wins Round Six

With the temperatures in the high 80s all day, the heat was rising when the Nelcar Legends tour hit the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for round six of Thursday Thunder. Max Zachem out of Preston , Connecticut came into the race as the point’s leader, but after being close every race, he still had yet to visit victory lane. Only four points behind him was sophomore Kevin Hutchens, who has been consistent all season and kept Zachem in his sights.

When the green flag flew, it was the veteran behind the 17 car, Terry Kirk who led the field to the green alongside the 29 of Tyler Jordan, already a winner this season. With the field shuffling and racing for positions, the 88 of Steve Fox made a three wide move to take the race lead from Kirk with the 399 of defending champion Bob Weymouth closely in pursuit. With Weymouth trying to find a way around Fox, it allowed Zachem to close in on the two leaders and put up a challenge with Jordan right behind him.

Five laps to go and time running out, Weymouth got a run on Fox and as they went into turn one the two cars made contact sending Fox sideways as Zachem was able to capitalize and take the lead away. Both Fox and Weymouth were able to continue but lost a lot of ground. When the checkered flag flew, it was all Zachem as he took his first win of the Thursday Thunder series. Jordan was able to hold on for second, while Kirk ended up third with the 10 of Ed Getty right behind him in fourth and Hutchens edging out the 1 of Aaron Lewis to take another top five.

Zachem was able to pull away in the point’s standings as he’s now 19 points ahead of Hutchens. Staying right in their tracks in third is the veteran Getty. The series is back in action on Sunday, August 2nd for a special Thursday Thunder/Nelcar Tour combination race at Beech Ridge for the Kraze Korlacki Four Cylinder Nationals, which is also a national qualifier for the Legends National at Lanier Speedway in Georgia later this year. Don’t miss any of the action, racing on Sunday starts at 2 PM. For more info, news and points visit Nelcar.net.

Sealing The Deal, Timmons Wins Round Five

The Nelcar Legends Car tour hit the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for the fifth round of Thursday Thunder this past Thursday, July 23rd. With overcast and damp weather surrounding the speedway, the competitors made it to the track regardless.

When the green flag flew for the feature it was the 56 of Evan Beaulieu on the pole and the 17 of Terry Kirk to his outside. Beaulieu got the jump but on just the second lap current points leader Max Zachem drove to the inside of Beaulieu and grabbed the lead, but just as he did the car suffered electrical problems, giving the 29 of Tyler Jordan the race lead as Zachem slowed in turn three to bring out the first yellow flag.

On the next restart Jordan was able to pull in front with the lead, but he had the 38 of Bobby Timmons and the 88 of Steve Fox hot on his tail. Around lap 12, Timmons was able to get a nose under the 29 car and grab the race lead while Fox and Beaulieu moved into the second and third spots. Just a few laps later however, the 22 of Forest Boucher went around on the backstretch, bringing out the second caution and ending Boucher’s day early.

On the next restart Timmons was able to get out to the lead again while Beaulieu and Fox battled for second behind him. The next lap around however, with just eight laps to go, Fox got loose out of turn four and clipped the right rear of Beaulieu, sending Beaulieu headed toward the wall as Jordan was going to avoid, the two made contact and Beaulieu slammed the wall while Fox hit the tires and Jordan was spun around. All three saw their days end early.

While Timmons has had no luck at the Ridge so far this season, he was able to pull out to the lead once again on the final restart and keep the 64 of Jacob Dore behind him and grab his first Legends Car win. The 27 of Kevin Hutchens was able to come back from a spin and finish third, while the 399 of Bob Weymouth finished fourth and Zachem drove back up to fifth.

After five races, Zachem still holds the points lead, but now it’s only four points in front of sophomore driver Kevin Hutchens and 19 ahead of the 10 of Ed Getty. The series is back in action again next Thursday, July 30th for round six, and then round seven will be held that Sunday, August 2nd for a combined Thursday Thunder and Nelcar points race, which is the Maine National Qualifier. Come out and see some of the best racing in New England on Thursday nights, admission is only $4! For more news, info and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Brenda Meserve
 

Hard Charger, Weymouth takes round four

Maine showers were threatening the forecast on Tuesday, July 16^th, but when the teams arrived at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, they were treated to blue skies and hot weather.  Round four of the Thursday Night Thunder series was exciting as always. With the 16 car field taking to the track with Max Zachem as the points leader, with a defending champion in Steve Fox hot in pursuit.

When the field took to the track, it was young sophomore driver Evan Beaulieu on the pole with the 17 of Terry Kirk on his outside.  The unpredictability of Thursday nights started before the green flag, with the 38 of Bobby Timmons, coming back from a wreck in last weeks race, shut down in turn four with an electrical problem and he was forced to retire for the evening.

At the drop of the green flag it was Beaulieu who took the early lead as the 10 of Ed Getty got behind him in second.  Lap three the 22 of Forest Boucher went for a spin in turn two, but was able to continue as the green flag stayed out.  Meanwhile back in the front, Beaulieu was opening up quite a lead on Getty, as heavy hitters Bob Weymouth and Zachem were making a charge for second.

After Weymouth and Zachem made it by Getty, they started to reel in Beaulieu and cut down his lead.  By the time Beaulieu got through the lapped traffic with seven to go, Weymouth was on his bumper as he drove his car hard to the inside and made the move, putting Beaulieu back to third behind Zachem.  Just a couple laps later, Zachem got loose going into turn three trying to get around Weymouth and Beaulieu made contact, sending Zachem for a spin and forcing both cars to the rear of the field for the contact.

When Weymouth saw the green again, he made it look easy as he drove away with his second Thursday Thunder win of the season.  Getty was able to finish second, while the 27 of Kevin Hutchens finished third with the 88 of Steve Fox driving to fourth and the 29 of Tyler Jordan finishing fifth.

After round four Zachem saw his points lead cut in half as Fox is making a charge, only five points back.  Hutchens and Getty were able to use consistency to stay in third and fourth, while Jordan is having a good year in fifth.  Next Thursday the series will once again hit the 3/8s mile of Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, racing starts at 7 PM. For more info, news and points visit Nelcar.net.
 

Redemption, Zachem wins at Unity!

Round nine of the Nelcar Legends tour on Friday, July 10th took place at Maine’s trickiest track, Unity Raceway. Going into the night it was Max Zachem who has taken control of the series and making his mark, winning the last three races. While behind him was a pair of rookies in Evan Beaulieu and Bobby Timmons who are both hungry for their first win, and the defending champion Bob Weymouth.

As the heat race began, it was the 17 of Terry Kirk who set the field from the pole, as Beaulieu, who had worked all week to get his car ready after his wreck at Lee, was on his outside. On the start both Kirk and Beaulieu slid up the track out of turn four, and Timmons got a run under them and took the lead. Timmons was able to hold the lead for the distance and picked up his second heat win of 2009, Kirk was able to hang on for second as Weymouth bypassed Beaulieu on the last lap to finish third.

At the start of the feature it was Beaulieu this time who held the point at the front with Timmons on his outside. On the start Beaulieu got the jump and took the lead out of turn two, but from his third starting position, Weymouth had other plans, as he overtook Beaulieu on the second lap and took the lead. As the top three of Weymouth, Beaulieu and Timmons set sail, Zachem was making his way to the front. As he and Beaulieu dueled side by side lap after lap for the second spot, the 48 of Kendall Curit, making only his second Legends car start, spun going into turn three and bringing out the caution.

As the field lined back up for the restart, it was Weymouth on the inside while Zachem lined up in the preferred outside groove. As the green flag flew, Zachem took the race lead from Weymouth, and was able to hold on as he took his fourth straight win over Weymouth, Timmons, Beaulieu and fifth place finisher the 29 of Tyler Jordan.

After the ninth race of the season, Zachem still holds the points lead over Weymouth. After Charlie Buxton’s absence he dropped from third to seventh in the points, leaving Timmons in the third, Beaulieu in fourth and Kirk in fifth. The next Nelcar race is July 24th at Unity again. For info, news and points, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Fox Takes Win in Round Three!

On a hot and sunny Thursday night, the Nelcar Legends were ready for round three of Thursday Thunder presented by Amsoil. With the tracks ever changing conditions and handling, the drivers were faced with a difficult challenge in their 25 lap feature event.

As the 18 car field took to the track, it was the 27 of sophomore Legends driver Kevin Hutchens setting the pace from the pole position. On his outside was the 88 of veteran driver Steve Fox. On the start Hutchens pulled ahead early, as the field behind him settled in single file, bumper to bumper. Around lap five Fox drove to the inside of Hutchens as his 27 car went for a spin down the frontstretch. The caution was not thrown as Hutchens got back going.

The next time the field came around the 1 of Aaron Lewis had a valve cover bolt come undone, spilling oil on the frontstretch and sending the 38 of Bobby Timmons, running third at the time, spinning out of turn four and this time collecting the 21 of Chris Sargent and defending champion in the 399, Bob Weymouth. None of the cars were able to continue.

When the green flag came back out, Fox took off as the leader as the 64 of former Thursday Thunder champion Jacob Dore was on his tail. The two would duel until the finish as Dore got a run on the last lap, but Fox was able to hold him off as he took his first win of 2009. Hutchens, after his spin was able to restart back up front as the lineup went to the last completed lap, finished third just in front of his kart rival Evan Beaulieu in the 56 and Terry Kirk in the 17 wrapped up the top five.

After round three, the points had a huge shake up as the only driver in the top ten to keep his points spot was the leader Max Zachem after his sixth place run, as he now holds a ten points advantage over Fox. The 10 of Ed Getty has been consistent through the first three and holds third in points while Hutchens has made his way up to fourth and Tyler Jordan is fifth. Every Thursday night the Nelcar tour takes to the track at Beech Ridge, round four is slated for July 16th and if the first three have been any indication, the racing will be wild and it all starts at 7 PM. For more info, news and points visit Nelcar.net.
 

Clean Sweep, Buffington wins again at Lee!

The Nelcar Legends were back at Lee USA Speedway for the second and final time of the 2009 tour on America’s birthday, July 4th. The nineteen car field did not disappoint the many spectators who filed into the speedway to watch a great day of action which also included Monster Trucks, NEMA Midgets, the NorthEast Mini Stock Tour and the Allison Legacies. After the one practice the Legends got, it was the usual heavy hitters at Lee who topped the speed charts, Shawn Buffington and Max Zachem from Connecticut were fast along with Bob Weymouth and Charlie Buxton from the state of Maine.

After consistent rain slowed the action twice during the day, the heat races were scrapped and the Legends went out for their 25 lap feature event. On the pole was the 33 of Alan Smith with the 29 of Tyler Jordan on his outside. When the green flag flew the field went wild, with cars four wide across the racetrack, which led to the first yellow flag in turn four on the first lap. The 90 of Art Moran Jr. and the 1 of Aaron Lewis got together and came to a stop in turn four. Lewis was able to drive away as Moran was done for the day.

On the next restart it was Smith who held the lead while the strong runners, Buffington, Zachem, the 38 of Bobby Timmons and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu were making a charge from the rear of the field. Around halfway Buffington got his car to the lead and he didn’t look back, as it was a mad scramble behind him for position. Racing for the fifth spot, Timmons and Smith made slight contact coming out of turn four, sending Smith for a spin and bringing out the yellow flag.

With the field bunched up again the green flag flew and Buffington and Zachem dueled for the win. In the end it was Buffington who completed the sweep at Lee USA and took the win, but behind the leaders the 18 of Tom Gray made contact with the 19 of Jim Manchester, sending Manchester for a spin and collecting Beaulieu, Smith and the 10 of Ed Getty. Third across the line was the 30 of Ed Field, Weymouth took fourth and Buxton completed his last Legends race in the fifth spot.

With the wild race at Lee, the points had quite a shake up. Zachem still holds a strong lead over Weymouth after his second place run, but after the wreck Beaulieu took he dropped to fifth in points, moving both Buxton and Timmons up. The Nelcar tour will hit Maine’s trickiest track, Unity Raceway on Friday, July 10th next, as the season starts to wind down. For more info, points and news visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

The Sophomore Jordan takes first win at Beech Ridge!

Day after day of showers and cold weather, the Maine forecast finally called for a sunny day, just in time for the roar of the motors at Thursday Night Thunder at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. 20 of New England’s best Legends Car drivers took to the track at the 3/8s mile oval. Going into the night, Bob Weymouth had a slight advantage over Max Zachem for the points lead, after only one week.

When the green flag flew over the field, Tyler Jordan in his 29 car on the pole with Terry Kirk on the outside. Jordan got a good jump and took the early race lead ahead of the 10 of Ed Getty and the 21 of Chris Sargent. While Getty was locked to Jordan’s rear bumper, the 38 of Bobby Timmons was making his move towards the front after started seventh, and took third from Sargent, setting his sights on the leaders. Behind those three was a mad dash for position between Sargent, the 64 of returning champion Jacob Dore, and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu, making his first appearance back to Beech Ridge since his flip two weeks ago. As they rushed for positions on the track, the 20 of Max Zachem was making his way to the front after starting in the rear. With about 5 laps to go he had moved to the fourth spot, and made a late race charge on the final lap, but Jordan was not going to be denied, as the sophomore driver held him off and took his first ever Legends Car victory. Zachem ended up second and took over the Thursday Thunder points lead, Getty was third and Timmons and Dore rounded out the top five.

At the conclusion of week two, Zachem takes over the points lead as Weymouth drops to fourth in points after his 12th place run. Timmons moves up to second, 12 behind Zachem. Next Thursday and every Thursday the Legends are back in action at Beech Ridge, and for only $4 you can come see the excitement the series has to offer. Nelcar will also have a booth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, please stop by! For more news, info, and schedule visit Nelcar.net.

 

Zachem snakes through to fourth win of the season!

 The Nelcar Legends were back at Speedway 95 in Hermon, Maine for the final time in the 2009 season, and it would not disappoint. While the forecast called for threatening skies, the sun came out and it was a great day for racing.

The heat race saw the 56 of Evan Beaulieu leading the field from the top spot, less than 48 hours after his horrific wreck at Beech Ridge on Thursday night. On the start though it was the 399 of Bob Weymouth who took the lead on the outside groove, but his lead would not last long as the 20 of Max Zachem took the lead early and never looked back as he took the heat win over Weymouth and Beaulieu.

For the feature it was the impressive rookie Bobby Timmons wheeling his 38 car on the pole, while Beaulieu started on the outside. When the field got the green, Timmons got the early lead and Beaulieu followed in his tire tracks. The two stayed locked to each other until the first caution flew around halfway for the Canadian rookie Brad Eddy in the 28 car went for a spin in turn two.

On the next restart Beaulieu got a good jump on Timmons but when the field went into turn one, the 99 of Charlie Buxton went to the outside of the 17 of Terry Kirk and the 29 of Tyler Jordan, sending Buxton for a spin into the backstretch tires, ending his night early. While all of that was going on though, Timmons and Beaulieu got together on the frontstretch racing for the lead as the yellow flew, sending Beaulieu airborne for the second race in a row but he corrected his car and kept going. With smoke pouring out of both cars, they got re aligned on the front row and set to do battle again. When the green flag flew, Beaulieu was able to keep his momentum on the outside and clear Timmons, taking the race lead. With seven laps to go however, Zachem was able to make a run under Beaulieu for the lead, and took it out of turn four. He would not look back as he took his fourth win of the season as Beaulieu came back from his flip on Thursday night to finish second. Timmons was able to hold on to finish third, Weymouth finished fourth and Jordan got his first top five of his career, finishing fifth.

After seven races, Zachem has pulled away a bit in the point standings over Weymouth. Beaulieu moved up one spot in the points to third over Buxton and Timmons rounds out the top five. The next scheduled Nelcar race is July 4th weekend at Lee USA Speedway. For news, points and schedule, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Wild race with the veteran taking charge

 Thursday night was the start of the summer long Thursday Night Thunder series at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. The series runs for ten straight Thursdays with the grandstand admission only $4, and only $8 for the drivers and their crews. The fans packed in under the threatening skies and at 7 PM, the first division rolled out on the track, the Nelcar Legends.

After the draw for the starting lineup in the drivers meeting, it was defending TNT champion Bob Weymouth in the 399 car to bring the field to the green, with the returning Steve Fox in John Gibb’s 88 car on his outside. When the green flag flew, Weymouth got the early lead with Fox in hot pursuit.

The action would start off early and in a big way. On lap six, the 64 of Chris Ogilvy got loose going into turn one and he and the 38 of rookie Bobby Timmons got together, sending Ogilvy in a spin. In an effort to avoid the wreck the 19 of Jim Manchester and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu got together, sending Beaulieu’s car on his roof as he barrel rolled his 56 machine through turn two, coming to a rest and climbing out uninjured. Also in the wreck was the 33 of Alan Smith, who was going low to avoid the spinning Ogilvy and tore his right side off of Ogilvy’s front bumper.

When the field went back to green flag, Weymouth was still up front and in charge as he and Fox pulled away a bit. Near mid pack, the 27 of Kevin Hutchens was making a move around the 90 of Art Moran and went for a spin in his 27 machine. That brought out the caution and set up for a great finish.

Green flag came back out and Weymouth would have a new challenger, the 20 of Max Zachem. The duo ran side by side for the final laps, but Weymouth would not be denied as he took the victory. Zachem finished his strong run with a second while Fox would settle for third. Timmons drove through the field to finish fourth and Moran finished fifth.

The TNT series still has nine races left and anything can, and probably will happen. For only $4, come see if Weymouth can defend his title, or if Zachem can sneak his way around. For news, points and the schedule, check out Nelcar.net.

Picture by Brenda Meserve
 

Zachem goes two in a row, wins at Wiscasset!

            The Nelcar Legends Tour made their one and only stop at “Maine’s Fastest Oval,” Wiscasset Raceway on Saturday, June 6^th.  Early on in the day throughout the practice sessions, the usual contenders were the fastest.  The 20 of Max Zachem, the 56 of Evan Beaulieu and the 38 of Bobby Timmons all looked sporty.

            For the first heat race, it was the 10 of Ed Getty and the 27 of Kevin Hutchens on the front row.  Getty took the early lead while Hutchens followed closely behind.  With two laps to go however, Getty’s run was shortened as a problem with his car spoiled his chances, while the young Hutchens took the lead and grabbed his first heat win.  The 19 of Jim Manchester finished second and Getty held on for third.

            As the wild first heat concluded, the second heat took the track and would not disappoint.  The 17 of Terry Kirk and Timmons were on the front row, and as the green flag dropped, the action began as they came out of turn two four wide for the race lead.  Kirk and Timmons were able to hold on though as Beaulieu and the 99 of Charlie Buxton dueled for third.  The front row stayed side by side until three laps to go as Timmons was able to get his machine up front.  At the flag, Timmons took his first heat win and Kirk held off a hard charging Beaulieu for the second spot.

            On the pole for the feature was Kirk while Getty started on his outside.  When the green flag flew, Getty wasted no time as he took the early lead, as Beaulieu followed through and the two raced side by side for the lead early on.  Getty would be able to pull away though, but the 20 of Max Zachem quickly made it up through the pack and was in hot pursuit.  He ended up getting the lead while Hutchens followed through, taking second.  Behind them, it was Beaulieu coming back up through as the 99 of Charlie Buxton followed.  The race ran smoothly green to checkered, as Zachem took his second win in a row and third overall in 2009.  Hutchens got his career best finish of second place while Buxton was able to get by Beaulieu for third and Timmons rounded out the top five.

            As the series completes their sixth race of the season, Zachem is able to open up an 18 point gap between himself and Charlie Buxton in the point standings.  Bob Weymouth drops to third after his sixth place run and Beaulieu still holds fourth.  The tour will have three races in three days next week, as the Thursday Thunder season opener at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is June 11^th, and then Unity Raceway on the 12^th and Speedway 95 on the 13^th.  Be sure to make your plans to come see the Nelcar Legends tour.  For the latest news and information on the tour, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Zachem again at Speedway 95!

The Nelcar Legends Car Series ended their double header weekend with a trip to Hermon, Maine at Speedway 95, presented by Clay GMC-Chevrolet of Lincoln. The action had to hold off for a little while though, as consistent rain fell over the track. The drivers and their crews waited it out, and around two o’ clock the cars were called up to the track for first practice. Evan Beaulieu and Max Zachem were the fastest in the one and only practice.

For the heat race it was Beaulieu in his black 56 machine on the pole while the blue colors of Charlie Buxton started alongside. When the green flag dropped the two friendly rivals went to work. Side by side for the first few laps was what the fans got, until the two made a little contact out of turn two and Beaulieu pulled out to the early lead. Zachem though had other plans as he quickly ducked low and got around Beaulieu and drove away with it as he took the win over Beaulieu, the 399 of Bob Weymouth and the 38 of Bobby Timmons.

Terry Kirk, the series president and one of the most popular drivers among the pit area, started on the pole for the feature while Buxton once again started second. When the green flag flew Buxton pulled away as the early race leader. On lap three there was contact made in the back of the pack between the 33 of Alan Smith and the 29 of Tyler Jordan, and Jordan went for a spin down the backstretch, breaking his steering mount and ending his day early. The race stayed green, and Zachem once again came to ruin the party, as he took off from his third starting spot and drove to Buxton’s rear bumper and the two dueled side by side. Around lap 12 Zachem took the lead and kept it until the end, taking his second win of the season. Buxton held on for second, while Timmons made a late race pass on Kirk and Weymouth rounded out the top five.

With his win, Zachem took over the lead in the points standings, with a slim seven point advantage over Weymouth. The series would like to thank Clay GMC-Chevrolet for their sponsorship of this weekend’s race. The series will be at Wiscasset Raceway for their only appearance at Maine’s fastest speedway on June 6th. For more information, news and points, go to Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Weymouth takes first win of '09 at Unity

Race number four on the Nelcar Legends Car series schedule took place on the trickiest track of the tour, Unity Raceway in Unity, ME. Eleven of New England’s finest Legends Cars took to battle on the short and rough surface, and did not disappoint.

The action started out early in the heat race. On the front row was the 17 of Terry Kirk and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu. On the start Kirk got the jump but Beaulieu fought hard on the outside groove, which as we see at Speedway 95, is the preferred groove around the track. The 399 of Bob Weymouth had other plans though, down the backstretch he dove down low on Kirk and Beaulieu, making a three wide pass for the lead while Beaulieu got up in the marbles and spun his machine down the hill. Green flag stayed out though as Beaulieu parked his car. Weymouth was able to pull ahead, and win the heat in front of Kirk and the 20 of Max Zachem. The 99 of Charlie Buxton finished fourth, and rookie Bobby Timmons ended up fifth.

The feature race was thrilling to say the least. It was the rookie Timmons and veteran Kirk on the front row. On the start the two stayed side by side for a number of laps until Timmons pulled into the lead with Weymouth and Beaulieu in pursuit. Starting at the rear though came Zachem as he took over the lead at lap nine. Weymouth took over second, but stayed about five car lengths away from Zachem’s rear bumper. A late race caution for a spin by the 5 of Adam Ricci and the 7 of Patrick Stewart set up for a five lap shootout. On the start, Zachem once again pulled ahead of Weymouth and Timmons, but coming out of turn two he slid up the track into the marbles, putting Weymouth into the lead with the dueling combo of Timmons and Beaulieu to duel it out for second. On the final lap Weymouth would take the win as the 99 of Charlie Buxton went off the backstretch banking as well. Timmons beat Beaulieu by a bumper at the line, taking his best career finish of second while Beaulieu settled for third. Kirk would take home fourth place as Zachem recovered from his backstretch mishap and finished fifth ahead of the 33 of Alan Smith and the 29 of Tyler Jordan.

The tour is once again back in action on Sunday, May 24th for “Legends Cars at Speedway 95 presented by Clay Chevrolet.” After the excitement the fans saw at Unity, they can expect much of the same at Speedway 95. With his victory, Weymouth pulled ahead of Zachem in the point standings by eight points, as Buxton dropped down to third place, twelve out of the lead. For more information, points and news, visit Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Buffington wins at Lee USA!

            Lee USA Speedway was the host of the third Nelcar Legends car race of the 2009 season.  17 of the Northeast’s best Legends cars took to the 3/8’s mile track. Up front early in the two practices were the 23S of Waterford Speedbowl regular Shawn Buffington who was fast from the start, while last weekends winner Max Zachem followed.

            The first of the two heat races would showcase most of the Waterford “invaders.”  But it was regular Kevin Hutchens who brought them down to the green flag.  Straight from the start it was Buffington getting the lead and he never looked back while he took the first heat win in dominating performance. In his first race back since his nasty crash at Waterford just three weeks before, Tom Gray finished second while Ed Field rounded out the top three.

            The second heat race had the top eight in points, with the 29 of Tyler Jordan on the pole.  Without hesitation, Zachem took the lead on lap five after starting from the sixth spot.  He drove away while Jordan and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu battled for the second spot, as Beaulieu got him by a nose at the finish and the 99 of Charlie Buxton ended up fourth.

            The feature race would serve to be quite interesting.  After their top three finish last weekend, Zachem, Beaulieu and the 399 of Bob Weymouth would all have to start at the rear of the 17 car field.  On the start, Hutchens once again took the lead from the pole and held it until around lap seven when Buffington got around and took the lead with Buxton following.  Coming up from the rear came Zachem, as he grabbed the second spot from Buxton with around five laps to go.  But it was too little too late as the feature race went green to checkered with Buffington pulling off the win in dominating fashion. Zachem wound up second, Buxton ended up third and Field held off a hard charge from Hutchens and Beaulieu to take fourth.

            With his third place effort, Buxton stretched his points lead to nine points over Zachem, who jumped up three spots after his performance at Lee. Weymouth had a motor mount issue and ended up seventh as he dropped down to third, while Beaulieu holds fourth place over Terry Kirk in fifth. The series takes a week off before a double header weekend at Unity Raceway on May 22^nd and Speedway 95 on May 24^th. For more info, points and news visit Nelcar.net

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

Zachem takes week two at Speedway.

The second race of the Nelcar Legends Car Tour took place last Sunday, May 3rd at Speedway 95 for their second of four appearances at the tricky Bangor track. Early on in practice it was the usual contenders of Max Zachem and Charlie Buxton who were the fastest, one thing that wouldn’t change throughout the course of the day.

In the heat race, it was the 10 of Ed Getty and the 17 of Terry Kirk on the front row. When the green flag dropped though, Buxton wasted no time to get to the front, taking Kirk and Getty on the outside in a three wide move out of turn four to take the lead and pick off right where he left off last weekend with a heat win. Back in the pack it was tight, but Zachem made his way through the traffic and got second, while Kirk held off the 38 of Bobby Timmons to take third and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu fought hard with traffic as well and got credited for fifth place.

For the feature it was the 33 of Alan Smith and Beaulieu on the front row. On the start it was Beaulieu who got the good jump, and took the early race lead. After starting in fifth, Zachem got around the traffic and started to reel in on Beaulieu’s straightaway lead. Around halfway he got to Beaulieu and darted down low while Beaulieu ran the preferred outside line. After battling hard for numerous laps, Zachem got his bumper in front of Beaulieu’s and took the race lead as the 399 of Bob Weymouth and Buxton drove close behind. Beaulieu was able to stick with Zachem, but couldn’t do anything to wrestle the lead back as Zachem put last weekend’s motor failure to rest as he took the checkered flag. Beaulieu took home his best finish of second place. Weymouth wound up third while last weekend’s winner Buxton took home fourth. Terry Kirk made quite a move in the back of the pack in the late stages of the race to grab fifth.

After two races, Buxton holds on to his points lead by one point over Weymouth. Beaulieu jumped up three spots in the points in a tie for third with Kirk. The Nelcar Legends will be at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire. A strong field of cars is always promised at the famed 3/8’s mile. For info, news and results, click on to Nelcar.net.

Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer
 

2009 Season Preview

With the Nelcar season opener just a month away, it's time to preview on what is sure to be one of the most competitive seasons the series has seen.

First you must look no further than the 2008 Nelcar and Thursday Night Thunder Champion, Bob Weymouth. The 3 time Champion drove his #399 car to five victories over the Nelcar tour. He goes into the '09 season looking to defend his title, but history is not on side. Looking back at the stats, he's won the championship in '04, '06 and now '08, that's every other year. Can Weymouth defend his title? Or will there be a new face with the title in 2009?

When you look at who may challenge Weymouth for the series title, look no further than Terry Kirk and Ed Getty. The two series veterens are going into 2009 fresh off a good '08 where they finished second and third in points respectively. Kirk grabbed his first win at Oxford since 1975 in 2008, and also grabbed a Beech Ridge victory, making the laid back president of the tour a threat for the title going into 2009. Ed Getty, the longest running driver in the series was consistent in 2008, grabbing a hand full of heat wins and running consistently at the front. He just couldn't break into the win column after a lot of close calls.

When he ran with the tour, he was up front, Max Zachem will return behind the wheel of the #20 Legends Car in 2009. While it is still uncertain as to whether he will run the entire tour, it is certain that he will run up front and challenge for wins. He scored six victories in 2009, but did not contend for the title due to missing a couple of races. If Zachem decides to run the entire tour in 2009, he's got to be the favorite for the title.

Straight out of the go-kart ranks come Charlie Buxton, Evan Beaulieu, Kevin Hutchens and Bobby Timmons. Quite the list, between them are seven titles and over 150 victories. Charlie Buxton is the series veteren of the group, heading into his third season in the Legends car in the #99 machine, and has impressed, getting nine top threes in 2008, but he still has yet to break into the win column. Evan Beaulieu and Kevin Hutchens both competed against each other and ran week after week in the karts, and now fresh off their first rookie seasons they too are looking to compete for their first wins. Beaulieu scored two top fours and the TNT Rookie of the Year, while Hutchens grabbed two top fives in his 27 machine. Bobby Timmons is going into his first full season of Legends. The 2008 Maine Karting Driver of the Year, ran his first race at Unity Raceway last year and got a solid seventh place run in his first race.

Between the drivers mentioned, including the 2008 Rookie of the Year Alan Smith, it will be quite the season and plenty of thrills are sure to come. The tour also has newcomers Dan Hutchens and Scott Haag, along with a series veteren, Chris "Doc" Ogilvy, returning to competition, this will be one of the most competitive seasons in Nelcar history. Come see if Weymouth, can defend his title, or if Kirk, Getty and Zachem can dethrone him? Will Buxton, Beaulieu and Hutchens get their first victories? It all kicks off April 26th at Speedway 95, click onto Nelcar.net for the schedule and we hope to see you at the track!

Photos From Speedway Expo in Springfield, MA

Thanks to everyone who helped us with our first trip to Speedway Expo.  We hope to return next year.  Thanks to Chris Roy for the photos.  Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos From Racin' Preview 2009 at the Portland Expo Center

Thanks to everyone who helped out.  Evan Beaulieu's car won Best In Show for the Non-Traditional cars.  Click on photos to enlarge.

Nelcar Drivers help with Race into Reading

Recently, South Paris Elementary School had a Race into Reading program for the kids at school. The program was aimed at encouraging students to read more. The #17 car of Terry Kirk has been in the school lobby for this past month. Ed Getty, a Director on the NELCAR Board, and Terry Kirk , President of NELCAR spoke to the students at an assembly on February 9th. Ed explained the need to know math to setup and adjust on the fast machines, because even the slightest adjustment can be the difference between first and second. Terry spoke of the importance of reading the rulebooks, and being able to run an organization such as NELCAR. If anyone involved in racing ever has a chance to speak to an assembly of students, do it! The kids asked all kinds of questions like, “have you ever rolled over”, “how fast do you go”, “have you ever wrecked”, “broken any bones”, “how old are you” and “have you ever been on fire”!, etc. The kids had so many questions they ran out of time.  Other notable racers that spoke to the students earlier in the month were Ricky Craven, one of the few drivers that has won in all three of NASCAR’s top tier series, and Nick Brown, a young late model driver at Oxford Plains Speedway who raced Legends Cars a few years back.

Car Show a success in Augusta

We'd like to thank everyone who helped us out during the Motorsports Expo in Augusta.  It was a successful show and we will see you all in May.

New Rules

NELCAR directors have been working on next years schedule along with car shows. Ed will be letting everyone now about the shows as details are finalized. The directors have had one meeting and discussed the upcoming season with rules review and updates. Another meeting will come after the New Year. The directors are committed to trying to keep racing as inexpensive as possible without sacrificing safety or the quality of the Legends Racing in this area. Every one of us know that economy is in the dumper right now and any cost saving that anyone suggest would be more then welcome. New car owners/drivers can tap the knowledge of the veterans to help them get their cars ready, you can call any of the directors and they will steer you in the right direction. The old saying works well “there are no stupid questions, just stupid mistakes”. Inex has new rules for next year of which everyone should be aware of and NELCAR will keep you updated as we learn of them. As Dan Hutchins said we will need the Nascar cutaway car for seat placement, someone else said need a poster. Wayne or John can answer your tech questions and if they can’t they can get the answers you need. Directors, Tech and Dealer are on the home page.

Inex new rules are
1) Weight rule will be 52% left side with the driver belted in the car.
2) Borla style mufflers.
3) Steel braided fuel line.
4) No open-faced helmets, helmets must be SA200 or SA2005 full face.
5) Here goes? The seat must be mounted with the centerline of the seat
a MINIMUM of 10" from the left side of the inside of the driver’s
compartment roll cage. (WE WILL NEED A DIAGRAM IN POSTER SIZE TO GET
THIS UNDERSTOOD!)
6) Specific gravity of fuel increased to .770
7) Roll bar padding- SFI-45.1
8) The protest fee for checking seals will be $200.00

Wishing everyone the best holidays possible and a great new year.

You can save $25.00 if you apply for INEX licence before Dec. 31
Form on 600 website.

2008 Archived Race Reports

If anyone has any news they think should be posted please E-Mail us.