If Kevin Girard Jr had left any doubt over the past two seasons who the top dog in the Nelcar Legend ranks at Maine’s fastest track happens to be, he put an exclamation point on it with a statement win Saturday night in the INEX sanctioned National Qualifier at Wiscasset Speedway. The 30 lap race, sponsored by Four Season Synthetic “Your Amsoil Factory Connection”, showcased the top Nelcar regulars intermixed with several of the best from southern New England and beyond for a tripled purse and big trophies, not to mention valuable provisionals in the INEX Asphalt Nationals in Las Vegas. Girard took the lead shortly after a lap 8 restart and then held off a fierce challenge from Noah Korner, then cruised to a comfortable victory. The win highlighted a chilly but action packed night of racing at Wiscasset Speedway, with Group 2 in action. Other winners included Brent Roy, Nick Hinkley, Ben Tinker, and Kurt Hewins.
Lets start this article off with the actual definition of a ‘sport’. According to Dictionary.com, a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, asracing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.” Everyone may have their own definition of what a sport really is, but how does saying that racing isn’t a sport make you feel better?
Growing up around racing and having to talk about it to other people, I was constantly hit with the comment that racing isn’t a sport. “All they do is turn left”, “how hard can it really be?”, “they only go around in circles…how is that a sport?”. These comments have followed me around since my brother first started racing cars in New England and I’m done not voicing my opinion about it.
Last Saturday Wiscasset Speedway saw packed grandstands and some exciting racing action. The bright lights lit up Maine’s fastest oval for the spotlighted race of the evening, the Amsoil Nelcar Legends National Qualifier. Also on the schedule were the group one division of racing, including the Thunder Four Mini’s, ServePro of Biddeford Saco Prostocks, New England Four Cylinder Prostocks, and the Super Streets.
Starting of the evening was the thirty-five lap Amsoil Nelcar Legends Spotlighted feature. Prior to race beginning, the drivers had first competed in time trials to determine heat position. The heats finalized race start position, with the fastest at the front. At race time start the cream had risen to the top, and the three front runners battled for a win.
From the start, the #19 of Kevin Girard Jr set a grueling pace with an average speed of about 78 mph. Behind Girard was the #399 of Bob Weymouth. Weymouth and third place starter, Matt Grant of the #84, gave Girard a challenge. Girard was able to hold them off despite three cautions. On the restarts, Weymouth and Grant fought for position. Whoever started at the bottom of the track on the restart was able to advance to second using the inside advantage. However, when the trio flew under the checkered, it was Girard in first, Weymouth in second, and Grant rounding out the top three.