Connecticut veteran strikes first in new Green Mountain Gear-Heads Series
BRADFORD, Vt. (May 27, 2024) – Scott Holcomb was “lucky” all night long at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday, May 25 – but he was good, too. The longtime open-wheel driver had the speed and got the right breaks to post his first win of the season on the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) Tour – an event that kicked off the brand-new Green Mountain Gear-Heads Championship Series presented by Hull Motorsports.
The North Granby, Conn., racer – who is sponsored by Lucky’s Truck & Trailer Centers – was the last driver to draw for his starting position prior to the 25-lap A-Main feature race, and he grabbed the No. 1 chip to start on the pole position. The luck didn’t end there, as Jake Williams scooted away at the drop of the green flag from the outside of the front row, but a nasty flip by Chris Donnelly moments later brought the red flag out. Donnelly was not seriously injured, but the reigning SCoNE champion’s car was destroyed.
The field was restacked for a restart with no laps completed, and again Williams jumped out front, but his car slipped around the outside lane on a dry-slick surface and Holcomb was able to regain the top spot at lap 3. Holcomb built a sizeable lead before a final caution period with 16 laps complete for an oil leak on Mark Cole’s car. At the restart, Holcomb used the Delaware-style restart formation to his advantage and drove away to wrap it up.
Behind him, Williams and Troy Comeau waged a highly entertaining fight for the runner-up spot. After several laps running side-by-side, Comeau eventually got ahead to score the best SCoNE finish of his career. Williams’ third-place finish was made sweeter with the presence of his one-month-old son Reed at the speedway. Chase Moran made a 300-mile journey overnight following the Empire Super Sprints event at Brewerton (N.Y.) Speedway and finished fourth, with fellow New York racer Floyd Billington fifth. The top 10 was completed in order by Matt Hoyt, Caleb Lamson, Kadyn Berry, rookie Caiden Herbert, and Will Hull.
RACE NOTES:
• A field of 16 cars made the trek to Bear Ridge Speedway.
• Scott Holcomb’s victory was the seventh of his SCoNE career, and his fifth at Bear Ridge Speedway. The win was his first on the SCoNE Tour since September 5, 2021, at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
• The two qualifying heat races were won by Troy Comeau and Matt Hoyt, with each grabbing a $100 bonus from CK & Sons Trucking of Barnstead, New Hampshire.
• Karen’s Shirt Barn, also of Barnstead, N.H., presented the Hard Charger Award, with a $50 bonus going to Nick Comeau, who originally started 16th and finished 11th to gain five positions. Comeau also received a free 55-gallon drum of racing fuel from the McPhail Racing Team for finishing 11th.
• Caiden Herbert of New Hampton, N.H., won a $50 bonus from Dave Bowser Motorsports as the top-finishing registered rookie in ninth place; Nick Kruger was 12th and Donnie Ottati was 15th.
• Through the first two events of the overall 12-race McGee Automotive Family SCoNE Tour, Scott Holcomb and Chase Moran are tied atop the championship standings at 98 points each. Caleb Lamson and Troy Comeau are tied for third at 90, and Matt Hoyt is tied for fifth with Jake Williams at 88.
The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England Tour has a two-week break before making the trek “Down East” to Maine’s Unity Raceway on Friday, June 14. To learn more about the Sprint Cars of New England, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England
Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
Green Mountain Gear-Heads Championship Series presented by Hull Motorsports – Race #1 of 5
Saturday, May 25, 2024
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (1) Scott Holcomb, Granby, Conn.
- (4) Troy Comeau, Wentworth, N.H.
- (2) Jake Williams, Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (5) Chase Moran, Fultonville, N.Y.
- (4) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (8) Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
- (6) Caleb Lamson, Moretown, Vt.
- (10) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (13) # Caiden Herbert, New Hampton, N.H.
- (11) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (16) Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (14) # Nick Kruger, Rupert, Vt.
- (12) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn, Conn.
- (9) Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
- (15) # Donnie Ottati, Rumney, N.H.
- (7) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
Lap Leaders (2 lead changes among 2 drivers): Scott Holcomb, grid; Jake Williams, 1-2; Holcomb, 3-25.
Cautions (2): Laps 0 [red], 16.
Contingency Award Winners:
• CK & Sons Trucking Heat Winners: Troy Comeau, Matt Hoyt
• Karen’s Shirt Barn “Hard Charger” Award: Nick Comeau (+5 positions)
• Green Mountain Gear-Heads Award: Scott Holcomb (1st)
• Highside Racewear Award: Troy Comeau (2nd)
• 802 Print Award: Jake Williams (3rd)
• VT Fire Award: Chase Moran (4th)
• Big Al’s Photos Award: Matt Hoyt (6th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Caleb Lamson (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Kadyn Berry (8th)
• McPhail Racing Team Award: Nick Comeau (11th)
• Dave Bowser Motorsports Rookie of the Race: Caiden Herbert (9th)
Upcoming Events:
• Friday, June 14 – Unity Raceway – Unity, Maine
• Friday, June 21 – The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.
(Photos by Alan Ward & Don MacIntosh)
- Justin St. Louis on May 27, 2024
- Article Date: 5/27/2024