ON SITE: Thrill of victory, agony of defeat for Joey Doyon

Charles Barkley made waves years ago by saying he was not a role model.

On Friday night at Unity Raceway, Joey Doyon tried hard to be the best role model he could – but felt as though he may have misled the young drivers looking up to him. Perhaps he should adopt the old adage ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’

Despite being the central figure in an early accident that wiped out nearly half of the contenders at Unity Raceway, Doyon rallied to win the 50-lap Late Model feature, his first Late Model win at the facility.

The Winterport driver was trying to wrestle the lead from Dave St. Clair when he initiated contact, sending St. Clair and others – including St. Clair’s son Puncin and grandson Josh – into the dirt embankment along the backstretch. The wreck effectively ended the day of Puncin St. Clair and Deane Smart, who last month won the first Late Model race at Unity since 2005.

Doyon was contrite in victory lane.

"I’m sure (Dave St. Clair) understands I didn’t do it on purpose," Doyon said. "It was very early in the race, and I should have been more patient, but it wasn’t on purpose by no means."

Josh St. Clair rallied in the closing laps of the main event, looking under Doyon in turns 1 and 2 several times over the final 10 circuits. Doyon would clear him off of turn 4 to thwart those advances each and every time.

"To be honest with you, if it had been anybody but him behind me, I don’t know," Doyon said. "I went into (turn 3) thinking the bottom was the best place, but I was so out of shape that one little tap and I would have been gone. Josh didn’t do anything and I was able to hold on, and it means a lot."

Josh St. Clair, who is chasing the Late Model championship at Wiscasset Raceway, said his car just wouldn’t handle.

"I just couldn’t get off the corner," he said. "I was pushing on the bottom and on the outside getting off 3 and 4. What I’d gain in 1, I’d lose in 3 and 4."

Scott Modery of Hermon finished 3^rd, and Dave St. Clair fought back up to 4^th. Making his first Late Model start, defending Sportsman track champion and current division points leader Brad Bellows of South China finished 5^th in a car owned by Doc Suske.

While Doyon was thrilled with the victory, he said it was bittersweet. Teen driver Ricky Palmer had been disqualified from his win earlier in the evening because of rough driving.

"I was trying to teach Ricky about patience tonight," Doyon said. "He spun out a couple of guys in his race and I told him, ‘You need to be more patient.’ Then I go out and spin Dave out.

"I’m not sure I’m much of a role model tonight. I’m sure he knows I didn’t do it on purpose. I feel bad it happened that way, but I’m sure everything will be all right."