Wiscasset Raceway Late Model champion Chris Thorne's car checks out just fine

Chris Thorne’s second consecutive Late Model championship was backed up by a clean bill of health from his engine inspectors.

After winning the title at Wiscasset Raceway on Sunday, track officials confiscated Thorne’s car and held it over night. According to Wiscasset race director Derek Mingo, the engine was removed from the car on Monday under the supervision of Wiscasset owner Doug White and then taken to Butler-MacMaster Automotive in Hallowell.

Tests run on the engine confirmed the car was legal.

Thorne began running a crate engine this year for the first time, and he turned in a remarkably consistent performance from start to finish, recording five wins and 11 top-5 finishes.

Crate engines allowed in Wiscasset’s Late Model division are allowed to produce up to 350 horsepower. Thorne’s checked in at 344, Mingo said.

"I think it was something Chris was pushing for (us to do)," Mingo said. "I never thought anything was wrong with it, anyway. I don’t think either of those guys (Chris or his father and crew chief, Gary Thorne) would have put their reputation on the line with something that wasn’t legal."

Comments

[Wayne]

Thats good. Mabe some of those that say ALL crates are cheated will now shut up. Bill Whorff ran the last Pass race at Wiscasset with his Sealed 604 crate and his LMS car and finished 6th.

[steve reny]

Travis you dont have a spot for this question so im using this one. Why have'nt you or anyone covered the allstar race this weekend? This is a northern racing site is it not?

From TB:

I can't speak for other media outlets, but I know there are a couple of reasons why I have not.

First, and most important, was that I was planning on covering the Long John at Unity. With my other work commitments at the newspaper (I still work there???) I could never have made it to NH for Saturday.

Secondly, and no less significant, Bobby MacArthur has made it very clear to me that I am not welcome to cover events at his facility.

I think his exact words were that he had a spot in the men's room reserved for me if I wanted...

[Norm]

I went down there Steve...(I'm still waiting for the complete results to be sent to me...I asked for them Sunday)

So that might give you some idea why very little has been written about the race...

But I will tell you that the prostock race was halted by rain sixty two laps in with Eric Hudson leading.....

There was a wreck caused by the sudden hard rain.... Ben Rowe backed the Cushman Car hard into the wall between three and four... and was also tagged by some others...it was a mess of a race and it ended in a mess too!

10 cautions in the first 50 laps!....pretty much a repeat of last year....

They went back to the last completed lap for the order of finish...As far as I know, Ben Rowe finished second with Wayne Helliwell Jr. third... beyond that ..I dont know?

I need the results to write a story for LMD...no results...no story!

The crowd was small...the carcounts were mediocre...but most of the racing with the exception of the pros was pretty decent...

The late model race was pretty good....just a couple of cautions for harmless spins...

Youngster Joey Doiron won the 50 lap feature from the pole...holding off the late race charge from Lee regular Bryan Kruczek.... I think the #0NO LM of Miles Chipman finished third...

Nice big block super race... won by Russ Wood over ISMA king Chris Perley....

The 100 lap Mod race was good too!
Mike Stefanik came from far back to win that one over Ronnie Silk and Matt Hirshman....

All the classes were pretty good except for the pros and I think they might have just been ugly to begin with....with having to wait so long to run their feature...

I know I was ugly about the wait cause there was weather coming and they ran their features for the local classes first....

The website said they would run the prostock feature first...but so it goes....

I'm sure McArthur wanted to reward the guys who stuck with him all year by making sure they got to race....but anyway... the pros raced ugly!... period!

I'm pretty sure Marco will get some results sent to him....so I'd check the Racin Paper next weekend for the lowdown....

Quite honestly...if there is a next year for this race...and I go over there, it will be solely as a fan....

Cause I don't think McArthur cares if he has any press covering that race or not?... At least thats how it seems to me?