Written By: Amy Worrey – Chasing the Checkered
The 2026 race season is beginning to wind down at Wiscasset Speedway, and
champions are starting to be crowned every week. This past Saturday, the track hosted
a full Group 2 program that included the Dale’s Cash Fuel Roadrunners, Creative
Cleanouts Sport Modifieds, Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models and the
“championship race” for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets.
L-R: Hayden Carver, Easton Downing, Gavin Gerow and Karigan Glasier.
The afternoon kicked off with a 30-lap Pepsi spotlight feature for the Roadrunners.
Unfortunately, the race started out with chaos as Eric Powell took a spin on the initial
lap, making hard contact with the turn 3 wall. This resulted in a red flag, and the
cautions kept coming, resulting in a slow start to the race. Once the field settled, multi-
time race winner Gavin Gerow pulled ahead with the advantage over Hayden Carver.
Karigan Glasier was also coming to life in the second half of the race, breaking the top 3
on lap 16. Gavin Gerow maintained command through the remainder of the feature,
picking up his fifth win of the season and further extending his points lead in the division
while Hayden Carver and Karigan Glasier rounded out the top 3.
Entering the feature race for the Strictly Streets, Chaz Briggs held a 6-point lead over
Zack Emerson. Meanwhile, Dale Lawrence pulled ahead with the early advantage in the
30-lap feature, although the beginning of the race was riddled with cautions once again.
Chaz Briggs was involved in a lap 2 pile-up and was forced to restart at the rear, but
multiple cautions that followed brought him closer to the front once again. Through the
chaos, Ethan Dinsmore managed to snag the lead over Shawn Emery, who avoided the
chaos at the front of the field.
L-R: Zack Emerson, Easton Downing, Shawn Emery and Dale Lawrence
Dale Lawrence took a spin with just 4 laps to go, resulting in a caution. Shawn Emery
was forced to stop at the backstretch wall due to some smoke coming out of the rear of
his car, but race control deemed there were no leaks and simply smoke, allowing him to
stay on the track. While battling for position on the restart, Ethan Dinsmore and Ray
Dinsmore made contact, collecting Chuck Wagstaff, Justin Gailloux and Mac Hannan,
Jr. in their wake. Shawn Emery pulled ahead on the restart, while it was a dog fight fron
second on back. Emery scored the win, the second of his career, while Zack Emerson
and Dan Trask rounded out the podium. Chaz Briggs, who finished fourth, was deemed
the 2026 division champion – the first of his career after racing at both Beech Ridge
Motor Speedway and Wiscasset Speedway for over a decade.
L-R: Faith Cleaves, Easton Downing, Kyle Hewins and Adam Chadbourne
Scott Tucker made hard contact with the turn 2 wall on the initial start of the 30-lap
Sport Modified feature, resulting in a red flag. Faith Cleaves held the upper hand on the
restart, but both Jaxson Moreside and Kyle Hewins were right there, making it a 3-way
battle for the top spot. After a handful of laps, Hewins dropped back slightly, leaving
Cleaves and Moreside door-to-door at the front of the pack. The leaders battled it out
lap after lap and left the inside line open on lap 23. Kyle Hewins took full advantage of
the opportunity, powering to the lead while Faith Cleaves settled into second. Multi-time
champion Adam Chadbourne entered the frame with two laps to go, stealing third away
from Jaxson Moreside. Kyle Hewins held strong at the front of the pack, scoring his fifth
win of the season and further cementing his hefty points lead, while Faith Cleaves and
Adam Chadbourne completed the top 3.
L-R: Frank Moulton, Easton Downing, Shane Clark and Jonathon Emerson
Chase Burgess pulled out to a sizable early lead in the 40-lap feature for the Late
Models. Shane Clark was also on the move early, breaking the top 3 on lap 8. There
were heated battles all over the track from third on back, with Jonathon Emerson
breaking free on lap 14. Shane Clark tracked down Chase Burgess as the laps wound
down, pulling to Burgess’ outside door with just 10 laps to go. Clark completed the pass
two laps later, and the battle for second tightened up as both Frank Moulton and
Jonathon Emerson put the heat on Chase Burgess. Jonathon Emerson completed the
pass with 3 laps to go as Frank Moulton followed in succession. The two drivers went
door-to-door until the bitter end, with Moulton beating Burgess to the line by a nose as
Shane Clark captured the victory. The spot was extremely valuable as Frank Moulton
now leads the points by a mere 12-point margin over Jonathon Emerson leading into
Group 2 Championship Day in two weeks.
While some divisions further accrued hefty point leads on Saturday afternoon, other
divisions like the Late Models continued to tighten up, which will certainly result in an
exciting end to the ‘Group 2’ season in two weeks.
Until then, there are still ‘Group 1’ champions to be crowned, and it will all go down this
Saturday, September 19th. Although Nick Hinkley has already mathematically clinched
the 207 Crate Modified championship, there are still 4 champions to be decided, with 10
points or less separating the leaders in both the Pro Stocks and Thunder 4 Minis.
The green flag flies at 2:00 pm and as always, adult admission is just $5 while kids 6
and under get in for free.
For the official track schedule, race results, point standings and more, please visit
http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com.