Late Model Event The late model event at the Wiscasset Raceway this past weekend was marred by several crashes. (Photo Peter Taylor)

The biggest crowd of the season packed into Maine's Center of Speed Saturday evening for a night of racing sponsored by Accord Auto of Richmond and a spectacular fireworks show to celebrate the Independence Day weekend.

The big fireworks show put a fitting close to some great racing action capped off a stunning battle in the Clark's Car Crushing Prostocks in which Jeremey Whorff emerged with his first career win at Wiscasset Raceway. The track's top division rebounded from series of caution and wrecked filled races to put on perhaps the most exciting race of the year, thanks mostly to a pair of 3rd generation stars. Whorff started from the pole position for the 50-lap feature with Wiscasset's Chuck Colby to his outside. Whorff held the lead through the first eight laps while Colby applied the pressure.

A minor spin by Dick Byron on lap nine would bring out what would be the only caution of the race, giving the two drivers a chance to line up side by side again. Just a lap after the ensuing restart Colby would drive around the leader and pull out to what seemed a comfortable four car length advantage over Whorff and Chuck Lachance.

As the laps ticked away Colby's car seemed to loose its handling a bit while Whorff's car seemed to get stronger. Whorff caught back up to Colby's rear bumper by lap 20 and that is where the battle heated up. Whorff, whose father Bill Whorff Jr. was far back in the 21-car field racing nearby Chuck Colby's father Charlie, tried every trick in the book to get around the leader.

In turn, Colby would try every trick in his arsenal to hold the lead, testing Whorff's skill and patience in the process. After several attempts to drive around the outside Whorff would then try the inside, only to be denied again. While this battle raged on Randy Turner who started 8th and "Big" John Phippen who started 10th joined the pair to make it a four-car showdown for the win. Phippen jumped out of line and pulled up to the outside of Whorff's door for second by lap 35.

Whorff then managed to shake Phippen's challenge and pull up for one more try on the outside of Colby. This time he made it stick and came out of turn four with the lead (by just a bumper) as they completed lap 41. Whorff stayed in the gas and completed his pass of Colby one lap later, bringing Phippen and Turner with him into second and third on lap 43.

They would hold their respective positions to the end with Whorff taking the win by just a car length over Phippen and Turner. Colby would settle for 4th just ahead of Lachance. Whorff, the 2006 winner of the Oxford 250, put on an enthusiastic victory burnout for the fans to celebrate his first Wiscasset win and took a glimpse ahead to another big race coming in August.

"Yeah, the Toyota Tundra 250 would be a great race to win," Whorff said in victory lane. "The only thing that would be better is if my old man finished second again."

With their podium finishes of third and second, Turner and Phippen maintained their positions atop the point standings.

In other action on the evening defending Smith Construction LMS champ Chris Thorne of Sidney used the outside lane from his 8th starting position to move into contention for the win. Thorne took the lead from Mike Orr following a lap 18 restart and drove away for his division high third win of the season.

Thorne withstood a pair of late race restarts to secure the victory in the 30 lap feature while rookie point leader Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich turned in another solid run from 6th to finish second, holding onto his small lead over Thorne in the standings.

Not to be outdone, 3rd place point man Bill Whorff Jr. joined the two in victory lane to pickup the 3rd place trophy.

The 25-lap feature for the Unicel Super Streets went caution free for the first time this season. Veteran racer Allen Moeller Sr. jumped out to a big early lead and then held off a late charge by Nate Weston to pick up his first win of the season. In the process, Moeller broke a three-way tie with Shawn Austin and Mike Landry to take over sole possession of the division point lead. Weston would settle for the 2nd place finish and R.J. Austin picked up another podium finish racing from 7th to 3rd.

In the 20-lap feature for the Keystone Automotive Strictly Streets, Bath's Ian Bresnahan looked strong from the front row, taking the lead and then surviving three restarts including a lap 17 restart against 6-time champ Maurice Young to pick up his second career win. Young was involved in a lap 8 caution and managed to pick his way back to the lead pack to secure the runner-up finish. Bobby Mesimer rebounded from a tough start to the race and moved up in the closing laps to finish 3rd.

The top three drivers in the Aable Auto Parts Mini Stocks picked up the top three finishing positions in their 20-lap feature. Pittston's Shawn Kimball picked up his track high fourth win of '08. Pete McCollat managed to move up to second, but was not able to catch Kimball. Point leader Dylan Lancaster finished third.

Chad Binnette of Biddeford picked up his second Wiscasset win in as many tries this season in the 15- lap feature for the White & Bradstreet Mini Trucks. He took the lead from Chris Doucette in a mid-race restart and held him off to take the win. Doucette finished 2nd followed by James Howland of Rye, N.H.

Wiscasset Raceway returns to action Saturday, July 12 at 5 p.m. with action in five weekly racing series divisions plus the return of the Allison Legacy series. The half scale "cup-style" cars haven't raced the high banks of Wiscasset since 2003.

For more information, call the Wiscasset Raceway office at 882-4271 or check the track Web site at www.wiscassetraceway.info .

1. Jeremy Whorff - West Bath; 2. John Phippen - Bar Harbor; 3. Randy Turner - Freedom; 4. Chuck Colby - Wiscasset; 5. Chuck Lachance -Cushing; 6. Bill Penfold - Yarmouth;   7. Scott Moore - Anson; 8. Bryan Robbins- Montville;    9. Ryan Deane - Winterport; 10. Scott King - Livemore Falls; 11. Jeff Burgess - E. Madison; 12. Bill Whorff Jr. - West Bath; 13. Charlie Colby - Edgecomb; 14. Tim Turner - Freedom; 15. Matt Lee - Albion; 16. Dave Farrington Jr. - Jay; 17. Shane Lane - Kingfield; 18. Ricky Morse - St Albans; 19. Dylan Turner - Freedom; 20. Dale Cullivan - Palermo; 21. Dick Bryon - Madison

1. Chris Thorne - Sidney; 2. Adam Chadbourne - Woolwich; 3. Bill Whorff Jr. - West Bath; 4. Will Collins - Appleton; 5. Seth Raven - Waldo; 6. Jason Witts - Dixmont; 7. Nick Hinckley - Wiscasset; 8. Bill Pinkham - Wiscasset; 9. Casey Nash - Richmond; 10. Nick Reno - West Bath; 11. Mike Orr - Wiscasset; 12. TJ Watson - Harpswell; 13. Scott Pooler - Vassalboro; 14. Duane Love - West Gardiner; 15. Josh St Clair - Liberty; 16. Danny Smart - Buckfield; 17. Richard Jordan - Kingfield; 18. Tyler Robbins- Montville; 19. Erik Nash - Richmond; 20. Gary Thorne - Sidney; 21. Steve Reno - West Bath;   DNS Chuck Colby

1. Allen Moeller Sr. - Dresden; 2. Nate Weston - Madison; 3. R.J. Austin - Smithfield; 4. Mike Landry - Oakland; 5. Jeremy Glasier - Appleton;    6. Josh Bailey - Wiscasset; 7. Jason Gaboury - Readfield; 8. Shawn Austin - Norridgewock; 9. Bryan Fortin - South China; 10. Kevin Douglass - Sidney; 11. James Osmond - Gardiner; 12. Frank Brown - Pittston; 13. Ryan St Clair - Liberty; 14. Zachary Hatch - Winthrop

1. Ian Bresnahan - Bath; 2. Maurice Young - Windsor; 3. Bobby Mesimer - Wiscasset; 4. Steve Pierpont - Cushing; 5. Josh Beckard - n/a; 6. Zack Creamer - Bath; 7. Ken Carter - Winthrop; 8. Ed Pierpont - Jefferson; 9. Mike St Germain - Auburn; 10. Jeff Merrill - Mexico; 11. Matt Stuart - Pittston; DQ Dave Brannon - Lisbon

1. Shawn Kimball - Pittston; 2. Pete McCollat - Readfield; 3. Dylan Lancaster - Skowhegan; 4. Mac Hannan Jr. - Union; 5. Ryan Ripley - Thomaston; 6. Mike Dulaney - Richmond; 7. Tim Collins - Farmingdale; 8. Natasha Dyer - Arrowsic; 9. Tom True - Wiscasset; 10. Ed Sleeper - Vassalboro; 11.Cody Sleeper - Chelsea; 12. Ken Edgecomb - Readfield; 13. Ryan Hayes - Jefferson; 14. Alex Cromwell - Woolwich; 15. Chelsea Young - Winterport; 16. Corey Mullins - Wiscasset; 17. Scott Theriault - China; 18. Bruce Orne - Wiscasset; 19. Rob Greenleaf - West Bath; 20. Steven Turner - Washington  

1. Chad Binnette - Biddeford; 2. Chris Doucette - Sebago; 3. James Howland - Rye, NH; 4. Josh Kaufmann - Unity; 5. Jason Giggey - Unity; 6. Russ Anderson - Portsmouth, NH; 7. Kevin Oliver - Gray;    8. Jessica Norris - Portsmouth, NH; 9. James Swan III - Clinton; 10. Josh Harjula - Boothbay; 11. Rick Sirois - Norridgewock; 12. Peter Bourque - Portsmouth, NH; 13. Don Giggey - Athens; 14. Miranda Power - n/a