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High Turn-out, Low Cup Qualification Marks 2006 Racing Season
Lorna R., Underdog Splash Onto Gas Scene Gray, Grants, Minott, Ritchie, Guptill, Johnson Are Repeat Winners in Diesel Groups by Nancy Beal
The most exciting match-up this season was between two gas-powered boats from Beals Island: Galen Alley’s 33-year-old restored wooden Lorna R. and Ernest Libby’s brand new, made-for-racing thin-skinned fiberglass Underdog, bought and raced half-way through the season by Ellery Merchant of Jonesport. Although the boats’ specs put them in different classes, racing fans hoped to see them head-to-head in a gas free-for-all. Fittingly, the contest came about in Moosabec Reach on July 4, where the Lorna R., clocked at 53.6 mph, outstripped the newly-launched Underdog in both the free-for-all and the world’s fastest lobster boat races. Later in the season, Alley had engine problems that kept him out of races won by the Underdog. Winter Harbor and Searsport: Gas Results Jared Coffin in Iona Now was the only entry in Gas Class A at Winter Harbor, and the crew from D. & L. Boatworks raced alone in Cry Baby at Searsport, claiming their second Class A crown in as many years with a total of 40 points. In Gas B, Stephen Cowperthwaite’s Rough-n-Ready outsailed Tom Young’s Ethan R. at Winter Harbor. Mike Dassett raced alone at Searsport and there was no cup winner in that class.
Underdog claimed the Gas Free-for-all races at both venues, as the Lorna R. experienced engine trouble. Cry Baby was second at Searsport. Diesel Results Charles Gray showed up at Searsport to win his fourth first in Diesel Class A and claim the cup for a second year with a total of 40 points. David Elwell trailed him at the last venue, but no one else qualified in the class. At Winter Harbor, Lesse Fogg in Piscuttah, Ariel Gilley in Mermaids, and Avery Scott in Resilient were one-time racers in Class A. In Diesel B, Donald Drisko only had to put his Merganser in three races to win the cup. He placed first at Searsport, ahead of Brent Davis, whose Hee Haw placed second in the cup race, and Devin Haskell’s Hooligan. At Winter Harbor, Davis led a field of 11 boats in which Ronnie Carver’s Mr. T was second, Jeff Libby’s Green Machine was third, and Kit Johnson’s Mr. Lucky was fourth. Diesel C was also popular at Winter Harbor, attracting eight racers. David Grant, who raced alone at Searsport and claimed the cup with a total of 50 points, led the pack, followed by Joseph Bennett in Jennifer E., Mike Faulkingham in Georgette A., and Danny Walker in Rebecca Lynn.
With an unblemished record of 50 points (he passed up Harpswell) Bill Grant in Gladiator grabbed another cup—his first since the criteria realignment put him in Diesel E—to add to his collection of old Class G crowns. Kenton Feeney in the Terry Luan chased him both at Winter Harbor and Searsport and claimed second in both races and in the cup race. Scott Dakin put his Fra Diavolo into the mix at Searsport. Jim Minott skipped Winter Harbor, but first places at all other five venues gave his Hooked Up a shoo-in for another Diesel F cup. At Searsport, he was chased by Charles Nickles in Odyssea and Travis Otis, whose First Team was second in cup contention. At Winter Harbor, Phil Torrey’s Back in Black led a field of seven boats in which Spencer Joyce in Daily Bread finished second, Clair Whitten’s CC & Water third, and Mike Faulkingham’s Lady Lexy fourth. Todd Ritchie’s Seacock went unchallenged throughout the season, but he sportingly appeared at five venues anyway and will be awarded another Diesel G trophy later this month. Ira Guptill repeated his capture of the Diesel H cup in Mystery Machine, finishing ahead of Larry Torrey in Brenda Lee, Dwayne Sutherland in Sarah Adam and Ed Shirley in Ask’n at Winter Harbor. Shirley was the only racer at Searsport.
There were no cup winners in Diesel K or L. Perley Fogg’s Poseidon and Wayne Gray’s Ocean Breeze faced off at Winter Harbor in K, and at Searsport Dennis Young raced alone in Christina & Seth. No one entered Class L at Searsport, but Alfred Osgood in the Starlight Express made his once-a-season appearance at Winter Harbor sailed down the Sound alone, but made a splash at the end of the day. In Diesel M at Winter Harbor, Billy Bob Faulkingham’s 51, undefeated to that point, finally saw the stern of another boat: Josh Joyce’s Atonement. Faulkingham still easily retained the class cup, finishing with 39 points. Dixon Smith’s Size Matters was third, and Dan Rodgers’ Bottom Line edged out Dana Rice’s Unpredictable for fourth in a field of nine boats. At Searsport, Mitchell White was unopposed in the Tamie Lynn. John Drouin’s Rebbie’s Mistress returned to the racing scene this season and claimed the cup with 47 points. He raced alone at Searsport, but was bested by Arvin Young in the Laverna Gail at Winter Harbor, where Nick Lemieux’ Phantom was third and Carroll Staples’ Monkey’s Uncle was fourth in a field of six. Starlight Express claimed the Diesel Free-for-all at Winter Harbor, besting Grant’s Gladiator. Osgood went on to push his big Mack engine past the Underdog and snatch the Fastest Lobster Boat title from Alley. At Searsport, Young’s Christina & Seth was clocked at 40 mph as she won the diesel melee ahead of Hooked Up, Wild One, Terry Luan and Rebbie’s Mistress. Young bowed to the Underdog in the fastest boat race, however, and where Hooked Up finished third. No one could challenge the Lorna R. for the Wooden Boat Class cup. At Searsport, Alley finished ahead of Drisko in Merganser, Haskell in Hooligan and Rich in Rich Returns. There was no wooden boat race at Winter Harbor. The Lady Skippers race has been discontinued at most venues, but it was planned at Winter Harbor as a tribute to the late Bill Crowe, former editor/publisher of these pages. Sue Woodward finished first in the Silver Spoon, Linda Elliott in 51 was second, and Kelly Rogers in Unpredictable was third. |
