The phrase, "racing for the trophy" is commonly used in auto racing, but it carries added significance this weekend for Campton's Matt Hoyt and Goffstown's Kadyn Berry. The two young drivers, at the ages of 24 and 17, lead the Sprint Cars of New England standings heading into this final weekend of the season, with four other Granite State drivers among the top eight.
Unveiled this week was the Fred Frame Championship Trophy, which will be awarded to the SCoNE champion after the completion of NAPA Championship Weekend, with two nights of racing at Unity Raceway in Maine on Friday and Saturday.
Frame, born in Exeter, was a national star in early Sprint Car racing before winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1932. He was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2004.
During his racing career, Frame was a frequent winner on New Hampshire and Vermont race tracks, and he remains the only New England driver to win the world's most prestigious race. Now his legacy, and a replica of his 1932 Indy 500 winning car is a centerpiece of SCoNE's championship trophy.
Hoyt enters this weekend with a 12-point advantage on Berry, who has been gaining in the standings since mid-season. Hoyt already has nine years of racing experience. He has only one win this season, using consistency to lead the points, but that win came at Unity in July, giving him a high level of confidence heading into the weekend finale.
"Oh man. it would mean a lot," Hoyt said. "That trophy is pretty sweet. To me personally it would mean the world, because I have finished third and second in points, so we're hoping to do one better. I am excited to get up to Unity and see what we can do.
"We are extremely confident in our race program and the race cars that we produce. We are really looking forward to this weekend and hoping to bring home some hardware with us. We will be bringing a backup car just in case anything goes wrong.
"The guys running SCoNE are doing a great job. Justin St. Louis is kind of the king horse. Dan Douville is doing a phenomenal job behind the radio, and directing the events."
Douville is a two-time series champion from Bridgewater whose career, which included both racing on pavement and dirt, was cut short by injury. The championship quest is wide open this season with eight-time champion Chris Donnelly from Piermont sitting out most of the season after a spring crash destroyed his ride. He returned to racing earlier this month.
Berry is still chasing his first feature win, but with finishes of second and third in recent outings, a win could come as early as this weekend, which he hopes will elevate him to become champion. Caiden Herbert from New Hampton is the top series rookie and he sits fifth in the standings, followed by Jake Williams (Tuftonboro), Nick Comeau (Hebron) and Troy Comeau (Warren).
* White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock hosts their 32nd championship night for weekly divisions on Saturday night. To win a 10th track title, Quinny Welch from Groveton will have to overcome a 24-point deficit to Vermont's Tanner Woodard. Mike Jurkowski from Claremont is 80 points back.
Nick Miller from Berlin sits just two points behind Nick Anderson in the Mini Late Models season standings, while Todd Derrington from Littleton leads Patrick Switser of Woodsville by just two markers in the Strictly Stock Minis class. Brandon Gray has already clinched the Flying Tigers championship, with Andy Hill 29 points ahead in the Dwarf Car standings.
* Hudson Speedway has Championship Sunday, with five weekly divisions taking part in an afternoon event. Chuck Dehney from Pelham sits 26 points behind Justin Beecher in the Super Streets. Callie Osborne leads the Ridge Runners standings at her hometown track. Carlos Grenier from Charlestown and Grantham's Steve Miller are also in line to become champions.
* Riverside Speedway isn't racing for points on Saturday. They are racing for fun and some pretty good purse money with their annual Fall Brawl event, which is an eight division spectacular headlined by a $3,000-to-win Late Model feature. The 350 Supermodifieds and Street Stocks are also scheduled to compete in the afternoon affair.
Weekend schedule:
Unity, Maine (SCoNE): Friday, 7 p.m., Saturday, 5 p.m.
White Mountain: Saturday, 5 p.m.
Riverside: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Hudson: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.