Timmons becomes first Supermodified winner at Speedway

In six decades of racing at Speedway Presented by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, winged Supermodifieds had never been part of a race weekend there.

But as soon as a race was booked, Bobby Timmons III had the date circled on his calendar.

The third-generation Supermodified standout survived a mid-race challenge from Brad Babb to win Saturday’s inaugural 350 SMAC Tour Energized by USNEPower feature at Speedway, the first-ever feature race for Supermodifieds at the rejuvenated track.

The New Hampshire-based crate-engine Supermodified series joined a roster of visiting touring divisions for the third official weekend of racing at the track purchased late last year by NASCAR national star Ricky Craven.

The Hermon, Me. oval previously named for the adjacent Interstate Highway is in the early stages of a massive rehabilitation effort aimed at welcoming the region’s top talent back to the third-mile speedplant.

350 SMAC—short for “Super Modified Atlantic Charter”—not only made its series debut at Speedway, but introduced the Northeast’s fastest short track cars to eastern Maine.

Timmons has no particular ties to the speedway, having made a Legends start there in the late 2000s.

But the Windham, Me. racer has a deep appreciation for the history of his discipline of choice. And when Craven confirmed an interest in welcoming Supermodified racing to Speedway for the first time, Timmons wanted to be the first one to wave a checkered flag from the winner’s circle.

Timmons was one of a few Supermodified racers who shook down their cars at Speedway in a preseason test, logging a track-record lap in practice.

Babb broke Timmons’ preseason lap in time trials, clocking a sub-13-second lap before Justin Harris ran a 12.899-second circuit to earn the pole, setting an official track record.

Paul Buzel and Timmons brought the ten-car field to the green flag, with Timmons and Rusty Poland powering past Buzel on the outside. Buzel spun on lap 4, bringing out a brief yellow flag to free his car from the turn-two grass.

Timmons broke away on the restart, pulling away from the field on a long green-flag run as Haydon Grenier climbed to second.

On lap 31, though, Timmons ducked through the turn-three grass as Dave Sanborn and Kreig Heroth skidded off the top side of the third-turn banking. The night’s second yellow flag spared Timmons’ agricultural racing, but moved Grenier and Babb within grasp of the lead with 19 laps to go.

Babb pounced on the restart, taking the lead from the dominant Timmons and pulling away by a couple car lengths. Timmons, who lost to Babb at Claremont Motorsports Park on a late restart, appeared to be at risk of the same fate.

But a few laps later, Babb slowed from the lead with a flat left-rear tire.

Timmons flashed past with the race lead as Babb pulled into the infield. And while Grenier gave pursuit, he would need a caution flag to make up the difference.

Instead, Timmons coasted unchallenged to his fifth career 350 SMAC win.

Grenier finished second, 1.945 seconds behind Timmons. Fast qualifier Harris was third, with Poland fourth and polesitter Buzel rounding out the top five.

Timmons’ fifth series win adds to prior victories at Maine’s Wiscasset Speedway and Hudson Speedway in southern New Hampshire.

Once a Super Late Model prospect who left fendered racing behind in favor of Supermodifieds, Timmons typically runs a varied schedule in the winged cars, competing in both the crate-engined 350 Supermodifieds and the alcohol-fueled big-block Supermodifieds that made the discipline legendary. In recent seasons, he has favored the hot hand late in the year, winning the 2024 New England Supermodified Series championship with his big block car, then finally capturing his first Star Speedway track championship last fall.

This year, Timmons’ big-block car has been idle, with his focus shared between Star’s weekly title battle and the 350 SMAC points race.

Despite Babb’s tire failure and a sixth-place finish, Babb—who also made the transition from fendered cars to small-block Supermodifieds—still holds the 350 SMAC points lead over Timmons by 14 markers.

The significance of the win was not lost on Craven, who appeared this offseason on the Black Flagged Podcast that Timmons co-hosts to discuss Speedway’s rejuvenation efforts. A hands-on owner all night, Craven was in victory lane to share handshakes and gratitude with the top finishers.

Five more races await for the brief 350 SMAC schedule, with only one, July’s show at Wiscasset Speedway, outside the Granite State.

But the enthusiasm seems strong for a return trip to Speedway.

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