Ashland grass drags set new marks for attendance

Episode 408

August 28, 2022

Great job done by Big Woods Grass Drag crew

Upon arriving at the site for the 2022 Big Woods Grass Drags, I knew something big was happening. The venue parking areas were quite full with more cars and trucks arriving. I have been to many races in my career and this one rank up in the top tier as far as all that must be accomplished to simply host the race.

The track spends the rest of the year as a field which is open. Hundreds of feet of fencing, wires for sound, timing and lights had to be run. Spectator seating had to be arranged as well as make the multitude of contacts with vendors. Events like this do not just happen. It was obvious that the team of volunteers made this happen.

Granted some gaffs occur, however, those were not major and did not detract from the show. The heavy rain from the previous evening was dealt with and the racing surface was groomed to provide a consistent and fast track.

Jennifer Buckingham, Treasurer of Big Woods Racing Inc filled me in on the details saying, “We had approximately 1500 attendees which was fantastic!  We had a total of 98 racers, 16 of which were Minis, and ran about 150 races just wrapping up in the knick-of-time as the sun was starting to set!”

” This is the best turnout we have had yet.  Next year will be our fifth year so we are excited about how we can continue to make it grow!!  At this point it is safe to say that we will be able to donate as least $10,000 to each of our snowmobile clubs (Ashland and Portage Lake) totaling, $20,000!”

“It takes approximately 50 volunteers to make this event happen and we are so fortunate for the hard-working crew that we have!”

Anyone who might want to host such an event in their area needs to contact this group who put on the races for their advice.

Number of kids competing bodes well for sport

As Jennifer mentioned that 16 minis raced at Ashland or about 16% of the total field of racers. When I was involved in the fledgling Northern Maine Karting Association at Spud Speedway prior to Covid, we would have loved to see numbers like that.

Not only did the crowd enjoy seeing the youngsters compete, but older racers also jumped in and helped when they saw a need whether it was simply pointing the way to the track or helping with encouraging words before and after the kids raced.

When the green bulb is illuminated by starter Rod Theriault, these two mini racers are full throttle for the win in action at the 2022 Big Woods Grass Drags in Ashland, Maine. An idea of the crowd size can be seen on the right of the photo. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Tanner LeBlanc in foreground and Oliver Jewett hustling down the track aboard their mini sleds. Jewett was the winner in this round. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Winning the Mini Mod class was Oliver Jewett on left with second place Aspen Merchant on right. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Though only three, Oakley Caron on left took the Mini class with Everett Albert on right in second at Big Woods Grass Drags 2022. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Tristen Merchant with his able pit crew, grandfather Dana Morrell on left and Uncle Dana Morrell on right. Merchant races the Arctic Cat 500 formerly driven by Jesse Taggett of Woodland. This was his 10th race in his young career. He finished second in Stock 500 class. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Ski’s up guys! Though not on a mini, Mason McDunnah, only a junior at Schenck High School in East Millinocket in far lane lost to Levi Nickerson in closest lane by .022 seconds. This was McDunnah’s first grass drag race. In the near lane is Levi Nickerson. The starter is Tyler Michaud, Ashland Snowmobile Club Treasurer.  (HTF Motorsports photo)

Mason McDunnah, East Millinocket aboard the Mike Dill owned 2022 Polaris XCR 850 which he raced in the Stock 850 and Stock 1000 classes. McDunnah comes from a long line of snowmobile racers in the central Maine area. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Snowmobile guru back in New England

Always a detail man, Van Buren native Kurt Dumond now living in Rochester, New Hampshire puts the “master’s touch” on one of the three sleds brought to the 2022 Big Woods Grass Drags. The team had three sleds, 2004 Arctic Cat 600, 2004 Arctic Cat 700 and 2014 ZR 800 Arctic Cat. (HTF Motorsports photo)

After a few years in the mega-dealership Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, Van Buren native Kurt Dumond made his way back to New England landing the General Manager’s job at Harley-Davidson of Rochester, New Hampshire recently.

Dumond is considered one of the finest snowmobile race tuners in the business and brought three sleds to Ashland to prepare for the eight race 800 Pro Stock Series run in Canada and the states.

In Ashland, Andrew Pellerin, Pembroke, New Hampshire, won Pro Stock 700 and Improved Stock 700. He finished second in Pro Stock 600 and Pro Stock 800. Ethan Rossignol, Woodland, finished second in Improved Stock 700 and 800. Rossignol was filling in for Madison Pellerin whose work schedule did not allow her to make this trip.

According to Dumond, “We head to New York next three weeks in a row. Seneca Falls. Salisbury, Snowbash and then Epping. Our first race will be Snowbash for points. We used Ashland for testing the sled out. We just got it back from D&D Powersports from Lowville, New York. They are a high-performance race shop that helped build the engine and chassis.”

Chainsaw art at grass drags

Chainsaw artist Josh Turner, Richmond, producing a snowmobile ridden by a moose for use by the Big Woods Grass Drag crew. Turner can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, second from right with Sue Bernard, Fort Fairfield on right discussing the issues with a couple unidentified voters. Theriault is running for the Maine House of Representatives and Bernard is running for the Maine Senate. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Let’s go racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:16)