Barry Gray sits atop the point chase after 4 events. (Lin Mat Photo)
WALPOLE, N.H. __ Through four races of the Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) slate in 2016, four different winners have carried the checkered flag and there has been some top-notch racing in each event.
It was Jacob Dore winning a thrilling battle to open the season at White Mt. Motorsports Park and he was followed by Mike O’Sullvain, who took the checkers at Monadnock Speedway.
O’Sullivan picked up a crucial win in a guaranteed qualifier event for the Seekonk Speedway Pro Stock 200 coming up on July 13. He will be just one of the names representing the GSPSS at Seekonk that Wednesday night.
Veteran Pro All Star Series driver DJ Shaw scored the victory at Lee USA and most recently, Jeremy Davis outdueled Derek Griffith and Shaw in the final laps to win the feature event at Claremont Speedway.
Gray Off To Consistent Start; Leads Updated Point Standings
Barry Gray comes out of the first four races of the season with the points lead behind the wheel of his No. 29 Meadows Motor Car Super Late Model.
Gray, who has finished inside the top-10 in all four of the races, finished a best of second at the opener at White Mt. Motorsports Park. He followed that up with a seventh at Monadnock, but then drove right back into the top five, grabbing a fourth place finish at Lee USA Speedway. Most recently, Gray crossed the stripe in sixth at Claremont.
His average finish thus far is a strong 4.75 and Gray thinks his success so far in 2016 could propel him into the remainder of the season and hopefully the 2016 GSPSS championship.
“We started out okay, but the last couple races we struggled just a little bit,” Gray said. “We ended up finding out that we had a bad shock on the car and that’s why we were struggling. I want consistent finishes, but we want to win it. I sent it up to Distance Racing Chassis and Jeff Taylor and those guys found out what was wrong with it and we have it fixed now. I’m hoping to go and have some strong runs, especially next weekend at Speedway 51.”
Jeremy Davis Back in Victory Lane
In the most recent GSPSS race at Claremont Speedway, Jeremy Davis drove his No. 09 back into victory lane. Davis battled defending series champion Derek Griffith and veteran DJ Shaw over the final laps in a thrilling finish. When contact between Shaw and Griffith sent Shaw spinning, it left Griffith at the point with Davis challenging right behind him.
He pounced when it mattered most — jumping alongside Griffith and edging him at the stripe by a mere few inches. It was one of the most exciting races the series has seen in the past few seasons and Davis able to come away with the checkered flag, his first since the 2015 season at Lee USA Speedway last July.
Salemi Impressive Thus Far
Veteran driver John Salemi is off to a solid start to the 2016 season through the first four races. He has finished inside the top-10 three times, including a best of fourth place last time out at Claremont Speedway.
He started the season with a seventh at White Mt., then a sixth place run at Monadnock — two solid efforts. He struggled with a racing deal at Lee USA Speedway and was forced to a 20th place finish, but at Claremont, he got things back straight and rolled up inside the top-five.
Salemi did not compete in the 2015 race at Speedway 51, but moves into the track with momentum hoping for a solid run.
Speedway 51 Up Next for GSPSS
A prize of $2,000 is up for grabs on July 2, when the Granite State Pro Stock Series returns to Speedway 51 for an Independence Day weekend special. Davis is the defending winner of the race — one that normally draws outsiders who join the series from tracks across the Northeast.
Last season, Seekonk Speedway driver Kevin Casper made the trip to Speedway 51 and finished inside the top-five. He is expected to make the return and compete against series regulars like Barry Gray, Mike Parks and Mike Mitchell.
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The Granite State Pro Stock Series has posted entry forms for the next two events at Speedway 51 on July 2 and then the inaugural event at Riverhead Raceway on July 30.
Drivers can find those forms on the series website.
For more information on the GSPSS, visit www.gspss.net, or email series president Mike Parks at [email protected]
