Byrne Celebrates Sportsman Mod Win, Curtis Repeats
Winchester, NH: This past Saturday, Monadnock Speedway held their second event of the season with temperatures well above what it was for their season opener a few weeks ago. The fans enjoyed racing action from the speedway’s regular NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series divisions along with the Young Guns. It was a special night for the Curtis family as Chris Curtis (Super Stocks) and his son Jaret Curtis (Lightning Stocks) both celebrated victories. Ben Byrne scored his second career win in the Sportsman Modifieds as 2017 Lightning Stock champion Pat Houle took the checkers in the Mini Stocks. Cale Skillings celebrated his first win in the Young Gun division after a bad crash in practice last week which prevented him to compete opening day.
The Young Guns rolled onto the track for the first event of the evening as Cale Skillings led them to the green. Skillings who has competed a few times last year was on rails as Chloe Wright and rookie Sammy Silva followed. Silva, who also had a bad crash on opening day made his debut as a rookie learning the way around the ¼ mile track. Skillings continued to lead as Wright gave it her all to catch the leader. As the checkered flag flew, it was Skillings followed by Wright and Silva.
Next up was the Lighting Stocks as Eric Silvernale brought the field to the green along the side of Stephen Fucile. Early into the race, Silvernale felt the pressure of Greg Millette and rookie Jaret Curtis as they went three wide on the backstretch. Millette fought for the top spot as he and Silvernale ran side by side. Millette captured the top spot as Curtis and last week’s winner Hillary Renaud took over second and third. Millette, no stranger to the track, battled with rookie teenager of Curtis coming out of turn four. At the line, both were side by side as Curtis made his move and took the lead going into turn two. Millette felt the pressure of Renaud on his back bumper giving Curtis a little breather as the leader. Fucile and Silvernale ran fourth and fifth. Five laps to go, Curtis and Millete widened their lead from third place Renaud as Millette gave al he could to find a line to work with him. At the end it was Curtis taking the checkers followed by Millette, Renaud, Fucile and Silvernale.
Ethan Marsh set the pace for the Mini Stock feature event with rookie Ricky Whipple on the outside. Rookie Chase Curtis took over the number one spot within laps as Darren Jacobs and Kevin McKnight followed. The top three began to stretch out from the rest of the field as Whipple and Louis Maher battled for fourth. The first caution came out just shy of half way for rookie Evan Bourgeois making his debut of the 2017 season. On the restart, Curtis continued to take the lead as McKnight overpowered Jacobs for second. Alexander Pearl put the pressure on Maher for fourth. Lap nineteen, the rookie leader of Curtis spun coming out of turn four ending his night for a victory. On the restart, McKnight defended his lead as rookie Pat Houle took over third and battled with Jacobs for second. Twenty one laps in the book, a caution flew as rookie Shelby Avery spun on the backstretch. On the restart, McKnight held the lead as Houle battled with Jacobs for second. One lap later, a caution flew for a single car spin by Avery. A lap twenty two restart set the field up for a single file three lap shoot out as no laps were complete as Whipple lost a wheel on the front stretch. The field again readied themselves for the restart as McKnight got loose giving the lead to Houle. Maher and Jacobs took advantage of the McKnight’s bobble and took over second and third. At the completion of a wild race, it was Houle followed by Maher. Jacobs, Tim Paquette and Pearl.
The roar of the strong field of Sportsman Modifieds rolled onto the track as Ben Bryrne and Tyler Jarvenpaa, who both suffered damage at the opener, brought the field to the start of their thirty lap feature event. Byrne wasted no time to take the lead spot as Rollins moved into second. Jarvenpaa felt the bumper of Keith Carzello for third, Kim Rivet and Todd Patnode battled for fifth. The top three of Byrne, Rollins and Carzello began to break away from the rest of the pack as Patnode took over fifth. Byrne stretched out his lead as Patnode looked to the inside and outside of Jarvenpaa for fourth. Half way to go, Rollins began to close in on Byrne as they both maneuvered around lap cars. Byrne not missing his marks held strong and denied Rollins of any attempts for the lead. As the flagman signaled one to go in the green to checker race, Rollins made his last run for the lead. Rollins out of turn four tried the outside of Byrne but was denied as Bryne took the checkers followed by Rollins, Carzello, Jarvenpaa and Patnode.
The Super Stocks capped off the evening for their twenty five lapper with Rookie Solomon Brow and Tyler Leary up front. Brow and Leary ran side by side as an early caution on lap one came out for rookie Mike McGoldrick. On the restart for lap two, the field gathered to go green and with one more lap in the books a caution came out again as McGoldrick spun in turn three. On the second restart of the event, Brow and Leary once again ran side by side as Chris Curtis and Joel Monahan went three wide on the backstretch taking positions away from Nancy Muni. Curtis quickly took charge and picked up the second spot from Leary and challenged Brow for the top spot. In turn three, Curtis dove to the bottom and into the lead as Leary was shuffled back to fourth. The caution was displayed for the third time for a Justin Littlewood who suffered mechanical issues on the backstetch. On the restart, Curtis commanded the field as Monahan gave everything he could to challenge for the number one spot. Rookie Brow sat in third followed by Leary and Pomasko. Monahan continued to run hard to attempt the lead from Curtis but as laps winded down it was Curtis celebrating his second in row victory followed by Monahan, Brow, Leary and Pomasko.
This Saturday night (May 6th), Monadnock Speedway will be back in action with the NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series division along with Young Guns and Classic Lites. Race time is at 6pm. For more information log onto the track’s website at www.monadnockspeedway.com.
Sportsman Modifieds: Ben Byrne, Geoff Rollins, Keith Carzello, Tyler Jarvenpaa, Todd Patnode, Kim Rivet, Cameron Sontag, Matt Kimball, Brian Chapin, Nathan Johnson, Joel Monahan, Paul Smith, Cole Littlewood, Victoria Bergenty, Eric Leclair, Chris Ignazio, Todd Warren, Brian Robie
Super Stocks: Chris Curtis, Joel Monahan, Solomon Brow, Tyler Leary, Eric Pomasko, Nancy Muni, Scott Beck, Mike McGoldrick, Justin Littlewood
Mini Stocks: Pat Houle,Louis Maher,Darren Jacobs,Tim Paquette,Alexander Pearl,Chase Curtis,Kevin Mcknight,Evan Bourgeois,Ricky Whipple,Shelby Avery,Devin Guy,Ethan Marsh,Kevin Pittsinger
Lightning Stock: Jaret Curtis,Greg Millette,Hillary Renaud,Steve Fucile,Eric Silvernale,Alex Barden,Leon Keniston
Young Guns: Cale Skillings, Chloe Wright, Sammy Silva
