NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH
By Lou Modestino
Thunder Road officials have announced special Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen triple 50 lap feature events during Jet Service Envelope – Accura Printing event at Thunder Road in Barre on Thursday, August 21. The Tiger 100 lap feature scheduled for last Thursday, August 7 was postponed due to rain and was rescheduled for the August 21 event.
Instead of running the 100 lapper followed by a regular event, the Tigers will now run three 50 lap features spread out throughout the evening and earn separate feature points and separate purses for each race. The field will be inverted after each event to set up the line-up for the next race.
Waterbury’s Jason Woodard continues to lead the way in the Tiger standings, but Wolcott’s Brendan Moodie has been slowly making up ground in recent weeks. So far this season the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen have seen eight different winners in the eleven feature events run to date.
Thunder Road’s racing action got under way on Thursday night (August 14) with the remainder of the previously postponed final 47 laps of last week’s 26 car Cody Chevrolet Late Model feature. North Haverhill, NH’s Derrick O’Donnell picked up the win and unofficially took over the point lead in his quest to repeat as Thunder Road’s “King of the Road.” The final event of the night saw Jim “Boomer” Morris score his first career win in the Late Models in their regular 50-lap event after apparent winner Jason Allen was disqualified in post race technical inspection due to failing ACT’s board test, which checks for coil binding in the suspension.
In the first feature of the night, O’Donnell got around Lance Allen and cruised to the win. Lance Allen was followed across the line by Joey Laquerre, Shawn Fleury and John Donahue in the top five. Morris, Josh Demers, Brooks Clark, Nick Sweet and Brett Gervais rounded out the top ten.
Morris inherited the win in the second Late Model feature of the night, while O’Donnell claimed his second podium finish of the day in second ahead of Nick Sweet. Brooks Clark and Jason Corliss picked up top fives. Josh Demers, Shawn Fleury, Eric Badore, Scott Dragon, and Cody Blake were the remainder of the top ten.
The New England Antique Racers made their annual visit to Thunder Road with two feature events. Bill Kemp of Greenfield, NH won the Cho Lee Memorial Modified event, while Scott Haskell of Belmont, NH won the Sportsmen feature.
Mike Billado of Essex earned his first Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen feature win of the season and the fourth of his career. He held off Dylan Payea of Milton and rookie Caleb Nelson. Eric Johnson and Scott Coburn earned top five finishes. Cameron Ouellette, Jeff Bousquet, point leader Jason Woodard, Doug Crowningshield and Darrell Morin completed the top ten.
Wolcott’s Jamie Davis pocketed his third Allen Lumber Street Stock feature win of the season in a wild 25 lap event with multiple accidents, including a barrel roll by Barre’s Justin Town. Town climbed from the car and was ok after his multiple rolls off of turn four. Davis held off Kyle Streeter and Will Hennequin for the win. Garry Bashaw and Bunker Hodgdon rounded out the top five while Jaden Perry, point leader Tommy Smith, Kevin Dodge, Alan Maynard and Tyler Austin completed the top ten.
Kevin LaForest of Barre scored his fourth Rough Rider win of the season in a wild pair of races that included a pylon event both forwards and reverse and a tag race. Paul Dudley and Adam Martin completed the top three.
The Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen take center stage next Thursday, August 21 for Jet Service Envelope – Accura Printing night. The Tigers will run special triple 50 lap features as a make-up for their rained out event on August 7. The Late Models and Allen Lumber Street Stocks will run regular events plus the night’s events will include the annual Run-What-U-Brung. Racing will start with the first Tiger 50 lapper at a special 6:00pm post time.
Regular Thunder Road Event
Thunder Road – Barre, VT
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Late Model Unofficial Results ***Make-up from 8/7 Event (Final 47 laps)
Pos. Driver (Car #) Hometown
1. Derrick O’Donnell (60vt) N. Haverhill, NH
2. Lance Allen (17vt) Barre, VT
3. Joey Laquerre (15vt) East Montpelier, VT
4. Shawn Fleury (1vt) Middlesex, VT
5. John Donahue (26vt) Graniteville, VT
6. Boomer Morris (13vt) Barre, VT
7. #Josh Demers (10vt) Montpelier, VT
8. Brooks Clark (68vt) Fayston, VT
9. Nick Sweet (88vt) Barre, VT
10. Brett Gervais (11nh) Island Pond, VT
11. Cody Blake (99vt) Barre, VT
12. Phil Scott (14vt) Middlesex, VT
13. #Eric Badore (4vt) Milton, VT
14. Matt White (42vt) Northfield, VT
15. Jason Corliss (66vt) Barre, VT
16. Emily Packard (9me) E. Montpelier, VT
17. Scott Dragon (16vt) Colchester, VT
18. Joey M. Laquerre (51vt) E. Montpelier, VT
19. David Whitcomb (25vt) Essex Jct., VT
20. Eric Chase (40vt) Milton, VT
21. Kyle Pembroke (27vt) Montpelier, VT
22. #Jason Allen (29vt) Barre, VT
23. Dave Pembroke (44vt) Middlesex, VT
24. Terry Reil (11vt) E. Barre, VT
25. Ricky Roberts (3vt) E. Barre, VT
26. Trampas Demers (85vt) S. Burlington, VT
Buckfield’s TJ Brackett scored his third win of the season in the 50-lap Budweiser Pro Late Model feature race, topping the weekly card in the Oxford Plains Speedway Championship Series on Goodwin Chevrolet Night at the Route 26 oval track on Friday night.
“This is awesome,” the winner said from victory lane. “I’ve never won two in a row, let alone three in a season.”
Brackett took the lead away from Conway, New Hampshire racer Mark Lundblad, Jr., who had detonated an engine while leading the main event nearing the halfway point last Saturday night. On the previous Saturday Lundblad led 46 laps before spinning from the lead while battling TJ Brackett for the lead, resulting in track officials sending Brackett to the rear of the restart lineup.
TJ took his time until a clear opportunity arose, and once by Lundblad there was not a serious challenge. Veteran Alan Wilson of Hebron claimed runner-up honors, looking consistently strong throughout the 50-lapper. Lundblad scored the third-place hardware, ahead of Dixfield’s Scott Robbins and Jeremy Davis of Tamworth, New Hampshire.
Six nights earlier the young Buckfield racer became the first in the top class at OPS to score more than one main event triumph. Returning to action on Friday night, TJ took no prisoners, quickly overcoming his handicapped starting position to challenge early race leader Mark Lundblad, Jr.
After patiently awaiting his opportunity, Brackett got by and the outcome from that point was really not in doubt. Alan Wilson of Hebron capped an impressive run with runner-up finish in front of Lundblad, who made it a point to thank his aunt, best known as Sallie Graves, perhaps the most successful female racer in OPS history.
Ryan Hewins reclaimed his position as a championship contender in the 30-lap feature race for Allen’s Coffee-Flavored Brandy Street Stocks, displaying an emotionally-charged reaction to his triumph in the top support class in weekly Oxford Championship Series competition.
“We ain’t done and we’re not giving up,” the winner said after claiming the checkered flag. “We’re in this championship battle.”
Hewins took the race lead away from Spencer Morse of Waterford, the racer who lost the lead in the championship standings a week earlier after flipping down the frontstretch on the second lap. While Morse lost the battle, he hung on for runner-up honors and made great progress in the championship chase as chief rival Josh Childs struggled.
Corey Morgan prevailed in an entertaining, spirited balle with Sabattus racer Zach Bowie to claim the final podium position nd accompanying third-place trophy. Keith Stuart of Naples raced his vontage Chevelle to a fifth-place finish. Morse and Bowie won heat races.
Bryce Mains of Naples wired the field in non-stop action in an unusually-competitive 25-lap feature race for the Ripley & Fletcher Ford Outlaw Sportsman division class.
“Wow. We’ve been fighting this all year, and haven’t been able to hook it up,” the winner marveled in victory lane. For the entire distance, Mains had veteran racer Guy Childs nipping at his heels, but never buckled under the pressure.
Childs claimed runner-up honors, in front of Livermore Falls racer Mike Haynes. The third-place run by Haynes was particularly impressive, with much of his vast progress from his handicapped starting spot gained in the outside groove.
Steve Moon of Auburn was fourth under the checkered flag, followed by South Paris racer Deanna Bisbee, who gained several positions from her starting slot to round out the top-five. Mains and Moon were heat race winners.
Shawn Hinkley of Oxford returned to victory lane after a one-week hiatus in entry-level Bandit division action. Despite starting well behind the early frontrunners, Hinckley capitalized on timely restarts to outrun Dustin Salley of Norway to the checkered flag. Derek Cairns extended his slim lead in the championship standings with a third-place finish. Cam Cilds and Troy Smith rounded out the top-five in the 20-lapper. Paul Harmon and Richard Kimball posted victories in preliminarily races.
Oxford Championship Series competition returns to action on Saturday night (August 23) with the first green flag scheduled to fly at 7:00 p.m. Oxford Plains Speedway is located on Route 26 in Oxford, Maine.
Budweiser Late Model (50 laps) 1 61 TJ Brackett, Buckfield; 2 53 Alan Wilson, Hebron; 3 28 Mark Lundblad, Jr., Conway, NH: 4 36 Scott Robbins, Dixfield; 5 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, NH; 6 94 Shawn Martin, Turner; 7 16 Travis Stearns, Auburn; 8 88 Kyle DeSouza, East Providence, RI; 9 66 Mike Fowler, Scarborough; 10 44 Kyle Treadwell, Auburn; 11 78 Quinny Welch, Lancaster, NH; 12 73 Adam Polvinen, Hebron; 13 14 Scott McDaniel, Livermore; 14 3 Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 15 72 Chris Coolidge; 16 24 Gunnar Rowe, Turner; 17 54 Shane Green, South Paris; 18 22 Scott Farrington, Minot; 19 60 Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 20 71 Gary Chiasson, Peru; 21 5 Dustin Bisson, Greene; 22 6 Tommy Ricker, Poland; 23 63 Donnie Wentworth, Otisfield; 24 03 Scott Moore, Anson.
Allen’s Coffee-Flavored Brandy Street Stocks (30 laps) 1 5 Ryan Hewins, Oxford; 2 34 Spencer Morse, Waterford; 3 26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 4 04x Zach Bowie, Sabattus; 5 8 Keith Stuart, Naples; 6 81 BJ Chapman, Bridgton; 7 55 Kurt Hewins, Leeds; 8 36 Rick Spaulding, Lewiston; 9 33 Andrew Breton, Sabattus; 10 48 Curtis Rolando, Newport, RI; 11 23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 12 84 David Vaughn, Naples; 13 777 Mike St.Germain, Auburn; 14 3 Josh Childs, Oxford; 15 51 Kyle Hewins, Leeds.
Ripley & Fletcher Ford Outlaw Sportsman (25 laps) 1 77 Bryce Mains, Naples; 2 5 Guy Childs, Sabattus; 3 67 Mike Haynes, Livermore Falls; 4 19 Steve Moon, Sabattus; 5 72 Deanna Bisbee, South Paris; 6 71 Cody Chiasson, Peru; 7 39 Gerry Freve, Buckfield; 8 73 Troy Jordan, Turner; 9 26 Missy Morgan, Lewiston; 10 99 George Haskell, Casco; 11 97 Shannon Judd, Jay; 12 6 Todd Bisbee, South Paris; 13 2 Dale Lawrence.
Bandits (20 laps) 1 2 Shawn Hinkley, Oxford; 2 41 Dustin Salley; 3 87 Derek Cairns; 4 69 Cam Childs; 5 32 Troy Smith; 6 99 Paul Harmon; 7 11 Billy Childs, Sr., 8 13 Richard Kimball; 9 60 Jake Plummer; 10 17 Dan Wade; 11 44 Robert Kahkonen; 12 4 Josh Kinoll; 13 00 Matthew Manar; 14 10 Travis Verrill; 15 9 David Brennon; 16 41x Dale Durgin; 17 23 Jeremy Decosters; 18 51 Ryan Berry; 19 14 Adam O’Neil; 20 49 Rob Lowe; 21 24 Tyler Green.
Wayne Helliwell, JR recorded his second career Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) win at Star Speedway in the Star 100 by surviving a green-white-checkered finish.
Nottingham, NH driver Babe Branscombe took the lead after pole-sitter Joey Squeglia, JR spun his tires to start the race. Branscombe would lead the first 14 laps before Squeglia, JR would overtake Branscombe, and put his Auto Mart Trucks + Cars/PH Electric Chevrolet into the top spot. Squeglia, JR would set a fast pace as the laps ticked by until lap 41 when Dennis Maxfield went around in turn 3, bringing out the first caution of the night.
The old adage “cautions breed cautions” was true on the night, as the field saw five cautions in eight laps, one of which Squeglia, JR relinquished the lead to Helliwell, JR as Squeglia, JR fell off the pace in a hurry as cars stacked up behind him, with Nashua, NH’s John Salemi spinning in turn 3. Squeglia, JR would pit, and rejoin the field just in time for the green flag. Helliwell, JR, then had a new dancing partner in the form of Matt Frahm. Frahm, from the fifth starting spot, would work Helliwell, JR multiple times over, but could not unseat the Dover, NH driver. Another green flag run saw Helliwell, JR lead Frahm, Larry Gelinas, Barry Gray, and Brad Babb, who recovered from an early race bobble which dropped the youngster out of the top-10.
The field would bunch back up after a spin involving early race-leader Branscombe. Helliwell, JR would come out on top from multiple restarts, until the final showdown after a spin by Derek Griffith on lap 98 set up a green-white-checkered finish. Helliwell, JR had Larry Gelinas on his outside door, who was hungry to pick up the victory after losing a race at Lee USA Speedway in a green-white-checkered finish to Joey Polewarczyk, JR. Helliwell, JR got the jump when the green flew, but Gelinas put the fans on the edge of their seats by sticking a nose underneath Helliwell, JR going into the final corner. Gelinas and Helliwell, JR would make contact, resulting in Gelinas sitting in the infield and Helliwell, JR speeding off for the victory. Frahm would inherit the second spot as a result of Gelinas’ spin, and Bobby Baillargeon fought his way to a third place finish after duking it out with Babb in the final few laps.
For Helliwell, JR, who started in the sixth spot, the win at the Star 100 was his first win in the series since Riverside Speedway in September of 2013. Helliwell, JR said this win is satisfying for the team, because they have struggled with their Pro Stock since the Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in April. “We went out leading (the Icebreaker) with a flat right front, and since that race we’ve struggled with this car,” Helliwell, JR commented. “The last two weeks we’ve done a lot of work, even took a trip down to Virginia to put the car on a pull-down machine (a machine that checks vertical ride rates and travel limits). With this being it’s (the car) first time out, I’m happy with the results.”
Frahm, who took the point lead after Larry Gelinas finished 16th in the Star 100, kept his eyes on the big picture in the Star 100. “The car had really good grip on the outside, but just not enough to get by Helliwell, JR,” the Nationwide Series driver stated. “We definitely had a good points night. I knew what Larry (Gelinas) was going to have to do to Wayne (Helliwell, JR), which was exactly what I didn’t want to do to Wayne, which was root him off the bottom. It ended up working in my favor and we gained a bunch of points tonight.”
Baillargeon used up most of his race car to pick up his season’s best third-place finish in the Star 100. The Kingston, NH driver engaged in a spectacular battle with Brad Babb for the last portion of the race, driving from the 14th starting spot to his podium finish. “The car was good, but wasn’t great,” remarked Baillargeon. “We started deep in the field, waited, and bided our time, and let everything unfold in our favor, and it worked out well.”
Babb finished in the fourth spot, with Dillon Moltz once again fighting his way back to a fifth spot. 2012 champion Bobby Cabral, Squeglia, George Helliwell, Branscombe, and Barry Gray completed the top-10. With Helliwell, JR’s win, the series has seen 7 different winners in as many races. Gelinas, Cabral, and Branscombe scored heat wins.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series has announced another race to be added to their schedule. The series will join the Super Modifieds back at Star Speedway on September 6th, as part of the Star Classic. The GSPSS will be back in action next Sunday, August 24th at Hudson International Speedway.
\STAR 100 RESULTS
8/16/14
POS (Start) Driver Hometown
1. (6) Wayne Helliwell, JR Dover, NH
2. (5) Matt Frahm Hampstead, NH
3. (14) Bobby Baillargeon Kingston, NH
4. (8) Brad Babb Windham, ME
5. (7) Dillon Moltz Waterford, CT
6. (3) Bobby Cabral Kingston, NH
7. (1) Joey Squeglia, JR Derry, NH
8. (10) George Helliwell Derry, NH
9. (2) Babe Branscombe Nottingham, NH
10. (12) Barry Gray Belchertown, MA
11. (17) Mike Parks` Walpole, NH
12. (16) Tommy O’Sullivan Wilbraham, MA
13. (9) Josh King Vernon, VT
14. (15) Cory Robert Canaan, NH
15. (18) Jesse Smith Hermon, ME
16. (37ME) Larry Gelinas Buxton, ME
17. (22) John Salemi Nashua, NH
18. (11) Derek Griffith Hudson,
19. (19) Todd Stone Middlebury, VT
20. (20) Dennis Mitchell Fitchburg, MA
21. (19) Adam Norton Ludlow, MA
22. (13) JD Miller Manchester, NH
CONTINGENCY AWARDS Winner
AR Bodies (Hard Luck) Larry Gelinas
Bond Auto Parts (Last car on lead lap) Larry Gelinas
Crazy Ed’s Powersports (Hard Charger) Bobby Baillargeon
Draco Springs Award (Most positions gained) Bobby Baillargeon
Five Star Stock Car Bodies (5th place finisher) Dillon Moltz
MacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #1 Winner) Larry Gelinas
MacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #2 Winner) Bobby Cabral
MacLellan Metal Finisheing (Heat #3) Winner Babe Branscombe
Racer’s Depot (Random drawing) Mike Parks
RB Performance (4th place finisher) Brad Babb
RB Performance (7th place finisher) Joey Squeglia, JR
Sherwood Wheels (10th place finisher) Barry Gray
Sunoco Race Fuels (Heat #1 Winner) Larry Gelinas
Sunoco Race Fuels (Heat #2 Winner) Bobby Cabral
Sunoco Race Fuesl (Heat #3 Winner) Babe Branscombe
The Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) has added an eleventh race to their 2014 schedule, after accepting an invitation to join the Star Classic Super Modified event held at Star Speedway, September 6th.
The GSPSS will join the International Super Modified Association (ISMA), Strictly Stocks, Outlaws, and Roadrunners divisions at the Star Classic for 100 green flag laps. The 48thannual Star Classic is a highlight on the International Super Modified Association schedule, as the 150 lap event has seen such historical drivers as Russ Wood, Bentley Warren, and Chris Perley .
“When Bob Webber extended the invitation to the Granite State Pro Stock Series, it was a no-brainer for us,” says GSPSS president Mike Parks. “The Star Classic is a premier stop on the ISMA schedule. To add the GSPSS to this event is a homerun for us and for Star Speedway. It will give us a chance to put our product in front of ISMA fans, and a chance for our fans to see their product. The Webber family have always been a stout supporter of our series since it’s inception, and we would like to offer the same support to them.”
The Star Classic will be held on September 6th at Star Speedway in Epping, NH.
The Northeastern Midget Association heads to the famed Star Speedway in Epping, NH on Saturday night. It has been a favorite stop for the midgets since the 60’s, in fact Star has hosted more NEMA events than any other facility.
Some of the greats have gotten their first NEMA victory at Star including Joey Coy, Mike Favulli and Billy Mann, as well as modern day drivers like Jeff Horn, Joey Payne, Bobby Seymour and Russ Stoehr. There will be plenty of drivers gunning for their first on Saturday night.
Stoeher leads all active drivers with 10 wins at Star.
The NEMA midgets bring a see-saw battle at the top of the point standings in both of their classes.
The top spot has traded back and forth between young Avery Stoeher of Lakeville, MA and another Massachusetts South Shore native, Randy Cabral of Kingston. Cabral now leads by 13 points thanks to a runner-up finish last time out at Waterford. Stoehr could only muster a fourth place in that event and lost his grip on the points lead.
Consistancy is what’s keeping them close. Of the 9 races so far this season Randy has won 3 and finished second 3 times. Avery has been only a shade off that with 2 wins, a second and a pair of thirds.
The other points battle in the full midgets is right behind them between Suffield CT’s Todd Bertrand in third and Brimfield, MA resident Seth Carlson. The latter has been red hot in the last two races, with a win and third. He has closed the gap on Bertrand and now trails by just 10 points.
It’s just as tight in the Lites. A win by Marshfield, MA’s Danny Cugini at Waterford last time catipulted him to the top of the standings over Ryan Krachun of Neshanic Station, NJ. Even without a victory, Krachun had a lock on the top spot for several weeks. Cugini now leads by 11 points going into Star.
Krachun could now fall into the clutches of another consistant finisher. Andy Barrows of New Ipswich, NH is only 17 points out of second.
The real story in the Lites this season has been PJ Stergois of Candia, NH. Though he missed 3 races, he’s only finished outside the top 3 once in the 8 main events he’s run. 4 of those podium finishes were victories. He’ll be looking to score another one at his “home” track on Saturday night.
A special match race sponsored by All Star Performance has been added to the program. “The Sundown Showdown” will feature some of Star Speedway’s historic superstar drivers taking on some of the young, up and coming stars of the NEMA. A trophy and huge bragging rights are on the line for this sure-to-be-special, multi-generational race.
Fourteen-year-old TJ Bleau put his name in the NASCAR record book Saturday, August 16, at Monadnock Speedway, eclipsing the record of youngest winner of a NASCAR Division 1 feature race set by Austin Brehio two seasons ago at the high-banked speedplant.
Bleau wired the Sportsman Modified main event, becoming the division’s sixth different winner this season. The youthful speedster was one of three first-of-season winners Saturday on the high banks. Fellow teen Joel Monahan won the Mini Stock feature, while veteran Chris Curtis was victorious in the Super Stock main event.
In other feature races Saturday at Monadnock, Young Gun Matt Kimball scored his second win of the summer, and Thunder Stock ace Dave Greenslit earned his seventh 2014 victory lap.
Bleau led the 19-car Sportsman Modified field to the green, rocketing to an immediate lead, with fellow rookie Kimmy Rivet leading the chase in second for the first three laps. Brian Chapin, from row three, powered into the deuce spot on lap four, quickly setting his sights on the leading Bleau.
Seven-time 2014 feature winner Todd Patnode charged past Bill Kimball to take over third on lap nine but, on this night, that was as far as he would advance. Bleau would run a perfect line in first, and Chapin would be errorless in second.
Bleau survived a lap-four restart on his way to the victory. With Chapin a strong second behind the 14-year-old speedster, Patnode came home third, Kimball was fourth, and Tyler Jarvenpaa took the checkers in fifth.
Ian MacDonald led the first lap of the Super Stock feature, with Alyssa Rivera moving up from second to take command a lap later. Geoff Rollins stormed into second on lap three bringing Chris Curtis with him. For the next seven laps, Rivera, Rollins and Curtis would run nose-to-tail, blistering the hardtop as if hooked together.
The only caution of the event happened on lap ten, when Tyler Lescord’s ride came to a stop at the top of pit road. Curtis made the move of the night after the restart, diving low on the track to rocket from third to first.
Rollins would take over second on lap 15, but then had to be content running in Curtis’s shadow until the checkers waved. With Curtis making his first outing of the season on the high banks a successful one, Rollins came home second, and Tom Carey III third. Rivera and Tyler Leary rounded out the top five.
Joel Monahan led all the way in the Mini Stock feature, but had to withstand constant pressure from fellow rookie Cameron Sontag – like Monahan, a recent Young Guns alumnus – en route to scoring his first career victory in the highly competitive division.
Beth Adams, the reigning Monadnock Mini Stock champion, held the third spot from green to checkers but on this night had to be content riding behind her two teenage competitors. Mike Stebbins passed Chris McTaggart for fourth on lap ten, but would advance no further.
Over the final ten laps the top five blistered the track nose-to-tail, with Sontag taking the checkers in second, followed by Adams, Stebbins, and McTaggart; each previous feature winners this season.
Henry Martin set the early pace in the Thunder Stock feature, leading the 15-car field until giving way to Paul Barnard on lap five. Dave Greenslit reeled Barnard in on lap eight, and the pair would race wheel-to-wheel the next two trips around the high banks until Greenslit inched ahead.
Divisional points leader Marshall Usher got up for second on lap 13, but would have to settle for second behind Greenslit, who scored his seventh win of the summer.
Barnard, running in third, and Randy McGee both saw strong runs go for naught when they were spun out of contention on the final corner by Brandon Ovitt. Tyler Janovsky was able to steer clear of the excitement to come home third.
Matt Kimball started up front, survived two restarts, and led all the way to score his second Young Gun victory of the summer. The second-generation driver had Solomon Brow glued to his bumper from green to checkers but never flinched.
With Brow completing another impressive run in second, Mike McGoldrick Jr. came home third. Dylan Morse was fourth, and Hailey Guy took the checkers in fifth.
This Saturday, August 23, Monadnock Speedway will host the Valenti Modified Racing Series as it visits the high banks to battle in the second annual Victor Johnson Memorial Race presented by Swanzey Oil. A full six-division card of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing will also be on tap. Post time is 6 pm.
For more information, visit www. monadnockspeedway.com.
Sportsman Modifieds: Trevor Bleau, Brian Chapin, Todd Patnode, Bill Kimball, Tyler Jarvenpaa, Keith Carzello, Scott MacMichael, Greg Williams, Steve Fifield, Kim Rivet, John Studley, Glen Griswold, Brad Zahensky, Eric Leclair, Ray Grassetti, Sahne Foss, Carlos Gray, JT Cloutier, Nathan Johnson
Super Stocks: Cghris Curtis, Geoff Rollins, Tom Carey III, Alyssa Rivera, Tyler Leary, Dave Striebel, Ina MacDonald, Tyler Lescord, Nancy Muni
Mini Stocks: Hoel Monahan, Cameron Sontag, Beth Adams, Mike Stebbins, Chris McTaggart, Justin Faford, Kevin McKnight, Ethan Marsh, Eric Pomasko, Tim Leblanc
Thunder Stocks: Dave Greenslit, Marshall Usher, Tyler Janovsky, Henry Martin, Paul Barnard, Randy McGee, Brandon Ovitt, Ben Williams, Chris Lawrence, Jeff Staiti, Craig Chaffee, James Nowakowski, Chuck Roberto, Jason Barden, Caleb Cashman
Young Guns: Matt Kimball, Solomon Brow, Mike McGoldrick, Dylan Morse, Hailey Guy, Chris Buffone, Colton Smith, Alicia Springer, Dan Starkweather, Bow Smith
The final month of racing toward the goal of the 2014 season championships began at Lee USA Speedway on Friday night, with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Supermodifieds, Late Model Sportsmen, Hobby Stocks, and Ironmen joined by the touring Northeast Classic Lites for an entertaining night of racing action at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”.
Leslie Keyser of Northfield was the man of the hour in the EKeys 4cars 30-lap main event for the Supermodifieds. Keyser jumped out to the early lead with Topsfield, MA’s Bobby Webber in tow for the first four laps of the fast-paced feature race, which ran caution-free from green to checker in just over seven minutes.
Rookie Kyle Sawyer of Kingston moved past Webber to take over second on lap five, but Keyser was already pulling away from the field by then. Lapped traffic in the late going helped Sawyer close the gap, but Keyser was in charge all the way, flashing under Byron Callen’s checkered flag to take the win by .317 seconds over Sawyer.
Freshman Lance Barthelemy of nearby Fremont turned the race’s fastest lap on his way to a third place finish with a blistering 13.985 trip around the fast 3/8th‘s mile oval, and he nipped current points leader Jake Stergios of Candia at the line by a mere .008 second margin to take the final spot on the podium.
Sandown’s Sparky MacIver took home fifth place honors, followed by defending and three-time Super champ Tommy Tombarello, Jr. of Haverhill, MA. 2004 Lee USA Speedway Late Model and NASCAR Regional champion Ricky Wolf of Northwood made his first start of the season and scored seventh, with Webber, Rochester’s Mike Spurling, and Moe Lattime of Kingston finishing up the top ten.
Pittsfield’s Jesse Bousquet moved to the point early in the Prime Storage and Warehouse Late Model Sportsman 30-lap main event, setting the pace for most of the first half of the race. Just five laps in, a scary incident brought red flag conditions on the speedway and knocked several contenders out of action.
Kyle Roy of Barrington got pushed up out of the groove in turn four and slid down across the track just as Brentwood’s Jimmy Russell tried to slip past, sending both drivers head-on into the wall on the front straightaway. Bobby Melvin of Groton, MA had no place to go and piled in as well, ending all three drivers’ nights on the business end of a wrecker.
All three drivers were uninjured, and things settled down a bit after racing resumed. Ricky Porter of Epping moved past Bousquet to take over the point on lap 15, and he immediately began to open up a lead. Further back in the pack however, Bryan Kruczek was picking his way to the front after starting 14th on the grid, and he was coming fast.
Kruczek was fourth when Porter got to the lead, and just three laps later, was past Geoff Rollins and Bousquet to run second. Kruczek eventually got past Porter to take over the lead at the five to go mark, but with the popsicle sticks in the air signaling two laps remaining, Porter re-assumed the lead and went on to post the win.
Newmarket’s Kruczek collected a solid runner-up finish in his 2014 debut aboard the new Joe Delisle entry, with Rollins, Mark Parenteau of Groveland, MA, Bousquet, Niko Maniatis of Hooksett, Frankie Eldridge, Barrington’s Tom Harton, Goffstown’s David “Doc” Piper, and George Rego the rest of the top ten.
The David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stocks had a 50-lapper on the schedule for the night, with R&R Public Wholesalers sweetening the purse for the extra-distance event. Multi-feature winner Jim Piaseczny of Merrimack was sidelined for the night after a hard crash in practice, ending any chances he had of salvaging his 2014 season.
Among the more impressive performances of the night was that of rookie contender Zac Fraser of Nottingham, who ran in the runner-up slot behind early-race leader Billy Clement, Jr. of Manchester for the first 19 laps of the race before sliding back a few positions and eventually spinning out of contention on lap 22.
Clement finally lost the lead to Geoff Rollins with five laps remaining, and after the race, lost his apparent third place finishing position to another technical infraction. Rollins went on to post the win in his first start of the 2014 campaign, with Nashua’s Dennis Dumas and points leader Pat Tanguay credited with second and third.
Fourth spot went to Tewksbury, MA driver Dave MacDonald, followed by Berwick, ME’s Jay Avery, Tewksbury’s Brian DeStefano, Chris Harding of Lebanon, ME, Fraser, Pelham’s Paul Palen, and Torrey Kovalesky of Kingston.
Tewksbury, MA racer Christin DeStefano quickly jumped out to the lead in the Benson Lumber and Hardware Ironman main, and she set the pace for the first 11 trips around “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”. Points leader Wayne Osborne of Raymond moved past to grab the lead the next time by, and it was all but over from there.
Osborne led the rest of the race to increase his points lead with another impressive feature win, with defending champ Travis Hollins of Milford up in the late laps to checker second ahead of Seabrook’s Adam Knowles and Epping‘s Jeff Bennett.
Tyler Mitchell of Dracut, MA rounded out the top five, with Hannah Shaw of Chester, DeStefano, Lindy Lambert, Shane Horvath of Nottingham, and Jeff Nadeau of Epping sixth through tenth. Jesse Tellier of Dracut, MA once again claimed top honors in the 4-cylinder portion of the Ironman main.
Another strong field of EKeys 4cars Northeast Classic Lites assembled for their feature event, with Sam Gilman first out to set the pace. Gilman led the field to the halfway mark, but a restart shortly after the crossed flags turned out to be his undoing, sending him pitside and out of contention with a flat tire.
Doug Dawkins picked up the lead for the next few laps, but in the end, second-generation racer George Helliwell continued his stranglehold on Lee’s victory lane, making a bold move late in the race to come away with the win. C.J. McLaughlin and Eddie Gilman rounded out the podium finishers.