In less than two weeks, Monadnock Speedway will be back in action hosting the traditional Bond Auto Parts Spring Dash 100. The special event season opener was delayed by two weeks due to the extended winter and mud season in the Northeast. The event will feature the first race of the season for Valenti Modified Racing Series as they compete in 100 laps around the 1/4 mile high banked track. All the speedway’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions will be competing along with the weekly Young Gun division, visiting NE Classic Lites and Pro 4 Modifieds. The speedway will start racing at 4pm due to all the divisions that will be present vying for opening day victories. Pit gates will open at 10am with practice starting at 1pm. General admission will open at 1pm.
The speedway will host their annual test and tune session on Saturday, April 25th. The session will include all the weekly divisions along with the Valenti Modified Racing Series along with other tours that make a stop at speedway throughout the 2015 season. Pit gates will open at 9 am for the test and tune. General admission is free on the test and tune event for all the fans to preview the competition that lies ahead.
The owners and management are very excited as the 2015 season will offer fans many special events throughout the season including the Whelen Modified Tour and the Tri Track Modified event later in the season. The Valenti Modified Racing Series will be competing three times and the Granite State Pro Stocks are scheduled twice for full bodied action. Fans will also enjoy another section that was installed of chair back seating, better known as the old Riverside Park Speedway chair backs.
Mike Rowe of Turner, Maine raced to his 151st Oxford Plains Speedway main event win, earning a trip to victory lane in his maiden voyage aboard Peter Petit’s lucky number 7 in AIM Recycling Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model competition at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday afternoon, while Joey ‘Pole’ Polewarczyk prevailed in the co-headlining ACT Late Model Tour 150-lapper.
Rowe, a 64-year-old veteran, multi-time track champion and all-around legend at the speedway where he was a track titlist a full four decades ago, waged a race-long battle with reigning series champion DJ Shaw of Conway, New Hampshire for supremacy in a thrilling 150-lapper for the ultra-quick AIM Super Late Models.
Shaw kept the pressure on through much of the opening day test, yet Rowe was able to slam the door shut and keep it that way, earning his first trip to victory lane in his first start with Petit, clearly a career highlight for the car owner.
Westbrook’s Tony Ricci was fast all day long and raced to a career-best third-place finish in the AIM Recycling Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model class.
David Oliver of Standish overcame a disadvantageous starting position to post a fourth-place finish after some outstanding work in the cockpit in the HP Hood 21. Garrett Hall of Scarborough impressed with an outstanding fifth-place finish in the Super Late Model finale.
Rounding out the top ten were Cassius Clark of Farmington, Reid Lanpher of Manchester;Joey Dorion of Berwick; Brian Hoar of Colchester, Vermont and Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, Vermont.
Joey Polewarczyk of Merrimack, New Hampshire led wire-to-wire in the 150-lap co-headline race for the American-Canadian Tour Late Models presented by Dave’s Small Engine and Walker Mowers.
“Joey Pole’s” chief rival en route to the checkered flag was Wayne Helliwell, Jr. of Dover, New Hampshire, claiming runner-up honors after several tough battles from his ninth starting position aboard the Bruce Berharndt Ford.
Nick Sweet of Barre, Vermont nailed down a third-place finish aboard the Eric Chase 40 after pressuring the eventual winner for a healthy portion of the 150-lapper.
Perhaps the most impressive drive of the day in the ACT race was turned in by Emily Packard of East Montpelier, Vermont. , going wheel-to wheel throughout the event to move from 20th starting position to end up in fourth position.
Jimmy Herbert of Williamstown, Vermont rounded out the top five in the ACT 150. Rounding out the top ten were Jeff White, Travis Stearns, Mike Ziter, Rich Dubeau and Jonathan Bouvrette.
Reigning and multi-time PASS Mod kingpin Andy Shaw of Center Conway, New Hampshire kicked off his title defense with the Sumner Sessions-owned zero team in championship style, scoring the top step on the podium following a competitive 35-lapper for the PASS open-wheelers.
Shaw’s closest rival under the checkered flag was Newburgh racer Scott Alexander, with fourth-generation OPS hotshoe Ryan Robbins grabbing the final trophy. Buxton’s Doug McClure crossed the finish line in fourth position, followed by heat race winner Matt Sanborn of Westbrook.
In the 25-lap main event for Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stocks Oxford’s Josh Childs got an early jump on Zach Emerson of Sabattus, and fended off several challenges from Emerson to kick off his season in triumphant fashion. Turner’s Calvin Rose, Jr. outgunned Naples racer Keith Stuart in a race-long battle for third position, and the final trophy offered. Richard Spaulding of Lisbon rounded out the top five.
Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Massachusetts raced from the back of the pack into victory lane in a non-stop 30-lap feature event for the Wicked Cool Midgets. Kevin Hutchens of Waterboro took advantage of a front row starting spot and built an impressive lead while Nocella patiently moved into contention, making his winning move with only a couple of laps remaining. DJ Moniz of Fairhaven, MA claimed the final podium position.
AIM Recycling Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model 150 presented by Kenny U Pull It: 1 7 Mike Rowe, Turner; 2 60 DJ Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 3 55 Tony Ricci, Westbrook; 4 David Oliver, Standish; 5 94x Garrett Hall, Scarborough; 6 77 Cassius Clark, Farmington; 7 59 Reid Lanpher, Manchester; 8 73 Joey Doiron, Berwick; 9 37 Brian Hoar, Colchester, VT; 10 5x Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, VT; 11 33 Richie Dearborn, Hollis; 12 60 Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 13 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, NH; 14 7 Glen Luce, Turner; 15 84 Scott Mulkern, Falmouth; 16 Bobby Timmons, Windham; 17 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale; 18 4 Ben Rowe, Turner; 19 88 Jeff Taylor, Farmington; 20 22 Scott Farrington, Minot; 21 20 Mike Landry, Oakland; 22 23 Dave Farrington, Jr., Jay; 23 00 Bryan Kruczek, Newmarkt, NH; 24 17 Travis Benjamin, Morrill; 25 5 Dillon Moltz, Waterford, CT; 26 11 Tyler King, Livermore Falls; 27 94 Shawn Martin, Turner; 28 55 Brent Dragon, Milton, VT; 29 73 Adam Polvinen, Auburn; 30 71 Raphael Lessard, St. Joseph Beauce, QC; 31 97 Joey Polewarczyk, Merrimack, NH; 32 15 Mike Hopkins, Hermon; 33 Travis Stearns, Auburn; 34 Shawn Knight, South Paris; 35 61 TJ Brackett, Buckfield; 36 14 Scott McDaniel, Livermore, 37 29 Trevor Sanborn, Parsonsfield; 38 80 Kyle DeSouza, East Providence, RI.
Dave’s Small Engine Walker Mowers 150 American-Canadian Tour Late Models: 1 Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Merrimack, NH; 2 Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, NH; 3 Nick Sweet, Barre, VT; 4 Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT; 5 Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, VT; 6 Jeff White, Winthrop; 7 Travis Stearns, Auburn, 8 Mike Ziter, Williamstown, VT; Rich Dubeau, Plainfield, NH; 10 Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, QC; 11 Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, NY; 12 Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben; 13. Larry Gelinas, Buxton; 14 Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH; 15 Jeremy Welch, Tamworth, NH; 16 Glenn Martel, Belmont, NH; 17 Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI; 18. (16) Quinny Welch, Lancaster, NH; 19 Corey Mason, Groveton, NH; 20 Bryan Mason, Stark, NH; 21 Bobby Pelland, Cranston, RI; 22 Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, MA; 23 Matt Anderson, Franklin, NH; 24 Bradley Babb, Windham; 25 Kyle Welch, Newport, NH; 26 Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
PASS Mods (35 laps) 1 0 Andy Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 2 17a Scott Alexander, Newburgh; 3 36 Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 4 22 Doug McClure, Buxton; 5 64 Matt Sanborn, Westbrook; 6 89 Ryan Phillips, Buxton; 7 33 Billy Dixon, Waterboro.
Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stocks (25 laps) 1 3 Josh Childs, Oxford; 2 23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 3 8 Calvin Rose, Jr., Turner; 4 8 Keith Stuart, Naples; 5 36 Richard Spaulding, Lisbon; 6 4 Jordan Russell, Norway; 7 1 Billy Childs, Jr., Leeds; 8 24 Jonathan Emerson, Sabattus; 9 26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 10 777 Mike St. Germain, Auburn; 11 99 Paul Harmon.
Wicked Cool Midgets (30 laps) 1 76 Anthony Nocella, Woburn; 2 27 Kevin Hutchins, East Waterboro; 3 18 DJ Moniz, Fairhaven, MA; 4 25 Richie Morrocco, Plainville, MA; 5 44 Christian Briggs, Acushnet, MA; 6 30 Paul Scally, Randolph, MA; 7 42 Juris Kupris, Williamsburg, NY; 8 2 Jim Cataldo, Sterling, MA; 9 46 Andy Barrows, New Ipswich, NH; 10 37 John Townsend, New Gloucester.
Eddie MacDonald powered the Grimm Construction/Multiple Sclerosis Society Chevrolet to a hard earned sixth place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Pittlite 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway as a companion race with the Sprint Cup Series. The Rowley, Mass. veteran started his 183rd race in the series and took the green flag as the defending champion of last year’s event. A flat tire on lap 49 appeared to quash any hopes of repeating the win but Eddie Mac and the crew never gave up and rallied from the flat and 24th restarting position to make his patented charge to the front.
“With everything that we had to overcome in the race, we are pleased with the sixth place finish,” said Eddie Mac after the race. “Obviously we would have liked to compete for the win but this finish showed how we can overcome adversity. We had a very similar set-up in the car as last year and the car handled pretty good. We didn’t have a great qualifying run (16th) but last year we started 13th and won so we knew the car would be good for the long run.”
Twenty eight cars took the green flag in the 125 lap event around “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” as Eddie Mac wasted no time moving up four spots from 16th to 12th in just twolaps and into tenth by lap 21. The car was “a little loose but not bad” according to Eddie Mac at the first caution on lap 37. While running ninth the #71 blew a left rear tire to bring out the caution on lap 49, then restarted 24th one lap down. Eddie Mac moved up two positions before the halfway break at lap 62. The crew was allowed to re-fuel but could not change tires during the five minute break.
Racing resumed after the break with Eddie Mac the recipient of the “lucky dog” to restart on the lead lap in the 22nd position. Chief Rollie LaChance made the call to bring the #71 to the pits for a wedge adjustment during a lap 76 caution resulting in a charge from the 20threstarting position on lap 81 to 13th on lap 90. On laps 100 and lap 109, the veteran racer made it three wide around the high banked turns of Bristol to ninth place with sixteen laps to go. Eddie Mac battled Austin Hill for sixth place before taking over the spot with ten to go.
“The car was really good all day,” said Eddie Mac. “I think we had a top three car and then run for the win and see what would happen but the flat changed everything. I wanted to get to fifth at the end but I used up the car coming from the rear so it was pretty loose at the end. Sixth place is still a great finish at Bristol. It is so much fun to drive here and you have to have a good car or you are in for a long day. Rollie and the crew did a great job all day long and I appreciate their efforts. Our owner Rob Grimm and a number of “Grimm Nation” family and fans were here so I am glad we had a good showing after the flat tire. This is a tough racetrack to make up ground when you have a problem so I am proud of what we accomplished today.”
“Many thanks go to our sponsors: Grimm Construction, Stilo, HMS Motorsports, Waymart Building Center, Schroth Racing, Peterson Auto Body, and Kustom Vinyl. The Multiple Sclerosis National Society logo is proudly displayed on the car, as well as, the New Path Adventures logo.”
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East’s next race will be a combination race with the K&N West Series at Iowa Speedway on May 16. NBCSN will televise the Pittlite 125 on April 23 with a time to be determined.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series returns to the place where it all began; Claremont Speedway, April 24.
The series, now in the fourth year of existence, held the inaugural event at Claremont Speedway (formerly Twin State Speedway) in August of 2011, which saw Chris Wilk of Mendon, VT fend off a late-race charge from Donnie Lashua to pick up the victory.
Former NH State Champion Barry Gray was a contender in the 2011 event, before a spin early in the race sent the Bechertown, MA resident to the rear. Gray battled his way through the field, and challenged Wilk for the lead on lap 64. The two made contact, sending Wilk sliding, and leaving Gray with right-front suspension damage, forcing him to retire from the race.
The 2015 version will see Gray return to the speedway, as well as 2013 series champion Mike O’Sullivan, all-time series wins leader Matt Frahm, Larry Gelinas, Derek Griffith, and local stars Bryon Baker, Mike Parks, Luke Hinkley. & Guy Caron.
The Claremont 125 is the second of twelve races on the schedule for the Granite State Pro Stock Series. Last season’s champion, Dillon Moltz, won the season-opening event, the Icebreaker, at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, April 12. Griffith and Gelinas completed the podium.