Lee USA Speedway 6/5/15 Race Report
Lee, NH – The Mr. Rooter Truck Series joined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions on the card at Lee USA Speedway Friday night, with rookie driver Tyler Chapman of Mystic, CT taking down the win after an action-packed 25-lap main event for the truckers.
Chapman bolted out to the lead at the drop of the green, and with a best finish of sixth in the first four events of 2014, was looking to improve on that mark at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”. With challenges coming his way virtually every lap, the youngster held them all off and stayed out front from flag-to-flag to score his first career win.
Riverhead, NY ace Roger Turbush came into the event with a perfect four-for-four record in 2015, having scored victories at Thompson Speedway, Stafford Speedway, New London Waterford Speedbowl, and Monadnock Speedway, and after a strong run from ninth on the starting grid, he settled for runner-up behind the freshman.
Bert Ouellette of Ellington, CT rounded out the podium with a solid third place effort, followed by Glen Noll, Brandin Chase, Frank Dumicich, Sr., Josh Springer, Frank Dumicich, Jr., Duane Noll, and Trevor Dyer.
Multi-time champion Tommy Tombarello, Jr of Haverhill, MA picked up his first win of the 2015 campaign in the NASCAR All-American Series Supermodifieds, outrunning early-race leader Mike Spurling of Rochester to score the victory in convincing fashion.
Spurling moved out to the lead when the EKeys 4Cars-sponsored feature event went green, and he set a torrid pace out front as the field sorted out behind. Moe Lattime held the second spot for the first half of the race, but when caution flew for a Mike Ordway spin on lap 15, the complexion of the race changed in a hurry.
Tombarello restarted fourth when racing resumed, but he immediately put his #98 to the outside, and headed quickly to the front. Tommy slipped past Spurling to take over the lead on lap 19, and it was all but over from there, as he held the point the rest of the way to score a popular win with a nearly three second margin of victory.
Spurling was next across the stripe to collect runner-up honors, with Leslie Keyser of Northfield filling out the podium. Fourth went to 2014 Rookie of the Year Lance Barthelemy of Fremont, followed by Kingston’s Kyle Sawyer, former champ Mike Ordway, Jr. of Fremont, Mike Murphy of Grovelend, MA, rookie Mike Keddy, Artie Rousseau of Ipswich, MA, and Jim Barker.
Epping’s Ricky Porter was first out to lead the R&R “The Tool Store and More” Late Model Sportsman feature, with Brentwood’s Jimmy Russell in hot pursuit in the early going. Hampton’s Jay Sands was quickly up to make it a three-car battle, and he soon disposed of Russell and set his sights on the leader.
Porter fought hard to keep Sands behind, but to no avail, as Sands moved past and pulled away to score his first-ever Lee USA win. Russell was up in the late going to score second, with Porter, Ray Dinsmore, George Helliwell, Jimmy Ryder, Tom Carey III, Geoff Rollins, Mark Parenteau, and Steve Paquette the remainder of the top ten.
Berwick, ME racer Chris “Rooftop” Harding set the pace for the first four laps of the David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stock main, but Paul Palen of Pelham moved past on lap five to take over the top spot. The pair ran one-two to the crossed flags, with Barrington’s Alby Ovitt joining the battle when halfway passed.
Ovitt got the best of Harding a few laps later, and he immediately moved up to challenge Palen for the lead. Palen held tough until late in the race, when the lead duo come up on lapped traffic. Palen took the high line and Ovitt looked low, making the lead pass with the two to go signal in the air.
Ovitt held serve for the final two trips around the fast 3/8th’s mile oval, flashing under flagman Bryon Callen’s checkered flag to score his first win of the 2015 season. Palen had to settle for second, with opening night winner Dave MacDonald, Harding, Dennis Dumas, Zac Fraser, Jay Avery, and Todd Randlet next across the stripe.
Hannah Shaw ran to the lead when the Tri-City Line X Ironman feature went green, but a lap two restart gave second-generation racer Zach Washburn the shot he needed, and he quickly took over the point when racing action resumed.
Washburn was soon under attack from former champ Jack Victoria, but that only lasted until lap 13, when Victoria retired with mechanical woes. Washburn’s cousin Troy, the winner on opening night a week earlier, was up next to challenge, but he couldn’t find a way past and had to settle for second.
When the checkers waved, it was a Washburn sweep, with Zach taking the win over Troy. 2013 champion Travis Hollins took home third place honors, with Ryan Pitkin, 2014 champ Wayne Osborne, Shane Horvath, Shaw, Luke Grammont, Greg Brannan, and Christin DeStefano rounding out the top ten.