The Granite State Pro Stock Series is headed for Hudson Speedway for its third event of 2020 as NH continues to allow race tracks to operate.
After two successful events at Claremont Motorsports Park the series heads south to the tight quarter mile bullring in Hudson NH. The track has quickly become a favorite of series teams and they look forward to racing at a different venue in 2020.
Ray Christian III heads to Hudson with all the momentum in the world. The Uncasville CT driver has won the last three series events going back to last season and looks to continue the hot streak. “We’ve run pretty well there and we’ve run not so well there,” said Christain immediately following his most recent win at Claremont. “The guys have been giving me a great car and I just hope we can continue that on Sunday”.
Lanphear Holds Off All Challengers for Myers Triple Crown Win
Barre, VT — Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear kicked his Thunder Road season into high gear with an electrifying victory in the Myers Container Service Triple Crown Series opener for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers on Thursday, July 9. Lanphear staved off a flurry of challenges from point leader Jaden Perry of Hardwick and rookie Kasey Beattie of St. Johnsbury for his first win of the year in the 75-lap main event on the Barre high banks.
While Lanphear started on the outside pole and grabbed the lead from Hinesburg’s Eric Messier right at the start, the triumph was anything but easy for the former Rookie of the Year. For much of the event, Lanphear led a four-car breakaway with Perry, Beattie, and Logan Powers in some order.
Barre, VT — Thunder Road officials have postponed the 36th Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro 200 and Street Stock Special to Sunday, August 23 at 6:00pm. The decision was made to avoid a conflict with the NASCAR Cup Series event at Loudon’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which was recently moved to August 2 as part of a schedule shuffle due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 200-lap, $3,000-to-win “People’s Race” will remain largely unchanged apart from the new date, from the three-wide start to the no-yellow-flags format. The track’s Allen Lumber Street Stocks will once again join the card with a 50-lap main event in their biggest show of the year. The rules and entry forms for the Enduro are now available at www.thunderroadvt.com/rules.
THREE STRAIGHT FOR PRO STOCKER CHRISTIAN FRIDAY AT CLAREMONT
By Gary Dutton
CLAREMONT, N.H. – Pro Stock ace Ryan Christian III stormed to his second 100-lap victory of the summer Friday, July 3, at Claremont Motorsports Park, topping the Independence 100 presented by Newport Chevrolet main event before a huge crowd.
With the bleachers buzzing with excitement as the night’s huge fireworks display approached, the Uncasville, Conn. star took charge on lap 90 and then held Hudson’s Joey Polewarczyk at bay to win his third-career series main event, all three happening at the Thrasher Road speedplant.
Mainiac Joey Doiron was third under the flags. Hometown star Luke Hinkley led for 77 laps until being nudged up-track by Angelo Belsito in turn four. Belsito’s resulting lead was brief, though, as he and Hinkley came together again at the other end of the track, moving Joey Pole to the point, where he’d ride until Christian stormed past him five circuits later.
Bonsignore Pounces Late for Whelen Modified Tour Independence Day Win
N. Woodstock, NH — Holtsville, NY’s Justin Bonsignore made it 2-for-2 on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour 2020 season by capturing the inaugural Independence Day 200 at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 4. Bonsignore made his move to get the lead from Northampton, PA’s “Big Money” Matt Hirschman on the 194th lap of the tour’s first visit to White Mountain before holding off Hirschman and six-time Whelen Modified Tour Champion Doug Coby on a green-white-checkered finish.
Prior to Bonsignore’s pass, Hirschman had lived up to his nickname, dominating the event from the pole. Coby had given Hirschman everything he could handle in the early stage of the event before Bonsignore got around him following a midrace caution triggered by Rob Summer’s ride into the turn-3 tire barrier. Following the fourth caution of the event on lap 137 for Walter Sutcliffe’s spin, Hirschman and Bonsignore drove away as the rest of the field duked it behind them.
Christian III goes Three in a Row with the GSPSS on the 4th of July
Ray Christian III kicked off the 2020 Independence Day weekend with his third GSPSS win in a row at Claremont Motorsports Park.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series took to the track for the second time of the season with an Independence Day celebration for the ages. Weekly racing, a massive fireworks display and 100 laps of pro stock action were on the card and non-disappointed.
Angelo Belsito looked to be the man to beat as he was quick in practice, fastest in the Crazy Horse Racing fast time challenge and handily won his heat race. It was an all Belsito kind of night until it came time for the GSPSS redraw. Eight drivers redrew and Belsito pulled the number 8.
Sweet Triples Up with PASS Holiday Win at White Mountain
Marshall Snatches Victory in Foley Late Model 100
N. Woodstock, NH — Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet continued his torrid start to the 2020 Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model season by dominating down the stretch for the win in the Foley Oil & Propane 150 at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Friday, July 3. Sweet got the break over multi-time PASS champion Ben Rowe on a lap-66 restart and was never headed from there on the way to his third win of the year in front of the largest White Mountain crowd of the season.
Sweet started 11th in and steadily worked his way through the field early on. Farmington, ME’s Johnny Clark led the first 27 laps from the pole, but during the first caution for an Austin Teras spin, Clark suddenly headed down pit road. While he returned to the track in time for the restart, Clark would retire from the event during the next caution four laps later with apparent mechanical problems.
Hackel Stays Hot in Firecracker 50 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Pierson dominates SCoNE opener
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Bobby Hackel put on a holiday clinic at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Thursday, July 2, with a dominant back-to-front performance in the Independence Day “Firecracker 50” that brought him his second win of the season. Likewise, Adam Pierson put on a convincing display of power, as did Johnny Bruno, Jim McKiernan, Michael Daniels, and Austin Chaves. Fans were also treated to a massive holiday fireworks show.
Hackel’s victory came in the 50-lap Pepsi Sportsman Modified feature. After starting 16th on the 24-car grid, the former track champion took to the outside lane with a vengeance and marched toward the front. While Hackel began his ascent, rookie Marty Hutchins chased what would have been an upset of historic proportions; Hutchins had failed to qualify for the first three races of his freshman season, but led the first 18 laps by a wide margin from the pole position in his first career Sportsman-level start.
Dragon Unstoppable at Aubuchon Hardware Holiday Spectacular
Streeter, Gray, and Davis Bank Independence Day Wins
Barre, VT – Two-time “King of the Road’ Scott Dragon of Milton put on a clinic en route to his first win of the year at Thunder Road’s Aubuchon Hardware Holiday Spectacular on Thursday, July 2. Dragon took the lead for good on lap six of the special Firecracker 54 Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model feature and smoked the field from there for career win number 11 on the Barre high banks.
The veteran started on the pole after not even making it to qualifying the week before when he lost an engine in practice. However, it was outside polesitter Brendan Moodie of Wolcott putting his nose in front at the start. Moodie led the first five laps before Dragon got back around him for the top spot.
While Moodie was able to hang with Dragon for the following 10 circuits, “The Dragon Wagon” just got stronger as the caution-free race went on. While a battle raged behind him as Moodie eventually fell into the clutches of Matt White and Bobby Therrien, Dragon sailed into the holiday weekend like a jet plane. At one point, Dragon’s lead reached nearly half a lap before he tip-toed around some traffic near the end.
