Byrne Captures Sportsman Modified Checkers at Monadnock Speedway
Winchester, NH: This past Saturday, Monadnock Speedway was back in action after a two week break due to rain. All six divisions were present delivering plenty of action to the fans who attended to kick off their Memorial Weekend along with Spectator Races. The evening started off by honoring the American Flag with a special guest of Kevin Bezio representing Squadron 172 out of Orange, Ma saluting the flag during the National Anthem.
First time winners included Ben Byrne (Sportsman Modifieds), Josh Carey (Lightning Stocks) and Matt Kimball (Mini Stocks). Repeat winners included, Tyler Leary (Super Stocks), Ed Lofland (Thunder Stocks) and Nate Wenzel (Young Guns). Sean Donnelly won the Spectator Race.
Chloe Wright led out the field for the Young Guns for their 15-lap main event. At the green, Wright quickly held the lead as Taylor Striebel and Sammy Silva followed close behind. By lap four, Silva was being challenged by the fast moving 03 piloted by Nate Wenzel. Wenzel made the pass and was on the move to catch Wright while Silva took over third from Striebel. On lap seven, Wenzel took over lead. Gage Coates started to place pressure on Striebel for fourth. Five laps to go, Silva moved into second leaving Wright in a fight for third with Coates. Two laps to go, Wenzel gained a sizable lead, Silva continued to cruise in second and Coates made his move into third. At the checkers, it was Wenzel celebrating his second win followed by Silva, Coates, Wright, Striebel and Elijah Costillo.
The Lightning Stocks took to the track with Josh Carey and John Fultz setting the pace to the green. Carey quickly took the lead as Fultz settled into second. By lap 4, Matt Gauffin challenged Fultz for third and made the pass by lap 6. Leon Keniston, who started in fifth, worked his way up to third as Fultz fell back to fourth. Eric Banks ran fifth. Carey stretched his lead as Kenistion placed pressure on Gauffin for second. Five laps to go, the top three weaved through lap traffic as Carey continued to lead. At the wave of the checkers it was Carey capturing his first career win followed by Gauffin, Keniston, Fultz and Banks.
Sixteen Mini Stocks rolled onto the track for their 25-lap feature as Pat Houle and Dave Elliot lined up in the front row. The green flag start was quickly under yellow as both Ethan Marsh and Kevin McKnight were parked up in the turn two tire barriers. Marsh was able to continue however McKnight had to retire to the pit area. On the restart, Louie Maher took the lead as Kevin Pittsinger sat in second making the pass on Houle. Matt Kimball quickly moved into the top three by lap six and made his move to the inside of Pittsinger for second. Tim Paquette sat in fifth as he attempted a pass on Houle for fourth but was denied. On lap ten, Kimball was on the back bumper of Maher and with a bump and run passed Maher for the lead. Pittsinger continued in third, having a great run around the high banks. Kimball commanded the field with a large lead as Jaret Curtis moved into fourth attempting to catch Pittsinger for third. Paquette moved into the fifth with Houle close behind. On lap nineteen, the Curtis machine slowed causing the yellow flag to be displayed as he limped into the pit area. On the restart, Kimball showed the way as Paquette and Houle bathed for fourth. Louie Maher held second as Pittsinger enjoyed the rear-view mirror battle for fourth between Paquette and Houle. At the end, it was Kimball followed by Maher, Pittsinger, Paquette and Dave Elliot.
Dennis Stange and Rookie Jason Kozacka set the pace for the Super Stock green flag start. The fight for top position started early as Cole Littlewood and Tyler Leary quickly moved into the top three running wheel to wheel for second. By lap eight, Stange felt the pressure of both Littlewood and Leary on his back bumper. Leary looked to the inside of Stange in turn four but bobbled and backed out. On lap nine, Littlewood tapped the back bumper of Stange and turned him around as the yellow flag flew. On the restart, Leary inherited the lead with Solomon Brow in second. As the green flag flew, Chris Curtis was sideways coming out of turn four however he gathered it up to continue in fourth, Geoff Rollins sat in third. Leary was a rocket and commanded the lead until lap twelve when the caution flew as Cole Littlewood made contact with Kozacka. The field would restart again however the yellow would fly for Brow and Curtis. On the lap fourteen restart, Leary showed the way as Nancy Muni Ruot avoided trouble and sat in second followed by Scott Beck. Within a few laps, Cole Littlewood and brother Justin Littlewood made the pass on Beck for third and fourth. Lap eighteen, Cole Littlewood made the pass on Muni-Ruot for second. On the final lap, it was Leary scoring his third win of the season followed by Cole Littlewood, Muni-Ruot, Justin Littlewood and Stange.
The Thunder Stocks rolled on the track as Chase Curtis and James Nowakowski led the field to the green. An early battle for second brewed between Nowakowski and Comeau. Hillary Renaud and Ed Lofland followed close behind. On lap five, Lofland moved into third as he set up a wheel to wheel battle with Comeau for second. The caution flew on the next lap for Joshua Nutter and Greg Williams. On the restart, Curtis continued to lead but felt the front bumper for the lead by Lofland. By lap seven, Lofland took over the lead as Bruce Clark followed for second. Curtis did not give up as glued himself to the back bumper of Clark as he tried re-gain his second spot back. Lofland developed a good lead as Richard Vincent moved into the top four placing pressure on both Clark and Curtis. With the laps winding down, Curtis fought to protect his fourth spot from Vincent when suddenly Vincent slowed falling back with one lap go. At the checkers, it was Lofland scoring his second win followed by Clark, Curtis, Comeau and Williams.
The final feature of the night, the Sportsman Modifieds, thundered onto the track for their 25-lap feature. Eric Leclair and Brian Chapin led the field to the green. Chapin wasted no time to take over the number one spot as Ben Byrne, Kim Rivet and Joel Monahan followed. The top runners ran nose to tail and on lap nine, Byrne with the bump and run on Chapin took over the lead. Rivet put the pressure on Chapin on lap thirteen as they ran wheel to wheel for second. Lap fourteen the caution flew for Alyssa Rivera. On the restart it was Byrne followed by Rivet and Chapin. On lap sixteen, Chapin began to slip back giving Carzello the third spot as Geoff Rollins moved into fourth. Byrne began to sail away from the field. On lap nineteen, Rivera was in the infield as the yellow flew. O the restart, Byrne continued to lead. Rivet sat in second followed by Carzello, Rollins and Matt Kimball. Carzello looked to the inside of Rivet off of turn four but could not make the pass. As the checkers flew, it was Byrne celebrating followed by Rivet, Carzello, Rollins and Kimball.
This Saturday, Mondnock Speedway will host a full card of racing with Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Lightning Stocks, Young Guns, Pro 4 Modifieds and Star Antique Racers. Race time is at 6PM.
Sportsman Modifieds: Ben Byrne,Kim Rivet, Keith Carzello, Geoff Rollins, Matt Kimball, Joel Monahan, Brian Chapin, Eric Leclair, Alyssa Rivera, Jessica O’Leary
Super Stocks: Tyler Leary, Cole Littlewood, Nancy Muni-Ruot, Justin Littlewood, Dennis Stange
Scott Beck, Jason Kozacka, Chris Curtis, Solomon Brow, Geoff Rollins
Mini Stocks: Matt Kimball, Louis Maher, Kevin Pittsinger, Tim Paquette, David Elliot, Ethan Marsh
Pat Houle, Mike Radzuik, Cory Plummer, Tim Wenzel, Shelby Avery, Kyle Robinson Newell, Jaret Curtis, Kurt Cormier, Matt Boucher, Kevin McKnight
Thunder Stocks: Ed Lofland, Bruce Clark, Chase Curtis, Dan Comeau, Ben Williams, Joshua Nutter, James Nowakowski, Craig Chaffee, Jeff Staiti, Hillary Renaud, Richard Vincent, Michelle Leh
Doug McLean, Nathaniel Nunez
Lightning Stocks: Josh Carey, Matt Gauffin, Leon Keniston, John Fultz, Eric Banks, Randall Phillips Jr
Randall Phillips Sr, John Nashawaty, Ernie Coates
Young Guns: Nathan Wenzel,Sammy Silva, Gage Coates, Chloe Wright, Taylor Striebel, Elijah Castillo
