Winchester, NH – Thunderstorms and hail teased the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire early in the day Saturday. The residual electricity rippled through the competition that night at Monadnock Speedway.
If the electricity was static, it affected the Sportsman Modified division the most. Their 50-lap feature was slowed by eight cautions. Alyssa Rivera of Claremont, NH, took the field to the green and ran her best start of the year leading the first fourteen laps in spite of having to survive six of the eight restarts. The most serious stoppage of the race came on a lap ten restart. Rivera was slightly loose into turn one and two and made tire contact with JT Cloutier, Fitzwilliam, NH, sending Cloutier into the Armco barrier. The race was red-flagged to check on him and clean up the resulting fluid spill. Two more restart attempts and two more cautions in the next four laps finally got some green flag racing underway. By lap sixteen Swanzey, NH’s, Todd Patnode had caught Rivera and took the lead. From that point the race ran caution free until laps thirty-nine and forty-one before Patnode reeled in his second win of the season ahead of defending Champion, Keith Carzello of Somers, CT, and Joel Monahan of Whately, MA, third.
The Late Model Sportman 25-lapper was a cake-walk by comparison. Only one minor caution for a spin-out impeded Solomon Brow of Vernon, VT, on his way to his fifth consecutive win of the year, making it eight in row going back to last season. Cole Littlewood of Orange, MA, made the best effort to run Brow down, but settled for second. Dennis Stange of Athol, MA, captured the third spot on the podium.
Mini Stock rookie Kevin Cormier of Agawam, MA, showed why his previous experience racing Go-Karts was important preparation for full-sized racers, as he rolled into victory lane for his second consecutive win. Cormier held off a strong challenge from Agawam’s Tim Wenzel. Third finisher was former Mini Stock Champion, Gordon Farnham of New Ipswich, NH
The most popular win of the night came in the twenty-five lap Pure Stock race. Teenager and rookie driver, Taylor Streibel of Dalton, MA, collected her first divisional win holding off a bumper-tapping challenge from point leader Chris Davis of Winchester, NH. Newcomer, Seth Melcher of Cornish, NH, recovered from an early race spin-out to take third.
The Young Guns 15-lap feature went to Jake Puchalski of Whately, MA, ahead of Chris Phelps of New Salem, MA, and JD Stockwell from Turner’s Falls, MA. Newcomer Matt Winter suffered mechanical issues and wan unable to qualify.
The Pro-4 Modifieds make their first appearance the year at Monadnock Speedway. Coming out on top for their 25-lap race was Rob Richardi of Easton, MA. Over the past several seasons, Richardi has been the dominate driver on the high banks to the point that he considers Monadnock his home track. Randy Cabral of Kingston, MA, finished a close second. Doug Merservey, Jr., of Chatham, MA, rounded out the top three. Winning the race within a race, was Winchester, NH, driver Tom Royer, who was the top finisher among the Pro-4 Lite competitiors.
The New England Antique Racers brought two divisions of classic and restored stock cars of the past to Monadnock for their annual visit. Darrah Hoyt of Greenfield, NH, took their Sportsman race and Bob Donahue of Rindge, NH, won the Modified division.
This coming Saturday marks the third time in over 40 years that the super-fast, open-wheeled, winged racers of the International Super Modified Association compete at Monadnock. They will qualify for a 75-lap main event. There will be considerable anticipation for one of their drivers to set a new qualifying record for the speedway. The NASCAR Whelen All-American division will also be on the program. Starting time for the night will be 5PM.
Sportsman Modified Results: Todd Patnode, Keith Carzello, Joel Monahan, Ben Byrne, Kim Rivet, Alyssa Rivera, Eric LeClair, Brian Robie, Matt Zenisky, Scott MacMichael, Kevin Pittsinger, JT Cloutier, Kenny Thompson
Unofficial Late Model Sportsman Results: Solomon Brow, Cole Littlewood, Dennis Stange, Justin Littlewood, Keith Carzello, Marc Curtis, Tyler Leary, Will Kuhn, Nancy Muni, Alecia Fohlin-Parker
Mini Stock Results: Kevin Cormier, Tim Wenzel, Gordon Farnum, Ethan Marsh, Kevin McKnight, Shelby Avery, Louis Maher II, Kevin Clayton, Matt Croteau, Haydon Grenier, Nathan Wenzel, Cory Plummer, Jonathan Alden
Pure Stock Results: Taylor Striebel, Chris Davis, Seth Melcher, Jim Decroucy, Rich Hammann, Carter Chamberlain, Joe Brittain, Bruce Canatara
Young Gun Results: Jake Puchalski, Chris Phelps, JD Stockwell
