Rookie Grenier Captures First Career Mini Stock Victory
Winchester, NH – More wins and first wins and almost no wins were the recurring themes at Monadnock Speedway Saturday night. The racing and the weather demonstrated why the Speedway has earned the nickname “Mad Dog”.
As has become the norm, the attention was on Late Model Sportsman driver Solomon Brow of Vernon, VT. Brow was gunning for his record extending tenth consecutive win since opening day. Early on in the 25-lap feature, Brow seemed vulnerable. Orange, MA, driver, Cole Littlewood held the early while back in the pack Tyler Leary of Hatfield, MA, was challenging Brow for position. Slight contact between the two caused a flat tire for Leary bringing out the caution. Leary pitted and returned with fresh rubber. Littlewood led on the restart. Two laps later, at the half-way point, Brow made the inside pass for the lead. Littlewood fought back. While attempting a pass on lap fifteen he, too, made slight contact also cutting down a tire and causing a caution. He pitted and returned to the back of the field. Brow continue to lead on the restart while Leary and Littlewood charged back to the front. At the finish it was Brow collecting win number ten. Littlewood recovered to regain second. And going relatively unnoticed was Peterborough, NH’s, Eric Pomasko who quietly moved into the top three over the second half of the race.
The 50-lap Sportsman Modified finale saw Swanzey, NH’s Todd Patnode return to victory lane for the sixth time this season, but not before Kenny Thompson of Alstead, NH, and Joel Monahan of Whately, MA, both had a turn at leading the race. While Patnode led the final 26 laps, the in-fighting behind him was fierce. Important because Patnode and Ben Byrne of Greenfeld, MA, came into the night tied for the point lead with Monahan third. Monahan prevailed for second. Newbury, NH’s, Scott McMichael moved up to third in his best effort of the year. Byrne fell to fourth.
Both the Late Model Sportsman and Sportsman Modified races were delay an hour by a passing rain shower and the resulting track drying. Fortunately, the rain was brief and light or the night could have ended with Brow and Patnode waiting a week or more for another win. Prior to the rain, the Mini Stock, Street Stock and a pair of Young Guns features were hurried along by the impending rain.
The 25-lap Mini Stock feature looked to be a runaway for early leader, Kevin McKnight of Orange, MA. Four laps from the finish a stalled racer brought out the caution flag and McKnight, attempting to pass a lapped car, was forced into the front stretch wall and knocked out of the race. On the restart, Kevin Clayton of Winchendon, MA, took the lead with rookie driver Haydon Grenier of Claremont, NH, passing him with two laps to go. Grenier went to collect his first win. Clayton took the podium second. Agawam, MA, driver Tim Wenzel was third.
The Street Stock main went green to checkers. Chris Buffone of Belchertown, MA, jumped off the front row into the lead and never looked back for the win. Point leader David Greenslit of Claremont, NH, was second and Hillary Renaud of Vernon, VT, had her best race of the season running second most of the race before settling for third.
The twin Young Guns features were mirror images. Jake Pulchalski of Whately, MA, won both for his seventh and eighth victories of the year. Matt Lambert of Ashuelot, NH, and Brandon LaVoie of Littleton, MA, were second and third.
This coming Saturday could be the biggest night of the season so far. It will be the JBH Classic featuring the Valenti Modified Racing Series in 100-lap event and the Granite State Pro Stock series going 150 laps. Both races honor John Hoyt who was an integral part of both divisions when they were organized and started. Add in the 50-lap Sportsman Modified main plus five more divisions, that brings the night’s features alone to over 400 laps. With that much racing on the card, the start time for qualifying will be 5 PM. On Sunday, the speedway will host the Cindy Hall Memorial Mudbog Mudslinger Series with six divisions. Mud starts flying at Noon.
Sportsman Modified Results: Sportsman Modified: Todd Patnode, Joel Monahan, Scott MacMichael, Ben Byrne, Brian Robie, Keith Carzello, Dennis Charette, Kim Rivet, Eric LeClair, Alyssa Rivera, Keith Caruso, Kenny Thompson, Matt Zenisky, Kevin Pittsinger (DNS)
Late Model Sportsman Reuslts: Late Model Sportsman (8/10/19) Results: Solomon Brow, Cole Littlewood, Eric Pomasko, Tyler Leary, Justin Littlewood, Scott Beck, Nancy Muni Ruot, Will Kuhn
Street Stocks Results: Chris Buffone, Dave Greenslit, Hillary Renaud, Ed Lofland, Greg Williams, Ben Williams, Craig Chaffee, Michelle Leh, Nathaniel Nunez, Josh Carey, Brad Zahensky
Mini Stock Results: Haydon Grenier, Kevin Clayton, Tim Wenzel, Louie Maher, Shelby Avery, Pat Houle, Cory Plummer, Gordon Farnum, Kevin McKnight, William Sylvia, Nathan Wenzel
Young Gun Results Feature #1: Jake Puchalski, Matt Lambert, Brandon Lavoie, JD Stockwell, Reagan Buffum, Aaron Thompson
Young Guns Feature #2: Jake Puchalski, Matt Lambert, Brandon Lavoie, JD Stockwell, Aaron Thompson, Reagan Buffum
Photos Courtesy of Emily Miller
