Patnode Crowned 2019 Sportsman Modified Champion
Winchester, NH – Super Saturday Championship night at Monadnock Speedway displayed the confidence and dominance one would expect. The night’s racing crowned six champions and honored a family member of one past champion. A pair of 50-lap features and a 62-lap enduro were the keystones in a seven feature afternoon of racing.
The day’s other 50-lap championship race crowned two champions. The Street Stock division of the New Hampshire Short Track Racing Association held their final race in a six race, five track series Battle of the Belt. This meant that both the Monadnock Speedway Street Stock Champion and the series Champion would both be honored at the end of the race. David Greenslit of Claremont, NH, held a slim ten point lead for the track championship over Belchertown, MA, driver Chris Buffone. Brothers Chase and Jarret Curtis of Rutland, MA, were twenty-two points apart for the Battle of the Belt.
Joe Tetreault of Enfield, NH, set the pace for the first twenty-two laps of the Street Stock dual championship event. On lap twenty-three Jaret Curtis found passing room to take the lead. Greenslit, who needed to finish ahead of Buffone to really secure the championship, did so by finishing second in the race. 2018 champion, Richard Vincent of Greenfied, MA, took third. For Greenslit it was his second Monadnock championship and comes on the heels of winning the 2019 crown for Claremont Motorsport Park a week ago. Chase Curtis collected sixth in the race, a good enough finish to be named 2019 Battle of the Belt Champion and wear the WWE-style championship belt.
The Sportsman Modifieds took the green for their final 50-lap race of the 2019 season. Swanzey, NH’s Todd Patnode came into the day with a twenty point lead in the championship standings over Ben Byrne of Greenfield, MA. He rose to the occasion taking the lead on lap nineteen of the caution-filled event. After the sixth caution on lap twenty-six, Patnode pulled away from the field to record his ninth win of the year and his seventh career championship at Monadnock. Finishing second was teenage driver, Matt Kimball of Bennington, NH. Finishing third was Newbury, NH, driver, Scott McMichael.
The Late Model Sportsman champion was never in doubt coming into Saturday’s 25-lap race. Vernon, VT’s Solomon Brow already had twelve wins in very dominant season. After breaking a power steering belt in his qualifier, he had to start deeper in the field. Then eleven laps into the race he made contact with 2019 Claremont champion, Aaron Fellows of Newport, NH, causing Fellows to spin and putting both drivers to the rear of the field on the restart. In spite of the setback, Brow was still able to get to the front and take the lead on lap twenty-one and cruise to his thirteenth victory and be crowned 2019 Late Model Sportsman champion. Brow joins three other drivers who have won 13 races in one season: Punky Caron, Ricky Fuller and Rob Cross. Eric Pomasko of Peterborough, NH and Dennis Stange of Athol, Ma followed for second and third.
The Mini Stock division was the only 25-lap event to race green to checkers. The championship was a forgone conclusion with point leader Louis Maher of Baldwinville, MA, coming to the race with a dominant point total. Victory lane was a family affair with Nate Wenzel of Granby, MA, collecting his second win of the year followed by his older brother, Tim Wenzel of Agawam, MA, in second. Keene, NH’s, Cory Plummer took third. Maher secured the 2019 championship by finishing fifth. A week earlier he had taken home the state-wide Mini Stock Battle of the Belt in that series final race at Hudson International Speedway.
When the Pure Stocks lined up for their start, point leader Chris Davis of Winchester, NH, needed a respectable finish to nail down the 2019 championship. It took defending Pure Stock Champion, Matt Gauffin of Antrim, NH, nineteen laps to gain the lead in that division’s twenty-five lapper. It was his only appearance in the division this season and he clearly had not lost his touch. Finishing behind him was Keene’s C.J. Johnson. Taking third was three time winner, Cooper Roberge of Milford, NH. Davis did have a respectable finish cross the line in fifth to secure the 2019 crown.
The Young Guns completed their 2019 non-points, experience building season with a fifteen lap race. Reagan Buffum of Keene took down his first win. Littleton, MA, teenager Brandon Lavoie was second with Aaron Thompson of Alstead, NH third.
The day’s racing was capped with a 62-lap 4-cylinder enduro. It’s an odd number for a race, but with a significant purpose. Earlier this summer Linda Zuverino, long-time companion of former enduro champion, Dick Houle, formerly of Vernon, passed away. Zuverino had been part of the speedway staff and family before the two retired to Florida. Houle drove car number 62. The race was added to the race program as a tribute to her memory. Houle came up from Florida and entered the race with a number 62 car prepared for him by his fellow drivers. Over 50 cars took the green in a three-wide start. When smoke of this usually chaotic race cleared, Matt Gauffin had his second win of the night. Dick Houle stayed the course to finish fourth.
Sportsman Modified Results: Todd Patnode, Matt Kimball, Scott MacMichael, Ben Byrne, Andy Major, Kim Rivet, Keith Carzello, Kevin Pittsinger, Eric Leclair, Dennis Charette, Cameron Houle, Alyssa Rivera, Kenny Thompson
Late Model Sportsman Results: Solomon Brow, Eric Pomakso, Dennis Stange, Cole Littlewood, Aaron Fellows, Marc Curtis, Will Kuhn, Justin Littlewood, Jim Boardman, Tyler lescord, Andrew Martell, Scott Beck, Nancy Muni, Paul Barnard, Ryan Currier
Street Stock Results: Jaret Curtis, Dave Greenslit, Richard Vincent, Ed Lofland, Chris Buffone, Chase Curtis, Phil Hayes, Chris Curtis, Kenny Dureault, Hillary Renaud, Joe Tetreault, Robbie Streeter, John Sousa, Josh Carey, Michelle Leh, Nathaniel Nunez, Michael Radzuik, Kenny Thompson, Bryan Town, Brad Zahensky, Scott Zilinksi, Robert Hagar
Mini Stock Reuslts: Nathan Wenzel, Tim Wenzel, Cory Plummer, Kevin Claytoin, Louie Maher, Gordon Farnum, Devin Guy, Pat Houle, Jeff Asselin, Shelby Avery, Matt Croteau, Bill Chaffee, Kevin McKnight, Haydon Grenier, Ethan Marsh (DNS)
Pure Stock Finish: Matt Gauffin, CJ Johnson, Cooper Roberge, Erin Aiken, Chris Davis, Justin Faford, Mike Douglas, Sammy Silva, Camdyn Curtis, Rich Hamman, Bruce Cantara, Cory Lofland, Taylor Striebel, Josh Carey, Richard Stockwell, Heath Renaud, Tim Leblanc (DNS), Briget LaRoche (DNS)
Young Gun Race: Reagan Buffum, Brandon Lavoie, Aaron Thompson, Matt Lambert, Jake Puchalski, JD Stockwell, Matt Winter
Photo Courtesy of Emily Miller – 2019 Sportsman Modified Champion: Todd Paynode (Swanzey, NH)
