WINCHESTER, N.H. – Modified superstar Brian Robie added to his legacy at the great race place Saturday, topping the $5,000-to-win Open Modified Winchester 101 at Monadnock Speedway.
The reigning and multi-time speedway 604 Modified champion set fast time in qualifying and then outran a stout 18-car field to earn the big payday at his home track, the site of scores of feature victories by the Sunapee speedster over the last decade.
In other events Saturday on the high banks, Hillary Renaud survived a wild one to notch her first Limited Late Model victory of the season, Eric Pomasko ended a long drought by topping the Mini Stocks, and Young Guns sensation Dylan Stati won for the fifth week in a row.
The start of Saturday’s main event was postponed earlier for one hour, ten minute rain delay but when the night’s top show went green, nobody was more ready than Kimball, except maybe Robie, who started back in row four.
In qualifying Robie set fast time with a lap of 11.713 around the high banked quarter-mile. He, Meservey, and Joey Jarvis each eclipsed the 12-second mark. With Kimball second and Meservey third in the main event, current weekly 604 Modified top points man Tyler Leary was fourth, and NASCAR Whelen Modified series regular Kyle Bonsignore was fifth.
Kimball, from row two, took the lead from Bleau on lap one, with Robie quickly up to third on lap six and blasting into second a lap later. Kimball then held an eight-length advantage.
With reigning MRS champ Brett Meservey storming into Robie’s shadow, Kimball rode all alone at the front, but his advantage vanished when a Chris Pasteryak spun that brought out the caution flag and, with it, brought Robie to the leader’s door on lap 29.
Robie was quick to cash in on the opportunity, taking charge on lap 30 and holding Kimball and Meservey at his bumper until heavy rain swept in mid-race, effectively ending the show. After a meeting of track management and the racing teams, the race was declared official.
Hillary Renaud was jostled backward early in the night’s Twin States Truck Services Limited Late Model main event but when the chips were on the line, the Vernon, VT star was in the right place at the right time to score her first win of the summer.
Wesley Stedt powered into the early lead, with Renaud and previous winner Robert Hagar close behind. With Renaud shuffled back in the top groove, Hagar held the point, just ahead of Stedt and Daniel Petrowicz, who, like Hagar, had trophied the night before at Claremont.
Petrowicz rubbed past Hagar on lap 28, but a caution flag put Hagar back at the top, Three laps later, with the checkered flag high in chief starter Chris Horton’s hand, Petrowicz again tried to muscle his way to the front, this time sending the top three cars spinning wildly across the finish line.
Renaud, whose ride ended half way to pit road, walked away with her first victory of the summer. Hagar, who was somehow able to drive away from the carnage, was second, and Erik Smith third. Petrowicz, whose destroyed car had to be scraped from the frontstretch wall, was credited with fourth, and Michael Lashua was fifth.
Popular veteran Pat Houle led the first 15 laps of Saturday’s Keene Towing and Recovery Mini Stock 25-lapper, with Eric Pomasko challenging until inching ahead on lap 16 and the two crafty vets – each many moons from victory lane – went to work. When Houle’s ride quickly dropped off pace, former track king Louie Maher was quickly into second.
Maher tried over and over to wrest the top spot from Pomasko but the Peterborough speedster refused to budge, holding strong to earn his first win in years. With Maher a strong second, potent Craig Chaffee impressed in third, Tim Paquette finished fourth and Houle came home fifth.
Pre-teen ace Dylan Stati won for the fifth week in a row Saturday, topping the Doug’s Auto Body Young Guns 15-lapper with ease. Maeve Barry was second on the night.
Saturday’s scheduled Brattleboro Towing and Recovery Pure Stock feature was postponed because of the rain.
Monadnock Speedway returns to action next Saturday, June 13, when the sizzling 604 Modifieds will battle in twin 35-lap main events atop a full card of NASCAR Local Racing Series events. Post time is 6 p.m.
MONADNOCK SPEEDWAY SATURDAY, JUNE 6 RESULTS:
WINCHESTER 101 OPEN MODIFIED: Brian Robie, Matt Kimball, Brett Meservey, Tyler Leary, Kyle Bonsignore, Joey Jarvis, Jacob Perry, Nate Wenzel, Chirs Pasteryak, Steven Chapman,Tyler Barry, Kurt Vigeant, Eddie Gomarlo, Cory Plummer, Trevor Bleau, Bradley Zahensky, (DNS) Adam LaPoint, (DNS) Cainen Schulz
LIMITED LATE MODEL: Hillary Renaud, Robert Hagar, Erik Smith, Daniel Petrowicz, Michael Lashua, JD Stockwell, Greg Williams, Owen Zilinski, Wesley Stedt
MINI STOCK: Eric Pomasko, Louie Maher, Craig Chaffee, Tim Paquette, Pat Houle, Tim O’Shea, Dana Shepard, Nadine Coates, Shayla Kirk, Kevin Clayton
