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.
Chase Curtis Wins NHSTRA Street Stock Battle for the Belt Round One
Winchester, NH – Monadnock Speedway fans were treated to 220 laps of feature race competition Saturday night, including the much anticipated “Battle of the Belt” 50-lap challenge for the Street Stock division.
The “Battle of the Belt” drew racers representing all five of the New Hampshire Short Track Racing Association race tracks from the seacoast to the Connecticut River – Lee USA Speedway, Hudson International Speedway, Star Speedway, Claremont Motorsport Park and Monadnock. Twenty-five cars qualified for the first of 6 races to be held across the 5 tracks. The drivers will share in a $3000.00 point fund along with winnings for each race. The prize at the end will be an authentic WWE-style belt.
Winchester, NH – Time was the prevailing theme for Matco Tools Night at Monadnock Speedway Saturday night. Pick your “time”- first time, multiple or family time. They all were in play.
The Modified Racing Series was the featured division with a 100-lap main event. After a lap two caution, the field settled in for some hotly contested racing. By lap 25, Ben Byrne of Greenfield, MA, making his first start with the VMRS, had moved into first place. On lap 68 he gave way to Troy, NHs TJ Bleau. Six laps later, Ellington, CT, driver, Ronnie Williams moved to the top of the field with Byrne and Swanzey, NHs Kirk Alexander in second and third. The final 21 laps were slowed by 6 cautions, the final one coming on lap 100 with a multiple car wreck entering turn one. On the green-white-checker restart Williams prevailed for his first win at Monadnock. Alexander held on for second with Cameron Sontag of Sterling, MA, collecting the third spot on the podium.
Winchester, NH – Perhaps it was the impending potential for a race-ending thunderstorm or an urge to get home to watch the Bruins in game three of the Stanley Cup. Either way, drivers raced with intensity Saturday night at Monadnock Speedway. From the Young Guns division to the Sportsman Modifieds, there were some hard fought battles.
On Sat May 25 the Granite State Pro Stock Series Invaded the Monadnock Speedway and for the third time at the Swanzey bull ring it was Mike O’Sullivan in victory lane.
O’Sullivan started the day the best way possible, by eclipsing the track record by a full tenth of a second in the Crazy Horse Racing race for the pole. He was rewarded with a prize of $125.00 and the right to start on the pole for heat race #1.
Saturday May 25 the Granite State Pro Stock Series is headed to Monadnock Speedway in Winchester NH. The quarter mile, high banked bull ring will host two GSPSS races in 2019 including the JBH 150 in August and this week ends event, which is the third on a fourteen race schedule.
