With highexpectations, a lot of excitement and a pit full of cars, White Mountain Motorsports Park threw open the gates Saturday night for its first night ofcompetition in its 20th season of competition. With the Pro All Star Series Super LateModels in town for their first visit in 2012 and a huge crowd on hand for alate afternoon start, temperatures in the high 70’s the conditions were rightfor some fantastic action on the racetrack.
Qualifyinggot under way with the Lil’ Caesar’s Kids Truck Division, with the win going toIrasburg, VT’s Brandon Croteau in the #4 truck. The wins in the two Beacon Resort Strictly Stock qualifiers went to the#3 of Ray Eames out of Berlin, NH and to the #4 of Shane Sicard hailing from Barton,VT. In the Shuttle Connection Late Modelsit was Bernie Lantagne in the #3 from McIndoe Falls, VT and track championQuinny Welch in the #78 out of Lancaster. NH starting the year off withwins. In the Woodsville Guaranty SavingsBank Mini Stock division it was Whitefield, NH’s Ben Bellanger in the #99topping the field. The Avery’s SweepingTiger Sportsman division saw the return of former champion Thumper Griswoldfrom Bath, NH in the #77 taking the qualifying win.
In theShuttle Connection Late Model semi feature, it was Bernie Lantagne and his ChevroletImpala SS #3 once again in victory lane. Going into the feature event Lantagne would find himself seeking the covetedtriple crown for winning the qualifier, semi feature and feature events. And for the feature he would be starting onthe pole.
The Lil’Caesars Kids Truck Division rolled out of the pits and onto the racing surfacefor their 15 lap feature event. At thedrop of the green flag it was the #4 of Brandon Croteau out on top with the #37of Groton VT’s Mark Puffer taking chase. Behind them the battle was taking place as the #20 of Amanda Wheeler outof Bradford, VT was boxed in behind the #26 of Logan Oliver who was up on theoutside of Michael Dennis in the #63. AsCroteau distanced himself from Puffer, Wheeler was out back using every moveshe knew to move either Oliver or Dennis out of their groove. On lap 12 she got her break as Dennis got outof shape up off turn 4. She filled thehole down low and shot past and went after Oliver. When the checkers went in the air it wasCroteau in the #4 with the win in hisGoodrich Lumber, Butler’s Family Auto, Irasburg Autobody Chevy S-10. In second it was Puffer in his B+J EquipmentRepair, Cassidy Crane Service sponsored truck. And in third it was Wheeler in the #20 sponsored by Whippi-Dip andLakeside Auto.
From thedrop of the green flag in the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly MiniStock Division it was all Ben Bellanger in the #99 out of Whitefield, NH. And it was Grandpa Dave Driscoll in the #19taking chase. Once again the battle wasfor third position as Bellanger and Driscoll checked out on the field. Behind them it was the #00 of Shawn Sinclairand Nick Pillotte from Jeffersonville, NH in the #11 doing battle. When the checkers fell it was Bellanger withthe win in his Aaron’s Repair #99 with the win, Driscol in the VikingRestoration, Foley Oil #19 in second and Shawn Sinclair in the Body by Jake,Spinnaker Contract #00 coming home in third.
In theBeacon Resort Strictly Stock division, Shane Sicard in the #4 bolted off thefront line at the drop of the green flag and never looked back. By lap 12 Sicard buried himself in laptraffic, while behind him track champion Elwin Sydney III in the #84 and LucasWheeler in the #21 did battle for the runner-up spot after having worked theirway around the #49 of Jody Sicard. Onlap 25 Shane Sicard in his #4 Viking Restoration, Foley Oil sponsored machinewas by far the first across the line, followed by Sydney in his VikingRestoration, Foley Oil machine #84, with Wheeler in third in his Bare Bones BBQMonte Carlo SS #21.
The Avery’sSweeping Tiger Sportsmen rolled out of the pits in turn four and onto theracing surface next for their 30 lap main event. When the field took the green flag it was2010 track champion Thumper Griswold in the #77 off the front line and into thelead. Despite two late race cautionsGriswold never looked back. On both laps20 and 22 the caution flag flew for the #61 of Ryan Olsen as he spun in turn 4. On the final restart Griswold was able to getaway quickly leaving Marshfield, VT native Matt Potter and 2011 track championJeff Huntington in the #24 to duke it out for the runner-up spot. It wasGriswold with a very convincing win to mark his return to full-time competitionin his Winget’s Ground Maintenance, Placey Associates Chevy Impala SS. Second went to Matt Potter in the # 23 sponsoredby Snapple Iced Tea and Dave’s Firewood. Third went to Jeff Huntington in his GRS Tire and Auto, Henry’sAppliance Repair #24 machine.
The ShuttleConnection Late Models got the year started off in grand fashion as they wentflag to flag without slowing for a caution. The green flag went in the air and Bernie Lantagne put the nose of his#3 Chevy Impala SS out front. But not bythe much as Quinny Welch in the #78 was to his outside. They did battle for several laps, then Welchgot the grip he needed off turn number 2 and bolted to the lead. Lantagne settled into second as the rest ofthe field jostled for position. TylerCahoon in the #38 bolted from the back of the pack working his way forward withthe #16 of Travis Fadden and the #47 of Brockton Davis. As the laps began to wind down, Fadden andDavis worked their way around Lantagne and did battle between themselves forthe runner-up spot. When the checkersflew it was Welch with the win in his IBEW Local Linemen 104, M.A. BeanAssociates #78 with the win, the #16 Fadden in the Pattens Gas, FaddenAutomotive Impala SS and in third the #47 of Davis sponsored by Jack’s DairyBar and Dodge Contracting.
The PASS 150was won by Cassius Clark in the #77 Hight Chevrolet Buick GMC Impala SS fromFarmington, Maine. Second went to HudsonNH’s Joey Pole in the #15, while third went to the #54 of Johnny Clark.
Next weekwill be a regular race at WMMP, with all five divisions in action. The gates will open at 1pm, with practicestarting at 3. Racing will begin at 5pmsharp.
We are afamily friendly facility with no alcohol allowed on the premises and half ofour seating is non-smoking. We lookforward to seeing you for our 20th season of competition. Come see why we call it Thunder In TheMountains!!
We are veryeasy to find in the heart of the White Mountains, in Woodstock, NH. We are twomiles south of N. Woodstock Village on route 3 and three miles north of exit 30off Interstate 93. We are a family friendly facility with no alcohol beingallowed on the grounds at any time, and the grandstands split evenly intosmoking and non-smoking sections. Again, we look forward to seeing you, if notnext week, then sometime over the 2012 season.
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