WINCHESTER, NH – Steve Fifield and JT Cloutier each scored career-first victories Saturday, June 1, at Monadnock Speedway; Fifield topping the night’s Sportsman Modified feature, while Cloutier – a 14-year-old Young Guns alumnus – won the Mini Stock feature making track history being the youngest driver to win a NASCAR sanctioned feature event.
Other winners on the busy night includes Matt Frahm, winner of the Granite State Pro Stock Series David’s House 106 main event, Super Stock ace John Lavoie, who won his second feature of the season, and Joe Collins, who scored his second Young Guns victory of the summer.
Pat Houle rebounded from recent mechanical woes to earn his first win of the season in the Lightning Stock 30-lapper, while Thunder Stock strongman Ed Lofland stayed perfect on the year, scoring his fourth win in as many events.
In support card action, Charlestown, NH veteran racer Danny Ferland won the STAR Modified feature, taking the checkers ahead of his son Jamey, and Charlie Lima. Rick Eastman topped the STAR Sportsman event, followed under the flags by Joe Keefner and Skip Stearns.
Matt Frahm was fast early, and even faster when it counted, in the David’s House 106 Pro Stock main event. From the pole, Frahm led the first 16 laps before giving way to former Monadnock track champion Barry Gray. In a race that featured a ten-car pileup before lap one was completed, along with five cautions and two red flag periods, Frahm stayed always in the right place. With Gray leading the next 43 laps, and then Mike O’Sullivan holding the point for the next 51, Frahm would drop as far back as fourth, but always keep the leaders in easy striking distance. Back up to second on lap 88, Frahm glued himself to O’Sullivan’s bumper before turning on the afterburners with the checkers in sight to score a thrilling victory. Jeremy Davis finished his hard night’s work in second, with O’Sullivan third. Gray came back from a dash into the pits for cosmetic surgery to earn the fifth-place finish.
Steve Fifield led early and often in the Sportsman Modified main event, wiring the 30-lapper to score his career-first victory in the lightning quick open-wheelers. The former Super Stock strongman outran Alyssa Rivera and then his teammate Keith Carzello the first 21 laps, with Adam Norton then blasting into second in hope of winning his third feature in a row. Fifield was on a rail though, taking the checkers ahead of Norton, with Danny Stebbins coming home a solid third. Bill Kimball and Carzello rounded out the top five.
Dave Striebel set the pace for the first dozen laps of the Super Stock feature, with John Lavoie then taking charge as he dashed under Striebel out of turn four. Eddie Brehio III grabbed second five laps later, but had to settle for second on the night. Tom Carey III earned his first trophy of the season, making a last-lap pass of Striebel to grab third, Dennis Stange rounded the top five. Lavoie’s win was the two-time defending champion’s second of the year.
Joe Rogers held the point in the Mini Stock feature for ten laps, with JT Cloutier patiently riding in his shadow for nine trips around the high banks before finding the opening he needed to take the lead. Once in front, Cloutier would never look back, opening up a big lead over Chris McTaggart and Mike Stebbins before a lap 17 caution brought them knocking on his door. Undaunted by the pressure, Cloutier had the two veteran wheelsmen covered, taking the checkers ahead of Stebbins and McTaggart to score his career-first Mini Stock feature win. Kimmy Rivet was fourth on the night, with Julia Raymond coming home fifth. McTaggart’s third-place finish allowed him to edge ahead of Rivet in the points race, with the two having entered the night’s feature tied for the top spot.
Dylan Stebbins led the first five laps of the Young Guns feature, then giving way to Joe Collins. Once in front, Collins was able to gain breathing room, but never pull away from Sonja Carey, whose own mirror was filled by Cole Littlewood all 15 laps. A soft roll off the backstretch by Samantha Macomber on lap 13 brought out the red flag, with Macomber able to walk away from her upside-down racer. Collins again took command on the ensuing restart and beat Carey to the checkers by six lengths to score his second win of the summer. Littlewood was solid in third, with Matt Kimball and Cameron Sontag rounding out the top five.
Tim Leblanc led the Lightning Stock 30-lapper the first five circuits around the high banks, then giving way to Pat Houle. Tim O’Shea grabbed the deuce spot on lap 20, holding it for three laps until Chris Davis – from row eight – began to lead the chase behind the speedy Houle. Davis would reel the leader in quickly but then have to settle for a hard earned runner-up finish. Craig Chaffee, who entered the night tied with Davis for the points lead, came home third, with O’Shea and Matt Gauffin rounding out the top five.
Barry Schonborg held the top spot in the Thunder Stock feature for four laps, giving way to Marshall Usher, with Jason Barden moving up to second. Usher would hold Barden in his shadow until spinning off the backstretch while leading on lap 16. Ed Lofland charged into the lead with two laps to go and then sped away to score his fourth win of the young season. Joe Ethier used a last lap pass to grab second, with Barden completing his hard night’s work in third.
This Saturday, June 8, Monadnock Speedway will host a six-division race card, featuring the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Lightning Stocks and Young Guns, along with the visiting NE Champ Kart Series. Post time is 6 p.m.
Top Ten Sportsman Modifieds: Steve Fifield, Adam Norton, Dan Stebbins, Bill Kimball, Keith carzello, Tyler Jarvenpaa, Joe Kendall, Brian Chapin, Eric LeClair, Jeremy McCutcheon
Top Ten Super Stocks: John Lavoie, Ed Brehio III, Tom Carey III, Dave Striebel, #Dennis Stange, Ed LaQuire, Bill Johnston, Ken Springer, Tyler Lescord, Jeff Morse
Top Ten Mini Stocks: JT Cloutier, Mike Stebbins, Chris McTaggart, Kim Rivet, Julia Raymond, Beth Adams, Eric Pomasko, Joe Rogers, Chad Sharkey, Bill Faford
Lightning Stock Top Ten: Pat Houle, Chris Davis, Craig Chaffee, Tim O’Shea, Matt Gauffin, Dick Houle, Fred Rogers, Pete Hyrne, CJ Johnson, Tim Paquette
Thunder Stocks: Ed Lofland, Joe Ethier, Jason Barden, Scott Thompson, Marshall Usher, Tyler Janovsky, Barry Schonborg, Jason Hesse
Young Guns Top Ten: Joe Corliss, Sonja carey, Cole Littlewood, Matt Kimball, Cameron Sontag, Chris Lawrence, Justin Faford, Mike McGoldrick Jr, Hailey Guy, Tyler Stebbins