photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – Rookie Lee USA Speedway racer Kris Miller of Bedford picked up the biggest victory of his young career on Friday night at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”, taking down the win in the prestigious Lance Davis Memorial 50-lapper, traditionally the biggest race of the season for the R & R “The Tool Store and More” Late Model Sportsmen.
Waterboro, ME’s Ray Dinsmore was first out to set the pace when the race went green, leading the way for the first 10 laps with second-generation drivers George Helliwell and Miller hot on his heels. Miller made his way past Helliwell on lap 12, and the next time around, he ducked to the low side of Dinsmore and took over the point.
Dinsmore held on to second until lap 18, when Jimmy Ryder of Hampstead moved past and set his sights leader Miller. Ryder put in a strong run and gave chase until lap 39, when Frankie Eldredge of Stratham flexed his muscles and motored past Ryder, taking his turn in the runner-up slot as the field raced under the ten to go sign.
Fresh off a win the week before, Eldredge gave it all he had, but Miller continued to hit his marks the rest of the way, and proved to be unbeatable. The freshman flashed under the checkers with a .991 second margin of victory for the second win of the year. Eldredge took second place honors, with defending champ Jay Sands of Hampton rounding out the podium in third.
Exeter’s Jimmy Russell was fourth across the stripe, followed by Nate Leavitt of Buxton, ME, Ryder, Helliwell, Bryan Kruczek of Newmarket, Dinsmore, and Patrick Stewart of Georgetown, MA.
The weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series EKeys4cars Supermodifieds put another feature event into the record books as well, with Rochester’s Mike Spurling claiming a career-high third win of the season with a flag -to-flag run that sent him to victory lane.
Mike Netishen of Auburn and P.J. Murphy of Groveland, MA were both knocked out after early-race problems, Netishen’s of the engine variety, and Murphy’s of the concrete variety. Netishen’s engine woes resulted in a tangle with Jim Lowrey, Jr. that ended his night, while something broke on Murphy’s ride and sent him hard into the turn three wall on lap 10.
While all this was going on behind him, Spurling was off to the races, running away to win by a more than comfortable 2.44 second margin over points leader Dave Helliwell of Pelham. Two-time 2016 winner Kyle Sawyer of Raymond, Mike Murphy of Groveland, MA, and Moe Lattime of Kingston rounded out the top five.
The David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stocks saw former two-time champion Patrick Tanguay of Lebanon, ME charge to the front and score his third win of the 2016 campaign, with Dylan Bilodeau of Fremont and Zac Fraser of Nottingham finishing second and third.
Boe Green of Berwick, ME took home fourth place honors, with Jim Piaseczny of Epsom, Ryan Green of Berwick, ME, Pelham’s Paul Palen, Brian DeStefano of Tewksbury, MA, Jay Avery of Berwick, ME, and Jake Michaud of Lebanon, ME the remainder of the top ten.
Jamie Holland made the trip to victory lane in the Tri-City Line-X Ironman feature event, outrunning Seabrook’s Adam Knowles, rookie Ryan Washburn of Dover, points leader Ryan Pitkin of Lee, former champ Travis Hollins of Milford, James Witkum of Methuen, Luke Grammont of Northwood, Kaycie Kustra of Lee, Jesse Tellier of Derry, and defending champ Troy Washburn of Farmington.
Second-year, second-generation driver Danielle Evans of Berwick, ME scored her second feature win of the season in the MLM Diagnostics Pure Stock feature event, holding off a late-race challenge from multi-feature winner and current points leader Tyler Mailhot to collect the checkered flag.
Curt Snow and Angie Bullock picked up the trophies in the NEAR racing action at Lee USA, after putting on an entertaining show in their beautifully-restored coupe-bodied racers.
Next up at Lee USA it’s Kids Back to School Night on Friday, September 2, featuring special activities for the kids, an appearance by the Senior Tour Auto Racers, and the final tune-up for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Supermodifieds, Late Model Sportsmen, Hobby Stocks, Ironman, and Pure Stocks before championship night on Sept. 9