By Lou Modestino
Waterford Speedbowl returned to action with its second Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday program of the season on Wednesday evening. Taking down victories included Joey Ternullo of Middletown, CT in the INEX Legend Cars and Christian Eckes of Middletown, NY in the accompanying Bandolero race. Mike Trask of Plainfield scored a popular
X-Car win and Mike Maskell of Quaker Hill took the Super-X Car feature.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway representatives handed out “Good Tickets” to motorists who were seen wearing their seat belts by police officers. Lucky motorists were given two tickets to the New Hampshire 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 14 at NHMS. This all happened in Manchester, NH recently
“We see it on the race track every day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway – it’s one of the basic, most fundamental safety measures a person can take to operate a vehicle,” said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of NHMS. “To kick off Buckle Up NH week we thought it would be a good idea to reward drivers who were begin safe and giving them tickets to the New Hampshire 300.”
Fans didn’t have to wait until July to see some of the biggest names in Sprint Cup turning hot laps in Loudon. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. held a two-day test session in preparation for the July 14 New Hampshire 300. Drivers who participated were; Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Dave Blaney.
The racing activity is starting to pick up momentum at NHMS as that track will be part of the NH Motorcycle weekend starting set for Friday, June 14-Sunday, June 16. It’s all in conjunction with the Laconia Motorcycle Week. It’s the oldest motorcycle event in the USA and features the Loudon Road Racing Series, side cars, vintage motorcycles and the U.S. Legend cars.
NHMS also hosts the second race in the Chase to the Nextel Cup on Sunday, September 22.
Recently Modified driver Les Hinckley went to work on the pride and joy of the late Chuck Montville for the first time since the untimely passing of the late car owner on April 4. The new race season was about to start for Montville, and the bright yellow car numbered 06 that week.
Sadly Montville, known for his unsurpassed dedication and his pursuit of a championship, never made it to opening day. Montville and Hinckley competed regularly on the Valenti Modified Racing Series from its beginning ten years ago. The feeling of many, including Montville, was that this would be the year.
While the healing process is still very evident for the Windsor Locks, Conn., driver, Debbie Marquis and the rest of the race team, the encouragement and sponsorship from Laticrete International of Bethany, Conn., race fans and friends Jim Schaefer, Bruce Bachta and Cliff Nelson have led Hinckley back to the track.
“We welcome the opportunity to bring Les back to the track,” said sponsor rep Peter McKeon. “Chuck went out of his way to to thank us for sponsoring the race at Lee (N.H.) last summer. We are deeply saddened by his loss to the racing community.” Hinckley will begin his season in the June 15, SBM 125 Modified Open at the Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire.
“For 20 years I haven’t gone until mid-May without getting to the race track,” Hinckley noted. “It will be mid-June by the time I get there, but I’m excited about it.
“It’s going to be a difficult transition doing it without Chuck obviously. There are big shoes to fill. It will be weird not having him there. But I’m excited to have the opportunity to get back to the track and seeing some familiar faces, and getting on the race track.”
The future of the #06 team is clearly unknown and Hinckley’s success in this highest paying Modified race ever run at Star Speedway could go a long way in determining how many races he is able to run this season. But at least for one night, Hinckley will give Montville’s pride and joy a run, with high hopes, on what will be a very emotional evening no matter what happens on the track.
“If you are only financially able to run a few races you pick and choose the ones that are good ones,” Hinckley reasoned. “This is clearly one of those. I can’t thank enough those who are helping our team be able to run this race. From the Turkey Derby to the North-South Shootout, Chuck always loved the challenge of running in these events.”
Among the festivities, and the more than $12,000 in bonus awards available to race teams at the SBM 125 is the “Chuck Montville Car Owner Award”. A panel of judges will determine a winner, who exemplifies Chuck’s ‘get along with everyone’ attitude, among the competing car owners at Star Speedway for the June 15 event. The recipient will be awarded a very special plaque and $350 donated by six friends of Chuck.
While Hinckley’s entry into the race makes him an instant contender, it won’t be easy. The winners of the previous two SBM 125 events, Jon McKennedy and Matt Hirschman have the tricky quarter-mile figured out and are considered favorites.
Others, such as Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Doug Coby and Chris Pasteryak are just a few of the championship drivers very capable of taking home the winners share. Which is likely to top $9,000 for this all-star race, Modified style. It’s flat out hard racing from the drop of the green that makes the SBM 125 a race like no other.
Stafford Speedway was back in Friday night action with the DARE Stock division taking center stage for a 20-lap Xtra Mart Xtra D feature, paying an extra $50 to each of the top-5 finishers. Jeremy Lavoie was the big winner of the night, driving to his second consecutive victory in the DARE Stock feature. Rowan Pennink picked up his first career SK Modified® victory in the 40-lap feature, Tom Fearn was the winner of the extra distance 35-lap Late Model feature, Tony Membrino, Jr. was the winner in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, and David Arute was the winner in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature.
For NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Justin Bonsignore, Stafford Motor Speedway has been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde track. Bonsignore has two of his three career NWMT pole positions at Stafford, but in three seasons, he had yet to record a top-5 finish. That all changed at this year’s CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, where Bonsignore drove through the field from 14th to 2nd at the checkered flag, and he is hoping to continue that good fortune when the NWMT returns to Stafford on May 24th for the 23rd Annual TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Presented by G-Oil.
Stafford Motor Speedway has lined up an impressive field of current and former open wheel champions for its 3rd Annual CARQUEST Champions For Charities Event, which will take place on Friday, June 28th this season. During the coming weeks, SMS will offer a profile on each of its championship winning drivers and the charity they will be racing for and this week’s CARQUEST Champions For Charities spotlights falls on 3-time NEMA Midget Champion (2008, 2008, 2011) Randy Cabral, who will be racing to help support The Spalding Foundation.
Stafford Motor Speedway has announced that the Friday, July 12th Five-Star Series Mid-Season Stretch race program will have a Girls Night Out Promotion. As part of the promotion, all female guests will be able to purchase a $10 Adult General Admission Ticket, saving them $7.50 off the price of a regularly priced Adult G.A. ticket.
For hometown driver Jay Goff, the 2013 season at Stafford Motor Speedway has been the season that almost didn’t happen. Goff was laid off from his job in the off season and it was only through several consulting jobs that he took on that got him and his #07 SK Light to the track for the Spring Sizzler. After back to back top-5 efforts in the first two races of the 2013 season, Goff is hopeful that he can find sponsorship to run the entire 2013 season and make a run at the track championship.
Stafford Speedway was back in Friday night action with the DARE Stock division taking center stage for a 20-lap Xtra Mart Xtra D feature, paying an extra $50 to each of the top-5 finishers. Jeremy Lavoie was the big winner of the night, driving to his second consecutive victory in the DARE Stock feature. Rowan Pennink picked up his first career SK Modified® victory in the 40-lap feature, Tom Fearn was the winner of the extra distance 35-lap Late Model feature, Troy Talman was the second consecutive rookie winner in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, and David Arute was the winner in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature.
Waterford Speedbowl hosted Scout Night Saturday evening celebrating two American traditions, scouting and racing. The crowd on hand was treated to a five-division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. Scoring victories on the night included Kyle James of Ashaway, RI in the SK Modifieds® and Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton
in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models. A pair of defending champions earned their first 2013 wins, Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon and Paul French of Andover in the Mini Stocks and SK Light Modifieds, respectively. Ryan Waterman of Danielson was a first-ever winner in the Street Stock feature. All five were first time winners in 2013.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series event at Thompson Speedway, Thompson CT, Sunday May 19, was postponed by heavy rain after one qualifying race won by Max Zachem of Preston, Ct
The speedway announced ticket stubs and paddock wristbands will be honored at the next VMRS event scheduled Thursday, July 25. Track and VMRS management will also seek a suitable date to reschedule Sunday’s washout if possible.
Following a pair of day races and a rainout, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will race under the lights for the first time in 2013 when it returns to Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 presented by G-Oil on Friday, May 24.
Winner of three of the last four Whelen Modified Tour races dating back to last season, Bobby Santos is well-positioned to keep the run of good fortune going in the second of four races on the schedule at the historic half mile.
While the number of different legitimate contenders to win on Friday at Stafford reaches double digits, Santos’ success – not only due to his recent run, but historically at the track as well – has him as one of the favorites to capture yet another checkered flag.
Not only did the Franklin, Mass., native sweep Spring Sizzler weekend at Stafford at the end of April – fastest in practice, pole winner and trip to Victory Lane – he’s experienced as much success at the track as any driver in recent seasons. Nine of Santos’ last 12 Stafford starts have resulted in podium finishes, including five wins.
Santos has also been particularly good in the TSI Harley-Davidson 125, the shortest of the Whelen Modified Tour’s four annual events at Stafford. He won in 2010, finished third in 2011 and led the first 117 laps from the pole a year ago before having to settle for second to Doug Coby.
The main competition for Santos figures to be provided by the defending race winner Coby, who won each of the tour’s first three races at Stafford a year ago. He’ll enter Friday’s event following a sixth-place finish in the Spring Sizzler.
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, expect a banner field for the 16th running of the Northeastern
Midget Association’s Boston Louie Memorial Sunday, June 2 at Seekonk Speedway.
A victim of weather last year, “the Louie,” which includes 29 lap features for both NEMA and the NEMA Lites, is part of an “open wheel” extravaganza that includes a 75-lap SK-Modified feature along with appearances by the Pro Four Modifieds and the New England Mini Stock Tour.
Doug Coby, who’ll drive the Bertrand #39 in the NEMA event, and Keith Rocco, slated to steer the Manafort 76 in the Lites race, will be doing double duty. Both have SKs rides as well.
Honoring one of New England’s racing Legends, car
owner “Boston Louie” Seymour, “the Louie” has become the biggest plum on the NEMA schedule. Another legend, Bentley Warren, is grand marshal.
The route to Seekonk’s victory lane is hardly a secret for NEMA competitors, two-time defending champion Randy Cabral coming into the race with seven ‘Konk’ checkereds including two Louies. Cabral, whose win list started with the 2000 Louie, has brought the Bertrand #47 home second in the last two.
Lou Cicconi, who’ll be in the Cantor 7ny , has four
Seekonk wins while the Stoehr brothers Russ (Dumo’s Desire 45)and Greg (Stoehr 26b ) have eight between them, one of Russ’ five the 1997 Louie. Joey Payne, back in the Breault 44, is also a two-time Louie winner.
Young Ian Cumens (Seymour 29) will be in charge of the Seymour family fortunes. The Seymours have won the last three Louie races with Jeff Abold. Cumens has won in a Lites car at Seekonk.
Seth Carlson’s 11.152 posted NEMA’s fastest Seekonk lap last year en route to a victory. Expectations are it will take at least that to prevail at the Louie. Carlson (Feigel
71), Waterford winner Todd Bertrand (Bertrand 39), Anthony Marvuglio (Bourbeau 38), Bethany Stoehr (Stoehr 5b), Jim Miller (Miller 3m), James Santa Maria (Santa Maria 99) and John Zych Jr. (Zych 9) are all contenders.
There is, however, plenty of historical precedent for a surprise – Cabral’s 2000 win in a family car older than he was is a classic example.
A bumper crop of Lites is expected with Anthony Nocella, who owns 5 Seekonk wins, a possibility in the Seymour car. A pair of determined youngsters – Carl Medeiros Jr. and Dylan Duhaime – are on a contender list that also includes Ryan Bigelow, Jake Stergios and James Santa Maria, the latter three all seeking a return to Seekonk’s Victory Lane.
At Seekonk Speedway in Pro Stock action Dave Darling used a mid-race restart to find himself leading the pack and went on to pick up his second win of the season. Darling started 16th in the 22 car field, and found himself in the right place at the right time over and over again, avoiding several incidents in front of him.
By lap ten, he had cracked the top five, and was sitting second on a lap 17 restart when leader Mike Brightman broke and axle, allowing the defending champion to move his Bristol Toyota Scion Camry to the top of the leader board. Once out front, Darling never looked back, starting the season undefeated in the first two events.
Kevin and Kyle Casper brought the field down for the green, with younger brother Kyle edging out Kevin for the first couple of laps before Kevin spun, bringing out the first caution. On the restart, Kyle had Fred Astle lined up outside, and held him off for a lap before Astle took over. On the fifth circuit, it was Kyle’s turn to spin, with Kevin Folan getting the credit for the assist.
Mike Brightman worked his way onto the outside of the front row on the restart, and the pair started fighting back and forth for the lead. Astle took over for a couple of laps before Brightman squeezed under and took over the lead on lap 13.
A restart on lap 15 put Darling third, behind Brightman. Darling took over second before the final caution came out on lap 17. As the field came down for the A&C Recycling Green, Brightman felt an axle break, taking him out of contention. Darling took over at the front, and pulled away from Astle and the rest of the field for his second win in two events.
While the 6 time champion held on for second, Dick Houlihan was third, with Kyle Casper coming back through the field for fourth. Mike Mitchell earned his first top five in the Pro Stocks with his fifth place finish.
Late Model driver Bill Bernard spent the first half of opening day racing for the lead before an incident took him out of contention. This week, while it looked that there may be a repeat of week one, fortune was on the side of the 60 year old Holliston native, as he picked up his first win of the season.
Several early cautions allowed Bernard to move quickly from his seventh starting position, and by the end of the second lap, his machine sat atop the leader board. Bill had his share of challengers, but used his drag racing experience to hit his mark each time. By the one third mark, opening day winner Jeramee Lille had moved up to second, and started to put some pressure on The Cardiac Kid. Lille was strong on the outside, but didn’t have enough to muster enough to squeeze past.
A lap 18 restart allowed defending LM champion Gerry DeGasparre Jr to move into second, and the six-time title holder tried to push Bernard, but he could not mount a challenge on the leader. With five circuits remaining, Lillie moved back into second after a restart, and with a green-white-checker run coming, he had one more shot.
As the pair raced across the line under the white flag, Lillie edged ahead of Bernard, but couldn’t complete the mission, as Bernard edged Lillie across the stripe under the checkered flag. Bernard held on for second, with DeGasparre third, Bobby Pelland III and Ryan Lineham rounding out the top five. Both Pelland and Lineham had to work through the field after early race contact found them coming from the back.
For the second year in a row, Paul Lallier found himself as the winner in week two. This time, he was able to celebrate with all his family, fans and friends. Paul took over the lead on lap eleven, and never looked back for his first win of the season.
In the Street Stocks Chris DeMoura took off at the drop of the green and led the first circuit before the first slow up of the event came out. Bob Bettencourt moved into second, and on the restart, put the blue and white #21 to the front, edging out DeMoura. Bettencourt set the pace for a few laps before the N Dighton native took back over.
The pair swapped the lead back and forth several times before the pair made contact on lap ten, sending DeMoura into the pits and Bettencourt around on the back stretch.
While the fight at the front of the pack wasn’t a hard one, the action was going on for fourth on back. Rey Negley, Crystal Serydynski, Scott Serydynski and Justin Travis were all fighting amongst each other for position outside of the top five, swapping positions back and forth between them.
Lallier took off at the green, and held off Craig Pianka and Charles Beal on the final few restarts. Beal held on for second, Pianka third, opening day winner Rey Lovelace fourth and Jimmy Belmont fifth.
Former SYRA 750 champion Branden Dion jumped past early leader Lenny Guy on lap four, and held on through a late race restart to pick up his first career Sport Truck win. Guy led the first three circuits before the 15 year old took over.
Branden set the pace early, and had a long green flag run, where he was able to hit his marks on the track, and get more comfortable in only his second truck race.
While the rookie was able to stay comfortably out front, the action behind him was hot and heavy. Rob Murphy had settled into second for the first half of the event, holding back the charges John Paiva.
Paiva raced hard and moved into the runner up position at the halfway point. He tried to close in on the youngster, but without a late race caution, couldn’t make up the ground.
Mike Cavallaro looked like he was going to be able to make a charge, but slid back a little while he battled with Rick Martin. Mike moved into third on a lap 19 restart but couldn’t make the run to the front.
With only a handful of laps remaining, the rookie had to earn his victory, as he and John Paiva lined up for the race to the checkered. With the drop of the green, Dion took off and held on for a half a truck length victory over Paiva and Cavallaro, who was working the outside over the final laps. Murphy and Martin rounded out the top five.