By Gary Dutton
WINCHESTER, NH – Modified hot shoe Justin Bonsignore took home the lion’s share of the gold Saturday, July 27, night at Monadnock Speedway, dominating the 200-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour main event presented by Town Fair Tire.
But while Bonsignore’s star shone brightest in front of the capacity crowd, he was one of four different drivers to score career-first feature wins at the high-banked speedplant on the busy eight-division racing card.
Cole Littlewood earned his first-ever victory lap, winning the night’s Young Guns event. Thunder Stocker Bryan Town made his first outing on the high banks a memorable one, topping his division’s 30-lapper; and Champ Kart strongman Juris Kupris made his ride from New York City worthwhile by winning his feature event.
Other winners Saturday at New England’s fastest high-banked quarter mile included Super Stock powerhouse John Lavoie, who scored his fourth win of the summer; Sportsman Modified rookie sensation Steve Fifield, victorious for the second time this season; Mini Stock strongman Mike Stebbins, winner of his third feature event of the summer; and Lightning Stock points leader Chris Davis, who gobbled up the field to score his third win this year.
Bonsignore grabbed the lead just past the lap-50 mark in the Town Fair Tire 200 and then held off all chargers to win the night’s main event. Donny Lia and Patrick Emerling were among the contenders who fell off the blistering pace set by Bonsignore, and in the end, it was Doug Coby unable to match the leader on three restarts, as Bonsignore roared off to the big pay day.
Coby was able to hold off hard charging Rowan Pennink – who fired from row six – to notch the runner-up finish. With Pennink coming home a strong third, Bryon Chew and series points leader Ryan Preece rounded out the top five.
Nathan Johnson grabbed the early lead in the Sportsman Modified main, with a huge moment in the event occurring on the first lap, as Tyler Jarvenpaa, who entered the night’s action atop the points parade, looped along the frontchute, then exiting on the hook, never to return.
Joey Kendall charged into the lead on lap three, bringing Steve Fifield with him as Johnson dropped back to third. Fifield took command on lap six and never looked back, as he sped off to score the second win of his rookie open-wheel season.
Bill Kimball and Adam Norton, moving up to second and third, respectively, on lap 11, finished nose-to-tail with Fifield, with Kimball’s runner-up finish moving him to the top of the points parade. Keith Carzello and Brian Chapin rounded out the top five.
Nancy Muni took the early lead in the Super Stock feature, with Tyler Lescord taking control on a lap-five restart. John Lavoie, though, was sailing through the field, seizing the point from Lescord on lap 12 and then holding high-flying Dave Striebel at bay to earn his fourth win of the summer.
With Striebel strong in second, points leader Eddie Brehio III came home third. Tom Carey III charged back from a big lap-eight wreck to finish fourth, and Ed Laquire Jr. was solid in fifth.
Mike Stebbins won a thriller in the Mini Stock main event, with Beth Adams pulling alongside him out of turn four as the checkers waved, with the two then trading paint down the frontchute as Stebbins scored the win a half-car ahead of the surging Adams.
Julia Raymond was the early leader, holding the point until Stebbins took command on the second of two lap-ten restarts. He then pulled away, but Adams – who powered into second on lap 15, pulled alongside him on a lap-20 restart and ran in his shadow the final five laps.
Kimmy Rivet, caught in a lap-ten melee, charged back through the field to finish third, with Louie Maher and Raymond – both strong and steady all night – coming home fourth and fifth.
Cole Littlewood led every lap of the Young Guns event – surviving both a caution and a red flag restart – to score his first career win. Three-time winner Cameron Sontag was second on the night, with Mike McGoldrick Jr. third Joe Collins and Dylan Stebbins rounded out the top five.
Henry Martin led laps one through nine of the Thunder Stock feature, then giving way to speedway newcomer Brian Town. Town led the rest of the way, edging points leader Ed Lofland to score his first win. With Lofland earning the runner-up finish, Joe Ethier, Marshall Usher, and Paul Barnard rounded out the top five.
Pete Hyrne was the early leader in the Lightning Stock feature, then giving way to Tim Paquette on lap eight. Pauquette would lead the next seven laps, but points leader Chris Davis – from row seven – was on a mission, charging through the field to take charge on lap 16 and then dart off to his third win of the summer.
Tim O’Shea, steady all night, scored the runner-up finish, with Paquette a close third. Matt Gauffin and Dick Houle rounded out the top five.
Juris Kupris had a smooth run to the checkers in the Champ Kart 20-lapper, leading early and often en route to victory ahead of David Goley. Josh Slater was third under the checkers.
Monadnock Speedway will host its previously rained-out Christmas In July event this Saturday, August 3, with the Granite State Pro Stocks invading the high banks for the JBH 100 special event. The Whelen All-American Series Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Thunder Stocks, and Young Guns will also be in action, with post time at 6 p.m.