By Gary Dutton
WINCHESTER, NH – Matt Frahm outran the massive cloudbanks of fog that were fast descending on Monadnock Speedway Saturday, May 31, night to win the Granite State Pro Stock Series 100-lap main event at the high-banked speedplant.
And while the thick fog forced the night’s Sportsman Modified feature to be postponed – two Sportsman Modified features will be run this Saturday, June 7th.
Young Gun Chris Lawrence and Thunder Stocker Tyler Janovsky each earned his first feature win of the summer, while Nutmeg State hot shoe Cory Casagrande made his first run on the high banks a memorable one, coming from the back of the field to win the show-finale Super Stock feature, however after a post race inspection Casagrande was disqualified and the win was awarded to Tom Carey III.
Mike Stebbins added to his growing Mini Stock points lead, charging to his third feature win in four events, while Lightning Stock ace Kyle Boniface moved atop his division by scoring his second victory of the season.
In support card racing, Corey Coates earned his first New England Truck Series victory, outrunning veteran strongmen Duane Noll and Andy Lindeman; and Classic Lites victor John Fultz waved the checkers from the rear door of an ambulance after being shaken up in a finish line jingle with the frontstretch wall.
Frahm started in row six of the GSPSS field, reeling in the leaders in 20 laps, as a handful of cautions kept the hungry pack close to the lead cars. Larry Gelinas set the pace early, with hometrack hero Russ Hersey – from row four – glued to his bumper until taking the lead on lap 17. Barry Gray – like Hersey, a former Monadnock track champion – took second from Gelinas on lap 24, with Frahm close behind and coming fast. A lap-27 restart would see Frahm taking charge, with Gray now holding the deuce spot. Gray snagged the lead on lap 43 and would hold the point until Hersey’s strong run ended in a cloud of smoke on lap 67. After three attempts to complete the next lap, GSPSS officials placed Gray to the rear of the pack for jumping the start and Frahm would run out the race from the point to score his first GSPSS victory of the season, his second career win at Monadnock. Gelinas was second under the flags, with Cory Roberts, Mike Parks, and Ron Smith rounding out the top five.
In the Super Stock main, Casagrande started scratch on the field and smoothly worked his way through a half-dozen cautions to score his first win ever on the high banks. Points leader Tom Carey III muscled past Bill Johnston on the white flag lap to claim second, with John Lavoie finishing inches ahead of Johnston in third. Dave Striebel was fifth on the night.
Dana Shepard led every lap but one in the Mini Stock feature. Mike Stebbins was first under the flags the final trip around the high banks to earn is third win of the young season. Shepard, from the pole, had opened up a huge lead when the first of two lap-16 cautions brought Stebbins knocking at his door. With the two running dead even under the white, Stebbins was able to inch ahead and dart off to the win. With Shepard a strong second, Chris McTaggart, DJ Lazelle, and Cameron Sontag rounded out the top five.
Chris Lawrence led early and often in the Young Gun 15-lapper, wiring the event to score his first win of the summer. Dylan Morse was six lengths behind him in second, Cole Littlewood third, Mike McGoldrick Jr. fourth, and Devin Guy fifth.
Tim O’Shea led the first three go-rounds of the Lightning Stock feature, then giving way to Kyle Boniface, who rocketed off to victory to take over sole possession of his division’s points lead. O’Shea was solid all night to come home second, with Tim Paquette, Hillary Renaud, and Pat Houle completing the top five. Chris Davis, tied with Boniface atop the points chase entering the night’s event, dropped out mid-race with engine woes.
Tyler Janovsky set a fast pace en route to wiring the Thunder Stock main. Jason Barden, 15 lengths behind Yanovsky, was second on the night, with Henry Martin coming home third, his fourth top-three run in as many outings. Dave Greenslit and Marshall Usher rounded out the top five.
In the Classic Lites feature, John Fultz and Shawn Waite tangled heavily as they charged toward the waiting checkers, with Fultz holding on to score the win as he bounced off the wall. Paul Colson was third.
This Saturday, June 7, Monadnock Speedway will present a full six-division card of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing, including two Sportsman Modified feature events. Post time is 6 p.m.
For more information on this and other events at New England’s fastest high-banked quarter-mile, visit www.monadnockspeedway.com.
Mini Stocks Feature: Mike Stebbins, Sana Shepard, Chris McTaggart, DJ Lazelle, Cameron Sontag, Beth Adams, Joel Monahan, Joe Collins, Kevin McKnight, Julia Raymond, Eric Pomasko, Joe Rogers, Justin Faford, Ethan Marsh
Super Stocks Feature: Tom Carey III, John Lavioe, Bill Johnston, Dave Striebel, Tyler Leary, Alyssa Rivera, Tyler Lescord, Ian MacDonald, Seth Petalas, James Thompson
Lightning Stocks Feature: Kyle Boniface, Tim O’Shea, Tim Paquette, Hillary Renaud, Pat Houle, Matt Somerville, Eric Silvernale, Kyle Robinson Newell, Chris Davis, Zachary Garrow
Thunder Stocks Feature: Tyler Janovsky, Jason Barden, Henry Martin, Dave Greenslit, Marshall Usher, Paul Barnard, Scott Bourn, Craig Chaffee, James Nowakowski, Doug Guy, Caleb Cashman
Young Guns Feature: Chris Lawrence, Dylan Morse, Cole Littlewood, Mike McGoldrick, Devin Guy, Colton Smith, Corey Wheeler, Solomon Brow, Hayley Guy, Chris Buffone, Justin Littlewood, Jessica Laflam, Michelle Leh, Matt Kimball, Mariah Stebbins