NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH FOR AUGUST 12TH 2015
By Lou Modestino
The stretch drive of Thunder Road’s weekly racing season continues this Thursday night, August 13 with U.S. Army Recruiting Night. With just four point-counting events remaining on the 2015 Thunder Road racing calendar, it’s “go time” in the championship battles for the Thunder Road Late Models, Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, and Allen Lumber Street Stocks.
The famed Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman division will take the stage on Thursday night. Thunder Road officials have announced the Tiger Sportsmen will run twin 50-lap Milk Bowl–style features. The finish of the first 50-lap feature will be inverted to set the starting line-up for the second feature. The driver with the best combined finish in the two features will be the overall winner.
“It’ll be fun to be the main event for the night,” Barre’s Christopher Pelkey said. “Two 50-lappers definitely brings something different. The last time we did segments two weeks ago, there wasn’t really enough laps for the guys who started out back to get to the front. With 50 laps, if you’ve got a good car, you should be able to finish up front in both of them.”
Barre’s Nick Sweet won his second Thunder Road Late Model feature this season last Thursday night to cut into Derrick O’Donnell’s point lead. N. Haverhill, NH’s O’Donnell now holds a 16-point lead over Sweet as both drivers chase a third “King of the Road” crown. O’Donnell is going for his third consecutive Thunder Road championship, a feat previously accomplished only by Chuck Beede from 1992-1994.
Barre’s Cody Blake sits 44 points back in third. John Donahue and Scott Dragon are fourth and fifth. Montpelier’s Josh Demers was denied in his “Triple Crown” bid for the second straight week last Thursday with a runner-up main event finish, but his efforts vaulted him from 11th to sixth in the standings. The Triple Crown bonus now sits at $700 for any driver who can win their heat race, semi-feature, and the main event.
Waterbury Ctr.’s Jason Woodard has put his quest for a second consecutive Tiger Sportsman title into overdrive with five straight top-five finishes. He now holds a 26-point lead over Wolcott’s Brendan Moodie. Mike Martin has moved up to third followed by Dylan Payea and Pelkey.
Hardwick’s Jaden Perry leads the Allen Lumber Street Stock standings, but veteran Jamie Davis of Wolcott continues to whittle away and now sits 13 points back. Tyler Austin, Marcel J. Gravel, and last week’s winner Alan Maynard round out the top-five.
U.S. Army Recruiting Night at Barre’s Thunder Road featuring the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman Twin 50’s is this Thursday, August 13 at 7:00pm. The Thunder Road Late Models and Allen Lumber Street Stocks will also be in action.
Eddie MacDonald fought his way through the field from a 22nd starting position to score a third place finish in the American Canadian Tour’s Beech Ridge 150 in Scarborough, Maine on Saturday, August 8. Eddie Mac had to qualify for the race in a consi after getting dumped in the heat race.
Eddie Mac bounced back from the set back and put on an impressive display of driving from the rear of the starting grid of 27 cars. Before that could happen, things took a turn for the worse with the Exit Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy in third place in the heat race when the #17 RI decided to dump the #17Ma with two laps remaining in the 12 lap heat. The top four cars from the three heat races gained starting positions for the 150 lap feature. This forced Eddie Mac into the 12 lap consi starting ninth with the top five making the feature. Eddie Mac finished fifth.
“We had a good car right through practice and we were headed for a good starting position for the feature when I got taken out,” said an angry Eddie Mac. “I don’t know why he was mad at me since I didn’t have anything to do with him sliding up the track. It was uncalled for and I thought I was going to hit the wall. It put us in a tough spot to make the race since we had to start in the back of the consi. Fortunately we made it but it put more laps and wear on our tires that would hurt us at the end of the feature.”
When the green flag waved Eddie Mac moved to the outside groove and began picking off cars early saying, ”The car was really good on the outside and a lot of cars stayed on the bottom so I was able to pick up a number of spots. I got to 11th (lap 26) and decided to run for a while to cool the tires. The guys gave me such a good car; I knew I would be able to get some more spots. Passing at Beech Ridge is always tough especially with all the lapped cars. We had the car for it but I was hoping we had the tires for it.”
By lap 50 the Rowley, Mass. veteran ran eighth but had to deal with some side by side action in front for nearly 20 laps before passing two lead lap cars and into the sixth position on lap 91. With lapped cars an issue Eddie Mac had to be patient to get by thus creating a gap to catch the #9 car for fifth place. Running fifth with 20 laps to go, Eddie Mac moved to fourth when Joey Pole wrecked in front and passed the #16 car on lap 141 for the third spot. Eddie mac tried to catch Babb and Helliwell on the lap 142 restart but to no avail.
“I used up the tires coming up through the field and they were skating on the last two restarts,” said Eddie Mac. “We had a great run to finish third and I have to thank Rollie (LaChance) for the set up and to the crew of Rob, Tom, Ryan, and Andy Santeere for all the hard work. Thanks also to Laura LaChance who is always there to spot, cook or anything else the team needs. Of course, none of this would be possible without car owners Freddie and Sheila Peterson from Peterson’s Auto Body in Peabody. Thanks to Derek Beatrice from Exit Realty, Scott and Ken Thompson from Hancock Electric, and our K&N team owner Rob Grimm for his continued support. Congratulations to Brad Babb for the win. He ran a great race. We are looking forward to the ACT race at NHMS in September. We hope to have a lot of our fans there.”
Ridgefield, Ohio’s Dave Shullick, Jr. strengthened his points lead in the International Supermodified Association (ISMA) 2015 championship battle at Lee USA Speedway on Friday night, taking his second career victory in the annual Ollie Silva Memorial Classic aboard the Jim Bodnar entry.
“Shoe II” snatched the lead away from fellow Ohioan Tim Ice on lap 53 of the 75 lap event, and he set the pace the rest of the way to collect the checkered flag. Defending race winner Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, MA made a late-race charge to finish second, after taking the green deep in the field in the 20th spot.
Jeff Locke of nearby Chester put in a solid run to close out the podium with a strong third place effort, with a pair of Ohio-based drivers, Timmy “J” Jedrzejek and Danny Shirey finishing up the top five. Full results for the 75-lap Ollie Silva Memorial Classic (finishing position, driver, car number):
1. Dave Shullick Jr (95), 2. Jon McKennedy (61), 3. Jeff Locke (37), 4. Timmy Jedrzejek (97), 5. Danny Shirey (49), 6. Alison Cumens (39), 7. Ed Witkum (21), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Mike Lichty (84), 10. Trent Stephens (9), 11. Mike McVetta (22), 12. Ben Seitz (17), 13. Tim Ice (65), 14. Mike Netishen (55), 15. Dan Bowes (25), 16. Jon Gambuti (14), 17. Rob Summers (74), 18. Chris Perley (11), 19. Dave Duggan (51), 20. Joey Scanlon (5), 21. Jamie Timmons (27), 22. Justin Belfiore (98), 23. Tommy Tombarello (7)
Just four weeks remain in the 2015 regular season for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super-Modifieds, Late Model Sportsman, Hobby Stock, Ironman, and Pure Stock racers, with the battles for the season championships at “New Hampshire‘s Center of Speed“ also highlighted on last weekend‘s program.
Leslie Keyser of Northfield picked up his second win of the season in the Ekeys4cars Super-Modified main, running down and eventually taking the lead from rookie Mike Keddy of Raymond late in the race, and rolling into victory lane when flagmen Bryon Callen showed the checkers.
Young Keddy had a career night himself in his former Witkum Brothers Racing machine, picking up his first-ever heat race win during qualifying, and following that up by leading more than half of the main before coming across the stripe for a career-best second place finish.
Mike Ordway, Jr. of Fremont was third, with points leader Tommy Tombarello, Jr. of Haverhill, MA, Lance Barthelemy of Fremont, “Super Dave” Sanborn of Tilton, Mike Spurling of Rochester, Artie Rousseau of Newmarket, Kyle Sawyer of Kingston, and Jarrod Soucy of Marlboro, MA finishing up the top ten.
Brentwood hotshoe Jimmy Russell made a return trip to the winner’s circle in the R & R Public Wholesale Late Model Sportsman 30-lapper, holding off a tough challenge from two-time winner Frankie Eldridge of Stratham to join the ranks of multi-time winners in the LMS ranks this season with his second feature score.
Eldridge was second 1.235 seconds behind Russell at the finish, with Jay Sands of Hampton, Geoff Rollins of Groton, MA, Nate Leavitt of Buxton, ME, Bobby Melvin of Groton, MA, Bryan Kruczek of Newmarket, Ray Dinsmore of Waterboro, ME, and George Helliwell of Pelham rounding out the top ten.
Brian DeStefano of Tewksbury, MA was first out to lead the David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stock feature event, before giving way to points leader Dennis Dumas of Nashua on lap 11. Dumas was the class of the field the remainder of the way, cruising to the checkers to post win number five on the season.
DeStefano continued his streak of strong runs with a runner-up effort, followed by former champion Jim Shorey of Lebanon, ME, Kevin Bowman of Grafton, MA, Dave MacDonald of Tewksbury, MA, Chris Harding of Lebanon, ME, Trevor Randlett of Holderness, Jay Avery of Berwick, ME, Billy Clement, Jr. of Manchester, and Pete Evans of Berwick, ME.
Just a week after Shane Horvath of Nottingham became the first three-time winner of the year in the Tri-City Line-X Ironman division, Zach Washburn of Rochester tied him atop the Ironman win board by grabbing his third checkered flag of the season in last Friday’s 25-lap main event. Washburn held off a tough challenge from Christin DeStefano of Tewksbury, MA to score the win by a car length, with Horvath bringing home third place honors.
Pelham’s Jesse Tellier made his return to Pure Stock victory lane on Friday night, taking down the win and solidifying his points lead. Rob Carleton of Newbury, MA, checkered second, with Craig Pyle of Gorham, MA closing out the podium in the third spot.
Thunder was rumbling down at Monadnock Speedway once again this past Saturday evening with all of the weekly Whelen All-American Series divisions featured as well as the special main event Granite State Pro Stock Series JBH 100.
Last week was double features for the Sportsman Mods, Thunder Stocks, and Super Stocks, this week it was back to normal with heat races followed by features.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series put on an exciting show with local Sportsman Mod series driver, Scott MacMichael competing in the JBH 100 against the GSPSS regulars.
In Young Guns action it was 13 year old Dylan Morse in the #00 holding off Daniel Starkweather to capture his second win of the year. “I heard him back there,” Morse said in victory lane, “I felt him a couple of times. But, I knew what I had to do, stay low and keep going.” Justin Littlewood out maneuvered Jaret Curtis for third place, Chris Buffone, Shelby Avery, and Chase Curtis rounded up the field. In a Young Gun post-race inspection the win was given to Dan Starkweather.
Lightning Stocks came out onto the track for their feature following the conclusion of the Young Guns. It was a tight race that featured #95 CJ Johnson racing hard with Kris Kristolaitis in the #28. With Kristolaitis leading, Johnson got to the inside of Kristolaitis with both making contact the #28 spun out of first place. Johnson went on to win the race, with Kristolaitis finishing in fifth. Tim Leblanc in the #52 and Kyle Boniface in the #27 recorded podium finishes with second and third place respectively.
The Lightning Stock finish is currently under review and the official results will be released by mid-week.
Mini Stocks were out next and a wild race that resembled heavy traffic on the interstate saw Solomon Brow in the #33 take the green and lead the way all the checkered flag. “We started up front, and we ended up front,” Brow said following the win.
#62 Julia Raymond came in 2nd place ahead of points’ leader Eric Pomasko in the #71. Matt Gauffin put on another late charge in the #68 to get around Cameron Sontag’s #13 for 4th place.
Thunder Stocks rolled out next and they ran a fast, competitive, and clean race. Only once did yellow come out, and not for any significant wreck. The race saw a new winner in the series, #9 James Nowakowski. Nowakowski blew a motor last week, his new (old) motor proved to be the key to victory on Saturday. “It ran alright,” Nowakowski said, “enough to stay ahead.”
Marshall Usher’s #11 wheeled home a second place finish. David Greenslit in the #20 used a last lap pass to capture third place from Paul Barnard in the #24. Ben Williams finished fifth in the #7 car.
Super Stocks came on following the Thunder Stock feature. There wasn’t another new winner this week, however, the winner hadn’t won in a long time. #18 Ken Springer hasn’t been running a full schedule, but he came down and won on Saturday. His last win at Monadnock came on July 2, 2011. “We’re just out here having fun,” said Springer.
“These tires are from opening day so these are pretty old tires,” Springer said in victory lane, “I’m surprised they stuck so well.”
Nancy Muni came home second in the #96 ahead of #15 Tyler Lescord. Dave Striebel rebounded from a wreck last week to bring home a fourth this Saturday in the #71.
The final Whelen All-American Series event of the night was the Sportsman Modifieds. Caution graced the racetrack just 3 laps into the 30 lap main event. #8 Keith Carzello’s car got run into the wall, doing significant damage, bringing his day to a premature end.
It was a different story at the front of the pack, as Scott MacMichael shook off the spell of bad luck he’d been having with his motor, and brought the #7 back to victory lane for his third win of the year.
“This is great,” MacMichael said, “I really want to thank the Smith family and all the guys that helped me change the motors the last couple weeks, they stayed up late, there’s a million of them. There was over a hundred people, really.”
“I don’t know what happened in the back, but it was good up front,” said MacMicahel. Brett Gonyaw in the #87 out ran the #43 of Bill Kimball for the second spot. #14 Dana Smith finished fourth with Eric Leclair fifth in the #84.
That cleared the way for the GSPSS JBH 100, the 100 lap feature main event. The race saw several cautions in the first 50 laps, but the winning move came when Matt Frahm took the lead on lap 31. Mike Parks made several runs at Frahm on the numerous restarts, but Frahm had what it took to hold Parks off for his third win all-time at Monadnock.
“This place feels like home,” Frahm said after his third win. “I love coming here, I love the fans here, it’s been good.”
“Mike’s car was a lot stronger on the outside than we thought he’d be,” Frahm said, “Our car was bottoming out really bad, it was actually getting worse.” Larry Gelinas had a strong run to finish in 3rd place, while Monadnock regular Scott MacMichael got passed late by Mike O’Sullivan for 4th place.
Next week at Monadnock, the Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Lightning Stocks, and Young Guns will all be on the card for the 2 for $20 General Admission Special. Racing Starts at 6 pm.
Young Gun Results: Dan Starkweather, Justin Littlewood, Jaret Curtis, Chris Buffone, Shelby Avery, Chase Curtis, Dylan Morse,
Lightning Stock Results (Unofficial) : CJ Johnson, Tim Leblanc, Kyle Boniface, Pat Houle, Kris Kristolaitis, Richard Whipple, Eric Silvernale, Craig Smith, Steve Fucile, Hillary Renaud, Mike McGoldrick, Kevin Carey, Tim Paquette
Mini Stocks Results: Solomon Brow, Julia Raymond, Eric Pomasko, Matt Gauffin, Cameron Sontag, Joel Monahan, DJ Lazelle, Matt Kimball, Mike Stebbins, Kevin McKnight, Scott Adams, Jarod Soucy, Louis Maher, Ethan Marsh
Super Stock Results: Ken Springer, Nancy Muni, Tyler Lescord, Dave Striebel, Joel Monahan, Dennis Stange, Scott Beck, Tyler Leary, James Thompson, Cole Littlewood
Sportsman Modifieds Results: Scott MacMichael, Brett Gonyaw, Bill Kimball, Dana Smith, Eric Leclair, Nathan Johnson, Dennis Charette, Russ Hersey, Kim Rivet, Trevor Bleau, Jason Barden, Casey Ouellette, Brian Robie, Keith Carzello.
Source: Monadnock Speedway PR
Veteran stock car driver Leon Gonyo visited victory lane in nostalgic and appropriate fashion at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday, August 7, winning the fourth annual “C.J. Richards Memorial” presented by Carrara Masonry & Concrete. Other winners on the night included Chad White, Robert Gordon, Chuck Bradford, and Cory Gray in action for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere.
Chazy, NY racer Gonyo, 63, was a frequent winner in the mid-1980s under the former Champlain Valley Racing Association headed by the late Richards, who founded Devil’s Bowl Speedway in 1967. On Friday night, Gonyo strung together a three-segment low total score of eight points to take the overall victory in the race bearing Richards’ name.
Gonyo won the opening 22-lap segment for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division to score one point in the cumulative tally. Vince Quenneville Jr., of Brandon, VT, finished second to score two points, followed by two-time Modified champion Todd Stone, who was making his first Modified start of the season. Ron Proctor was fourth with Dave Snow fifth.
Greg Atkins of Clintonville, NY won the middle 22-lap round over Proctor and Jimmy Ryan; Quenneville finished fourth with Gonyo fifth. Entering the final 23-lap segment, Gonyo, Quenneville, and Proctor found themselves locked in a three-way tie for the overall lead with six segment points apiece.
Stone dominated the final leg, while Gonyo held off a surging Quenneville for the runner-up spot; Atkins and Proctor filled out the top five in the segment. Gonyo’s total of eight points was enough to beat Quenneville by a single marker for the overall victory. With 11 points each, Stone beat Proctor in a tiebreaker for third place overall by virtue of his final-segment win. Proctor took fourth with Atkins fifth.
Chad White of Fort Ann, NY was a first-time winner in the 30-lap Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model feature and became the division’s eighth different winner in as many races in 2015. Seth Bridge did his best to rebound from a crash in the previous week by leading twice during the race, but White was strong enough on the outside lane to get back in front.
White led the final 19 laps and pulled away from double-duty racer Stone and point leader Josh Masterson. Stone, of Middlebury, VT was the runner-up ahead of Masterson. Robert Bryant Jr. finished fourth with Matt White, the winner’s brother, fifth in his first start of the season.
Milton, VT’s Robert Gordon won the two-segment Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade feature for the second week in a row. Gordon finished second in the opening 15-lap round behind Scott FitzGerald, then won the final leg for a low total score of three points. Jimmy Bushey of Mooers Forks, NY finished fourth and second for six points and took the overall runner-up finish, with West Rutland, VT’s FitzGerald (first, fifth) third overall with six points.
Defending Portland Glass Mini Stock champion Chuck Bradford of Addison, VT made it back-to-back wins in an entertaining 15-lap race, defeating point leader Chris LaVair of Gabriels, NY. Bradford’s teammate, rookie Brad Bertrand of Ferrisburgh, VT, led the first 12 laps until Bradford and LaVair scooted past, and held on for third place.
Cory Gray of Rutland, VT took his second win of the season in the 50-lap MFT Sauce & Rub Co. Enduro Series feature. Zach Wood of Georgia, VT closed in on Gray in the final laps but was not able to mount a serious challenge. Brett Wood, Zach’s father, finished third.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Friday, August 14 at an early 7:00 p.m. start with Modifieds, Late Models, Renegades, and Mini Stocks, as well as the annual “Spectator Races” for street-legal vehicles. The event also marks the return of Heritage Family Credit Union “Member Night” giving free admission to all HFCU members who show proof of membership at the gate.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – 4th Annual Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial”
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere
Friday, August 7, 2015
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (67 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Segment Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (7) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY – 8 points
2. (9) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, VT – 9 points
3. (4) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT – 11 points
4. (8) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY – 11 points
5. (10) Greg Atkins, Clintonville, NY – 12 points
6. (6) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, NY – 21 points
7. (1) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT – 22 points
8. (5) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, VT – 22 points
9. (3) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT – 24 points
10. (2) # Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, VT – 25 points
11. (11) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY – 33 points
Heat Winners: Leon Gonyo; Vince Quenneville Jr.
Segment Winners: Leon Gonyo; Greg Atkins; Todd Stone
Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Leon Gonyo
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Vince Quenneville Jr.
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Jason Durgan
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model Feature (30 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (2) Chad White, Fort Ann, NY
2. (6) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
3. (8) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
4. (7) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, CT
5. (11) Matt White, Northfield, VT
6. (1) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
7. (10) Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburgh, VT
8. (9) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
9. (3) Rich Lowrey Jr., Charlotte, VT
10. (12) # Richard Lowrey III, Charlotte, VT
11. (4) Robert Hagar, Windsor, VT
12. (5) Mark Norris, Benson, VT
Heat Winners: Todd Stone; Robert Bryant Jr.
Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Chad White
Crazy Horse Racing Winners Circle Challenge: Chad White
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade Feature (15 laps x 2)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Segment Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (6) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT – 3 points
2. (5) Jimmy Bushey, Mooers Forks, NY – 6 points
3. (2) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT – 6 points
4. (3) # Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT – 7 points
5. (4) Don Franklin, Milton, VT – 8 points
6. (1) # Shawn Franklin, Waitsfield, VT – 12 points
Segment Winners: Scott FitzGerald; Robert Gordon
Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Robert Gordon
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Robert Gordon
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (10) Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
2. (9) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
3. (3) # Bradley Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, VT
4. (6) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
5. (2) Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
6. (7) Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, VT
7. (5) Dan Collins, Rensselaer, NY
8. (8) # Tanner Crary, Saranac Lake, NY
9. (1) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
10. (4) Harold LaVair Jr., Gabriels, NY
11. (11) Mike Clark, Salisbury, VT
Heat Winners: John McCarron; Chris LaVair
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Chuck Bradford