Hudson NH – Louie Maher won his second consecutive Don Hayes Memorial race this past Sunday at Hudson International Speedway. Maher won the Roadrunner portion of the Hayes Memorial and Dave Heliwell won the Classic Lites portion.
Hayes was Hudson’s track photographer/videographer for over 50 years until his passing in 2002. Hayes’ racing legacy includes many hours of videos of the early days of the local racing scene, thousands of photos of the early days, and two sons dedicated to the art of racing photography.
The Roadrunners ran two features, the first was twenty laps and the second was fifteen laps, with the finishes being combined to decide an overall winner. Twenty four cars started the first feature with the likes of Leon Keniston and Jesse Tellier moving up from the enduro ranks and Loren Smith Jr. making a rare appearance at Hudson.
Jen Lord led the field to the green flag but Dan Fortin quickly took over the lead and led the opening laps. Fortin battled hard with Dan Soucy and Loren Smith Jr. both trying to get by Fortin. Soucy finally got past Fortin but his time at the point was limited when Maher caught and past him to take the lead and the win in the first half of the Don Hayes Memorial.
The top ten finishers in the first feature were inverted for the second feature with Maher starting tenth. Jef James led the opening laps. Patrick D’Alba took the top spot after a few circuits and held on to cross the finish line first. Maher finished third to take the overall winners trophy.
After a few moments of calculating, chief scorer Richard Hennessey declared the top ten overall finishers after Maher were Smith Jr., Soucy, D’Alba, Jason Carroll, Jef James, Eric Miller, William Elliot, Lord, and Matt Lombard.
Eddie Gilman looked like he was on his way to winning his first ever Classic Light main holding off Billy Ryder on numerous restarts. Gilman’s luck ran out in closing laps as the newest star of the Classic Lites, Dave Heliwell took over the lead and cruised to victory. Dennis O’Brien had a strong run finishing in second place. Third through tenth were Jon Provost, Rob Bryant, Billy Ryder, Gilman, Jimmy Ryder Sr., Josh Provost, Jeff Gilman and Kyle Pittman.
It was another dramatic win for John Morin Jr. in the Rookie Stocks. Heath Tourtelotte led most of the twenty lap event holding off challenges from both Jerry Lepage and Corrie Merritt. With laps winding down, John Ciancuilli moved into second place and right on Toutelotte’s rear bumper. Contact between the top two sent Toutelotte spinning and Ciancuilli to the pits. When racing resumed Merritt had the lead with Morin Jr. in tow. Coming off the final turn of the final lap Morin Jr. stuck his nose under Merritt and powered by winning by just a few feet. Second through tenth were Merritt, Dean Wendell, Billy Clement Jr., Keith”Slika”Ennis, Dan Murphy Jr., Scotty Duval, Charles Roberto, and Roland Laplante.
2009 Thunder Lite champion Dylan Bilodeau picked up his first win of the year in the Thunder Lites. Bilodeau took the lead on the first lap and held on through some bumpy final laps for the win. Second through fifth were Derek Griffith, Sammy Gilman, Chad Wendell and Dan Smith.
Keith Caruso won the V-6 Modified feature event. Second through fifth were Dick Dubois, Chris Kuebler, William Wallace and Wayne Brooks Jr.
It’s double your racing pleasure this coming Memorial Day weekend with racing both Sunday May 30th and Monday May31st.
On Sunday it’s the return of the Outlaw Sportsman (how many laps will Rick Woodside’s sheet metal last?), Rookie Stocks, Roadrunners, Thunder Lites, Spectator Race/Drags and Flagpole Race. Gates open at 11am and the first race is at 1pm.
On Memorial Day Monday it’s the Classic Lites headlining a full card of Enduros, Kids Bike races, Rookies, Roadrunners, Thunder Lites, Spectator Race/Drags, Flagpole Race and a Figure-8. Gates open at 11am, Kids Bike races at 11.30am and racing begins at 1pm. For more info please visit www.hudsonspeedway.info.