by Jay | Oct 23, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
Whelen Modified Tour Championship To Be Settled This Sunday At Thompson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2009) – When the green flag drops on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s season finale – the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart – this Sunday at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, the waiting game will finally be over.
Donny Lia took his fourth checkered flag of the season last time out on Oct. 4 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway and moved into the championship points lead for the first time this year. The 2007 titlist has little breathing room atop the standings, however, as Ryan Preece crossed the line third that day to sit a mere 26 points out of first.
After a scheduled off week, the 2009 championship was to be settled at Thompson on Oct. 18, but rain and snow forced the event to be postponed. Now with a more promising forecast, the World Series of Speedway Racing looks likely to take the green flag this Sunday, and the Whelen Modified Tour champion will finally be crowned. The three-week layoff has led to heightened anticipation for both title contenders.
“I’m really pumped up and excited to go to Thompson,” Lia said. “It’s been about three weeks since we raced, and it was supposed to be two weeks, so you just get amped up. You want to go to the race track and race. These three weeks off has seemed like forever.”
Preece – like Lia – has avoided getting impatient, but is likewise anticipating returning to the track.
“I’m ready to race,” Preece said. “You get all these people talking about the championship – who they want to win, who wants to win – that kind of deal. You kind of just want it to come, and get it over with. I’m just looking forward to the race, and seeing if we can pull it off.”
While both have not lost sight of the big picture, they intend to bring the same mentality to the track this weekend that they have each and every race this year: race to win.
“You go to every race to win the race,” Preece said. “That’s what you’re paid to do. That’s what we want. We’re definitely going [there] to win the race, and we have the car and the team capable of doing it. I’m definitely going there looking to win the race, and let the points fall wherever they do.”
Although Lia has a points cushion entering the weekend, don’t expect him to ride around on Sunday either.
“You kind of stick to the same principles and same goals, which is to win the race,” Lia said. “We always just go for the win and get the best finish we can. Just take the same approach to it, try to win the race and let everything else fall into place from there.”
Lia can clinch his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour crown in three years by finishing fifth or better at Thompson, but with Preece so close behind, there are a number of scenarios that will make every lap important in the season finale.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart is scheduled to commence for the Whelen Modified Tour with practice and qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 25. The 150-lap race is set to go green on Sunday, Oct. 25 at approximately 3:30 p.m.
by Jay | Oct 22, 2009 | New England, Thompson
NEMA’S Owners Crown Decided At World Series
The owner’s championship is still a question mark as the Northeastern Midget Association brings the 2009 season to a finish at Thompson Speedways rescheduled World Series this weekend. Defending champion Tim Bertrand (47) takes a 26-point edge on Mike Jarret (4) into Sunday’s 25-lap feature.
NEMA has a long relationship with the World Series that was rained out last weekend. Championship battles ending at the traditional season-ending event are hardly unique. It will be NEMAs only visit to Thompson this season.
Bertrand’s driver Randy Cabral already has his second straight championship in hand. Jarret’s driver Nokie Fornoro is assured of second place in the final standings. Both are seasoned-hands on the ultra-quick fifth mile, totaling 11 victories between them.
Cabral, the unofficial record holder with a 17.620 lap turned at last year’s World Series, is the club’s all-time Thompson winner with seven. Fornoro has been winning at Thompson since 1982. Russ and Greg Stoehr have both been involved in classic season ending-races at Thompson in the past as well.
Clearly the fastest place NEMA visits, a victory at Thompson is a perfect ending. Adam Cantor, the winner a couple weeks back at Twin State, makes no secret of his desire to end a strong campaign in Thompson’s Victory Lane.
Other possibilities for the Marvin Rifchin Trophy are Jeff Horn, Erica Santos and Jim Miller. Chris DeRitis, NEMAs top rookie, Abby Martino and John Zych Jr. are among the drivers seeking to protect top-10 spots in the driver and owner standings.
Cabral, who doesn’t like talking about points, had five wins among ten top-fives in 13 starts en route to the driver’s championship. He comes to the World Series in pursuit of his 27th career win, all of them coming in the past 10 campaigns.
In one less start, Fornoro had a couple wins among 10 tops 10s. He’ll be after his 45th NEMA checkered.
by Jay | Oct 19, 2009 | Canada, New England
Team Bouchard Racing returns to RMR snocross series for 2009-10
Trevor Bouchard to seek Semi-Pro titles on Arctic Cat sleds
DERRY, NH (Oct. 16, 2009) — One of New England’s most talented rising stars in snowmobile racing is overflowing with enthusiasm as the 2009-10 season draws near. Trevor Bouchard, of Derry, New Hampshire, will go after the Semi-Pro division championship on the Rock Maple Racing (RMR) snocross series. After riding Ski-doo sleds the past six years, Bouchard will pilot the newly-refined Arctic Cat Sno Pro 600 race sled for 2009-10.
Bouchard, 20, started his snocross career back in 2001 in the Junior Novice class. He worked his way up through the ranks, earning all four Sport division championships in 2006. For the past two seasons, he has been a part of the powerhouse D&Z operation, owned by Dana White, of
Campton, New Hampshire. While he greatly appreciated that incredible opportunity, he is also anxious to go racing with his family again.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the tour with my Dad again,” Bouchard said. “He put a lot of effort into my career when we first started, and is ready to give it another shot. Sharing the challenge of learning a new sled with him will be great, and we hope to put Arctic Cat back where it belongs on the Rock Maple podium.”
Officials at Arctic Cat know having a presence in snocross racing is crucial to connecting with consumers. Led by factory-backed Pro rider Tucker Hibbert (Monster Energy/Team Arctic No. 68), Cat supports race teams on both the national and regional levels. They view the sport as not only the perfect arena in which to develop technology for future consumer sleds, but to maintain excitement in snowmobiling overall.
“We’re very excited about having Trevor Bouchard pilot the new Sno Pro 600 this season on the Rock Maple circuit,” said Mike Kloety, Race Program Manager at Arctic Cat. “We know he has the skills to run up front, and we also know that Rock Maple is quite popular in the northeast. We’d
love to win races in Semi-Pro with Team Bouchard, and hope Trevor turns some heads as he goes after the class championships.”
Rock Maple Racing will kick off its 2009-10 campaign on Dec. 12-13 at the beautiful Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg, New York. This is a new venue for RMR, yet Bouchard has always been quick to adapt to any new layout.
“We plan to do some testing during November so I can get a good feel for the new sleds,” adds Bouchard. “I’m not a really fussy rider when it comes to setups. As long as I can get off the line well and the sled runs smooth, I’m happy. As we learn more about them, I’m sure we’ll be fine-tuning the new Sno Pro sleds to gain speed. With all this cold weather and early snow in the mountains, I’m anxious to hit the snow and prepare for
racing.”
To join the list of valued sponsors or to follow Trevor’s progress throughout the season, visit the team online at www.trevorbouchardracing.com. Team Bouchard Racing would like to thank Dan Callahan for his assistance and the following sponsors for their support;
Arctic Cat, Stud Boy Traction Products, 139designs.com and Harvey Tool.
by Jay | Oct 18, 2009 | New England, New Hampshire, PASS, Riverside Speedway
Naples ME (10/18/09 Championships aren’t easy to come by in sports, and auto racing is no exception. To win the deciding race to claim a championship is the dream of many a racer. Carey Martin lived out that dream Saturday when he won the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Sportsman finale at Groveton New Hampshire’s Riverside Speedway. Martin claimed the feature over his nearest championship rival Mike Landry, securing the 2009 PASS Sportsman title by a two point margin. Clyde Hennessey finish third, Lyman McKeage fourth and Grant Arthur came home fifth.
After the qualifying heats were completed the two were deadlocked in the standings, with Dan McKeage just two points behind. Clyde Hennessey captured heat one to sit on the pole, with heat two winner McKeage to his outside.
Hennessey took the lead from the first green but Martin quickly moved up to second with Landry right on his bumper in third. The pair chased Hennessey until lap twenty nine when Martin took command. Dan McKeage was charging, up to second from fourth ahead of Hennessey and Landry, Arthur and Lyman McKeage.
When the crossed flags were displayed it was Martin, Dan McKeage, Landry up to third and Hennessey fourth. The front three were evenly matched ran nose to tail for thirty laps until Dan McKeages’ challenge for a second PASS Sportsman title went up in smoke with driveline problems. McKeage was done for the day at lap 59.
The final caution set up a sixteen lap showdown between the top two title contenders, with Martin on the inside and Landry outside. Martin got the jump on Landry at the green and try as he might, Landry could not find his way past the veteran Sportsman racer. Landry ran Martin clean, putting on a great battle for the win but Martin wasn’t to be denied, taking the victory and the title of 2009 PASS Sportsman Championship in the process. It was Martins’ third win of 2009 and firth top five in seven starts.
Just three cautions slowed the seventy five lap feature event. Seven cars completed all the laps; heat race wins went to Hennessey and Dan McKeage.
Carey Martin and his fellow PASS competitors will gather November 7th at Verillo’s Convention Center in Westbrook Maine for the 2009 Pro All Stars Series Banquet of Champions.
The Pro All Stars Series is on line at www.racewithpass.com and www.proallstarsseries.com .
Unofficial Results- PASS Sportsman 75 lap feature–Riverside Speedway, Groveton NH -10/17/09
1) 18 Carey Martin, Denmark ME 2) 40 Mike Landry, Oakland ME 3) 8 Clyde Hennessey, Windham ME 4) 58 Lyman McKeage, Gorham ME 5) 7oz Grant Arthur, Exeter NH 6) 34 Richie Morse, Waterford ME 7) 51 Dan Sidney, St. Johnsbury VT 8) 1 Kerry Marten, Littleton NH 9) 02F David Fowler, Barnstead NH 10) 67 Jourdain Davis, Whitefield NH 11) 7x Shawna Randall, Stark NH 12) Dan McKeage, Gorham ME 13) 35 Bobby Nadeau, Hollis ME 14) 73 David Ofswyk, Newport Center VT
by Jay | Oct 15, 2009 | New England, Thompson
THOMPSON, CT The consistent predictions of a rain-filled weekend forced Thompson International Speedway officials to reschedule the XTRA MART World Series of Speedway Racing to next weekend. The event schedule for the new dates, October 23, 24, and 25 will be exactly the same as that listed for this weekend.
Thompson track management, after careful consideration of both race teams and fans, made the rescheduling decision at this time in order to give those traveling to Thompson as much notice as possible. “We desperately wanted to run the World Series event this weekend, said track owner, Don Hoenig. But, when virtually every weather forecast is predicting a complete wash out, we felt we had no choice but to move everything to next weekend”.
The three-day XTRA MART World Series of Speedway Racing, featuring all fifteen racing divisions, will get underway on Friday, October 23rd and will continue through Sunday October 25th. The original schedule of events will remain unchanged.
by Jay | Oct 15, 2009 | New England, New Hampshire, PASS, Riverside Speedway
NAPLES ME (October 14 2009) The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Sportsman racers started their 2009 season at Speedway 95 in April, when the season was new and every competitor was tied for the points lead. October has arrived and after six races and six months there’s still a tie at the top of the heap and one driver that trails the top two by just three markers.
That’s as tight as it gets, and the top three will do battle this Saturday afternoon at the PASS sanctioned Riverside Speedway in Groveton New Hampshire for the title. Carey Martin and Mike Landry are deadlocked with 284 points apiece and Dan Mckeage trails the pair by three at 281. Any one of the three could wind up with the 2009 Champion’s trophy. Lyman Mckeage sits in fourth with 213 and just one point separates him from fifth place points man Shane Tatro.
So there’ll be plenty of races within the race to keep an eye on as the PASS Sportsman take on an expected full field of Sportsman/Limited racers from throughout the region. It’s guaranteed to be some of the best racing you’ll see this season, and the tough Riverside oval only makes the show even better.
The PASS Sportsman title race is just a portion of the huge Russ’s NAPA presents the 4th annual Frostbite 400, highlighted by a 250 lap, $5,000.00 to win four and six cylinder Enduro, the speedway’s own Cyclone division championship, Dwarf Cars and Daredevils. It’s grass roots racing at its very best, and a great way to wrap the PASS Sportsman season.
Pit gates open October 17 at 8:00 AM, tech gets underway at 9:00 AM, and post time for the first race is 1:30 PM. For more details please visit www.riversidespeedway.org .
