by Jay | Jun 19, 2009 | New
Harrisburg, N.C. (June 19, 2009): Only four drivers – Joey Logano, Brad Leighton, Steve Park, and Mike McLaughlin – have ever won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in their rookie season on the NASCAR Camping World Series East. It’s a factual tidbit that further motivates 16-year-old Brett Moffitt even more. Moffitt, driver of the No. 44 Andy Santerre Motorsports Chevrolet, has broken many records – youngest pole setter, youngest winner, and youngest driver to ever lead the point standings – and wants to add his name to the short list of rookie winners at the prestigious 1.058-mile oval.
“We’re all very excited to be going to New Hampshire,” said Moffitt. “I want to win because, as a driver, I just want to be competitive anywhere I go. There is an added element at New Hampshire because we’ll be right there with the Cup guys and it’s a chance to showcase this team in front of them.”
Moffitt’s competitive drive has fueled a level of success that rivals that of Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano. Car owner Andy Santerre can’t say enough about Moffitt’s talents, and the future he believes this driver has.
“He’s one of the most consistent and smooth drivers I’ve ever had in this car,” said Santerre, who has gained a reputation as picking some of the most talented drivers to pilot his cars. “One of his strongest attributes is that he is able to adapt really quick. That’s important when you’re going from short tracks to road courses to, now, our superspeedway. Brett is able to change his mindset and drive each variety of track as if he has driven on them all his life.”
Moffitt has accomplished in the last five years what some drivers only dream about. He began racing at the age of 11 in go-karts, and has since won four WKA Championships, an IKF Championship, has won 26 IMCA races, the All Iowa SportMod Points Championship, and won the ASA Late Model North series Rookie of the Year to name a few.
“I would really like to make racing a career and become one of the top drivers in NASCAR,” said Moffitt. “I’m very lucky to have a very supportive family that has been with me every step of the way. We came into this season to race well and be consistent. This is only our second year on asphalt. We’ve started the season on a strong note and we’re doing what we need to do to try and win this championship.”
The Heluva Good! Summer 125 takes the green flag at 5 p.m. eastern time on Friday, June 26th. Moffitt enters the race as the NASCAR Camping World Series East point leader with 18 points over current runner-up Jody Lavender. Moffitt has one win, four top-five, and four top-10 finishes in just five starts.
For more information on Brett Moffitt or Andy Santerre Motorsports, visit www.andysanterremotorsports or www.brettmoffitt.com.
by Jay | Jun 18, 2009 | New
Center Harbor, N.H. (June 18, 2009): Two-time NASCAR Camping World Series East Champion Brad Leighton will make his season debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 26th behind the wheel of the No. 55 Irving Oil Chevrolet. Leighton, who secured the first invitation to the track’s ACT Invitational scheduled for later this year, is anxious to get back to his home state track and attempt to win a fifth track championship.
“New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) is my home away from home,” said Leighton. “I don’t know what it is, but I run really good at New Hampshire. Nevertheless, I’ve been shut out of victory lane the last few times, and we’re hoping to change that this year!”
Although this will mark Leighton’s first start this year in the Camping World Series East, he has been quite busy running a limited schedule in the American-Canadian Tour. Leighton’s win at the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup at Lee USA Speedway solidified an invitation to the highly anticipated ACT Invitational in September. He also gained a podium finish at Airborne Speedway last month, and led every lap at Waterford Speedbowl last week before rain halted the event and forced a rescheduling to June 20th.
Leighton’s 2008 season in the NASCAR Camping World Series East yielded one top-five and two top-10 finishes in only three starts. He led 44 laps of the Heluva Good Fall 125 before a fuel issue sent him to the pits three laps before the race conclusion.
“We were so close!” Leighton recalled. “We were in contention at both NHMS races last year. It was so frustrating to be so good and not put these guys into victory lane.”
Leighton has won four track championships at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and would like to add another to his resume.
“Those track championships are some of the biggest highlights of my career,” said Leighton. “I’m really proud to say that I’ve won that. When you compete at a track as prestigious as New Hampshire Motor Speedway, you’re drawing the best of the best as far as drivers and crews are concerned. When you win that championship, it’s a validation of sorts to say, ‘hey, we’ve beaten the best’.”
The Heluva Good Summer 125 is slated for Friday, June 26th at 5 p.m. eastern daylight time.
by Jay | Jun 18, 2009 | New
North Haverhill, N.H. (June 18, 2009): Jonathan Smith, driver of the No. 16 Fadden Racing Chevrolet on the NASCAR Camping World Series East, has been steadily improving his stats under the guidance of car owner and two time champion Mike Olsen. But when the series returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 26th, Smith is going to get a first hand lesson on how to get around the 1.058-mile oval when Olsen joins him as a teammate for the Heluva Good 125. Olsen will return to his familiar No. 61 and will sport the blue and white color scheme that became synonymous with his late grandfather and racing legend, Stanley “Stub” Fadden.
Olsen, who has 285 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Series East, will be making his season debut behind the wheel. K.D.D. Auto Parts is stepping up to sponsor the effort in Olsen’s home state of New Hampshire.
“It’s a lot different now getting in the car and racing at New Hampshire. I’m there to try and win it, and without the focus of points, it makes it a lot more fun for me,” said Olsen. “We’re thrilled that K.D.D. came on board and that we’ll be honoring my grandfather with the paint scheme.”
Olsen won the 2001 and 2006 NASCAR Camping World Series East Championships and has started 47 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway over his 20 year career in the series.
Smith joined Fadden Racing at the beginning of the season and posted his first top-10 of the season at Watkins Glen International road course just a couple of weeks ago.
“We’re definitely headed in the right direction,” said Smith. “I’m anxious to keep it moving that way when we go to New Hampshire. We’re aiming for a top-five finish, and with all the laps that Mike has had there, I know we’ll be in good hands.”
Always the competitive sportsman, Smith added, “It’ll be more fun to see who can finish first!”
The Heluva Good! Summer 125 is slated to take the green flag on Friday, June 26th at 5 p.m. eastern time. For more information on Fadden Racing and its drivers, please visit www.faddenracing.net.
by Jay | Jun 18, 2009 | New
OXFORD, Maine – One week after winning the ‘B’ feature and dismissing his car as a little bit old and tired, Jim Davis Jr. showed everyone Wednesday night that he was either playing possum or did his homework.
Davis won the Chimney Tech Outlaw ‘A’ feature at Oxford Plains Speedway, charging from the back to the front and claiming his second straight Acceleration Series victory.
Chris Burgess chased Davis to the stripe, falling shy by a car length. Chris Coolidge edged Steve Moon by a fender for third.
Zach Bowie and Shannon Judd also sped to victory in Outlaw competition. Bowie dominated the ‘B’ feature with Michael Haynes and Addison Bowie a distant second and third, respectively. Judd captured the ‘C’ triumph with ease over Josh Paradis and Bon Ferguson.
Jamie Leavitt and Corey Beaulieu each picked their first Macdonald Motors Runnin’ Rebel win of the season in races with bizarre finishes.
Leavitt ran second to dominant Dustin Salley for most of the 20-lap ‘A’ main until Derek Cook’s roll-over brought out a late red flag and necessitated a green-white-checkered finish.
Salley’s slow start gave Leavitt a healthy jump when the green reappeared, and Leavitt drew away to a convincing victory. Salley dropped to third before resurging to edge Craig Farrington for second.
Beaulieu was part of a three-car battle for the win with Jamie Heath and Ryan Philbrick.
Lurking along the inside lane throughout, Beaulieu was in the right position when Philbrick ran into trouble with traffic on the final lap. Heath held on for second, with newcomer John Mason third after enjoying a huge lead in the early going.
“Flyin'” Ryan Farrar emerged from a furious, six-vehicle battle for the Call of the Wild RV Center Sport Truck win, his second straight.
Farrar passed John Lizotte on the final lap after swapping the top spot with him numerous times over the second half of the event. Opie Allard nipped Ross Spurling for third.
Vanna Brackett stands alone with the most wins in the Acceleration Series Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Ladies division after her one-car length victory over Cathy Manchester. Dottie Patria was third.
Brackett broke a tie for that distinction with Debbie Martin, who also posted numerous victories in the 1980s era of Ladies competition at OPS.
Bill Grover logged his second straight Goulet Home Inspections Renegade win, leading all 10 laps over Bob Morey and Gerard Cote.
The Acceleration Series returns next Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m.
OPS roars back to life Saturday at 6:30 with Subway Night. Five divisions are in action, highlighted by a 100-lap Mini Stock main event. As part of our Fathers’ Day Celebrations, dads will be admitted free with one paid child’s admission.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW ‘A’ (20 laps): 1. Jim Davis Jr., Sabattus; 2. Chris Burgess, Sabattus; 3. Chris Coolidge, Norway; 4. Steve Moon, Gray; 5. Jerry Goss, Mechanic Falls; 6. David Childs, Oxford; 7. Bubba Collins, New Gloucester; 8. Ron Abbott Jr., Sabattus; 9. Jim Drake, Hebron; 10. Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 11. Tyler Belanger, Sumner; 12. Fred Clavet, Buckfield; 13. Jerry Freve, Buckfield; 14. John Patria, Turner; 15. Guy Childs, Turner.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW ‘B’ (20 laps): 1. Zach Bowie, Lisbon; 2. Michael Haynes, Livermore Falls; 3. Addison Bowie, Auburn; 4. John Spencer Jr., Farmington; 5. Kevin Lawrence, South Paris; 6. Dan Brown, Peru; 7. Steve Brill, Bridgton; 8. Jonathan Baldwin, Auburn; 9. Jay Wilkins, Gray; 10. David Brown, Gray; 11. Kyle Curtis, Oxford; 12. Scott Ellis, Lewiston; 13. Clint Sherwood, Poland; 14. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 15. Gerry Richard, Leeds.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW ‘C’ (20 laps): 1. Shannon Judd, Jay; 2. Josh Paradis, Sumner; 3. Bob Ferguson, New Gloucester; 4. Todd Hall, Auburn; 5. Scott Hethcoat, Danville Junction; 6. Randy Nutter, Auburn; 7. Todd Bisbee, South Paris; 8. Matt Weeks, Greene; 9. Rob Lowe, Auburn; 10. Scott Veinott, Turner; 11. Don Veinott, Sabattus; 12. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 13. Ron Parker, New Gloucester. DQ: Dennis Morang, Norway.
MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN’ REBEL ‘A’ (20 laps): 1. Jamie Leavitt, Minot; 2. Dustin Salley, Auburn; 3. Craig Farrington, Hebron; 4. Mike Ward, Harrison; 5. Scott Farrington, Minot; 6. Zach Audet, Chesterville; 7. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 8. Matt Dufault, Turner; 9. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 10. John Childs, Leeds; 11. Craig Bartlett, Denmark; 12. Jason Berry, Turner; 13. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 14. Troy Jordan, Turner; 15. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 16. Ryan Hewins, Leeds; 17. Brady Romano, Livermore Falls.
MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN’ REBEL ‘B’ (20 laps): 1. Corey Beaulieu, Oxford; 2. Jamie Heath, Waterford; 3. John Mason, Bethel; 4. Eric Rowles, Lewiston; 5. Michael Carver, Durham; 6. Bill Dunphy, New Gloucester; 7. Randy Desmarais, Auburn; 8. Roger Bourgoin, Sabattus; 9. Cody Smith, Oxford; 10. Troy Gamrat, Lisbon Falls; 11. Ryan Philbrick, Greenwood; 12. Martin Krauter, Raymond; 13. Charlie Hall, Oxford; 14. Carl Conant, Auburn; 15. Bob Lucas, Peru; 16. Ellery Phillips Jr., Turner; 17. Carl Griffin, Farmingdale; 18. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK (20 laps): 1. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 2. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 3. Opie Allard, Harpswell; 4. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 5. Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls; 6. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 7. Corey Williams, Sumner; 8. Peter Green, Poland; 9. Brent Westberry, Buckfield; 10. Jeremy Wagner, Bryant Pond; 11. Laurette Theriault, Casco.
ALLEN’S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES (20 laps): 1. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 3. Dottie Patria, Turner; 4. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 5. Tori Burgess, Sabattus; 6. Missy Morgan, Lewiston; 7. Missy Blash, Oxford; 8. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 9. Tricia Thomas, Farmington; 10. Lisa Brooks, Auburn; 11. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 12. Annie Chartier, Mexico.
GOULET HOME INSPECTIONS RENEGADE (20 laps): 1. Bill Grover, Topsham; 2. Bob Morey, Lisbon; 3. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 4. Jeremy Cormier, Auburn.
by Jay | Jun 16, 2009 | New
June16, 2009
Fredericton N.B – Saturday night under the lights in the Geary woods will be Fredericton Inn’s Weekly Points racing + Mascot Night. Points are heating up in all divisions. Local Mascots will be out in full swing strutting their stuff in some crazy events to capture bragging rights for another year! If any organisation has a mascot, that would like to register for the Mascot Challenge, please contact Angela @ 454-RACE (7223) for more information. The more the merrier!
It is going to be hard to top last weekend Coast Tire Street Stock feature race. It was a story telling night for sure. The points in the Coast Tire Street Stock division are very close there are only twelve points separating the hope five. Shawn Hyslop is leading the points after the first feature of the 2009 season. Brian Fox is a close second only four points behind and has also had some good finishes with a second place podium finish last week. Jason Shannon, Robert Raynes and Bill Belleville, round out the top five in points. All of the drivers in this division have a chance each week of picking up a race win.
In the always exciting and competitive Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman division, we see some new names on top of the points this season. Young gun, Brent Roy, is leading the points for two weeks in a row now. Roy just turned 19 years old a couple weeks ago and you would never know it by seeing him race. This young guy is running as hard and as well as the veteran drivers. Young Matt Maillet, is second, with six points separating him and Roy. Michael Banks is third and he is also having a pretty good season with a podium finish in last week’s feature. It is really nice to see Richard Atkinson’s name close to the top of the leader board as well. Atkinson is a veteran driver at the speedway and has found his way to the podium too. He is nineteen points behind the leader. Wade Harris who won a feature at the season opener and last year’s rookie of the year Derek Christie are tied for fifth, only twenty-three points behind. This division of racing is one of the best classes of racing in Atlantic Canada.
Seven is the number of points that separates point’s leader Glenn Rasmussen’s Big Black Dodge from 5th position’s Big Kevin Moore in the Irving Lubricant’s Pro Stock division. Glenn already has a feature win this season. After only racing a few races in the 2008 racing season, Glen is back for a full season to try and add another points championship to his resume. Glenn is a multi-time points champ at Speedway 660. Second in points and only one point behind is the inaugural points champion at Speedway 660, Chris Duncan. Duncan has been having a good season. Winning back to back features in the 2009 season, Matt Harris is having an outstanding season, third in points only three points behind the leader.. Last year’s points Champion Greg Fahey is only four points out of the lead, in the fourth position.
Each of these divisions of racing is exciting to watch. So don’t miss is it. Also available for the 2009 are newly designed Speedway 660 t-shirts. Come on out to the Geary woods this weekend and check out Speedway 660 for some WicKID Family Fun!
by Jay | Jun 16, 2009 | New
Former champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. became the second repeat
winner of the season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models at
Lee USA Speedway last Friday night, scoring a convincing win in the 50-lap
main event.
Helliwell made a determined run to catch early-race leader Katrina Canney,
making his move to the front just past halfway, and he easily outran the
field to collect the checkered flag in the E Keys 4 Cars sponsored feature
event.
Canney put in her best performance of the season to finish in the runner-up
slot, with Dean Weber, A.J. Begin, J.R. Baril, Tom Fuller, Jeremy
Harclerode, Bryan Kruczek, Geoff Rollins, and Joe Amour rounding out the top
ten.
Jesse Bousquet broke through in a big way in the Prime Storage Late Model
Sportsman feature event, holding off all the big guns to grab his first
feature event victory of the season in convincing style.
The battles were fierce behind him, but Bousquet ran virtually unchallenged
out front on the way to the winner’s circle. Bill Ahern put in another
solid run, and was next across the stripe to collect runner-up honors.
Sparky MacIver finished in the third spot, with Grant Aither getting the
best of Bobby Melvin in the late laps to score fourth. “Piranha Pete”
Evans, Jimmy Renfrew, Michele Fushpanski, and rookie Ryan Green were next
across the stripe.
Defending two-time PB Chopper Shop and Rods Small Block Super champion Eddie
Witkum, Jr. returned to his winning ways on Friday night, bringing the Dave
Callahan-owned machine to victory lane for the third time this season.
Dan Bowes came up a few car lengths short of Witkum in the second spot, with
rookie contender P.J. Stergios continuing to impress with a strong third
place finish ahead of heat winner Mike Spurling and Billy Osborne.
Another first time winner came through in the Planet Aid Hobby Stock main,
as rookie competitor Chris Kingsley held the lead from flag to flag to score
his first-career win in the Hobbies.
Todd Bregy pressured Kingsley right to the checkers, but time ran out before
he could make his way past. Kingsley held on to pick up the win by a
half-car length over Bregy, with A.J. Panessiti, Jimmy Russell, Alby Ovitt,
Jimmy Renfrew, Patrick Tanguay, Eric Hoffman, Dennis Dumas, and Jake Michaud
the rest of the top ten.
Tim Boyle grabbed the lead when the David’s Race Cars and Components
Roadrunner feature went green, and he was still out front when flagman Bryon
Callen showed the crossed flags to the field.
Sixteen-year-old rookie Shaun Waites, Jr. was already up to second by the
halfway mark, and he was looking for the lead. Heading down the backstretch
on lap 14, Waites looked to the low side on Boyle, and he came away with the
top spot.
It was all but over from there, as Waites led the rest of the way to score
the win. Jim Piaseczny came on strong late in the race to finish second,
with Boyle, Niko Manyati, Anthony Nadeau, Cris King, Steve Nichols, Aaron
Day, Chris Harding, and Torrey Kovaleski finishing up the top ten.
It was once again Kevin Emery getting the job done on the American Auto
Parts Ironman feature event, picking up his third feature win of the year.
Tom “Hulk” Harton, Troy Washburn, Warren Harvey, and Matt Bakutis rounded
out the top five.
The Northeast Classic Lites were on hand for their first appearance of the
2009 season, with Billy Ryder taking down the win, while the STAR features
went to Dick Crotty and Skip Stearns, and Mike Collins won the All Out Car
Wars Drags.
