{"id":16633,"date":"2014-08-17T20:32:17","date_gmt":"2014-08-18T00:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/?p=16633"},"modified":"2014-08-17T20:32:17","modified_gmt":"2014-08-18T00:32:17","slug":"helliwell-jr-holds-green-white-checkered-victory-gspss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/helliwell-jr-holds-green-white-checkered-victory-gspss\/","title":{"rendered":"Helliwell, JR Holds On for Green-White-Checkered Victory in GSPSS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Helliwell, JR Holds On for Green-White-Checkered Victory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Epping, NH- Wayne Helliwell, JR recorded his second career Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) win at Star Speedway in the Star 100 by surviving a green-white-checkered finish.<\/p>\n

Nottingham, NH driver Babe Branscombe took the lead after pole-sitter Joey Squeglia, JR spun his tires to start the race. Branscombe would lead the first 14 laps before Squeglia, JR would overtake Branscombe, and put his Auto Mart Trucks + Cars\/PH Electric Chevrolet into the top spot. Squeglia, JR would set a fast pace as the laps ticked by until lap 41 when Dennis Maxfield went around in turn 3, bringing out the first caution of the night.
\n <\/p>\n

The old adage \u201ccautions breed cautions\u201d was true on the night, as the field saw five cautions in eight laps, one of which Squeglia, JR relinquished the lead to Helliwell, JR as Squeglia, JR fell off the pace in a hurry as cars stacked up behind him, with Nashua, NH\u2019s John Salemi spinning in turn 3. Squeglia, JR would pit, and rejoin the field just in time for the green flag. Helliwell, JR, then had a new dancing partner in the form of Matt Frahm. Frahm, from the fifth starting spot, would work Helliwell, JR multiple times over, but could not unseat the Dover, NH driver. Another green flag run saw Helliwell, JR lead Frahm, Larry Gelinas, Barry Gray, and Brad Babb, who recovered from an early race bobble which dropped the youngster out of the top-10. <\/p>\n

The field would bunch back up after a spin involving early race-leader Branscombe. Helliwell, JR would come out on top from multiple restarts, until the final showdown after a spin by Derek Griffith on lap 98 set up a green-white-checkered finish. Helliwell, JR had Larry Gelinas on his outside door, who was hungry to pick up the victory after losing a race at Lee USA Speedway in a green-white-checkered finish to Joey Polewarczyk, JR. Helliwell, JR got the jump when the green flew, but Gelinas put the fans on the edge of their seats by sticking a nose underneath Helliwell, JR going into the final corner. Gelinas and Helliwell, JR would make contact, resulting in Gelinas sitting in the infield and Helliwell, JR speeding off for the victory. Frahm would inherit the second spot as a result of Gelinas\u2019 spin, and Bobby Baillargeon fought his way to a third place finish after duking it out with Babb in the final few laps.
\nFor Helliwell, JR, who started in the sixth spot, the win at the Star 100 was his first win in the series since Riverside Speedway in September of 2013. Helliwell, JR said this win is satisfying for the team, because they have struggled with their Pro Stock since the Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in April. \u201cWe went out leading (the Icebreaker) with a flat right front, and since that race we\u2019ve struggled with this car,\u201d Helliwell, JR commented. \u201cThe last two weeks we\u2019ve done a lot of work, even took a trip down to Virginia to put the car on a pull-down machine (a machine that checks vertical ride rates and travel limits). With this being it\u2019s (the car) first time out, I\u2019m happy with the results.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frahm, who took the point lead after Larry Gelinas finished 16th in the Star 100, kept his eyes on the big picture in the Star 100. \u201cThe car had really good grip on the outside, but just not enough to get by Helliwell, JR,\u201d the Nationwide Series driver stated. \u201cWe definitely had a good points night. I knew what Larry (Gelinas) was going to have to do to Wayne (Helliwell, JR), which was exactly what I didn\u2019t want to do to Wayne, which was root him off the bottom. It ended up working in my favor and we gained a bunch of points tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baillargeon used up most of his race car to pick up his season\u2019s best third-place finish in the Star 100. The Kingston, NH driver engaged in a spectacular battle with Brad Babb for the last portion of the race, driving from the 14th starting spot to his podium finish. \u201cThe car was good, but wasn\u2019t great,\u201d remarked Baillargeon. \u201cWe started deep in the field, waited, and bided our time, and let everything unfold in our favor, and it worked out well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Babb finished in the fourth spot, with Dillon Moltz once again fighting his way back to a fifth spot. 2012 champion Bobby Cabral, Squeglia, George Helliwell, Branscombe, and Barry Gray completed the top-10. With Helliwell, JR\u2019s win, the series has seen 7 different winners in as many races. Gelinas, Cabral, and Branscombe scored heat wins. <\/p>\n

The Granite State Pro Stock Series has announced another race to be added to their schedule. The series will join the Super Modifieds back at Star Speedway on September 6th, as part of the Star Classic. The GSPSS will be back in action next Sunday, August 24th at Hudson International Speedway. For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, contact Mike Parks at mparks@gspss.net, visit our website, www.gspss.net, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @GSProStocks.<\/p>\n

STAR 100 RESULTS
\n8\/16\/14<\/p>\n

POS (Start) Driver Hometown
\n1. (6) Wayne Helliwell, JR Dover, NH
\n2. (5) Matt Frahm Hampstead, NH
\n3. (14) Bobby Baillargeon Kingston, NH
\n4. (8) Brad Babb Windham, ME
\n5. (7) Dillon Moltz Waterford, CT
\n6. (3) Bobby Cabral Kingston, NH
\n7. (1) Joey Squeglia, JR Derry, NH
\n8. (10) George Helliwell Derry, NH
\n9. (2) Babe Branscombe Nottingham, NH
\n10. (12) Barry Gray Belchertown, MA
\n11. (17) Mike Parks` Walpole, NH
\n12. (16) Tommy O\u2019Sullivan Wilbraham, MA
\n13. (9) Josh King Vernon, VT
\n14. (15) Cory Robert Canaan, NH
\n15. (18) Jesse Smith Hermon, ME
\n16. (37ME) Larry Gelinas Buxton, ME
\n17. (22) John Salemi Nashua, NH
\n18. (11) Derek Griffith Hudson,
\n19. (19) Todd Stone Middlebury, VT
\n20. (20) Dennis Mitchell Fitchburg, MA
\n21. (19) Adam Norton Ludlow, MA
\n22. (13) JD Miller Manchester, NH<\/p>\n

CONTINGENCY AWARDS Winner
\nAR Bodies (Hard Luck) Larry Gelinas
\nBond Auto Parts (Last car on lead lap) Larry Gelinas
\nCrazy Ed\u2019s Powersports (Hard Charger) Bobby Baillargeon
\nDraco Springs Award (Most positions gained) Bobby Baillargeon
\nFive Star Stock Car Bodies (5th place finisher) Dillon Moltz
\nMacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #1 Winner) Larry Gelinas
\nMacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #2 Winner) Bobby Cabral
\nMacLellan Metal Finisheing (Heat #3) Winner Babe Branscombe
\nRacer\u2019s Depot (Random drawing) Mike Parks
\nRB Performance (4th place finisher) Brad Babb
\nRB Performance (7th place finisher) Joey Squeglia, JR
\nSherwood Wheels (10th place finisher) Barry Gray
\nSunoco Race Fuels (Heat #1 Winner) Larry Gelinas
\nSunoco Race Fuels (Heat #2 Winner) Bobby Cabral
\nSunoco Race Fuesl (Heat #3 Winner) Babe Branscombe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Helliwell, JR Holds On for Green-White-Checkered Victory Epping, NH- Wayne Helliwell, JR recorded his second career Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) win at Star Speedway in the Star 100 by surviving a green-white-checkered finish. Nottingham, NH driver Babe Branscombe took the lead after pole-sitter Joey Squeglia, JR spun his tires to start the race. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[168,4721,112,67,14972],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-star-speedway-new-hampshire","category-granite-state-pro-stock","category-new-hampshire","category-star-speedway","category-touring-series-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}