{"id":18818,"date":"2015-05-16T08:30:50","date_gmt":"2015-05-16T12:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/?p=18818"},"modified":"2015-05-16T08:44:27","modified_gmt":"2015-05-16T12:44:27","slug":"new-england-motorsports-north-may-15-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/2015\/05\/new-england-motorsports-north-may-15-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH May 15 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH May 15 2015<\/strong>
\nBy Lou Modestino<\/p>\n

Week two at Claremont Speedway thrust the entry level Sanell Auto Parts wildcats into the spotlight. Extra laps and a larger purse saw twenty one teams come to compete and the action was intense! Numerous cautions flew early in the event as the drivers tried to position their machines for a late race charge for the win. At lap twenty five Matt Gauffin, in his Saab, got together with Kodi Sabins as they tried to put Mike Kowalczyk a lap down in turns one and two. The contact caused Gauffins car to spin to the infield and come to a stop, sending him to the rear for the ensuing restart. When the green flag flew the charge was on and last weeks winner, Gauffin, headed back to the front. Just three laps later Gauffin had driven his car back to the lead group were he again, got together with Sabins bringing out another yellow flag. The contact sent Sabins on a wild ride into the turn two sand bank and Gauthen was sent to the pits by race control, ending the night for both teams. <\/p>\n

When the green flew once again, Josh Rondeau would power his car to the front and never look back picking up his first win of the season. Craig Smith, in a car he purchased from Rondeau, would finish second while Alexis Aiken would come home third. Kyle Currier and Cole Littlewood would round out the top five. Heat race wins went to Kodi Sabins, Matt Gauffin and Cole Littlewood.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In 2015 Gary Colburn and his team have made the Claremont Speedway Limited Sportsman Division their personal playground. Friday night would be no different. Picking up the heat race win Colburn seemed to again have the car to beat and Colburn would prove that theory correct. During the middle portion of the event Kenny Thompson, coming off a tough race the week before, would get within a couple of car lengths of the lead but was never able take the top spot . Colburn once again showed that the 2015 championship will go through him, and in the closing laps opened the gap and drove to the win. Thompson held on for second while dirt modified veteran Trevo Rocke scored his first top three finish of the season. Tyler Janovsky and Scott Vien completed the top five.<\/p>\n

As the R. E. Hinkley Oil Co. Super Streets took to the track it was anybodys game. This ultra competitive division has provided some fantastic racing throughout the field and this week was no different. Craig Smith would jump to the early lead while the field jockeyed for position behind him. At lap fifteen Mark Blair would suffer a broken ball joint in the right front of his car and hit the turn three wall hard. Blair would climb out unharmed but his night was done. When the field went back to racing Smith was able to jump back to the lead while last weeks winner Russ Davis would settle into second. Behind them a four way battle would wage lap after lap for the third position. Joe Tetreault would triumph in that battle and finish third behind Smith and Davis. Dylan Bodreau and Jack Mclay would round out the top five. Smith and Bodreau were heat race victors. Next week the Super Streets will go fifty laps for extra money and bragging rights.<\/p>\n

The North American Infrared Late Models got off to a rough start with several early cautions. The worst of these saw heavy front end damage to the car of last weeks winner Luke Hinkley, but his team worked quickly and got him back out on the lead lap. Once the field got rolling the competition was fierce with Bucky Demers taking over the top spot on lap ten. Demers would hold on for his first win of 2015 while Ricky Bly, in his first race of the year, would settle for second. Third through fifth would go to Jeff Morse, Jimmy Zullo and Art Heino. Heat race wins would go to Morse and Robert Hagar.<\/p>\n

On Friday, May 15 Claremont Speedway returns to action with the Mike Richardson Sr. memorial fifty lap race for the R. E. Hinkley oil Co. super Streets. Additional money in the purse, bonus money and lap money will make this a very exciting event in memory of one of Claremont Speedways biggest supporters. Also in action will be the remaining divisions in the Twin State Property Maintenance racing series. Claremont Speedway is located on Thrasher Rd in Claremont NH. Racing is every Friday night starting promptly at 7:30. <\/p>\n

The youth movement was put on hold at Devil\u2019s Bowl Speedway on Saturday night, May 9, as the two oldest drivers at the speedway ran away at the front of the pack. Two-time Bond Auto Parts Modified division champion Ron Proctor and long-time racer Leon Gonyo \u2013 each of whom turns 62 years old soon \u2013 finished 1-2 in the 100-lap main event kick off the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series campaign.<\/p>\n

The race was the second of seven events in the two-track \u201cSpring Championship Series\u201d presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere. Charlton, NY veteran Proctor put on a clinic to win his qualifying heat, the bonus-points semi-feature, and the 100-lapper for a rare \u201ctriple crown\u201d win.<\/p>\n

Proctor had both a fast car and good fortune. He was running a close second to leader Bucko Branham at lap 46 when three lapped cars tangled in their path. Branham spun his car to avoid the crash, but a small electrical fire inside his car during the caution period put him out of the race; he was uninjured.<\/p>\n

As racing resumed, new leader Proctor\u2019s biggest worry was lapped traffic. Gonyo, of Chazy, NY, came from deep in the starting order to second place and closed to within five car lengths of Proctor, but was never able to mount a serious challenge and settled for the runner-up spot.<\/p>\n

Nick Heywood of Plattsburgh, NY saw his tough day end well; the winner of the Airborne opener blew an engine during afternoon practice and missed his qualifying heat. After starting 14th in the main event in a backup car, he finished a strong third. Vermonters Joey Roberts and Vince Quenneville, Jr. rounded out the top five, followed by Greg Atkins, Cody Sargen, rookie Timex Morgan, Jason Durgan, and Jamie LaFountain.<\/p>\n

Heywood holds a four-point lead, 109-105, on Atkins heading to the third Spring Championship Series event at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY on Saturday, May 16. Quenneville is another two points back at 103, followed by Durgan and Morgan.<\/p>\n

Eighteen year-old Brandon Atkins of Au Sable Forks, NY won the 50-lap race for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model division. Atkins held control for most of the race, but was forced to contend with Josh Masterson of Bristol, VT after a late restart. Atkins used the outside lane to his advantage and went on the win. Masterson was second ahead of Todd Stone, Robert Bryant, Jr., and 2014 champion Jamie Fisher.<\/p>\n

Richie Turner of Fairfax, VT made it two-for-two to open his season by winning the 25-lap feature for the Brileya\u2019s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade division; Turner also won the Airborne opener on May 2. Keith O\u2019Neil of Mooers, NY made his first visit to Devil\u2019s Bowl Speedway count by winning his qualifying heat and taking second place in the feature. Sixteen year-old Dylan Rabtoy of Swanton, VT nipped Jason McClatchie for third place by less than a foot in a thrilling, fender-banging duel. Track champion Robert Gordon finished fifth.<\/p>\n

Dale O\u2019Neil of Mooers, NY one-upped his father Keith by winning the 15-lap feature for the Portland Glass Mini Stocks, marking his first victory at Devil\u2019s Bowl. Defending champion Chuck Bradford of Addison, VT finished second ahead of C.J. LaVair, John McCarron, and Jake Noble.<\/p>\n

Action resumes at Devil\u2019s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, May 23 as Brileya\u2019s Chrysler-Jeep presents a 100-lap Renegade race, along with a wild-and-crazy Enduro for strictly stock cars. Modifieds, Late Models, and Mini Stocks are also on the card, as well as guided pit area tours for the Thomas Dairy Kids Club. General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for kids age 12 and under; racing begins at 6:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

hashtag.<\/p>\n

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS \u2013 49th Season Opener<\/p>\n

Devil\u2019s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT<\/p>\n

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere<\/p>\n

Saturday, May 9, 2015<\/p>\n

Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (100 laps)<\/p>\n

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed<\/p>\n

(# – denotes rookie)<\/p>\n

1. (4) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

2. (12) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

3. (14) Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

4. (8) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT \u2013 100<\/p>\n

5. (9) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT \u2013 100<\/p>\n

6. (3) Greg Atkins, Clintonville, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

7. (10) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

8. (1) # Timex Morgan, Plattsburgh, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

9. (5) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

10. (7) Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY \u2013 100<\/p>\n

11. (6) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT \u2013 99<\/p>\n

12. (11) # Allan Hammond, Canaan, NH \u2013 94<\/p>\n

13. (19) # Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, VT \u2013 93<\/p>\n

14. (13) Jason Furman, Ballston Spa, NY \u2013 81<\/p>\n

15. (18) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, VT \u2013 55<\/p>\n

16. (15) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, NY \u2013 46<\/p>\n

17. (2) Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY \u2013 46<\/p>\n

18. (16) Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, NY \u2013 24<\/p>\n

19. (17) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT \u2013 9<\/p>\n

Heat Winners: Jason Durgan, Ron Proctor, Vince Quenneville, Jr.<\/p>\n

Semi-Feature Winner: Ron Proctor<\/p>\n

Last Chance Qualifier Winner: Leon Gonyo<\/p>\n

Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Nick Heywood<\/p>\n

Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Bucko Branham<\/p>\n

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Ron Proctor<\/p>\n

Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Best Appearing Car Award: Joey Roberts<\/p>\n

Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce \u201cFans Choice\u201d Best Appearing Car Award: Jason Durgan<\/p>\n

Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model Feature (50 laps)<\/p>\n

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown<\/p>\n

(# – denotes rookie)<\/p>\n

1. (4) Brandon Atkins, Au Sable Forks, NY<\/p>\n

2. (2) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT<\/p>\n

3. (5) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT<\/p>\n

4. (3) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT<\/p>\n

5. (6) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT<\/p>\n

6. (8) Walt Hammond, Jr., Canaan, NH<\/p>\n

7. (7) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT<\/p>\n

8. (9) Walter J. Hammond, Orange, NH<\/p>\n

9. (11) Chad White, Fort Ann, NY<\/p>\n

10. (1) Richard Lowrey, III, Charlotte, VT<\/p>\n

11. (10) Mark Norris, Benson, VT<\/p>\n

12. (12) Steve Miller, Vergennes, VT<\/p>\n

Heat Winners: Brandon Atkins, Josh Masterson<\/p>\n

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Brandon Atkins<\/p>\n

Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Best Appearing Car Award: Seth Bridge<\/p>\n

Brileya\u2019s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade Feature (25 laps)<\/p>\n

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown<\/p>\n

(# – denotes rookie)<\/p>\n

1. (3) Richie Turner, Fairfax, VT<\/p>\n

2. (2) Keith O\u2019Neil, Mooers, NY<\/p>\n

3. (7) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, VT<\/p>\n

4. (6) Jason McClatchie, Plattsburgh, NY<\/p>\n

5. (5) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT<\/p>\n

6. (12) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT<\/p>\n

7. (8) # Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT<\/p>\n

8. (1) Zach Rabtoy, Fairfax, VT<\/p>\n

9. (9) Jared Blake, North Hero, VT<\/p>\n

10. (10) # Shawn Franklin, Waitsfield, VT<\/p>\n

11. (11) Tony Putzier, Jericho, VT<\/p>\n

12. (4) Keith Pelkey, Clintonville, NY<\/p>\n

Heat Winners: Keith O\u2019Neil, Robert Gordon<\/p>\n

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Scott FitzGerald<\/p>\n

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Richie Turner<\/p>\n

Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Best Appearing Car Award: Scott FitzGerald<\/p>\n

Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)<\/p>\n

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown<\/p>\n

(# – denotes rookie)<\/p>\n

1. (1) Dale O\u2019Neil, Mooers, NY<\/p>\n

2. (6) Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT<\/p>\n

3. (3) C.J. LaVair, Saranac Lake, NY<\/p>\n

4. (2) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY<\/p>\n

5. (4) Jake Noble, Benson, VT<\/p>\n

6. (5) Harold LaVair, Jr., Gabriels, NY<\/p>\n

7. (7) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT<\/p>\n

8. (8) Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY<\/p>\n

9. (9) # Bradley Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, VT<\/p>\n

10. (10) Tyler Irwin, Peru, NY<\/p>\n

Heat Winner: Dale O\u2019Neil<\/p>\n

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Chuck Bradford<\/p>\n

Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce Best Appearing Car Award: Andrew FitzGerald. (End)<\/p>\n

64-year-old Maine racing legend Mike Rowe has been involved in his fair share of battles throughout his year\u2019s winning Super Late Model races in the Northeast. On Saturday night at Star Speedway, Rowe was involved in one of the most exhausting battles of his career as he battled it out for the lead against his son, Ben Rowe, on the quarter-mile Epping, New Hampshire bullring.<\/p>\n

The battle was one that had fans on their feet. It was one that involved multiple taps to the back of his No. 7 Petit Motorsports machine. But in the end, it was a thrilling battle that the elder Rowe came out on top of as he fended off his son to win his second Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North event of the 2015 season.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy spotter was telling me where he was and Ben has a little more smoke than I do, he\u2019s got a little more motor than I do,\u201d Rowe told Speed51.com powered by JEGS. \u201cHe got into me a couple times and I knew he wouldn\u2019t spin me being my kid. I am really happy for him. He had been struggling for a while and I\u2019m just glad he\u2019s going well. It was fun racing with him whether I finished first or he did. It was an awesome race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father and son swapped the lead on three different occasions between lap 51 and lap 86 of the 150-lap event. Mike Rowe took the lead for the final time on lap 86 but the battle between the two was just getting started.<\/p>\n

The younger Rowe tried the bottom, the top, whatever he could do to get by his father as the laps winded down. The two made slight contact on a number of occasions, but each time they touched they allowed each other enough room to gather it up and continue their battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s bittersweet,\u201d Ben Rowe said after the race. \u201cI wanted to win in the worst race. But if I can\u2019t win, those guys are the ones I want to see win. That\u2019s why we race. I was better than he was, there was no doubt. If I could have got by him, I would have been cleared. But I knew once he got by me that it was going to be difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Oliver was able to get by Ben Rowe in the closing laps to claim the second spot, while Rowe held on to complete the podium. Defending PASS North champion DJ Shaw and six-time series champion Johnny Clark completed the top-five.<\/p>\n

After the race, the younger Rowe admitted that he gave his dad a little more leeway than he would have given any of the other 29 competitors on the race track.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone else would have been blocking that bad, I would have moved them out of the way,\u201d Rowe said with a laugh. \u201cHe knows what he\u2019s got to do and he knows that I wouldn\u2019t do that to him. That\u2019s why he\u2019s the king and why we\u2019re still chasing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite making contact on a number of occasions, it was all smiles for the Rowe family in victory lane after the race. In the end, the two were able to laugh about it and enjoy the moment of racing hard for the race win.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were banging into each other,\u201d said Rowe. \u201cOn those restarts, he wasn\u2019t given me much and I didn\u2019t give him a lot. But we wouldn\u2019t ever take each other out. It\u2019s just awesome to be racing with him and having that much fun. It was a lot, a lot of fun racing with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The win for Mike Rowe is his second of the season with his new Petit Motorsports team. At the beginning of the season, the veteran racer from Turner, Maine wasn\u2019t exactly sure of how strong the team would be. Needless to say, after two races, he\u2019s quite pleased with his move to a new team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew we had a great team right off from Oxford,\u201d he said. \u201cThe crew did a hell of a job for me today. It takes more than the driver and right now we\u2019re hitting on all cylinders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Rowe gives a lot of credit to his crew, there\u2019s no doubting the level of talent behind the wheel of the No. 7 PASS North Super Late Model. After an exciting battle on Saturday night, his son was the first to give credit to the \u201cold man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is the toughest son of a gun ever to race with. He gets everything out of a race car. He\u2019s the best and that\u2019s why.\u201d<\/p>\n

-By Brandon Paul, Speed51.com Editor \u2013 Twitter: @Brandon_Paul51<\/p>\n

-Photo credit: Speed51.com<\/p>\n

PASS North 150 Unofficial Results<\/p>\n

Star Speedway (NH) \u2013 Saturday, May 9<\/p>\n

1\t7\tMike Rowe\t150
\n2\t21\tDavid Oliver\t150
\n3\t4n\tBen Rowe\t150
\n4\t60\tDJ Shaw\t150
\n5\t54\tJohnny Clark\t150
\n6\t00\tBryan Kruczek\t150
\n7\t77\tCassius Clark\t150
\n8\t17\tTravis Benjamin\t150
\n9\t20\tMichael Landry\t150
\n10\t33\tRichie Dearborn\t150
\n11\t09\tJeremy Davis\t150
\n12\t12\tDerek Griffith\t150
\n13\t23\tDave Farrington\t150
\n14\t5x\tBobby Therrien\t150
\n15\t73\tJoey Doiron\t150
\n16\t14m\tMatt Frahm\t150
\n17\t7L\tGlen Luce\t150
\n18\t5\tDillon Moltz\t150
\n19\t15\tMike Hopkins\t149
\n20\t71\tRaphael Lessard\t149
\n21\t75\tGary Smith\t144
\n22\t27nh\tWayne Helliwell, Jr.\t98
\n23\t55vt\tBrent Dragon\t85
\n24\t97nh\tJoey Polewarczyk, Jr.\t53
\n25\t03\tJoe Squelia, Jr.\t33
\n26\t88\tKyle DeSouza\t19
\n27\t96\tWyatt Alexander\t18
\n28\t35\tDerek Ramstrom\t16
\n29\t84\tMartin Latulippe\t16
\n30\t47\tKelly Moore\t16<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH May 15 2015 By Lou Modestino Week two at Claremont Speedway thrust the entry level Sanell Auto Parts wildcats into the spotlight. Extra laps and a larger purse saw twenty one teams come to compete and the action was intense! Numerous cautions flew early in the event as the drivers tried […]<\/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":[126,15172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-england","category-new-england-motorsports-north"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18818","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=18818"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18822,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18818\/revisions\/18822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}