Lee, NH – Jeffrey Labrecque, Jr. made it four winners in four races in the
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models at Lee USA Speedway on Friday
night, running away from the filed to pick up his first win of the year.
Labrecque ran the outside line past polesitter Dean Weber to take command
before the only caution slowed the E Keys 4 Cars-sponsored 50-lap feature
event. After starting fourth on the field, Jeremy Harclerode moved up
quickly on the restart to run second behind Labrecque.
With caution-free racing the rest of the way, Labrecque put in the most
dominating performance of the year, running off to easily pick up his first
win of the year, with Jeremy Harclerode a distant second at the checkers.
Labrecque dedicated the win to the memory of crewmember Mark Kenney, who
passed away unexpectedly just before the start of the season. Harclerode
was never challenged for second, with Bobby Baillargeon up from 12th on the
grid to finish third.
Fourth spot went to Wayne Helliwell, Jr., with J.R. Baril, Weber, Tom
Fuller, A.J. Begin, Mike Johnson, and Bryan Kruczek the rest of the top ten.
Michele Fushpanski grabbed the win in the "Dash for Cash" in the Prime
Storage Late Model Sportsmen, and when the feature event went green, she
kept up the momentum, moving out to a big lead at the drop of the green.
Bobby Melvin broke out of the pack next, and by halfway, he was moving in to
make a bid for the lead. On lap 18, Melvin made move and came away with the
top spot, and he held it the rest of the way to score his first win of the
year.
Fushpanski closed out her night with a runner-up finish, with Dan Eaton,
"Piranha Pete" Evans, Sparky MacIver, Brian Grantz, Grant Aither, Jimmy
Renfrew, Bill Ahern, and rookie Ryan Green closing out the top ten.
P.J. Stergios broke out to the early lead in the PB Chopper Shop and Rods
Small Block Super man, but Dan Bowes was quickly up to challenge. The pair
ran wheel to wheel for the next several laps, with Bowes eventually moving
ahead to take the lead on lap eight.
Eddie Witkum, Jr. got past Stergios after a lap eight restart, but he
couldn't do anything to stop Bowes, who went on to collect his second win of
the year. Witkum, Stergios, Tommy Tombarello, Jr., and Mike Spurling were
the rest of the top five.
Defending champion Jimmy Russell came on strong in the late going of the
Planet Aid Hobby Stock feature event to take down his second win of the
year. Eric Hoffman was in control most of the way, but when Russell moved
in the late going, the race was on.
With flagman Bryon Callen showing the two-to-go sign to the field, Russell
moved to the low side to get past Hoffman to take his turn out front, and he
was still there at the checkers.
Hoffman got his best finish of the year in the runner-up slot, with Brian
Thompson, Alby Ovitt, Jim Shorey, Patrick Tanguay, Ron Washburn, Todd Bregy,
Jimmy Renfrew, and Chris Titcomb the rest of the top ten.
Chris Harding slipped past James Fitzgerald to grab the early lead in the
David's Race Cars and Components Roadrunner feature event, holding on the
point until lap five, when Niko Manyati moved past to lead the way.
Rookie contender Shaun Waites, Jr. ran second behind Manyati at halfway, but
he quickly fell to the high-flying Ricky Porter, who was up from 16th in the
starting field and picking his way to the front.
Porter ducked underneath Manyati heading into turn one on lap 13, and he was
in control the rest of the way. Manyati settled for second, with Waites,
Jim Piaseczny, Steve Nichols, Cris King, Harding, Bruce Knowles, Fitzgerald,
and Tim Boyle closing out he top ten.
Keith emery grabbed his second win of the year in the Ironman feature event,
coming on strong in the late laps to score the win. Kale Billings finished
second, followed by Tom "Hulk" Harton, Warren Harvey, and Crystal Brown.