East to Lee USA Speedway, and the 125-lap main event was a tremendous show
from start to finish. Tennessee driver Kevin Swindell picked up the pole in
qualifying, with local favorite Eddie MacDonald setting second fast time.
When the main event went green, MacDonald quickly jumped out front, but he
only set the pace for the first five laps before Swindell got back past.
The two swapped the lead back and forth several times over the next 50 laps,
with MacDonald eventually gaining the advantage.
At the 100-lap mark, it was defending series champion Ryan Truex moving in
to challenge MacDonald, and those two took turns our front until Truex
appeared to gain the advantage with ten laps remaining in the race.
A red flag situation with nine to go tightened up the pack for a double-file
restart, and it was just the break Alabama racer Darrell Wallace, Jr.
needed. He had been steadily working his way to the front after getting
involved in a mid-race tangle, and he was right there with the leaders for
the restart.
MacDonald had led the most laps, and late in the race it looked like Truex
had it, but Wallace made a bold three-wide move put him out front for the
final three circuits. It was the rookie’s second win this season, with
Truex claiming second and Brett Moffitt third.
MacDonald got shuffled back a bit and finished a disappointing fourth after
a strong effort all night long. Fifth spot went to CA driver Cole Whitt,
followed by Andrew Smith of GA, CT’s Matt Kobyluck, Marc Davis of MD,
Swindell, and Mexican entrant Jorge Arteaga, making his series debut.
The E Keys 4 Cars Late Model feature followed the KNPSE race on the
schedule, and the battle for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
championship title continued. Points leader Wayne Helliwell had another
good points night, but it was Pat Floyd picking up his first win of the year
in the main.
When the race went green, A.J. Panessiti and Jeremy Harclerode battled side
by side with both taking turns in the lead over the first several laps of
the main. Floyd quickly moved up to make it a three-way fight for the top
spot, and on lap ten; he took them three wide to grab the lead.
Halfway through the 50-lap run, Floyd’s closest competition consisted of
Miles Chipman and Bryan Kruczek, but both had problems later in the race.
Jeffrey Labrecque, Jr. and Helliwell were next to challenge him for the
lead, but he was able to fend off their challenges over the final few laps.
Floyd did a masterful job holding the duo off, and he nailed down his first
feature event win of the year when the checkers waved to end it. Labrecque,
Helliwell, J.R. Baril, Chipman, Panessiti, Tom Fuller, Moe Lattime, Matt
Anderson, and Bobby Baillargeon rounded out the top ten.
The PB Chopper Shop and Rods Small Block Supers were slowed be a series of
early-race cautions, with Mike Netishen running out to the early lead.
Eddie Witkum, Jr. was next out of the pack, running from sixth on the grid
to challenge Netishen for the lead.
Netishen was able to hold the persistent Witkum off, but with just a few
laps left in the race, “Super Dave” Sanborn caught up with the two leaders.
Despite starting in the last row and having problems early on, Sanborn
quickly disposed of Witkum and Netishen to take the lead with three to go.
At the checkers, it was “Super Dave” headed for the victory lane ceremonies,
while Netishen took his spot on the podium with a hard-earned runner-up
finish. Former champ Witkum took third ahead of Tommy Tombarello, Jr., and
Billy Osborne.
Michele Fushpanski moved out to the early lead in the Prime Storage Late
Model Sportsman feature event, and she continued to set the pace when they
reached halfway, with Tony Kawejsza, Bobby Melvin, Grant Aither and Ryan
Green next in the running order.
Melvin continued working his way to the front, knocking Kawejsza off in
short order before making his bid at Fushpanski and the lead. Melvin was a
man on a mission, and he accomplished it with his first trip to victory lane
this season in the Stratham Fair machine.
Points leader Grant Aither came up just short in the runner-up slot, with
Michele getting the final podium position in third. Kawejsza was fourth,
with Green, Jimmy Russell, Bill Ahern, Billy Ryder, Chris Sullivan, and
Kayla Cazares filling out the top ten.