Lee, N.H. – The race facility known as “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed” Lee USA Speedway, Route 125, Lee, NH, opens this Friday night for another season of exciting short track stock car racing sanctioned by NASCAR and it’s Whelen All-American Series.
As announced during the off-season, speedway operatives have taken a different approach to the new campaign, with a reorganization of weekly divisions, purse structures, and special events throughout the season.
The track’s new premier class will be the winged small-block super modified division. Competitors will receive the support of a new signature sponsor, Bensons Lumber and Hardware, of Derry and Londonderry, (NH).
Recent practice sessions have seen an encouraging turnout of cars in the open-wheel supermodifieds that has prompted management to respond with an increase in payoff with an additional $200 being paid to the winner of the weekly feature race.
Incentive programs are already in place for the Prime Storage Late Model Sportsman, David’s Race Cars Hobby Stocks, and Picnic Table Factory Iron Man divisions. All three will be part of the weekly race programs.
Defending Bensons Lumber and Hardware champion Tom Tombarello, of Haverhill, (MA), leads the list of entries for the Friday night race card. “Super” Dave Sanborn, of Tilton, (NH), Mike Ordway Jr, of Fremont, (NH), and division newcomers, former champions, JR Baril, of Haverhill, and Wayne Helliwell, Jr, of Dover,
(NH), are all expected to enter.
The management has also announced that pit gates this year are going to open at 4:00 PM
with practice to begin at 5:30 PM. Weekly programs will start at 7:15 PM. “We know competitors and fans are hard pressed to get home from work on a Friday afternoon,” said track manager Bob Watson. “With this later start of 5:30 PM for practice and the gates not opening until 4:00 PM, it will take a little
pressure off everyone to get here. And the fans need to know we will be starting at 7:15 PM sharp and will make every effort do to end our weekly programs by 10:00 PM.”
Friday night racing will carry through from May 6th to September 9th.
Additional information is available at www.leeusaspeedway.com.