Lee, NH – Open-wheel fans were treated to over 100 laps of feature event action at Lee USA Speedway Friday night, as the NEMA and NEMA Lites Midgets joined the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Small Block Supermodifieds on the card.
Due to a weather-related postponement a few weeks prior, the NEMA Lites competed in a pair of 25-lap feature events during the course of the evening. Carl Medeiros, Jr. of Westport, MA turned in an impressive run to pick up the win in the held-over main, his first career Lites win.
Bethany Stoehr had a strong race that brought her home in the runner-up slot, with veteran Randy Cabral, Avery Stoehr, Ryan Bigelow, Jake Smith, Ian Cumens, Alan Chambers, Dylan Duhaime, and Danny Cugini rounding out the top ten.
Medeiros started well back in the field for the second Lites main, but he smoothly worked through traffic and eventually made his way to the front to sweep both ends of the doubleheader. Cabral, Cumens, Duhaime, Brandon Igo, Bethany Stoehr, Paul Bigelow, Cugini, Chambers, and Logan Ravails followed.
The NEMA Midgets spent the better part of their feature event chasing Glen Cove, NY racer Adam Cantor, who was turning some pretty fast laps once he got to the front. Cantor was basically unchallenged in the late stages of the race, easily leading them under the checkers for the win.
NEMA points leader John Zych, Jr. grabbed a solid second place finish, with Todd Bertrand, Russ Stoehr, Randy Cabral, Seth Carlson, Jim Miller, Mike Horn, Bethany Stoehr, and Greg Stoehr filling the third through tenth spots on the results sheet.
Lee’s weekly Benson Lumber and Hardware Small Block Supermodifieds topped off the open-wheel action, with Auburn racer Mike Netishen running to his second feature event win of the 2012 campaign, which moves him closer to the top of the standings as the championship chase heats up.
Points leader Tommy Tombarello, Jr. gridded eighth for the main, and it took him several laps to maneuver through traffic to get to the front. Once he broke out of the pack, Tombarello reeled in leader Netishen, and he was right on his bumper at the white flag.
Netishen was up to the challenge, flashing under flagman Don Horvath’s checker to pick up the win. Tombarello took a hard-earned second, with Mike Spurling making a podium appearance for his third place effort. P.J. Stergios, rookie contender Ryan Gath, Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Mike Ordway, Jr., Tony Carroll, Ricky Wolf, and Jason Phillips were fourth through tenth.
Patrick Tanguay spent the second half of the David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stock feature setting the pace, with multi-time feature winner Jim Shorey right on his bumper looking to find a way past. Tanguay had enough speed to keep Shorey at bay, and when the checkers waved, he found himself in victory lane for the second time this season.
Shorey had to settle for runner-up honors, with Paul Palen, Kyle Sawyer, Mike Williams, Kenny Scott, Jr., Brian Thompson, Ron Washburn, Niko Maniatis, and David MacDonald closing out the top ten.
Jake Rheaume added to his track-leading win total in the American Used Auto Parts Ironman feature, making it seven for the season with the victory. Early leader Chris Murray posted his best finish of the season in the second spot, with Evan Horvath, Ryan Pitkin, and Danielle Simoneau third through fifth.