The Granite State Pro Stock Series is set to kick off its second season of competition at the historic Thompson Speedway as part of their Icebreaker weekend. Thompson marks the series’ first event outside the state of New Hampshire, and shows how much the group has grown since the inception in 2011.
Qualifying for the 50 lap main event will be on Saturday, with 10 lap qualifiers, and a consolation race to round out the 24 car field. On Sunday, the competitors of the GSPSS will gather on the midway at 11:30 for a meet and greet autograph session. Their 50 lap feature will roll out onto the 5/8 mile oval at approximately 2:15pm.
As the green flag unfurls on Saturday, it will officially kick off the championship chase on the new season. Reigning champion Bobby Cabral will sit along the sidelines this season, opening up the title for all who are up for the challenge.
Cabral’s closest challenger from 2012 was Bobby Baillargeon of Kingston, NH, who won at Hudson Speedway on his way to the runner up position in the championship standings. Barry Gray was third in the standings, and is coming off the season finale victory from the Monadnock Vampire 100.
The roster for the 13 season of the GSPSS continues to grow, and several teams have added their name to the championship chase, including former Monadnock Speedway Pro Stock champion Russ Hersey, Thompson Speedway standouts Mike and Tommy O’Sullivan, Valenti Modified Racing Series top runner Louie Mechalidas, along with Pro Stock veterans Fran Colson, Rich Eaton, Mike Parks and others, and the championship chase takes on a lot of twists and turns.
Even with Cabral out from the cockpit, Matt Frahm will slide into the championship Frahm #14. Matt ran a couple of times in 2012 in a second Frahm entry, and picked up a win in the Star 100, at Star Speedway. Add is several part time efforts from competitors like Larry Gelinas, Dave Pembroke, George Bissette, Jake Vanada, Jeremy Davis and more, and the formula for success is anything but clear.
The 2012 season for the Granite State Pro Stocks saw six events at 4 facilities. The 2013 season has almost doubled to eleven events at 7 ovals. The first of the new venues will be the season opener and finale at Thompson Speedway. Add in a June 14th event at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT., and Saturday, September 7th at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH. and the potential for a break-out season is eminent.
The series returns to Canaan Fair Speedway for their second event, and the season opening show for the Canaan, NH speed plant on Saturday, May 4th. This is the first of 2 shows at the 1/3 mile plant.
A return to the track that held the inaugural event in 2011, Monadnock Speedway is next on the schedule. Saturday, May 25th is the annual David’s House 106, a charity event that will benefit David’s House in Lebanon, NH. Mike O’Sullivan is the defending champion of this event.
A jaunt northwest is the next direction, as they head to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in VT for their first visit to the ½ mile speed plant. Friday night. June 14 will have the Granit State Pro’s join their Modifieds and Mini Stocks on the schedule.
The group rolls into the Hudson Int’l Speedway next for the prestigious Gate City Classic on Sunday, June 23, as the series kicks off the New Hampshire leg of the schedule. Monadnock Speedway on Saturday, August 3 for the JBH Memorial, the Star 100 at Star Speedway on August 17, and back to Hudson on the 25th for the Hudson Hugger makes August the busiest month on the docket.
September kicks off at Riverside Speedway on Saturday, 9/7, and Canaan on 9/14 close out a busy stretch, and gives the competitors a chance to breath before closing out the season back where it all began, Thompson Speedway on Saturday, October 19.
It is a little early to be looking at October right now, but the season will be speeding by before you know it. Keep up to date with all of the happenings at gspss.net, the official website for The Granite State Pro Stock Series, or find us on Facebook.