By Lou Modestino
The legendary Bentley Warren got back behind the wheel of a Super Modified this past Saturday night at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, and it was just enough for him to get the itch to be back behind the wheel of an ISMA Super Modified this coming Friday night, June 20th at 7:30pm at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Warren had a couple of hot lap sessions at Beech Ridge just to feel it out and get his feet wet. The first session showed a little bit of rust, but round two he showed why he is such a legend, and ran several solid laps at blistering speeds. Veteran announcer Bruce Elder interviewed him after the second round and there was nothing but a giant smile on Bentley’s face. On Sunday morning Warren made the call to Oxford Plains Speedway President, Tom Mayberry, and proudly announced that Mayberry will have to find another Grand Marshall as he was going to be racing in the 75 lap, Locke Crane Services, ISMA Super Modified feature event. Mayberry quickly stated that he could do that, and how excited he was to have Bentley back behind the wheel at OPS.
Defending ACT International winner Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, NH has filed the first entry for the 2014 edition of the event to be held at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY on Sunday, July 20. Polewarczyk’s historic win in the inaugural event in 2013 earned him $25,000.
Last year Polewarczyk bested Brian Hoar by just one point by winning the first two segments and taking second in the third segment to pocket the big paycheck. This season Polewarczyk sits atop the ACT standings with four events completed to date. He has to be one of the early favorites for the second running of the ACT International event.
“Last year’s win ranks right up there with the Milk Bowl, and the Invitational (at NHMS). It’s a huge race and last year being the inaugural made it even bigger,” said Polewarczyk. When asked about his confidence heading into the event Polewarczyk commented,
“We’re pretty confident. We had a good car at the 100-lapper at Airborne and I like the style of the segments with the inversions. We’ve had a lot of practice working through traffic and coming through the field so far this season.” In the first four events this season, Polewarczyk’s average starting position is 14 with his average finish position at 2.75.
The winner’s share for this season is $25,000 plus $50 for each lap lead, and a $1,000 bonus for the Bond ACT Invitational qualifier. The purse guarantees a minimum of $1,000 for all 36 qualifiers for the three segment event, 200 lap main event.
Polewarczyk’s entry arrived to the ACT office just minutes after it was released. It was soon followed by entries from Matt Anderson of Franklin, NH, Jason Corliss of Barre, VT and Emily Packard of Montpelier, VT.
The 2014 edition of the ACT International at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY will be held on Sunday, July 20 with a 1:00pm post time.
Pro All Stars Series President, Tom Mayberry is pleased to announce that the new Dave’s Small Engine Repair, PASS Northeast Late Model Series has expanded to four races from the original three race schedule. Besides the three races already scheduled for Oxford Plains Speedway on July 4th, July 19th, and September 27th, the PASS Northeast Late Model Series will now be a part of the PASS 400 weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine on Saturday, September 13th.
“The PASS 400 weekend, presented by Southern Maine Motors, is a huge weekend for the PASS Tour and all PASS divisions stated Mayberry. This new PASS division is really taking off and we felt that they deserved to be part of the weekend, so we added them to the Saturday schedule. I think it will be a day that both racers and race fans will enjoy.”
The added event will see the PASS Northeast Late Models racing 100 green flag laps with the winner receiving a check for $2,000. Saturday’s schedule will include qualifying races for several classes with features for support divisions and the PASS Northeast Late Model Series. More information will be coming in the next few weeks.
With Oxford Plains Speedway experiencing so many rain outs this season, a rain date for the Friday, June 13th event has been posted for Friday night July 4th at 7pm. This makes five consecutive days of racing at Oxford Plains Speedway, and the PASS North Super Late Model series.
The week will start with the Oxford Acceleration Series on Wednesday, July 2nd. Budweiser night will feature all five divisions in action with a post time of 7pm. Sponsorship provided by Ripley & Fletcher Ford will headline the Annual 3rd of July Spectacular featuring the Oxford Championship Series as well as the areas biggest fireworks display. Divisions in action will be the Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Outlaw Sportsman, Banditos, and there will be kids bike races all beginning at 7pm. Friday the 4th of July will feature Applebee’s night which was rained out on Friday, June 13th. This mega night will feature all four of the regular OCS divisions including Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Outlaw Sportsman, Banditos plus the inaugural event for the Dave’s Small Engine Repair, PASS Northeast Late Model Series, The Husqvarna 100. This show will also begin at 7pm.
On Saturday, July 5th the activity swings to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine for the Southern Maine Motors 150. 150 green flag laps for the PASS Super Late Models, plus the PASS Mods and support divisions. Post time is 7pm. Finally on Sunday, July 6th, Motor Mayhem #2 will take off at Oxford Plains Speedway at 6pm. This family fun night will feature several wacky events that are sure to keep your family on the edge of their seats. Post time will be 6pm.
Plan on spending your Independence holiday week at Oxford Plains Speedway enjoying four great nights of racing entertainment, plus Saturday night enjoying the PASS North Super Late Models Series at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. There will be plenty of free camping at OPS for all the activities, plus you can take in all that the Oxford area has to offer.
The 2014 edition of the Oxford 250 just received the entry blank from the legendary Steve Park who will be bringing his G Body Parts, Sunoco, Super Late Model to compete in this year’s mega event at Oxford Plains Speedway. Park, a two time Sprint Cup Series winner became the 45th entrant for the race scheduled for Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 2pm.
“I have always wanted to compete in the Oxford 250, stated Park. This is one of the most prestigious racing events in the Northeast, and to be a part of it in 2014 really excites me. I used to attend this race with my dad when I was younger, and I always hoped to drive in this event some time during my life, and now thanks to G Body Parts, Sunoco, New England Racing Fuel and car owner Dickie Woodman, we will be there attempting to add an Oxford 250 win to my resume. I am looking forward to coming up to the State of Maine a little bit early to enjoy what the Oxford area has to offer. Some of my great friends and supporters from Key Parts have also purchased a suite for the Oxford 250 weekend, and I plan on spending a lot of time meeting and greeting their Key Parts family. I haven’t felt this excited in a long time, it’s going to be a great experience.”
New England Race Fuels, John Holland is very excited that they were able to help pull this deal together with Sunoco to support Steve Park and the Dickie Woodman team at the Oxford 250. Holland said this about the situation, “We are very proud to be a part of helping Steve Park return to the Northeast to race at the Oxford 250. Everyone knows that Sunoco is a major player in the motorsports arena, and they are very excited about Steve Park once again racing up north. Steve is a great spokesman for the sport, and we love his New England racing heritage. He has worked hard all his life to be the best racer he could be, including a pair of Sprint Cup wins, and now we have the opportunity to help support his Oxford 250 efforts in 2014. This support fits perfectly in Sunoco’s racing plans.”
PASS President, Tom Mayberry is also excited about Park coming to the Oxford 250. “It’s always great to have a driver with the credentials of Steve Park enter your race, but this one is extra special as he is a grassroots racer who paid his dues here in the Northeast. He has raced everything from Go-karts to Sprint Cup Cars and has been successful in everything he has competed in, and has never forgotten where he came from. I am extremely proud to add Steve’s name to the entry list of the Oxford 250.”
The 41st edition of the Oxford 250 will take place on Sunday, July 20th at 2pm featuring 250 green flag laps of racing for the ultra fast Super Late Models. A $1,000 to win PASS Mod race will also highlight the card. Oxford 250 weekend begins on Friday night, July 18th with the Sun Journal hosting the PASS Mods, PASS Sportsman, and several support classes in action. Then a giant night awaits race fans on Saturday night as Dunkin’ Donuts presents the NEMA Midgets & NEMA Lites, as well as Round #2 of the Dave’s Small Engine Repair, PASS Northeast Late Model Series. Several other divisions will see action as well.
Once again bad weather has forced the management to pull the plug for racing at Oxford Plains Speedway for Friday night, June 13th. A forecast of 80% chance of showers, heavy rains, and severe thunderstorms prompted the decision.
Track Vice President Michael Mayberry stated, “The forecast just looks horrible, and with such a big night of racing planned it’s the right thing to do. Applebee’s Night featured our own Budweiser Pro Late Models, Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stocks, Ripley & Fletcher Ford Outlaw Sportsman, Bandits, and the all new Dave’s Small Engine Repair, PASS Northeast Late Model Series featuring the Husqvarna 100. With racecars coming from throughout New England for the PASS Series event, we wanted to let them know well ahead of time so that they didn’t waste a lot of dollars making the trek, and then getting rained out. We are working on a rain date as we speak and it will be announced in the very near future.”
The next event on the calendar will be the NAPA Show, Shine & Drag scheduled rain or shine, for Sunday, June 15th at 9am. The Father’s Day event will feature a wide variety of show cars, motorcycles, hot rods, antique tractors, one lunger engines, and of course drag racing. This year’s NAPA Show, Shine, & Drag will also feature a beer garden, and a chicken and ribs barbeque. Registration for the NAPA Show, Shine & Drag will begin at 7am.
Tyler Jarvenpaa got to the front quickly Saturday, June 14, in the Sportsman Modified main event, and then outran the rest of the potent 19 car field to score his first victory of the season at Monadnock Speedway.
Other winners on the first leg of the high-banked speedplant’s first of three 2014 Triple Crown events included Tom Carey III, who won his fifth Super Stock feature in as many weeks; Mike Stebbins, the winner of his division-leading fourth victory of the summer; and Young Gun Mike McGoldrick Jr., who earned his second victory lap this season.
Kyle Boniface outran the Lightning Stock field to win for the third time. Dave Greenslit earned his second Thunder Stock victory; and Pro-4 Modified pilot Dan Fresh scored his first-ever Monadnock feature win.
Brad Zahensky grabbed the early lead in the Sportsman Modified 35-lapper, leading Trevor Bleau under the flags the first two go-rounds, with Jarvenpaa nipping at their back bumpers from the drop of the green. Jarvenpaa seized second on lap three, then powered past Zahensky four laps later for the lead.
The lead pair would run in that order until a lap 23 restart, when Keith Carzello – firing from row five – moved up to second, and Todd Patnode, who had swept a pair of feature wins a week earlier, powered into third. Jarvenpaa, though, had the field covered on this night.
With Carzello a strong second, four lengths behind the winner, Patnode was able to pad his divisional points lead with the third-place finish. Bill Kimball came home fourth, and Brett Gonyaw was fifth on the night.
In the Super Stock feature, Ian MacDonald grabbed the opening lead, pacing the field for four laps until Alyssa Rivera charged to the point on lap five. With Rivera and Tyler Leary battling at the front of the pack, Tom Carey III – bidding for his fifth consecutive win – cruised into third on lap ten, grabbed second on lap 13, and powered into the lead a lap later.
Rivera’s strong run would be diminished on lap 25 when she and Tyler Leary made contact. Tyler Lescord moved up when misfortune struck Rivera, darting into second on the ensuing restart, but would come up short of denying Carey his fifth win.
With Lescord strong in second, Dave Striebel, Nancy Muni-Ruot, and Leary rounded out the top five.
Kevin McKnight set the pace the first three laps of the Mini Stock feature, with Julia Raymond glued to his bumper. Raymond inched ahead of McKnight on lap four, with Beth Adams and Mike Stebbins both following her forward, with McKnight backpeddling as he got hung in the outside lane.
Stebbins claimed second on lap six, then holding the deuce spot until lap 11. With Stebbins then taking charge, he would run out the race from the point to score his fourth win of the summer.
Raymond, strong all night, chased Stebbins under the checkers to earn the runner-up finish, with Adams following in her shadow to come home third. Chris McTaggart was solid in fourth, and Justin Faford claimed fifth, his second top-five finish in as many weeks.
Daniel Wesson grabbed the lap-one lead in the Young Guns feature, with Mike McGoldrick quickly pulling up to challenge him. McGoldrick was on a mission, taking the lead and then quickly opening a 20-length lead.
While Wesson would relinquish the lead, he would drop no further. With McGoldrick easily outdistancing the field to earn his second win of the summer, Wesson completed his own strong night’s work in second, just ahead of Cole Littlewood and Matt Kimball.
Richard Whipple took the opening lead in the Lightning Stock main, holding the point until Tim O’Shea powered past him on lap six. O’Shea’s bid for victory would be thwarted by mechanical woes, as he coasted into the infield while leading on lap 20.
With O’Shea done for the night, Kyle Boniface then took over, grabbing the point and blasting off to victory a third-lap ahead of runner-up Tim Paquette. Pat Houle was third, with Hillary Renaud and Eric Silvernale rounding out the top five.
Jason Barden led the first 18 laps of the Thunder Stock feature, then giving way to Dave Greenslit, who, once in front, never looked back. With Greenslit earning his second win of the season, Randy McGee made a last-lap pass to claim second. Marshall Usher, Henry Martin, and Barden completed the top five.
Dan Fresh took the lead from Derek Robbie on lap 19 of the Pro-4 Modified feature then darted off to victory. Robbie was second, and Dan Meservey Sr. third. Tom Royer guided the first Pro-4 Lite machine under the flags.
This Saturday, June 21, Monadnock Speedway will return to action, with the NEMA and NEMA Lite racers in town to compete in the Iron Mike Memorial. The Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Young Guns, Lightning Stocks, and Thunder Stocks will all be featured. Post time is 6 pm.
Sportsman Modified: Tyler Jarvenpaa, Keith Carzello, Todd Patnode, Bill Kimball, Brett Gonyaw, Brad Zahensky, Brian Chapin, Trevor Bleau, Joe Kendall, Eric LeClair, Leslie Keyser, JT Cloutier, Kim Rivet, Nicki Ouellette, Adam Norton, JohnStudley, Steve Fifield, Scott MacMichael, Matt Rzewnicki
Super Stocks: Tom Carey III, Tyler Lescord, Dave Striebel, Nancy Muni, Tyler Leary, Bill Johnston, James Thompson, Alyssa Rivera, Ian MacDonald
Mini Stocks: Mike Stebbins, Julia Raymond, Beth Adams, Chris McTaggart, Justin Faford, Cameron Sontag, Joel Monahan, Eric Pomasko, Joe Rogers, Ethan Marsh, Kevin McKnight, Dana Shepard
Thunder Stocks: Dave Greenslit, Randy McGee, Marshall Usher, Henry Martin, Jason Barden, Paul Barnard, Tyler Janovsky, James Nowakowski, Scott Bourn, Chris Lawrence, Doug Guy, Caleb Cashman, Adam Gray
Lightning Stocks: Kyle Boniface, Tim Paquette, Pat Houle, Hillary Renaud, Eric Silvernale, Kyle Robinson-Newell, Tim O’Shea, Richard Whipple, Matt Somerville
Young Guns: Mike McGoldrick, Dan Wesson, Cole Littlewood, Matt Kimball, Solomon Brow, Devin Guy, Dylan Morse, Justin Littlewood, Mariah Stebbins, Hayley Guy, Dan Starkweather
Patience was a virtue as Larry Gelinas bounced back from an early spin to claim the spoils at the Gate City Classic at Hudson International Speedway.
Bobby Cabral looked to be the car to beat at the beginning of the day, as the 2012 champion in the Granite State Pro Stock Series was strong in his heat, picking up the checkered and setting himself up nicely for the feature. Walpole, NH native Mike Parks would join Cabral on the front row of the feature, by virtue of Parks winning the second heat, and Cabral drawing the #1 pill, resulting in no inversion of qualified cars. Cabral would lead early, but would be involved in an incident on lap 25, putting a damper on becoming a two-time winner with the series at Hudson. Mike Parks would inherit the lead, fighting off multiple threats from Dillon Moltz. Moltz would get the better of Parks eventually, and log some laps at the point of the field.
Just past the halfway mark in the 100 lap event, Gelinas, who had been hovering in the top 5 most of the day, went careening to the infield after incidental contact with hometown driver Derek Griffith. Gelinas never lifted, whipping the car back onto the track before the leaders could put a lap on the Buxton, ME driver. Another of the 15 cautions on the day brought Gelinas back to the pack. Brad Babb, who had been running in the top 5 a good portion of the day, found himself at the back of the pack after a tire rub sent the Robert Babb + Sons driver down pit road. Youngster Derek Griffith would find himself in the lead, after starting from the 19th spot.
To the delight of the crowd, Griffith held his own, but both Gelinas and Babb were knocking one more time late in the race. Gelinas would overtake Griffith, and fend off a threat from Babb on a late restart, to pick up his second career victory with the GSPSS. Babb, who started 16th on the field, would settle for second, while Griffith held onto third. East Walpole, MA driver Craig Weinstein ran a clean race, and picked up the fourth spot, while Moltz held on to fifth. Keith Caruso, Matt Frahm, George Helliwell, Barry Gray, and Tommy O’Sullivan completed the top 10.
Gelinas credited patience for his Gate City Classic. “I watched things as they happened, and took the spots when I could,” stated Gelinas. “Babb raced well with me, and gave me some breaks. I’ll remember that. It was a good race.” Gelinas has two second place finishes to go along with his Gate City Classic victory, but isn’t ready to put it on cruise control just yet. “You can’t take that for granted. A lot of it is luck. We are lucky, we haven’t had any mechanical issues so far; we just have to keep our fingers crossed.”
For Babb, his second place finish is his best career finish with the Granite State Pro Stock Series to date. On coming up through the field twice, Babb knew he’d be there at the end. “I rode the outside when everyone was pinching on the bottom, and I knew we had a good car,” Babb said. “I think I had the best car on a long run, but either way, second is a good day!”
Griffith, just 17 years old, liked how the race played out. “Tonight was old-school racing, I like that! The car was on rails all night. If it wasn’t for Louie (Mechalides), my dad, Eric and Peter working on the car, it would never be this good!” Griffith dedicated this race to Nicole Jacques, a friend of the family, who lost her life at 14 years old to a form of liver cancer just last month.
Up next for the Granite State Pro Stock Series is Star Speedway, in Epping, NH, on June 28th. This will be race four of ten for the GSPSS in 2014.
GATE CITY CLASSIC RESULTS
6/15/14
POS (Start) Driver
1. (9) Larry Gelinas B
2. (16) Brad Babb
3. (19) Derek Griffith Hu
4. (14) Craig Weinstein
5. (5) Dillo
6. (18) Keith Caruso Mi
7. (3) Matt Frahm H
8. (12) George Helliwell Derry, NH
9. (10) Barry Gray
10. (6) Tommy O’Sullivan Wilbraham
11. (2) Mike Parks
12. (20) Erick Sands
13. (11) Ron Smith
14. (7) Geoff Rollins Gr
15. (15) Cory Casagrande Staffo
16. (1) Bobby Cabral Med
17. (17) Carl Eriksson
18. (4) Fran “JR” Colson Baldwinvi
19. (13) Dennis Maxfield Fitchbur
20. (8) Cory Robert
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
AR Bodies (Hard Luck)
Bond Auto Parts (Last car on lead lap) Geoff Rollins
Crazy Ed’s Powersports (Hard Charger) Dere
Draco Springs Award (Most positions gained) Derek Griffith
Five Star Stock Car Bodies (5th place finisher) Dillon Moltz
MacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #1 Winner) Bobby Cabral
MacLellan Metal Finishing (Heat #2 Winner) Mike Parks
Racer’s Depot (Random drawing)
RB Performance (4th place finisher)
RB Performance (7th place finisher)
Sherwood Wheels (10th place finisher)
Sunoco Race Fuels (Heat #1 Winner) B
Sunoco Race Fuels (Heat #2 Winner) M