Lee, NH – The most highly-anticipated race of the year comes to Lee USA Speedway this Friday night, August 5, with the annual running of the “Ollie Silva Memorial Classic” for the International Supermodified Association (ISMA) showcasing the world’s fastest short-track racing machines in lightning-fast action at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”.
Fresh off a dominating performance last weekend that saw him collect the checkers in both the preliminary “Fast 40” on Friday night and the tradition-rich Hy-Miler Nationals 100 last Saturday night at the famed Sandusky Speedway in Ohio, Dave Shullick, Jr. has to be counted among the favorites in the Ollie Silva Memorial race.
Ohioan Shullick been hot on the ISMA trail since June, winning three out of four races, and he’s the defending Ollie Silva Memorial champion as well. Shullick’s win last August was his second at Lee, having already visited victory lane in the 2008 edition of the race.
Shullick’s 2015 win put him in some fast company along with Chelmsford, MA ace Jon McKennedy (2012 and ‘14) and Nokie Fornoro (2003, ‘05) as two-time winners of the event. Only Chris Perley has won more.
All the cars and stars of ISMA are expected to compete this Friday, including several local drivers who cut their racing teeth at the fast 3/8th’s mile oval and still consider Lee USA their “home track“. Former Lee Supermodified champions Dan Bowes of Byfield, MA, Eddie Witkum, Jr. of Westford, MA, and Mike Ordway, Jr. are just a few drivers among that group.
Second-generation racer Ordway of nearby Fremont grabbed multiple wins back in his Small Block Super days, and already has an ISMA win to his credit this season, his first handling the driving duties in the famed Clyde Booth machine. Car owner/designer/builder Booth is no stranger to Lee’s victory lane either, as it was his entry that brought Shullick to the 2008 win here.
Jeff Locke of Raymond is another driver with feature event wins on his resume, both here at Lee and on the ISMA trail, and he’s expected to be fast as always. Milford’s Dave Duggan and Jamie Timmons of North Andover, MA typically add the Lee ISMA race to their itinerary as well.
Veteran Justin Belfiore of Haverhill, MA has only made limited appearances with ISMA this season, but the Ollie Silva Memorial is always one he and his team circle on the calendar as a “must run”. The same goes for Chris Perley of Rowley, MA, ISMA’s winningest driver, a six time champion (2003, ’04, ’06, ’07, ’08, and ’09), and winner of the Ollie Silva four times (’04, ’07, ’10, and ’11).
Our north of the border neighbors in Ontario, Canada will send a contingent of contenders to Lee, including drivers Mike Lichty (an ISMA winner last month at Jennerstown, PA), and Dave McKnight and Mark Sammut, both of whom have visited Lee’s winner’s circle in past ISMA events.
Add to the list Trent Stephens, Mike McVetta, Timmy Jedrzejek and Danny Shirey from OH, New Jersey’s Jon Gambuti, PA drivers Lou Cicconi, Jr. and Allison Cumens, Ben Seitz from MA, and Rob Summers from CT to see the geographic diversity among the field of drivers that are expected to assemble at Lee USA for the Ollie Silva Memorial.
In addition to the big race for the ISMA Supermodifieds, Bentley Warren, the legendary Supermodified racer and proprietor of Bentley’s Saloon in Arundel, ME, will be holding his annual charity motorcycle ride to benefit Victory Junction Camp which traditionally ends with a couple of laps around the speedway.
And if that’s not enough, Lee’s weekly EKeys4cars Supermodifieds, R & R Public Wholesalers Late Model Sportsmen, David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stocks, Tri-City Line-X Ironmen and MLM Diagnostics Pure Stock racers will be in action as well.
Don’t miss a minute of the action this Friday at Lee USA Speedway, 380 Calef Highway (Rte. 125), Lee, NH. For more information, call the race hotline at 978-462-4252, log on to www.leeusaspeedway.com, or find us on Facebook.