Oct 25, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – Lee USA Speedway closed out the 2016 racing season with the running of 13 feature events which had been postponed at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed” two weeks earlier, and it was Chelmsford, MA Modified ace Jon McKennedy who was clearly the star of the day.
With twin 50-lap feature events on tap for the Valenti Modified Racing Series, McKennedy was in the proverbial driver’s seat, and he capped off his 2016 championship run with dominating wins in both ends of the twinbill to cement his fourth career series championship title.
McKennedy wasn’t the only driver to double up during Oktoberfest 2016, though it took Hudson, NH Super Late Model standout Derek Griffith a couple of weeks longer to score his two wins. Griffith had won the opening Oktoberfest Super Late Model 50-lapper on Saturday night, October 8, but when rain washed out Sunday action, he had to wait two weeks for the re-schedule to complete his sweep.
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Oct 25, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by RPM 360
By: Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald posted third place finishes in the Pro Stock/ Super Late Model and Late Model features to complete the rescheduled Oktoberfest at his family owned track on Sunday, Oct.24. Due to heavy rain on the second of two days of racing two weeks ago, the Sunday event was completed to end the Lee USA season on a chilly blustery day.
The “Outlaw” piloted the Dave Lemieux owned PS/SLM Chevy to a solid third place finish in fifty lap feature. Eddie Mac drove the famous Flame #17 GTO to a third place finish in the 40 lap Late Model race.
“We are very pleased to have EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates with us on the Pro Stock as well as the Late Model,” said Eddie Mac. “Derek Beatrice has been a strong supporter of our racing program and even sponsored the Oktoberfest weekend at the track and our team and family appreciate everything he has done. EXIT Realty will again be on both cars next weekend at Seekonk Speedway and we look forward to even better finishes. We were a little off today but know we can improve to finish off our season with solid runs.”
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Oct 25, 2016 | GSPSS, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
Photo Credit (New London Waterford Speedbowl)
WATERFORD, Conn. – When qualifying was scraped at Bemer’s Big Show because of rain, Dave Farrington was a little bit frustrated.
He had originally drawn the pole position for the second Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) heat race, but he ended up having to start in 29th position because the field was set by owner points for the 75 lap season finale.
When it was all set and done, Farrington was celebrating in victory lane on Saturday night after capturing his first GSPSS victory of the season.
“Back in 2013, we ran nine races here (at the Speedbowl) in the Late Model division and I think it took me about 20 laps to remember how to get around here today,” Farrington said. “We can’t control the rain. We found out we basically had to start last because of it and we just took our time and had some patience. Going from 27th to first is a hard charger for sure.”
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Oct 25, 2016 | Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, PASS, Touring Series News
PASS photo
SOPHIA, NC (October 22) – Walnut Cove, NC’s Burt Myers pulled the double Saturday night at Caraway Speedway by claiming the win in the Kenny Minter Memorial 125 and, in so doing, taking the inaugural Southern Modified Racing Series (SMRS) presented by PASS points championship. Myers second career SMRS win caps off a remarkable 2016 season which also saw him take the titles at Bowman Gray Stadium and in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
“This is just a dream come true because I feel like in my lifetime nobody will be able to say they won all three titles in the same season,” said Myers in victory lane, who entered the race tied for the championship lead with John Smith. “It took us a long enough time to figure out the halfway adjustments and tonight we made the right ones and this car was just awesome.”
For the fifth time this year, Brandon Ward was able to capture the Precision Built Spindles Pole Award with a lap of 15.910 seconds (102.954 MPH) around the .455 mile facility. Ward’s good fortune early on continued as he drew pill number one in the redraw to start on the pole alongside veteran racer Gary Putnam.
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Oct 21, 2016 | GSPSS, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
WALPOLE, N.H. – After an enduring season of racing across the New England region, the Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) is set to crown the 2016 champion this Saturday, Oct. 22., at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
The 3/8 mile Shoreline oval will play host to the Super Late Model Series in a 75 lap main event that will decide a championship battle that currently has two veterans at the top.
Belchertown, Mass. driver Barry Gray holds a 26 point advantage over Conway, N.H. native D.J. Shaw, who was also recently crowned the PASS champion for 2016. Gray has little experience at the Speedbowl, but is hoping to seal the deal in his No. 29. Though he is not a GSPSS champion, Gray has won championships in racing before.
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Oct 21, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
photo by RPM 360
By: Dick Casey
The American Canadian Tour completed its season with the World Series 75 as part of the Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Saturday, October 15. Eddie Mac finished third in the championship points battle in the team’s first full season on the tour. The “Outlaw” needed a perfect day to catch eventual champion Nick Sweet for the title but that day did not materialize.
“We needed to win our heat, win the race, lead the most laps, and have Nick finish no better than sixth but we didn’t come close,” said Eddie Mac. “We struggled with the car right from the first practice and tried a number of adjustments but nothing worked. The car was loose in and off the corners so I couldn’t get any speed down the long straights here. Rollie and the crew worked hard all day but it just was not our day.”
The EXIT Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy started fifth in the third heat after struggling to find speed and handling in the only afternoon practice. Eddie Mac could only finish fifth in the heat and with the even rating started 14th on the grid for the 75 lap feature on the fast, high-banked, 5/8ths of a mile oval. When the green flag waved, Eddie Mac powered into the tenth position after only five laps and into seventh place by the second caution flag on lap 23, then reported to crew chief Rollie LaChance saying, “It is really tough to pass and the car does not have a lot of forward drive.”
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