Oxford, Maine – Wayne Helliwell, Jr. of Dover, New Hampshire prevailed by inches in a thrilling HP Hood 150 Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race Sunday night at Oxford Plains Speedway. Helliwell just managed to edge out Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, New Hampshire after an epic battle over the last dozen circuits of the 150-lap race.
Polewarczyk led most of the event’s second half, looking for his second straight PASS Super Late Model win after his career-first score at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire seven days earlier.
But Helliwell had other ideas, methodically working his way into contention from an 18th starting position to set up the late-race showdown with 12th-place starter Polewarczyk. They raced side-by-side for most of the last twelve laps, swapping lanes midway through the battle.
Eric Pembroke of Montpelier emerges from his car in Victory Lane after claiming the Times Argus Mid-Season Championship. (Alan Ward photo)
Barre, VT – Another Late Model feature, another photo finish at Thunder Road. Kyle Pembroke of Montpelier lost the lead to Eric Chase of Milton with a lap to go in the Times Argus Mid-Season Championship, then came back to claim the victory on the final lap by 2/100ths of a second.
Pembroke, who started ninth in the 25-car grid, moved into the top three after a lap-35 restart, took over second on lap 50, then claimed the lead from Boomer Morris of Barre following a lap 67 caution. Pembroke looked to be motoring to an easy victory until the fifth caution of the 75-lap feature flew on lap 67. Chase, starting on the outside, was able to grab a slim lead on lap 74, but couldn’t hold on for the victory.
Rounding out the Late Model top 10 in the double-points Mid-Season Championship for all three Thunder Road divisions were Phil Scott of Middlesex, Mike Bailey of South Barre, Scott Dragon of Milton, Shawn Fleury of Middlesex, Jason Corliss of Barre, Trampas Demers of S. Burlington, Nick Sweet of Barre, and Cody Blake of Barre.
NAPLES, ME (July 28) – With the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 just a month away, Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model teams will have one more opportunity to prepare at Oxford Plains Speedway with this Sunday afternoon’s HP Hood 150. Over 50 teams have pre-entered for the HP Hood Oxford 250 to date and, with over 70 teams expected for the biggest and most prestigious Super Late Model race in the North America, track time at Oxford Plains will be at a premium. In addition, a full slate of local action will be on tap Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway, featuring the Budweiser Super Late Models, with an additional practice scheduled for the headline division to give teams as much track time as possible.
Two-time HP Hood Oxford 250 winner, Travis Benjamin, is looking to take advantage of every opportunity available to get on track at Oxford Plains. After getting caught up in an early crash last year, Benjamin hopes this weekend that he and the Petit Motorsports team can get the data that they need to help him get back to victory lane when they return in late August.
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — This Saturday, July 30, the Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) visits Riverhead Raceway in Long Island, New York for the inaugural Riverhead 100.
The $2,000 to win feature event is set to be a battle between the stars of the GSPSS who run with the tour regularly up against those who compete in the Late Model class at Riverhead as part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Series points leader Barry Gray leads the way into the 1/4 mile bullring — but he is closely followed by Cory Casagrande — who has come on strong of late. Casagrande says he may be at an advantage over some of the rest of the field when they roll onto the track on Saturday, since he has been at the track and watched racing action before.
Lee, NH – The Valenti Modified Racing Series rolled into town for the first of two 2016 appearances at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed” on Friday night, with Jon McKennedy of E. Chelmsford, MA and Chris Pasteryak of Preston, CT taking down the wins in the twin 50-lap feature events.
McKennedy took the checkers ahead of Todd Patnode, Richard Savary, Mike Willis, Jr., Anthony Nocella, Dave Schneider, Geoff Gernhard, Donnie Lashua, Todd Szegedy, and Rob Richardi, Jr. in the first 50, while Pasteryak beat McKennedy, Nocella, Jeff Gallup, Savary, Schneider, Matt Mead, Patnode, Richardi, and Russ Hersey in the nightcap.
In the regular weekly NASCAR Whelen All American Series feature events, second-year, second-generation Supermodified driver Mike Keddy of Raymond was the star of the night in the EKeys4cars Supermodifieds, taking down his first career feature win the 30-lap main event.