Sep 12, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
Lee, NH – Lee USA Speedway still has a couple of on-track events to go before closing out the 2016 racing season, but it’s already time for the first big announcement regarding what’s in store for 2017 at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”.
Still celebrating their 30th year steering the LEE USA ship, track owners Red and Judy MacDonald are pleased to announce the return of Joe Bassett to the staff for the 2017 campaign. In preparation for next year, Bassett will be assuming the role of General Manager as soon as he can tie up a few loose ends at his current gig with the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
No stranger to Lee USA’s racers and fans, Joe is looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow the highly-successful speedway operation in the coming years. Bassett will be assuming the position soon to be vacated by the retirement of Bill Callen, who’s been a familiar face and filled countless roles since joining the staff back before the turn of the century.
Lee USA is widely recognized as one of the cleanest, best-run facilities in the New England region, and things should only get better as plans for the 2017 season are finalized.
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Sep 12, 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 regular Friday night season for the weekly competitors in the five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”, with all 16 of this year’s scheduled events making it into the record books dating back to opening night on May 27.
The 2016 champions were crowned in all divisions, with second-generation racer Dave “Hollywood” Helliwell of Pelham taking down the title in the Supermodifieds to close out his first year competing in the track’s headlining NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division.
Hollywood’s not the first member of the storied Helliwell clan to accomplish that feat, he follows in the footsteps of older brother Wayne, Jr., who although better known for his exploits aboard full-bodied racecars, culminated his Lee USA career with a title run in the famed Witkum Brothers Racing Super.
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Sep 5, 2016 | Lee Speedway, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – Lee USA Speedway celebrated “Kid’s Back to School Night” on Friday, and it was a homecoming party for former multi-time champ Tommy Tombarello, Jr., who made his 2016 debut with a sweep, winning both his heat and the feature event to once again stake his claim to the king’s throne in the EKeys4cars Supermodifieds.
Haverhill, MA’s Tombarello has been on the sidelines since a season-ending crash finished his 2015 championship campaign with a hard trip into the unforgiving Lee USA concrete, but his return to action reminded everybody in the house that he’s the man to beat.
Journeyman chauffer Mike Netishen of Auburn set the pace for the first several laps of the main, coming off a tough run a week earlier that saw engine issues cut his night short early in the feature event. This week, Netishen led the way until lap 17, when Tombarello made has way past, looking to regain his winning form.
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Aug 29, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – Rookie Lee USA Speedway racer Kris Miller of Bedford picked up the biggest victory of his young career on Friday night at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”, taking down the win in the prestigious Lance Davis Memorial 50-lapper, traditionally the biggest race of the season for the R & R “The Tool Store and More” Late Model Sportsmen.
Waterboro, ME’s Ray Dinsmore was first out to set the pace when the race went green, leading the way for the first 10 laps with second-generation drivers George Helliwell and Miller hot on his heels. Miller made his way past Helliwell on lap 12, and the next time around, he ducked to the low side of Dinsmore and took over the point.
Dinsmore held on to second until lap 18, when Jimmy Ryder of Hampstead moved past and set his sights leader Miller. Ryder put in a strong run and gave chase until lap 39, when Frankie Eldredge of Stratham flexed his muscles and motored past Ryder, taking his turn in the runner-up slot as the field raced under the ten to go sign.
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Aug 22, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – The New England Pro-4 Modifieds were the added attraction at Lee USA Speedway on Friday night, making for another full night of racing action at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed”, along with the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action.
Robin Berghman, acknowledged as the country’s first female driver to claim a touring series championship, once again rose to the top, outrunning the field to take down the win. Berghman is the daughter-in-law of the legendary Bugsy Stevens, a longtime standout on the NASCAR Modified tour back in the in the 1960’s and ‘70‘s.
Family traditions carried on for the rest of the podium finishers, as second-generation racer Norm Wren III claimed second place honors, with third-generation racer Brett Meservey taking home third place honors.
Wrenn’s father Norm was a standout Pro Stock racer at Lee for years, claiming the biggest win of his career in the Lee USA Downeast Drilling Pro Stock Nationals, while Brett’s grandfather Dan, Sr. first found his way to victory lane on the old Tri-Oval Lee Raceway back in the mid-1970’s in NEMMA (the predecessor to today‘s Pro-4‘s) action.
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Aug 13, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
First win for 19-year-old is final series race before 43rd HP Hood Oxford 250 August 28
Lee, New Hampshire – Pro All Stars Series rookie Derek Griffith of Hudson nailed down his first victory on the region’s premier Super Late Model circuit, scoring near home in Friday night’s 150-lap race at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire.
Griffith was impressive aboard the Louie Mechalides-prepared racecar, chasing former Thompson Speedway Super Late Model champ Derek Ramstrom for the first 50-plus laps, swapping the lead with the West Boylston, Massachusetts native for most of the remaining laps before pulling away from his rivals during the final handful of laps.
Ramstrom claimed runner-up honors after an entertaining, late-race battle with six-time PASS champion Johnny Clark of Farmingdale, Maine. Clark started the race in tenth position and crossed the finish line third behind Griffith and Ramstrom, remaining a serious threat to claim his seventh series title.
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