RIENDEAU WINS FIRST OF SUMMER AT CLAREMONT, 100-LAPPER TO BELSITO

By Gary Dutton

            CLAREMONT, N.H. – In one of the best back-and-forth races of the summer, Chris Riendeau won his first Street Stock feature of the summer Friday, July 23, at Claremont Motorsports Park, outdueling four-time winner Dave Greenslit who, none-the-less, stayed comfortably atop the points parade.

            While Pro Stocker Angelo Belsito earned the night’s biggest pay check by topping the all-green GSPSS 100-lapper, it was Pure Stock king Kodi Sabins who, again, provided the night’s biggest excitement, earning his track-high sixth victory lap as he crossed the stripe inches ahead of Robert Shaw.

            Aaron Fellows stayed undefeated, Matt Boucher won for the first time in the Mini Stocks, and Paul Colburn romped to his second Pure Stock win of the summer Friday, while, in a battle of New England racing family royalty, Brett Meservey topped Randy Cabral in the Pro-4 Mods.

Belsito continues to roll at Claremont

The Granite State Pro Stock Series descended on the Claremont Motorsports Park for a final tune up for the Granite State nationals to be held Labor Day weekend. Ten teams opted to take advantage of the opportunity to work on setups and adjustments that might give them an advantage when they compete for $10,000. At the end of the day it was Auburn NH’s Angelo Belsito who made it two in a row with the GSPSS.

Ray Christian III came into the event looking to make it four in a row at the NH third mile oval and in practice it looked like he and his team were prepared to do so. The Uncasville CT driver laid down fast laps in both practice sessions and looked like the man to beat heading for The Crazy Horse Racing fast time challenge. Unfortunately a technical infraction just beforehand, caused his time to be disallowed, relegating him to the back of the heat race.