The Granite State Pro Stock Series presented by Hudson International Speedway sets the stage this weekend for the season’s biggest race with a Sunday warmup in the Pine Tree State.
Speedway presented by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust welcomes the GSPSS back to Bangor for its second visit of 2026 with the Stan Meserve Classic, a 128-lap prelude to October’s Bar Harbor Bank & Trust 200 named for the Maine racer, fabricator, and long-time mentor of Speedway owner Ricky Craven.
The back-to-back visits to Speedway set the stage for the season’s home stretch, with only one more event on the calendar to decide the series’ champion at Claremont Motorsports Park in October.
The GSPSS convened at the refreshed and rechristened Speedway back in June, where Austin Teras topped D.J. Shaw and Mike Hopkins for the win in his first series start. All three podium performers - the Central Maine standout, the GSPSS’ all-time win leader, and the hometown racer who swept the GSPSS’ two 2024 appearances at Speedway - are on the hunt this weekend for another trophy for their respective collections.
Two other former Speedway winners are on the entry list. Evan Beaulieu swept last year’s dates at the Hermon, Maine, oval, and a win would correct the course on a tough touring season so far. Josh St. Clair won Speedway’s second-ever GSPSS contest in 2023, and winning another is high on the Wiscasset Speedway alum’s list.
The rest of the field is still trying to earn a Vacationland victory as the GSPSS marks its eighth race at Speedway.
GSPSS point leader Jeremy Sorel’s travel budget has been tested in the second half of the season, with Sorel and teammate Alex Quarterley hauling from western Massachusetts each week. Sorel’s consistency has earned him a healthy lead over 2020 GSPSS champ Joey Polewarczyk, who needs a big swing of fate to contend for a second crown.
Maine’s Jamie Wright slipped to fifth in the standings, but a strong third-place run in last weekend’s Boss Hogg 150 at Wiscasset should bring some confidence for the Woolwich, Maine, racer. Still in the chase are Dan Winter, in his first full-season effort with the GSPSS, and rookie contenders Joe Kendall and Matt Beers.
Casey Call used last weekend’s big race to shake down a new Dale Shaw Race Cars chassis, with the 2024 champion refocusing his efforts after a trying season. Returning after a longer absence is Morgan Call, who plans to make his first GSPSS start since early 2025. Reigning champ Cole Robie will be back as well to try and nab his second GSPSS win of the year.
Another driver riding high on a wave of momentum is former Legends racer Matt Bourgoine, who finished in the top five in June and notched a sixth-place finish in a major event two weeks ago. Dave Farrington, Jr. won his first-ever GSPSS start in 2016 in Connecticut, yet the regional champion still seeks a series win in his home state. Similarly, Connecticut native Dillon Moltz has never won in his new home state; the 2014 GSPSS titlist returns this weekend for his first race with the series since 2019.
Touring veteran JR Robinson leads a duo of racers from the Maine town of Steuben, with Brenton Parritt also scheduled to do battle this weekend. Bryan Lancaster and Ryan Deane are no strangers to the GSPSS in the series’ Maine appearances. Phil Richardson returns to the GSPSS after making three starts in 2017 with a finish of 21st in all three. Nick Jenkins, too, is looking for a touch of success at a track not too far from home. Tiger Colby’s goals this weekend will be a bit different; the young racer from Dresden plans to make his GSPSS debut Sunday.
And carrying the torch for the Canadian Maritimes is Super Late Model Series standout Ryan Messer, who looks to make his first major American Pro Stock start this weekend at Speedway.
For some, Sunday’s Stan Meserve Classic is a warmup for something greater. For others, Sunday’s race is a goal and a milestone unto itself. It has been just over ten years since a driver from outside Maine has won a GSPSS race in the state of Maine. Will the streak continue into October?
Speedway presented by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust welcomes the Granite State Pro Stock Series presented by Hudson International Speedway for its second visit of 2026 and the ninth race of the GSPSS season. The Stan Meserve Classic headlines the night with 128 green-flag laps of Pro Stock competition, along with the R&R Race Parts Open Street Stocks and Speedway’s own Super Streets, Road Runners, and Crown Vics. Grandstands open at 1:00pm with racing scheduled to start at 3:00pm. General admission is $20, with seniors and veterans only $15 and kids ages 6 to 15 admitted for just $5.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series presented by Hudson International Speedway, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook.