Veterans Top NEMST at Lee USA
On what was the most beautiful day of 2015 so far 23 NEMST minis packed the infield of Lee USA Speedway for the 2nd annual Bull Ring Bash. Practice early in the day revealed that Tim Collins was the fastest car at the speedway for the 3rd event of the NEMST Season. Tim was joined by 2014 champion Toby Wells and Matt Sonnhalter at the top of the leaderboards.
Collins started at the rear of the first heat race and had his work cut out for him to earn heat points by finishing in the top 5. Collins thundered through the field diving low, shooting high, and running 3 wide to make his way to the front. On lap 7 he took the lead from Louis Maher and walked to the Environmental Engines victory. Toby Wells ran hard in the 2nd heat starting mid pack and making his way to the front passing 2011 Champion Rob Greenleaf on his way to the Environmental Engines Heat Race win. Collins drew an invert of 1 row for the feature as the lineup was set.
Cris King and Rob Greenleaf would lead the 23 car field to green in the 50 lap main event. Tim Collins would start 3rd, Wells in 11th, and 2 time Champion way back in 22nd position after mechanical problems in the heat. Greenleaf and Collins broke out to the lead quickly getting single file and pacing away from the rest of the field. Sonnhalter moved to third in the early laps with Wells making his charge towards the front. Wells would put the move on Sonnhalter at lap 12 and began tracking down the leaders as they approached lapped traffic. On lap 21 Wells made a braving move to the lead but a spin by Joe Baxter brought out the caution and the lap was not counted.
The field got the green with 30 laps remaining and wells took over 2nd place before getting around Greenleaf on lap 24. Collins would stalk Greenleaf for the next 10 laps easily showing he was faster but unable to get around the #2 Dodge Neon. On lap 35 Jake Rheaume, while running in 5th holding off a hard charging Emerson Cayer, got clipped by the slow/wounded machine of Cris King causing him to stall on the front stretch. The second and final caution would erase the two car length lead and setup a 15 lap sprint to the finish.
Collins developed a tremendous push as the green flag flew and Sonnhalter would pass for the third spot on the speedway. Cayer would hang onto his extremely loose machine power sliding off the corners for fifth. Wells would extend his lead to 6 car lengths and win his 3rd event of the season. Greenleaf would secure his second trophy in as many races, while Matt Sonnhalter had his best finish in over a year with 3rd.
The NEMST continues its season on Saturday, June 6 making its first trek south of the season heading to the New London-Waterford Speedbowl for another 50 lap feature event. For additional NEMST information please check out www.northeastministocktour.com and visit the stars and cars of the NEMST at Texas Roadhouse in Scarborough, ME on May 26 for the first Twisted Tea night of the 2015 season featuring great prizes and giveaways along with free Twisted Tea samples from 6-8 PM!
Environmental Engines Heat Winners: Tim Collins, Toby Wells
Twisted Tea Pole Starter: Cris King
Thirty Racewear Hard Charger: Emerson Cayer (+17)
Sunoco Race Fuels Winners Circle Challenge: Toby Wells
Texas Roadhouse Hard Luck Award: Jake Rheaume
RH2way Top Rookie: Andrew Gillis (6)
Race Results for 5/17/2015
North East Mini Stock Tour – Feature
Finish
Car No
Driver
Hometown
1
2NH
Toby Wells
Dublin, NH
2
2ME
Rob Greenleaf
West Bath, ME
3
33
Matt Sonnhalter
E. Thetford, VT
4
18X
Tim Collins
Windsor, ME
5
6NH
Emerson Cayer
Contoocook, NH
6
22E
Andrew Gillis
Hasland, MA
7
O7
Pete Zakarite
Niantic, CT
8
55
Nicholas Anderson
Oxford, MA
9
24
Joe Baxter
Pascoag, RI
10
69
Louis Maher
North Brookfield, MA
11
8
Benjamin Brown
Epping, NH
12
41
Loren Smith
Allenstown, NH
13
79
Josh Dunn
enfield, NH
14
10CT
Mitchell Bombard
Willimantic, CT
15
90
Desmond Skillings
Antrim, NH
16
43
Dana Shepard
Putney, VT
17
18NH
Jacob Rheaume
Rochester, NH
18
38
Cristofer King
Derry, NH
19
48
Justin King
Derry, NH
20
51
Kale Billings
Gonic, NH
21
25
Nic Skillings
Hillsboro, NH
22
66
Devin Miranda
Taunton, Ma
23
85
Michael Viens
Seekonk, MA