photo by Rich Hayes
Lee, NH – The annual Advanced Gas Distributors Oktoberfest event attracted race teams from all over New England for the traditional season-ending event at New Hampshire’s Center of Speed over the weekend, featuring ten divisions of racing action on the fast 3/8ths mile oval.
Saturday’s calendar featured qualifying for all ten divisions, with the Pure Stock main one of two run as part of the day one program. Claremont’s Zach Lyn came home as the big winner in that one, outrunning a full 24-car field to post the win.
Former Lee USA Pure Stock champion Jesse Tellier came on strong late in the race to checker second aboard the Rob Carleton entry, with perennial Oktoberfest contender Matt Gauffin overcoming some mid-race issues to round out the podium in third with his beautifully prepared Saab. Chris Fultz and Kyle Currier rounded out the top five finishers.
The Pro-4 Modifieds rounded out the Saturday action with a hotly contested feature that saw Dave Berghman roll into victory lane, beating out Doug Meservey, Jr. and Robin Berghman to take top honors. Dana Willis scored the Pro-4 Lite honors.
Morning rains pushed the schedule out on Sunday, delaying the first green flag by an hour due to track drying activities, but the Ironman division hit the track at 1:00 p.m., and Oktoberfest was on. 2017 track champ Christin DeStefano closed out the season in style, capturing her fourth win of the year over rookie sensation Jeff Battle, veteran Randy Washburn, Adam Knowles, and Brandon Mailhot.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series was next up, and their 75-lapper didn’t disappoint, with Russ Hersey charging from deep in the pack to pass Anthony Nocella in the late going and post the win. Nocella and former Lee winner Tony Ricci rounded out the podium.
The Late Model Sportsman/Super Streets hit the track next, with Erick Sands capturing his first checkered flag of 2017 behind the wheel of the Kevin Fanning machine. Longtime Lee racer Geoff Rollins rode a roller coaster ride to a runner-up finish, with 2016 champ Jimmy Russell, 2017 titleist Frankie Eldredge, and Ricky Bly the rest of the top five.
Robbie Bryant topped the Northeast Classic Lites main event, with Justin Harris, Stew McCormack, Eric Skofield, and Derrick Marsan the rest of the top five. Duane Skofield took home the season championship, making it back-to-back titles for the Plaistow driver.
The Supermodified main went to multi-time champ Tommy Tombarello, who had been winless to date in the 2017 campaign. Early-race leaders John Burke and Dave Helliwell found trouble along the way, leaving Tombarello virtually alone at the checkers.
Third generation Supermodified racer Bobby Timmons of Windham, ME claimed runner-up honors for his best finis of the year, with Sparky MacIver, Mike Murphy, and Mike Spurling the rest of the top five.
Timmons repeated his second place run in the Super main with another in the Pro Stock/Super Late Model feature, where Tamworth ace Jeremy Davis took down the win. Former Oktoberfest champ Joe Squeglia finished third ahead of Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. and Grant Aither.
Renfrew’s teammate, Alby Ovitt took advantage of some post-race tech issues to collect the Hobby/Strictly Stock win, the second time Ovitt has put the car in Lee’s victory lane in two starts this season. Austin “Porkchop” Erickson, “Rocket Rob” MacRae, Crystal Serydynski, and Dane Santelli rounded out the top five.
Another former Lee USA champ, Niko Maniatis scored the Roadrunner win over third generation racer Billy McCarthy, David Elliott, Shaun Waites and Dan Sweeney.
The next event at Lee USA is the annual Flea Market on November 11, with the “Banquet of Champions” to follow. For more information on this or any upcoming event, call the race hotline at 978-462-4252, log on to www.leeusaspeedway.com, or find us on Facebook.