NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH - By Lou Modestino(for 9/17-9/19/10)It was the fastest commute in New Hampshire today as Governor John Lynch raced to work in New Hampshire Motor Speedway's official Toyota Hybrid Pace Car this afternoon with Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of the speedway.
Governor John Lynch declared the week of September 13-19 "Race Week" for the Granite State. The week kicks off the SYLVANIA 300 festivities and the biggest sporting event in New England.
"We are delighted to be here today, and I wanted to thank Jerry Gappens and Bruton Smith for their ongoing commitment to New Hampshire. The speedway is such an important factor in our economy. Each year the races bring in hundreds and thousands of visitors and hundreds of millions of dollars to New Hampshire and we again thank you for stating your commitment to the state," said Governor John Lynch at the press conference.
Executive vice president and general manager of the speedway Jerry Gappens was on hand to present Governor Lynch with a green flag signifying the start of race week and a personalized racing helmet with his name. "We would like to hand you this green flag not only to start race but to signify money and how much tourism NASCAR brings into New Hampshire. The speedway has fans from 38 states and five countries to spend money and visit our great state," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Come on over and enjoy all of the motorsports entertainment. Joining the cars and stars of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series is NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series TheRaceDayRaffleSeries.com 175, NASCAR's K&N Pro Series East New Hampshire 125, the mighty Whelen Modified Tour F.W. Webb 100 and the American-Canadian Tour Invitational.
Race fans get ready the top-12 Chase contenders are set and NASCAR’s playoffs are headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in just a few days. Ten drivers Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin already clinched berths in the Chase going into the Richmond race. It was the two drivers on the outside looking in who headlined the night. Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer raced their way into the Chase to round out the final top-12. Bowyer remained in the top-10 the entire night while Biffle struggled early on and finished in the 32nd position.
The cars and the stars of NASCAR will make their way for the second New England trip of the 2010 season beginning on Thursday with practice and qualifying for the K&N Pro Series East New Hampshire 125 and the Whelen Modified Tour F.W. Webb 100. Friday brings qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the New Hampshire 125 K&N Pro Series East race. Saturday’s thrilling triple header includes the Whelen Modified Tour F.W. Webb 100, the Camping World Truck Series TheRaceDayRaffleSeries.com 175, and the American-Canadian Tour Invitational. Finally the Sprint Cup Series drivers will take on “The Magic Mile” during the SYLVANIA 300 in the first race in the “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is accepting entries for the track's first TUMS "Chowdah" Challenge. The best homemade clam chowder, a regional specialty throughout New England, will be chosen in a live cook-off on Sunday, September 19. The contest will be judged by some of the biggest names in NASCAR and the track executive chef.
Second-generation racer Poncho Darveau of Chelsea came back after some time away from the sport just a week prior to claiming victory in the 35-lap Late Model feature, topping the stock car racing card at Unity Raceway Saturday night. Other feature event winners included Ricky Burgess, Jr. (Waterville), Andy Turbovsky (Winslow), Mike Mason (Skowhegan), Mike Wilson (Chelsea), Zach Audet (New Sharon), Mika Wilson (Chelsea), Jayson Bosworth (Cornville) and Donny Silva (Hudson).
The Classic, traditionally held at Star Speedway the week after the Labor Day International Classic at Oswego, continued for the 45th time on Saturday, but it was held 15 miles away from that Epping, NH venue at Lee USA. Chris Perley was the 2009 Classic champion and he defended his title taking both 50-lap segments to win the overall championship. Starting twelfth in the first 50, he traveled up through a pack of talent to take the lead on lap 33.
In the second, after a redraw of the top eight finishers from the first 50, Chris was third on the grid, a unique starting spot for the man who has dominated ISMA races for the past few years. By the time one lap was complete, the 11 was out front and the cliché, “never looked back” was never truer here as he sped to the second 50 win. The overall “Classic” championship was determined by points and Perley made the calculation easy. The title also earned him an extra $1500 bonus, added to his double victories worth $3000 each for the Vic Miller team. It was Perley’s fifth win and third consecutive of the Classic event.
Twenty-five winged supers headed to the line for the first segment of the 45th annual Classic 100 after poignant ceremonies to mark the anniversary of 9-11.
Nearing the halfway mark, it was Bobby Santos, III with a couple car lengths over Summers, Belfiore, Wood Perley who was moving steadily forward. There was nothing stopping the Rowley Rocket now, even some heavy traffic. At race end several lap cars separated him from the pack. Behind him, though, some intense battling ensued between Santos, Summers, Cicconi, Magner and Locke until a white flag accident saw Danny Lane and Ben Seitz tangle and go off on the hooks. The redo of the white and checkered didn’t change Perley’s position any but Wood took the runner-up spot from Santos on the last lap. Bobby settled in for third pressured by Cicconi and Summers for the top five.
It was Perley’s second straight Lee USA win, having copped the Ollie Silva Memorial 75 just a month previous. “This whole race was about patience. We still have 50 to go. And, we’re allowed to change one tire when we get into the pits, but one tire isn’t going to carry it if you burn everything else off. I played the waiting game and luckily I caught the leaders. The cautions helped me out a little better. I just got the front somehow. The car worked and it seems really good. It probably slipped a little toward the end but a new right rear will help that. Hopefully we’ll have something for the next 50.”
Wood was happy picking up second with a skating car. “We were slipping and sliding at the end and the traffic helped me. The 61 was fading a little. It was weird. We pushed the first half of the race and the second half I was really loose. I don’t know how we can correct that problem but we’re going to make a couple changes for the second race. I know Chris will be hard to beat. He’s starting third and we’re starting seventh. We’ll just keep plucking away. This was fun for me. I enjoyed it.”
The talented Santos, jumping aboard the 61 for his first race in the potent machine, said of his good run, “It was fun. We have a good car here. I think we just got a little looser than we wanted to be, but I think we have some good ideas to get it better for the second half.” Bob Magner, Jeff Locke, Mark Sammut, Eric Lewis and Mike Lichty finished up the top ten.
The veterans of the very first Classic, which was actually held at Lee Speedway, drew the positions for the top 8 finishers in the second 50 lapper, which saw Jeff Locke on the pole with Mark Sammut outside. The second row consisted of Perley and Cicconi trailed in order by Santos, Magner, Wood and Locke.
Finally underway Locke and Sammut were passed by Perley before one lap clicked off. Santos had moved up quickly to take over third from Sammut with Cicconi hot on their tail. A restart lineup showed Perley, three lap cars, then Magner who had taken over second, trailed by Cicconi, Wood, Locke and Bob Bond.
There were no other yellows to slow the fast-paced action as Perley moved flawlessly around the Lee oval. Magner was second but was being reeled by Cicconi as Wood, Bond and now Sammut battled for top spots. Mike Lichty, fighting for points as the two races carried ISMA points, stayed behind Sammut with Locke and Vern Romanoski. As the white flew for Perley, half a track away from the others, Cicconi snuck up and stole second from Magner who suddenly was fading backwards. On the last lap, Wood snuck up on Cicconi and took the runner-up spot. Cicconi, Sammut and Magner finished up the top five in some wild last laps of racing.
After at a fizzled attempt at victory flag carrying he tried doughnuts in turn 1, Perley pulled the car into victory lane for his second win of the night. “The car is just unbelievable. The first race it was great. I didn’t think it could get any better but it this race it was just awesome. We usually don’t start up front that much. I really didn’t want to bide my time on this one since we started up front. I figured we’d just get it and try not to run my own tires off. The car just stuck with it. What an awesome car. Vic Miller’s cars are so good. They top everything. With R&R motors powering them it’s just an awesome package.
“I have a great crew backing me. And awesome sponsors with Ed Shea, Perley’s Marina, NEMRS, Blink’s Fried Doe, Malco Products of New England and Barrett’s Transportation. I hope the fans enjoyed this. It’s the first time they’ve tried this format. I liked it.” With separate points being calculated to determine the overall Classic top three, ironically, it was the three finishers standing in victory lane. Both Wood and Cicconi collected bonus cash for their paired finishes.
Lou Cicconi smiled and said, “Well, I got second. I was watching the 41 car. He passed me early. I knew he was going to come back to me because he was going too fast. I reeled him in and eventually I got second.” Russ Wood, who was third finisher of the race, collected the second place overall bonus “Not a bad night – a second and a third. We weren’t too bad but Chris was awesome. Those guys are unbelievable. Nobody is going to beat them when they are on. It was fun out there. Looked like there was some good racing. We were sliding at the end but it wasn’t a bad weekend for us. We’ll take it.”
Bob Magner who has recently returned to the Holbrook 41 commented on his fourth. “This place is horrendous. I guess unless you are the master Chris Perley, it’s hard to be smooth here. My car was really good. I could roll into the center of the corner. The car was awesome but I was trying to be careful and not spin tires on the way out. At the end, it was driver error. I forgot to pump the fuel from the back end. I probably put myself in the way to get passed by all those cars at the end. To come away with a fifth and sixth, I’m happy. The car’s in one piece and this is the best we’ve been in a long time.”
Mark Sammut was content with fifth after recent weeks. “It was okay, the car wasn’t great but considering where we started in the first, we ended up eighth. And, unfortunately we started outside pole in that one but the car just wasn’t as fast as the guys at the start. At the end, the car was better but I was already behind them then. To finish and eighth and a fourth is not too bad. Obviously we would have liked to do better. But, we can go home in one piece and work on it for Berlin.” Bob Bond, Mike Lichty, Vern Romanoski, Jeff Locke and Justin Belfiore finished the top ten. Belfiore, amazingly after his hit in the first race, was able to race the second with no nose wing, an old tire and a somewhat banged up machine.
SUMMARY:
Heat 1: Bob Santos, Bob Bond, Russ Wood, Jeff Locke, Bobby Haynes, Eric Lewis, Craig Rayvals, Artie Rousseau, Brandon Bellinger
Heat 2: Dave Duggan, Joey Scanlon, Lou Cicconi, Bob Magner, Danny Lane, Mark Sammut, Vern Romanoski, Billy Gove, Bob Fitzpatrick
Heat 3: Rob Summers, Justin Belfiore, Chris Perley, Mike Lichty, Ben Seitz, Jon Gambuti, Rich Reid, Eric Emhoff
Feature 1: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Russ Wood (29), 3. Bob Santos (61), 4. Lou Cicconi (10), 5. Rob Summers (35), 6. Bob Magner (41), 7. Jeff Locke (37), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Eric Lewis (28), 10. Mike Lichty (84), 11. Vern Romanoski (5), 12. Craig Rayvals (94), 13. Dave Duggan (51), 14. Bobby Haynes (44), 15. Jon Gambuti (14), 16. Brandon Bellinger (02), 17. Ben Seitz (17), 18. Danny Lane (97), 19. Bob Bond (25), 20. Justin Belfiore (98), 21. Artie Rousseau (616), 22. Joey Scanlon (88), 23. Bob Fitzpatrick (109), 24. Eric Emhoff (2), 25. Rich Reid (92) (01 dns)
Feature 2: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Lou Cicconi (10), 3. Russ Wood (29), 4. Mark Sammut (78), 5. Bobby Magner (41), 6. Bobby Bond (25), 7. Mike Lichty (84), 8. Vern Romanoski (5), 9. Jeff Locke (37), 10. Justin Belfiore (98), 11. Jon Gambuti (14), 12. Danny Lane (97), 13. Eric Lewis (28), 14. Dave Duggan (51), 15. Rich Reid (92), 16. Brandon Bellinger (02), 17. Rob Summers (35), 18. Bobby Haynes (44), 19. Bobby Santos (61), 20. Eric Emhoff (2), 21. Craig Rayvals (04), 22. Bobby Fitzpatrick (109).
The final eight (8) teams have been notified that they will be invited to attend this coming weekend’s second annual ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. The American Canadian Tour (ACT) completed the final qualifying event at the Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY Sunday, September 12, 2010 and several teams who were on the ‘short list’ locked in several of the final spots.
The final invitees include a newly crowned Champion at the Oxford Plains Speedway (OPS), Tim Brackett, and another OPS seven (7) time track champion, Travis Adams. Quinny Welch locked in his invite by winning last Saturday night’s weekly event at the White Mountain Motorsport Park in North Woodstock, NH. Welch took over a more comfortable lead from both Stacy Cahoon and his son Tyler. The three have battled all summer for the WMMP title, and all have attended the test and tune sessions at NHMS. Welch gets the nod for 2010 after losing the title in 2009 by a single digit number on the eve of the inaugural invitational. TJ Watson and Jamie Fisher received ‘at large’ invites for their year-long participation on the US Tour and Thunder Road weekly racing respectively. Rounding out the final invited teams is Scott Payea who has been a title contender for many years on the ACT US Tour and David Michaud from Quebec who literally raced his way into the Invitational with an at-large bid following the Fall Foliage 300 at Airborne Speedway.
One of the most popular and most successful drivers in the 20-year history of NHMS will complete the field of 43 invited teams. Running a part-time schedule Brad Leighton used the 300-lap Airborne event to lock up one of the final invitations.
“This has been a very difficult process,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour. “We had a group of 15 drivers on the ‘short list’ going into the final event before this weekend’s Invitational. I think we have assembled a very good field of 43 teams to represent us at NHMS this coming Saturday, and I know there are some teams that could have joined them. That makes this a very tough day. The bottom line is that the fans this Saturday will get to see some of the best short track racers in the region put on a great race, and I think this group will do just that,” concluded Curley.
St-Denis, Quebec’s Patrick Laperle earned his second consecutive ACT Late Model Tour win and second consecutive Mohawk Casino Fall Foliage 300 at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY. Laperle led early in the event after starting on the outside pole but faded during the mid-portion of the event and went down a lap after spinning on lap 161. After pitting for tires Laperle raced his way back onto the lead lap on lap 211.
Current point leader Brian Hoar and Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, Jr., spent much of the race running side by side, swapping the lead, much like last weekend’s Bond Auto Labor Day Classic. Eric Williams joined the mix late in the event. Laperle made a three wide pass for the lead under Hoar and Williams after the final restart on lap 285.
Hoar’s second place finish was enough to clinch his seventh ACT Late Model Tour Championship. Pole took third, Brad Leighton fourth and Williams rounded out the top five. Rand Potter, Scott Payea, Brent Dragon, Craig Bushey and Joey Becker completed the top ten. The event saw seven different leaders swap the lead an official 16 times. Leighton, Pole, Donald Theetge, Payea, Hoar, Williams and Laperle all spent time at the front. The race was completed in 2 hours and 15 minutes with 10 cautions. Nine of the 35 starters completed all 300 laps.
The American Canadian Tour will be back in action next Saturday, September 18 for the second annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Thirty-five of the 43 invitations have been handed out with the eight remaining drivers. The 60 lap Invitational will join the Whelen Modified Series and the Camping World Truck Series for a tripleheader event on Saturday.
The 149-year-old Mt. Washington Auto Road in Gorham, NH has seen the likes of horses and carriages, camels, people, bicycles and most famously, competition race cars. Traveling at an average speed of nearly 72 mph in a Vermont SportsCar-prepared, BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car, four-time Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana made sure the project name, Red Bull Speed Chasers, lived up to its name. He reached the summit faster than anyone else in history by clocking an officially timed run of 6 minutes 20.47 seconds, besting the previous record by more than twenty seconds. Amazingly, Pastrana achieved the impressive time on his first ever high-speed run to the summit. Pastrana has effectively thrown down the gauntlet in advance of the legendary Mt. Washington "Climb to the Clouds" Automobile Hillclimb, which will take place in June 22-26, 2011 after a ten year hiatus.
Here's what else is going on in the North Country. It's Street Night drags at New England Dragway in Epping, NH on Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m. On Friday and Saturday Old Orchard Beach in ME offers a car show at 9 a.m. each day. From Friday thru Sunday the Champlain Valley Expo in Burlington, VT hosts the Street Rod National while Green Mountain Park in Pownal, VT offers a car/truck show with Weed's Hill in Stowe, VT plans a British Classic Car Show, all at 10 a.m. New England Dragway comes back with the IHRA Pro Am all day Saturday and Sunday starting at 8 a.m.
On Friday night Beech Ridge in Scarborough, ME has a Demo Derby while stockcar racing is on at 7 p.m. While the Canaan (NH) Fairgrounds, dirt track, Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH and White Mountain Motorsports Park in N. Woodstock, NH. At the the same time there's snowmobile drags at the Pathfinders Club in Saco, ME. Saturday has more stockcar action at Big Daddy's in Wentworth, NH, Devil's Bowl in W. Haven, VT, Spud in Limestone, ME and Unity, ME, all at 6 p.m. The Action Fairgrounds will hold an automotive flea market all day. Sunday will find Mud Bog action in Lebanon, ME and dragracing at the Winterport Dragway in ME starting at 9 a.m.
