By Gary Dutton
 
CLAREMONT, N.H. – Modified star Mike Willis won his first open-wheel feature of the summer Friday, August 14, at Claremont Motorsports Park.
 
Aaron Fellows stayed perfect on the year, scoring his track-high seventh 2020 victory, while Jeremy Blood won his fourth, and both Desmond Skillings and Zach Richardson took his second victory lap this season on Friday. It was Fellows’ 24th consecutive CMP win over the past two years.
 
Sunapee speedster Mike Smith led the first four rapid-fire trips around the speedplant in the Maurice Trailer Country Modified main event, then giving way to Grantham’s Willis, who rocketed low around the west end of the third-mile to take the lead.
 
With no cautions, Willis was untested the rest of the way. Smith, though, had a good one of his own going, keeping two-time winner and defending track king Brian Robie in his shadow to come home strong in second. Robie’s bronze medal finish kept him atop the points parade.
 
Low into turn one and gone? Yup, it happened on lap nine this week. Aaron Fellows rocketed under early race leader Ben Poland on the west end of the oval and took off to stay unbeaten this summer in Late Model Sportsman racing.
 
Poland was strong in second, with Joe Brown, second a week earlier, solid in third.
 
The Lavalley Building Supply Pure Stocks have been putting on some great shows of late, and Friday’s 25-lapper fit right in. Jim Carley, from outside of row one, set the fast pace the first two go-rounds, with Zach Richardson then taking over at the point. Carley, though, wasn’t through.
Carley stayed strong in second, as Joey Jarvis, Dylan Adams, and company battled fast and furious behind him. When the race’s first caution waved on lap 19, it was Adams taking full advantage of the restart.
 
With a first and a second to his credit the last two times out, the sophomore speedster rocketed under Richardson to take control, but things weren’t over yet. Richardson, making full use of the low groove himself, led by a wheel with two to go, then holding Adams in his shadow to win his second feature of the season.
 
Robert Shaw stayed strong on the summer, nudging Kodi Sabins uptrack on the final corner to steal third. Carley, who along with Jarvis were the big losers in the late-race restart, completed the top five.
 
Desmond Skillings led all the way in the In City Sugar Shack Mini Stock main, holding brother Nick at bay to earn his second victory lap of the summer. Hometown hot shoe Hayden Grenier was strong in third, edging Green Mountain State powerhouse Matt Sonnhalter for the third-place hardware.
 
Starting Jeremy Blood on the front row usually spells trouble for the rest of the Six Shooter field, and Friday’s feature was no exception. With the handicap system putting Blood up front for the second week in a row, the defending track champ took full advantage of his good fortune, leading all the way for his fourth 2020 victory.
 
With no cautions, this one went quickly. Top points man Dustin Thibodeau was second on the night, and three-time winner Paul Colburn came home third.
 
Richie Johnson, of Middleboro, MA., swept both the Spectator one-on-one drag competition and the 15-lap Spectator race. Speedway Street Stock regular Kyle Buck, while no match for Johnson’s potent Camaro, stung the rest of the field for second, aboard a Honda Fit, no less.
 
Next Friday, August 21, it’s Fan Appreciation Night II at Claremont Motorsports Park where, for the second time this season, just a five-dollar bill will get you in for a full night of exciting oval track racing. For more information, please visit www.claremontmotorsportspark.com.
 
CLAREMONT MOTORSPORTS PARK AUGUST 14 TOP FIVES:
MODIFIED: Mike Willis, Mike Smith, Brian Robie, Stu McCormack, Walt Hammond.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN: Aaron Fellows, Ben Poland, Joe Brown, Ben Menard, Matt Winter.
MINI STOCK: Desmond Skillings, Nick Skillings, Hayden Grenier, Matt Sonnhalter, Matt Boucher.
PURE STOCK: Zach Richardson, Dylan Adams, Robert Shaw, Kodi Sabins, Jim Carley.
SIX SHOOTER: Jeremy Blood, Dustin Thibodeau, Paul Colburn, Todd Maguira, Ray Luce.

 August 2, 2020
By Gary Dutton

CLAREMONT, N.H.- Brian Robie rocketed to victory twice in Modified action Friday at Claremont Motorsports Park, winning both Maurice Trailer Country Modified 35-lap features at the Thrasher Road speedplant.

Aaron Fellows stayed undefeated in two seasons, topping Friday’s Late Model Sportsman feature for his fifth CMP victory of the summer, while Street Stock ace Dave Greenslit also earned his fifth 2020 victory lap, and Pure Stock super soph Dylan Adams was dominant in scoring his first win.

Charlestown’s Paul Colburn won his third Six Shooter victory of the season, duplicating his victory of a week earlier Friday, and Jimmy Zullo drove away from a huge field to top the 75-lap Enduro.

With Mike Willis and Robie – by virtue of having set fast times – leading the Mod Squad to the green in the first 35-lapper, Willis grabbed the opening lead, with Robie glued to his bumper. They’d ride that way until Robie found his way to the front on lap 21, then survived two late-race restarts to lead Willis and early-season winner Kyle Welch under the checkers.

Alyssa Rivera led the first six go-rounds in the second 35-lapper but, with a Rivera looper then bringing out the first caution of the race, it was Welch blasting into the lead. Firing low down the backchute on lap 16, Robie – the reigning track Modified champion - again took control, with Willis following him up a lap later and then settling for his second runner-up finish of the night.

The story is familiar. Someone else leads late into the Late Model Sportsman feature, Aaron Fellows reels them in and takes the lead, often from the low groove, and then speeds away to stay undefeated.

Ryan Bell was that leader Friday. Bell enjoyed a big lead at the halfway mark of the LMS 25-lapper, felt Fellows knocking on lap 17, and then watched him sail low into turn one of the 20th lap and speed away. With Bell strong in second, Ben Poland came home third on the night. It was the undefeated Fellows’, fifth win of the year and 22nd consecutive overall victory at Claremont.

Friday’s R.E. Hinkley Oil Street Stock feature was one of four caution-free events and, as such, gained positions were hard earned. It took Dave Greenslit four laps to claim second, almost another four to take the lead from Kenny Thompson, and then the final 17 to score his fifth win of the summer by a large margin.

Thompson held strong to earn the runner-up hardware, with Joe Tetreault holding off Cody Schoolcraft for third. Chris Riendeau, victorious a week earlier, was noticeably absent.
Second-generation, second season hot shoe Dylan Adams entered Friday’s 25-lap Pure Stock feature second in points. On this night, he was far from second, dominating both his heat and feature races to score his first win.

Steady Robert Shaw was second in the Pures, with Dave Aiken third and early-race leader Joey Jarvis fourth. Six-time winner Kodi Sabins, on a rare quiet night, still pitched a top five to stay atop the points parade.

Three Six Shooter drivers entered Friday’s racing with two feature wins already under their belts this summer. Paul Colburn made easy work of breaking that tie.
Colburn used the high lane to take the lead from Keith Martin on lap five and then sped away, leaving the field far behind him as he sailed to his third win this season, then taking a Polish victory lap before joining runner-up Todd Maguira and three-man Dustin Thibodeau for trophy time.

In the nightcap Battle of The Junkyard Dog Enduro 75-lapper, hometown blaster Jimmy Zullo romped to victory, duplicating his numerous successes of a year ago. Mr. Enduro Leon Keniston was second, and Drake Nelson came home third in the swarming 55-car field.

COMING EVENTS: CMP Promoter Mike Parks has rolled out an enticing list of big events set for August at the Thrasher Road speedplant.
On August 21, it’s the second Fan Appreciation Night of the summer, with adult admission again set at only $5. Then, on August 28, Maurice Enterprises will present a 100-lap, $10,000-to-win Open Modified show, with a who’s who of open-wheel royalty expected in to battle for the huge purse.

JULY 31 TOP FINISHERS:
MODIFIED 1: Brian Robie, Mike Willis, Kyle Welch, Matt Kimball, Ben Byrne, Cory Plummer, Walt Hammond, Stu McCormick, Kimmy Rivet, Alyssa Rivera.
MODIFIED 2: Brian Robie, Mike Willis, Kyle Welch, Matt Kimball, Walt Hammond, Stu McCormick, Alyssa Rivera, Cory Plummer, Kimmy Rivet, Ben Byrne.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN: Aaron Fellows, Ryan Bell, Ben Poland, Joe Brown, Cam Curtis, Bucky Demers, Tyler Lescord, Ben Menard, Kenny Fowler.
STREET STOCK: Dave Greenslit, Kenny Thompson, Joe Tetreault, Cody Schoolcraft, Kyle Buck, Trevor Rocke, Raven Streeter, Chris Emerson, Briana Akusis.
PURE STOCK: Dylan Adams, Robert Shaw, Dave Aiken, Joey Jarvis, Kodi Sabins, Nolan McClay, Bruce Adams, Sean Lantas, Doug Nelson, Jim Carley.
SIX SHOOTER: Paul Colburn, Todd Maguira, Dustin Thibodeau, Keith Martin, Dakota Lanou, Jeremy Blood, Chooch Snide, Stephanie Welcome.
ENDURO 75: Jimmy Zullo, Leon Keniston, Drake Nelson, Dylan Cabral, David Flanders.

 July 25, 2020
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.
           
With multiple Pro Stock events sprinkled throughout northern New England over the weekend, the Granite State Pro Stock Series 100-lapper may have been lean on cars Friday at Claremont but, if so, it more than made up for that with intensity, as all 100 laps went off in caution-free, breakneck fashion around the third-mile speedplant.
           
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. and Jake Matheson led the GSPSSers to the opening green, with Joey Pole jumping all over the front spot, bringing Belsito with him, as Ray Christian III – firing from row three – grabbed third, in pursuit of his fourth consecutive victory at the Thrasher Road oval.
           
Belsito rocketed into the lead on lap 13, never looking back, as Christian seemed to be biding his time in second, with Luke Hinkley and Pole close behind. On this night, though, Christian didn’t have the late-race magic he’d displayed earlier this summer.
           
Finally taking the deuce on lap 83, Hinkley finished his impressive run in second, with Pole dropping Christian to fourth on lap 95. Friday’s victory was Belsito’s second series win in a row.
           
Kenny Thompson set a fast early pace in the Street Stock 25-lapper; with Cody Schoolcraft close behind until Chris Reindeau cruised into second on lap nine. And soon after, Riendeau and Dave Greenslit brought the fans to the edges of their seats, rubbing and trading the lead the rest of the way.
           
With Riendeau victorious for the first time this year, Greenslit finished in his shadow to stay easily atop the points parade, with Schoolcraft’s strong run netting him third.
           
For the second week in a row, Windsor powerhouse Kodi Sabins saved his best for last. Sean Lantas led the first nine go-rounds of the Pure Stock feature, then surrendering the top spot to Robert Shaw. Sabins, coming from row six, was charging fast.
           
Sabins soared into second on lap 19, hit the stripe dead even with Shaw as the white flag waved, and then won in a near photo-finish, earning his sixth win of the summer by inches. Shaw was the night’s silver medallist, and Lantas came home third
           
The LMS 30-lapper? Who else, Aaron Fellows stayed undefeated on the year, earning his 21st consecutive victory lap at the storied third-mile. Ben Poland was second, with hometown hot shoe Joe Brown an impressive third in his first run of the year.
           
Paul Colburn took the lead from Keith Martin on lap two of the Six Shooter feature and then drove away, easily earning his second win of the summer. Todd Maguira got up for second, with Ryan Carman strong in third.
           
Matt Boucher became the speedway’s fourth different Mini Stock feature winner this season, leaving the field in his dust. Hometown speedster Hayden Grenier was second, hitting the finish line just ahead of Cale Skillings.
           
Claremont Motorsports Park will close out the month of July next Friday, July 31, with its eighth event of the 2020 racing season, a full card that will include two 35-lap Modified features, round three of the Enduro series, and much more.
 
CLAREMONT MOTORSPORTS PARK JULY 24 TOP FINISHERS:
STREET STOCK: Chris Riendeau, Dave Greenslit, Cody Schoolcraft, Kyle Buck, Joe Tetreault.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN: Aaron Fellows, Ben Poland, Joe Brown, Bucky Demers, Ryan Bell.
PURE STOCK: Kodi Sabins, Robert Shaw, Sean Lantas, Bruce Adams, Dylan Adams.
MINI STOCK: Matt Boucher, Hayden Grenier, Cale Skillings, Cam Curtis, Ray King.
SIX SHOOTER: Paul Colburn, Todd Maguira, Ryan Carman, Keith Martin, Dustin Thibodeau.
GSPSS 100-LAP: Angelo Belsito, Luke Hinkley, Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Ray Christian III, Jake Matheson.
PRO-4 MODIFIED: Brett Meservey, Randy Cabral, Ryan McPartland

 July 19, 2020
By Gary Dutton

CLAREMONT, N.H. – Aaron Fellows added another exclamation point to the history book he’s rewriting this season at Claremont Motorsports Park, winning the 52-lap Dean Smith Memorial Race as he did a year ago and, in so doing, earning his 20thconsecutive victory lap at the storied third-mile oval.

Both Street Stock ace Dave Greenslit and Enduro whiz Matt Gauffin made easy work of their Friday wins too, while Kodi Sabins scored a thriller, and Paul Colburn lost a heartbreaker, as a huge crowd watched on Fan Appreciation Night, the speedway’s sixth event of the 2020 season.

By virtue of their heat race wins setting the heads-up starting grid for the Bates Construction presents Dean Smith Memorial Late Model Sportsman main event, Ben Poland and Fellows led the 18-car field to the green. Fellows rocketed low into turn two on the opening lap and never looked back, lapping all but the top seven cars en route to victory.
Poland sat on the deuce for 20 laps, with Robert Hagar, Ricky Bly, and Bucky Demers staging a battle royale behind him, a classic shootout won by Hagar, who then dropped Poland to third on lap 21 but had nothing for Fellows on this night. Poland held strong in third, Hayden Scott moved up for fourth, and Demers, the Cornish Comet, came home fifth. Unfortunately for Polland his car failed post-race tech and was disqualified from the event.

Kyle Buck led lap one of the R.E. Hinkley Street Stock feature, but Dave Greenslit then took charge on a lap-two restart and dominated the rest of the way to top the 360 Design Labs 36-lapper for his fourth win of the summer.

Powerhouse Chris Riendeau worked his way forward to take second from Buck on lap 20, bringing Cody Schoolcraft with him but, as on many other nights this season, Greenslit had already social-distanced himself far, far ahead of the pack. With Riendeau scoring the hard-earned runner-up finish, Schoolcraft, Bay Stater Chris Buffone, and previous winner Randy Town completed the top five.

Lavalley Building Supply Pure Stock ace Kodi Sabins looked almost mortal Friday night. Well, almost. Saving his best for last, the Windsor powerhouse scooted through lappers with two to go, then edging both Bruce and Dylan Adams to earn his track-high fifth win of the summer.

With the Adams Family battle going on at the front, Sabins worked his way up to third on lap 17, then riding there until the lead trio exited turn two on lap 28, a cloud of slow rollers just ahead of them.

Sabins guessed low, Adams and Adams went high, and when they’d cleared the traffic jam, it was Sabins in victory lane. Bruce Adams, the father, took second, just inches ahead of son Dylan.

And in the Six Shooter 30-lapper, the Look-What-I-Found victory went to Dustin Thibodeau, gift-packaged when dominant leader Paul Colburn – seemingly on the way to his second win in a row – got picked off by a lapped car with four circuits to go.

Burping and sputtering, Colburn was still able to hold on for second, with Nathan Leclair earning his career-best finish in third, not far back. And as for the rookie Thibodeau, the second win of his six-week career was hardly a fluke, as he easily had the rest of the field covered when misfortune found Colburn.

In the nightcap 50-lap Enduro, Matt Gauffin won for the second time this year, crushing the competition as he lapped the rest of the 36-car field en route to victory. Top contenders Jimmy Zullo and Leon Keniston weren’t in Friday night’s field but, on this night, it probably didn’t matter, as Gauffin was on fire from green to checkers.

Next Friday, July 24, the ground-pounding Granite State Pro Stock Series will take center stage at Claremont Motorsports Park, when the high-powered touring series makes its third stop of the summer at the Thrasher Road speedplant.

CLAREMONT MOTORSPORTS PARK JULY 17 TOP FINISHERS:
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN: Aaron Fellows, Robert Hagar, Hayden Scott, Bucky Demers, Allen Fellows, Ricky Bly, Justin Littlewood, Cole Littlewood, Ryan Bell, Cam Curtis .
STREET STOCK: Dave Greenslit, Chris Riendeau, Cody Schoolcraft, Chris Buffone, Randy Town, Kyle Buck, Robbie Streeter, Joe Tetreault, Briana Akusis, Chris Emerson.
PURE STOCK: Kodi Sabins, Bruce Adams, Dylan Adams, Joey Jarvis, Robert Shaw, Randy Phillips, Sean Lantas, Amy Jaycox, Jim Carley, Doug Nelson.
SIX SHOOTER: Dustin Thibodeau, Paul Colburn, Nate Leclair, Ben Bushey, Todd Maguira, Ryan Carman, Ricky Melcher, Chooch Snide, Ronnie Carman, Dakota Lanou.
50-LAP ENDURO: Matt Gauffin, Drake Nelson, Dylan Cabral, Samuel Lee, Eric Griffin.

 July 5, 2020
By Gary Dutton
 
CLAREMONT, N.H. – Pro Stock ace Ryan Christian III stormed to his second 100-lap victory of the summer Friday, July 3, at Claremont Motorsports Park, topping the Independence 100 presented by Newport Chevrolet main event before a huge crowd.

With the bleachers buzzing with excitement as the night’s huge fireworks display approached, the Uncasville, Conn. star took charge on lap 90 and then held Hudson’s Joey Polewarczyk at bay to win his third-career series main event, all three happening at the Thrasher Road speedplant.

Mainiac Joey Doiron was third under the flags. Hometown star Luke Hinkley led for 77 laps until being nudged up-track by Angelo Belsito in turn four. Belsito’s  resulting lead was brief, though, as he and Hinkley came together again at the other end of the track, moving Joey Pole to the point, where he’d ride until Christian stormed past him five circuits later.

In the Late Model Sportsmen, the beat marched on. Aaron Fellows, firing from row two, rocketed through the bottom of turn two on the opening lap, had the lead when he hit the east end of the speedway, and then never looked back en route to his staggering 19th feature win in a row.

Ben Poland was, as he’s been many times over the last two summers, on this night was the best of the rest, with Ryan Bell solid in third. Former track champ Ricky Bly lost a motor in warm-ups but is expected back next week, when there’s big money up for grabs in the Dean Smith Memorial Race.

Nobody, it appeared, was going to keep hometown hot shoe Dave Greenslit from his fourth victory lap of the season. The defending R.E. Hinkley Oil Co. Street Stock champion had opened up an enormous lead when a dozen laps had been completed, but then abruptly slowed, coasting into the infield as Randy Town took over.

Once in front, the veteran Town never faltered, holding off a hard-charging Kyle Buck to score his first feature win in many moons. With Buck strong for a career-best second, Alstead’s Kenny Thompson came home third.

It was business as usual for Green Mountain ace Kodi Sabins. Starting up front, and with no cautions to slow him, Sabins romped to his fourth LaValley Building Supply Pure Stock win of the summer.

Unity’s super sophomore Bruce Adams took second from his son Dylan on lap four and then held him at bay to earn the runner-up hardware 21 laps later. Freshman star Zach Richardson was fourth, and Robert Shaw competed the top five.

Paul Colburn set the pace for all 20 laps of the Six Shooter main, with potent rookie Dustin Thibodeau strong in second a week after his first career victory. Todd Maguira was solid all night to claim the three spot, while three-time winner Jeremy Blood recovered for fourth after being dumped to the rear on lap one.

Nic Skillings led all the way to score his first speedway win ever in the Mini Stocks. But staying at the point was never easy.

Skillings had Hayden Grenier draped all over him for most of the 25-lapper, with Matt Boucher grabbing the deuce on lap 22 and then riding in Skilling’s shadow until the checkers waved. Grenier came home third, glued to Boucher’s bumper.

Claremont Motorsports Park will return to action next Friday, July 10, with a big field of Late Model Sportsmen anticipated in to battle for the $1,000 winner’s purse up for grabs in the 52-lap annual Dean Smith Memorial Race.
 
JULY 3 TOP FINISHERS:
THE FANS, who flocked to the speedway to see the huge Independence Day fireworks display
MINI STOCK: Nic Skillings, Matt Boucher, Hayden Grenier, Ray King, Cale Skilllings, Tom Engelhart, Braden Morrie, Erin Aiken, Aaron Thompson, Desmond Skillings.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN: Aaron Fellows, Ben Poland, Ryan Bell, Cam Curtis, Bucky Demers, Mark Blair.
STREET STOCK: Randy Town, Kyle Buck, Kenny Thompson, Chris Emerson, Erin Aiken, Cody Schoolcraft, Dave Greenslit.
PURE STOCK: Kodi Sabins, Bruce Adams, Dylan Adams, Zach Richardson, Robert Shaw, Randy Phillips, Joey Jarvis, Doug Nelson, Amy Jaycox, Chris Carver.
SIX SHOOTER: Paul Colburn, Dustin Thibodeau, Todd Maguira, Jeremy Blood, Ryan Carmen, Ray Luce, Todd Smith, Keith Martin.

 June 28, 2020
By Gary Dutton

CLAREMONT, N.H.- Kyle Welch stormed past some stout competition Friday to win the Maurice Trailer Country Modified main event at Claremont Motorsports Park. It was the open-wheel series’ first event of the summer at the Thrasher Road speedplant.
           
Street Stock ace Dave Greenslit and Pure Stock king Kodi Sabins each earned another victory lap at the June 26 event, while Dustin Thibodeau scored his first career victory in the night’s 20-lap Six Shooter feature.
           
Week four in the pandemic-shortened season was, as the first three, a good one, as promoter Mike Parks guided the five-division, 70-plus-car event into the books in two and one-half hours.
        
Defending speedway Sportsman Modified champ Brian Robie and potent Grantham wheelsman Mike Willis won the open-wheel heats, with the dynamic duo then leading the ground-pounders to battle in the night’s 35-lap main event.

Willis blasted to the lead at the drop of the green, with Welch hooking onto his bumper to claim second. Three laps later, it was Robie holding the deuce and immediately going to work in the low groove below Willis.

The first of three caution flags waved on lap ten, when Robie looped in turn four while bidding for the lead. The restart brought Welch to Willis’s side where, three laps later, he rocketed into the lead from the outside line, then holding Willis in his shadow to score the victory 22 laps later.

Robie marched back through the field to begin his title defense with a strong third-place showing. Bay Stater Ben Byrne, solid all night, finished fourth, and Walt Hammond came home fifth.

Dave Greenslit made easy work of winning his third R.E. Hinkley Oil Company Street Stock feature of the summer. The hometown hot shoe outran first Briana Akusis and then Joe Tetreault most the way, as Ascutney powerhouse Chris Riendeau put on a show of his town not far behind.

Wheeling the Robbie Streeter ride, Riendeau claimed third on lap 15, then rode the low line to take second from the speedy Tetreault with three circuits to go. Randy Town got up for fourth, with Akusis completing her strong night’s work in fifth.
          
Bruce Adams led the first 16 laps of the LaValley Building Supply Pure Stock feature, with Kodi Sabins then taking over on a restart and quickly leaving the field far behind as he blasted to his third win of the young season.
           
Dylan Adams, on a rail all night, earned the runner-up hardware behind Sabins, with Green Mountain racer Robert Shaw third, Bruce Adams fourth, and rookie whiz Zach Richardson fifth on the night.
           
Rookie Dustin Thibodeau led all the way to earn his first career win far ahead of defending Six Shooter champion Jeremy Blood. Ryan Carmen claimed the three-spot, Todd Maguira was fourth, and Ricky Melcher came home fifth.
           
Bay State pilot Luke LeBrun outran a strong 20-car field in the night’s 25-lap NELCAR Legends feature. Jake Johnson was second, with Shaun Buffington third under the flags. The victory was LeBrun’s second of the series’ 2020 season.
Next Friday, July 3, Claremont Motorsports Park will host one of the area’s only aerial fireworks displays, with big time action on the track too, as the Granite State Pro Stock Series comes back to town to battle for 100 exciting green-flag laps. Time trials for this special holiday weekend event will begin at 7:15 p.m.
 
JUNE 26 TOP TENS:
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED: Kyle Welch, Mike Willis, Brian Robie, Ben Byrne, Walt Hammond, Russ Hersey, Kimmy Rivet, Stu McCormick, Cameron Houle, Cory Plummer.
STREET STOCK: Dave Greenslit, Chris Riendeau, Joe Tetreault, Randy Town, Briana Akusis, Kyle Buck, Cody Schoolcraft, Chris Emerson, Kenny Thompson, Raven Streeter.
PURE STOCK: Kodi Sabins, Dylan Adams, Robert Shaw, Bruce Adams, Zach Richardson, Alexis Aiken, Clark Brooks, Sean Lantas, Doug Nelson, Jim Carley.
SIX SHOOTER: Dustin Thibodeau, Jeremy Blood, Ryan Carmen, Todd Maguira, Ricky Melcher, Ray Luce, Chooch Snide, Keith Martin, Dakota Lanou, Stephanie Welcome.

 June 23, 2020
By Gary Dutton

CLAREMONT, N.H. – Aaron Fellows won for the eighteenth time in a row, Dave Greenslit and Kodi Sabins each earned his second victory lap of the season, and for the first time this summer, fans flocked to Claremont Motorsports Park Friday, June 19, night.
           
Six Shooter kingpin Jeremy Blood also won for the second time in three outings Friday, and Desmond Skillings and Randy Burr were both victorious too, as the Thrasher Road speedplant – social distancing practices in place – opened its grandstands for the first time in 2020.
           
It wasn’t a Sonny-Fleury-back-in-the-day crowd but it was, none-the-less, a great turnout, as everyone came out to welcome racing back to the Twin State Valley. And nobody went away from Friday’s show disappointed, especially not Late Model Sportsman star Aaron Fellows.
           
Coming off his undefeated, 17-0, 2019 championship summer, the speedway’s all-time winningest driver picked up right where he’d left off last September. With the LMS warriors competing for the first time this season, Fellows dominated both his heat and feature races, easily social distancing himself from the rest of the field to win going away.
           
Behind Fellows, though, the competition was stout. Hayden Scott was strong all night, earning the runner-up hardware, with Charlestown’s Ben Poland coming home third, a whisker ahead of Cornish Comet Bucky Demers.
           
And, if Fellows made it look easy in the LMS main, ditto for R.E. Hinkley Street Stock powerhouse Dave Greenslit. The hometown hot shoe had almost left the building when a two-to-go looper – almost dumping the leader in the process  – brought the field to his bumper for a green-white-checkers finish.
           
With Greenslit dominant in scoring his second victory of the young season, full-fendered novice Brian Robie – the track’s defending Modified champion – held off Randy Town to earn the silver medal. Briana Akusis, strong all night, came home fourth, and Kyle Buck earned the five spot.
           
Green Mountain Boy Kodi Sabins was in a class of his own en route to topping the Lavalley Building Supply Pure Stock 25-lapper. Robert Shaw claimed the deuce, with rookie whix Zach Richardson third under the flags, just ahead of the father and son duo of Dylan and Bruce Adams.
           
Ryan Carmen led the first three-go-rounds of the Six Shooter feature, then giving way to Paul Colburn. Jeremy Blood took over as lap six entered the books, with the 2019 novice champ then outrunning Dustin Thibodeau and Carmen over the last 14 circuits to score his second win of the year.
           
Desmond Skillings blasted off on a lap-four restart in the Mini Stock feature and then held off Floridian Mike Stebbins to earn his first victory lap of the season. With Stebbins powerful in second, Matt Boucher chased the two sizzling Hondas under the sticks to claim the three spot.

June 14, 2020
By Gary Dutton
           
CLAREMONT, N.H. – With more than 140 racing teams competing, Claremont Motorsports Park ran its last fan-free pandemic-rules event of the season, Friday, June 12, with Jimmy Renfrew, Jeremy Blood, and Zach Richardson topping the weekly racing series divisions in the night’s five-division event.
           
With some restrictions, the storied third-mile speedplant will open it spectator gates for the first time this summer next Friday, June 19.
             
Street Stock star Jimmy Renfrew made easy work of winning Friday night’s 30-lap main event. He survived three late-race restarts to earn the win ahead of a blockbuster battle being waged for second and third, not far behind him.
           
Renfrew had opened a huge lead when a backmarker-waltz brought out the first caution flag on lap 24 The pause in action also brought Max Dolliver to Renfrew’s back bumper on the restart and, two restarts later, Dolliver had taken the deuce from Jarret Curtis, but the show wasn’t over yet.
           
In the most exciting finish of the young season, Brian Robie – the track’s defending open-wheel champion – earned his first Street Stock trophy of the season by storming past Dolliver to score the runner-up finish by inches. Nate Wentzel was fourth, Jim Storace fifth, and opening night winner Dave Greenslit came home eighth on the night.
           
A star is born? In only his second-ever outing in the Pure Stocks, ultra-rookie Zach Richardson led all the way to score his first career victory, leading the swarming 26-car field under the checkers in the night’s 20-lapper.
           
With two of the apparent top five finishers coming up short in the tech-line shuffle, Dylan Adams was moved up one spot to finish second, his dad, Bruce Adams, was third, with Doug Nelson and Mike Douglas rounding out the top five.
Six Shooter ace Jeremy Blood made easy work of scoring his first win of the season. The defending division champion started up front in the night’s 20-lap feature and never looked back
           
Opening night winner Eric Lanou had his second strong outing in as many weeks, earning the runner-up hardware. Todd Maguira came home third, Keith Martin was fourth, and the five spot went to steady Dustin Thibodeau in the one-caution event.
           
Only bad luck could keep second-generation star Matt Kimball from victory lane in the 50-lap In-City Sugar Shack Mini Stock main event. And, after dominating the first 44 laps of the half-century feature, the Bennington, N.H. racer heard Lady Luck knocking at his door and, this time, she wasn’t smiling.
           
With Kimball ducking pitside with a sour tire, veteran wheelsman Louis Maher took charge, then leading Hayden Grenier under the checkers six go-rounds later to win the series’ first event of the summer.
           
Matt Sonnhalter recovered strongly from early-race woes to grab the three spot, with Nick Anderson and Mike Viens completing the top five. Hometracker Erin Aiken was steady all night to come home seventh.
           
Enduro artist Matt Gauffin outran a 55-car field of fury to top the show’s nightcap event. Danny Gill was second in the turbulent 50-lapper, with hometrack hot shoe Jimmy Zullo earning the bronze medal. Fourth and fifth in the first Enduro Series event of the summer were Dan Lebraney and Chris Fultz.

Claremont Motorsports Park will return to action next Friday, June 19, when the Thrasher Road speedplant will open its grandstands for the first time this summer. Post time is 7 p.m. every Friday.
 
JUNE 12 Top Finishers:
 
IN-CITY SUGAR SHACK MINI STOCK: Louis Maher, Hayden Grenier, Matt Sonnhalter, Nick Anderson, Mike Viens.
 
STREET STOCK: Jimmy Renfrew, Brian Robie, Max Dolliver, Nathan Wentzel, Jim Storace, Jarret Curtis, Ben Bosowski, Dave Greenslit, Chase Curtis, Troy Waterman.
 
PURE STOCK: Zach, Richardson, Dylan Adams, Bruce Adams, Doug Nelson, Mike Douglas, Chris Carver, Matt Lambert, Matt Winter, Brandon Lavoie, Sammy Silva.
 
SIX SHOOTER: Jeremy Blood, Dustin Thibodeau, Nathan Leclair, Todd Muguira, Ben Bushey, Todd Muguria, Paul Colburn, Ray Luce, Ryan Carman, Dakota Lanou, Erix Lanou.
 
FOUR-CYLINDER ENDURO: Matt Gauffin, Danny Gill, Jimmy Zullo, Dan Labraney, Chris Fultz. 

 June 7, 2020
By Gary Dutton

CLAREMONT, N.H. – Racing is alive and well again in the Twin State Valley. Claremont Motorsports Park hosted its first event of the summer Friday, June 5, with more than 90 teams on hand to strut their stuff at the storied third-mile speedplant.

The pandemic-rules event played to an empty house – it was, however, televised – but otherwise went off perfectly, with a full field of Granite State Pro Stock Series teams providing the night’s main attraction with their series’ season-opening Let’s Go Racing 100-lapper.

Nutmeg State bomber Ray Christian III took charge late to win the GSPSS main event, duplicating his Claremont victory of last autumn, with hometrack stars Dave Greenslit, Kodi Sabins, and Eric Lanou also earning inaugural night victory laps.

Greenslit, on a rail all night, started up front in the R.E. Hinkley Street Stock 30-lapper and never looked back. Using his earlier heat race victory to earn a front-row starting slot, he held the 22-car field in his mirror from green to checkers.

Chris Buffone held the deuce spot until coasting to a stop mid-race, with Max Dolliver then taking up the chase. Dolliver was fast but, on this night, no match for Greenslit, who started the new season where he’d left off last autumn. Chase Curtis, steady all night, came home third, with former speedway open-wheel champ Brian Robie fourth, and Chris Curtis fifth.

Sabins, like Greenslit, swept both his opening night heat and feature events, topping the LaValley Building Supply Pure Stock 25-lapper with ease, blasting off at the drop of the green and then easily social distancing himself from the rest of the 28-car field to win in a romp.

Robert Shaw kept Sabins in sight, settling for a strong runner-up finish, edging Chris Conroy for the deuce spot after a spirited battle. Super soph Dylan Adams was fourth on the night, and Randy Phillips came home fifth.

Dustin Thibodeau led the first 13 go-rounds of the Six Shooter feature, with Eric Lanou getting serious about the whole thing at mid-race, then diving low through turn four to take command as lap14 went in the books. Once in front, the second-generation racer never looked back, taking the checkers a dozen lengths ahead of Thibodeau.

Paul Colburn, like Thibodeau an earlier heat race winner, finished his strong night’s work in third. Defending division champ Jeremy Blood was fourth on the night, and Adam Knowles came home third.

Joey Doiron led the Pro Stock field to the green, with first Casey Call and then Angelo Belsito riding in his shadow until Belsito used the outside lane to rocket into the lead on lap 36. This one, though, was far from over.

While Belsito would lead for more than 50 laps, he’d do it with both D.J. Shaw and Ray Christian III draped all over him. Christian took charge late, bringing Shaw with him, to score the third GSPSS victory of his career, the last two at Claremont. Belsito finished at Shaw’s bumper to claim the third-place hardware.

STREET STOCKS: Dave Greenslit, Max Dolliver, Chase Curtis, Brian Robie, Chris Curtis, Jaret Curtis, Chris Riendeau, Steve Dickey, Bill Clement, Mike Hopkins.
PURE STOCKS: Kodi Sabins, Robert Shaw, Chris Conroy, Dylan Adams, Randy Phillips, Matt Winter, Bruce Cantara, Doug Nelson, Bruce Adams, Sammy Silva.
SIX SHOOTERS: Eric Lanou, Dustin Thibodeau, Paul Colburn, Jeremy Blood, Adam Knowles, Ben Bushey, Ryan Carmen, Todd Smith, Chad Snide, Dakota Lanou.
GSPSS: Ray Christian III, DJ Shaw, Angelo Belsito, Gabe Brown, Joey Polewarczyk Jr.