SCOTT WINS DEAN SMITH MEMORIAL RACE MAY 18 AT CLAREMONT SPEEDWAY

By Gary Dutton
           
CLAREMONT, N.H. – Hayden Scott made his first outing of the season a memorable one Friday at Claremont Speedway, topping the 52-lap Dean Smith Memorial Super Street main event.
           
Wildcat hot shoe Kodi Sabins also earned his first victory lap of the summer Friday, while Chris Riendeau stayed atop the Street Stock points parade by rocketing to his second feature in three weeks. 
           
Scott, a three-time feature winner a summer ago, made his first outing of the season Friday, May 18, at the storied third-mile speedplant. Firing from row four on the 20-car field, he dashed through all the chaos around him to lead the last 22 laps en route to victory in the second annual Dean Smith Memorial event.
           
Ricky Bly sat on the pole as the 52-lapper went green, but it was fellow row-one starter Craig Smith, of Unity, who led the first go-round. A lap later, Bly had the point and would set a fast pace the next dozen laps, as Aaron Fellows’ image grew larger and larger in his rearview mirror.
           
Fellows dove low through turn three to take command on lap 14 but Bly took charge again after a Tyler Searles looper brought out the event’s first caution three laps later.
           
Fellows duplicated his turn-three move on lap 21, again taking the point and when Bly spun on lap 23, it was Ben Poland quickly up to second, from where he would take charge four laps later when, under caution, the leading Fellows ride eerily coasted to a stop, much as it had a week earlier.
           
Poland and Craig Smith, of Newport, now owned the front row, with Smith’s sights set squarely on winning his father’s memorial race but that plan went by the wayside when he and Poland refired from the back of the pack on lap 31, moving Scott to the lead, from where he never looked back.
           
The hometown pilot would earn his first win of the year ten lengths ahead of steady Dylan Bodreau, with much of the rest of the pack spinning along the frontchute as the event concluded with a yellow/checkers finish.
Smith, of Newport, was third on the night, Allen Fellows completed his solid run in fourth, and the other Craig Smith, he of Unity, came home fifth. Newport’s Smith moved to the top of the points chart, as mechanical woes dropped Mark McClay deep in the finish.

Street Stock star Chris Riendeau took the lead from polesitter Lenny Silver on lap seven and never looked back  in their 25-lap feature but, while the Ascutney pilot was able to drive away at will en route to his second win of the summer, the racing behind him sizzled.

Dave Greenslit got up for second on lap 11; with week-two winner Bryan Town taking the deuce nine laps later while Silver floated as far back as fourth in the fast-paced event. The Newport veteran, though, was far from done.
Blasting back to third, Silver sailed low through turn two on the final go-round to score his season-best runner-up finish. Bryan Town was strong in third, Greenslit came home fourth, and Randy Town completed his solid night’s work in fifth.

Kodi Sabins started up front in the Wild Cat go round, giving way to Zach Lyn on lap four, then staying glued to his bumper until reclaiming the top prize on lap 22 and taking the checkers three laps later with Lynn just inches behind.

Previously unbeaten Josh Rondeau got up for second on lap 13 but would head pitside six laps later, watching from there as Sabins led Lyn under the checkers. Chris Davis was strong all night to claim the three-spot, Kyle Templeton impressed in fourth, and Kyle Currier came home fifth.
           
Next Saturday, the storied Tri-Track Modified Series will make its first-ever stop at the Thrasher Road oval, with a $6,000-to-win, 100-lap main event bringing nearly 40 open-wheel missiles to the speedway. The Super Streets, Street Stocks and Wild Cats will all be in action too.
           
With the huge event set for Saturday, May 26, there will be no Friday night racing on Memorial Day weekend. In the event of rain Saturday, the full card will be contested Sunday. For more information, please visit www.claremontspeedway.net.
                       
CLAREMONT SPEEDWAY; MAY 18 RESULTS:

SUPER STREET: Hayden Scott, Dylan Bodreau, *Craig Smith, Allen Fellows, **Craig Smith, Ryan Currier, Ricky Bly, Ken Fowler, Tyler Lescord, Matt Sonnhalter. * Newport, N.H. **Unity, N.H.
STREET STOCK: Chris Riendeau, Lenny Silver, Bryan Town, Dave Greenslit, Randy Town, Kenny Thompson, Chase Curtis, Chris Colburn, Robbie Streeter, Briana Akusis. 
WILDCAT: Kodi Sabins, Zach Lyn, Chris Davis, Kyle Templeton, Kyle Currier, Victor Branch, Jim Carley, Sam Giveen, Raven Streeter, Jon Alden.