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From the monthly archives: "October 2010"

All Systems Go for the Annual North-South Shootout

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Lexington, CT: The eighth annual 109 U-Pull It John Blewett III Memorial North-South ShootoutTM has taken center stage among the brethren of the short track racing community. With the cars and stars from both the open-wheel and full-fendered ranks preparing for the annual event, the buzz has spread from east to Midwest. Teams scheduled to compete in the North-South Shootout on November 5&6 hail from New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, and more.

After seven successful years, the North-South Shootout had earned a reputation as one of the most prestigious events in short track racing. Since it’s inception in 2003, owner and promoter Charles Kepley and his team have strived to ensure that the North-South Shootout is the best-of-the-best in short track auto racing.

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2010 NEMST Rules Meeting Banquet Information

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The 2010 North East Mini Stock Tour rules meeting and Championship Banquet will be held on Saturday November 6th with at 6:00 PM. This year’s banquet will be held at the Fireside Inn and Suites located right off the Maine Turnpike in Auburn.

The rules meeting will kick off the night at 6:00 PM with a buffet style dinner being served at 7:00. Championship Awards for the top 10 in points will be given out at 8:00. There will be social time and a bar available for the entire night and into early morning! The rules meeting and banquet are being held on one again this year in an effort to save teams from long distances from traveling twice.

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Smith Confident About Drive for Diversity

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Waterbury, VT – Randolph’s Dylan Smith recently returned from his second NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia. The 18 year-old Thunder Road Late Model competitor spent three days last week (Oct. 17-19) trying out for the Revolution Racing team that competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Smith was one of 35 drivers selected from over 200 applicants to attend the seventh annual Drive for Diversity Combine. It was the second year in a row he’s attended the combine, which evaluates up and coming drivers on driving ability, personality, physical fitness and marketability, among other things. The three days of testing included iRacing simulator races, weight and fitness training, as well as media exercises and on-track testing.

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2010 OKTOBERFEST RESULTS FROM LEE USA SPEEDWAY

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Lee, NH – Mother Nature put a damper on the action during Oktoberfest 2010
at Lee USA Speedway last weekend, with four divisions losing their feature
events to the rain despite a valiant effort by the track crew to keep things
in racing shape.

The dozens of teams who never got a chance to race will be back to finish
out the program this Saturday, but most of the headline divisions got their
races in the record books before the weatherman called it a night.

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Lap sponsors are signing on for PASS 300 at North Wilkesboro Speedway

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Naples ME – There’s still six months until the green flag flies for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Wilkesboro 300 but there’s already a slew of sponsors on board for the unprecedented short track event with over $ 198,000 in posted awards.

Lap sponsors for the richest short track asphalt race in North America are signing on from all over North America and they’re as diverse as the personalities that make up the sport. Jeff Freeman’s Hoosier Tire South – asphalt is on board in a big way, as is Sunoco Race Fuels.

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NSCS Race Recap: Hamlin narrows Johnson’s lead with win at Martinsville

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NSCS Race Recap: Hamlin narrows Johnson’s lead with win at Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—Dead heat.

Well, almost.

Denny Hamlin won Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville and trimmed fifth-place finisher Jimmie Johnson’s lead in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to six points with four races left in the season.

The closest Chase ever through six races is on a collision course toward next Sunday’s AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, the most dangerous and unpredictable race in the Chase.

“We’re back, baby,” Hamlin exulted in the radio as he approached the finish line. “Awesome job.”

Hamlin showed his appreciation where it was well-deserved. Crew chief Mike Ford and his over-the-wall crew gained three spots for their driver during their final pit stop, before a restart on Lap 394. Hamlin was third off pit road and fourth overvall (because Ken Schrader stayed out) when he took the green flag.

“I love you, Mike. Great job of adjusting the car,” Hamlin radioed when the race was over. “Best it’s been all day. Awesome job. Pit crew, you did it right there. You got me out. Thank you, guys.”

Kevin Harvick, third in the standings, stayed within striking distance with a third-place run at the .526-mile short track, as the top three drivers continued to separate themselves from the rest of the Chase field. Harvick gained 15 points on Johnson and is 62 behind the four-time defending champion.

Hamlin could have a yard sale on grandfather clocks, after winning the distinctive Martinsville trophy for the fourth time and third in a row. The victory was Hamlin’s series-best seventh of the season and the 15th of his career.

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LEE OKTOBERFEST THIS WEEKEND

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LEE, NH- For many race teams the annual Lee USA Speedway Oktoberfest
this Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be their final laps run on a race
track this year. For many race fans, this is also the last party weekend of
the year.

The racing begins on Friday with an open practice for most divisions
from 3-7:00 PM, followed by a pizza and beer party in the Checkered Flag Pub
with a DJ, karaoke and dancing at 7 PM.

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McKinstry Takes Advantage on Lap 49 To Gain his 7th Win of 2010

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The 2010 NEMST point champion only led one lap in Sunday’s event at Twin State Speedway, but it was the right one. McKinstry clinched the 2010 title Saturday after winning his heat race in a dream season of racing, 8 starts and 7 wins.

It was the first time the NEMST, only in its sophomore year, visited the unique track in Claremont, NH. The 50 lap NEMST feature kicked off the day on Sunday with Rob Gioia and Roger Ducharme leading the field down for the initial start. Ducharme broke out to the early lead with Jeff Hebert of Auburn, ME taking over controls at lap 3. The first 13 laps went incident free before the 99 car of Donald Rogers spun to the infield and brought out the first caution flag. On the restart it was Hebert and Cayer on the front row with Hebert carrying the lead through turn 1. On lap 15 the 88 of Emerson Cayer squeezed Hebert low in turn 2 and took the lead down the backstretch. Chris McKinstry also snuck by the 22 of Hebert and began to chase Cayer down.

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Smith Takes Another Shot at NASCAR

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Waterbury, VT – Thunder Road International Speedbowl sophomore Late Model driver Dylan Smith of Randolph, will take his second swing at earning a spot on the Revolution Racing team as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. The Revolution team competes on the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Smith is currently competing at the seventh annual Drive for Diversity combine at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia. Drivers are evaluated on their on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness, and personality, among other things. Smith was invited to last season’s combine but didn’t make the cut for the Revolution team.

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Dan McKeage claims PASS Sportsman win, Championship at Riverside

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Groveton NH (10/18) Dan McKeage got around Clyde Hennessey on lap 61 of the PASS Sportsman season finale at Riverside Speedway and held off Mike” Landry at the checkers to claim his second win of 2010. Landry crossed the finish line second and Hennessey third. McKeage’s win sealed a second PASS Sportsman Championship for the Gorham Maine racer.

Hennessey led the field to the green and he was in command for the majority of the laps butt McKeage was in the right place at the right time. Trouble in the low groove gave McKeage the break he needed and he was quick to take advantage. Landry made a pass on the low side to kick Hennessey back to the third spot and the trio raced to the checkers in that order. Nate Weston and RJ Austin completed the top five. Heat race wins went to Landry, Hennessey and Rich Paradis.

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NEAR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2011 ANNOUNCED

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NEAR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2011 ANNOUNCED

Literally hundreds of victories and dozens of championships are represented in the New England Auto Racer’s Hall of Fame “Class of 2011.”

Drivers Punky Caron, Dan Meservey, Russ Nutting and Jerry Dolliver, car owners Rich & Ray Garuti, Stanley “Skip” Matczak, Vic Kangas, and Speedway Scene publisher Val Lesieur will be inducted at the 14th annual induction ceremony slated to take place on January 30th at the LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT.

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Justin Wakefield wins PASS Mason-Dixon Meltdown; Preston Peltier captures South and National Titles

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Justin Wakefield wins PASS Mason-Dixon Meltdown; Preston Peltier captures South and National Titles

Newport TN (10/16) The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) headed to Newport Speedway (TN) on Saturday, October 16th, for the “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” to close out the 2010 Super Late Model South and National championship series with both titles up for grabs. Heading into the night’s action, Ryan Blaney led Preston Peltier by a mere four points, while Peltier led Johnny Clark by 11 in the National Championship standings. Andy Loden set fast time, but it was Justin Wakefield taking the checkered flag first while Peltier took advantage of Blaney’s misfortune to win the South title as well as the National title.

“I don’t have any words for it,” said Peltier, the only South regular in series history to win the National title. “It is cool.”

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PASS Sportsman @ Riverside Speedway postponed until Sunday October 17

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Naples ME (10/15) Due to the forecast of persistent showers in the Groveton New Hampshire area for Saturday October 16, The PASS Sportsman event scheduled for Riverside Speedway has been postponed until Sunday October 17.

The schedule remains the same: Pit gate opens at 8:00 AM and the first green flag flies at 1:00 PM