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Lanpher Becomes Youngest Ever Nelcar Winner with Win at NHMS!

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Going into the fifth of the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the last four races had produced four different winners. The pack has been getting tighter and tighter and that was never so evident as it was on the 1.6 mile road course. While the normal cast of characters, Shaun Buffington, Evan Beaulieu and Matt Bourgoine fought for the lead for much of the race, it was the young sophomore driver Reid Lanpher who was able to take the lead late, and pick up his first ever Legends Car win. The 24 car Legends field took to the track in what was going to become one of the wildest races of the season.

It all started per usual in qualifying, where Buffington was the fastest in the field. Bourgoine was able to get the second fastest lap and therefore would start on the outside of the front row on the start. On the start, Buffington was able to get the jump and the lead into turn one, with Bourgoine and Beaulieu right behind. Those three got away from the rest of the field for a bit as they ran each other hard for the race lead. Just as a battle was setting up once again for Beaulieu and Buffington for the lead, the races first yellow came out for Nick Ladyga finding the tire pile in turn three.
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Reid Lanpher wins at NHMS

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Manchester, Maine – Four days after celebrating his 14th birthday, Reid Lanpher found himself celebrating again. This time it was in Victory Lane at NHMS after winning the NELCAR event on the road course. Lanpher qualified 6th in the 24 car field and was running 4th with 4 to go when a caution allowed the field to bunch up. After pushing defending series champion Evan Beaulieu to the lead. Lanpher was able to draft and slingshot by Beaulieu on the front stretch. They made slight contact as neither wanted to lift first as they shot into turn one. Lanpher made the move stick and lead back to the stripe only to have another yellow flag shown and line up for another restart.

Beaulieu was put back to the point and as the flag man indicated one to go, Lanpher could be seen tapping on his roof and gesturing NHMS Legend king Shaun Buffington to give him a push on the re-start. It was not needed as Lanpher again lifted late entering turn one and made it stick once again. This time is was for good despite a very hard charge by Beaulieu that got him to Lanphers bumper as the checkers waived. Lanpher is racing under the guidance of 4-time NELCAR champion Bob Weymouth who raced home to a 7th place finish.
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Matt Pappa Wins in First Nelcar Start

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Matt Pappa has won races all over the East Coast in Legends Cars, and made his debut in the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour a memorable one at Seekonk Speedway. This past Sunday was the season opener for all Seekonk Speedway divisions, including the newly formed Nick’s Pitstop Friday Night Legends Series. Not only was it their first race but it was also the fourth Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour race, with a tight point’s battle. 26 Legends Cars were on tap for what was set to be yet another exciting Nelcar race.

The heat races were determined by time trials earlier in the day, and for the first heat race it was Pappa on the pole with the 3 of Nick Ladyga on the outside. Those two were able to take off from the start with Pappa opening up with the early lead. That would be how the finish ended up, with Pappa running away with the heat win. Ladyga was second with the 56 of Evan Beaulieu rounding out the top three.
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Buffington Finally Gets Elusive Beech Ridge Win

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For Shaun Buffington, success at one of the premier race tracks in New England has never come easy. Buffington has won races all over New England, but had never picked up a win at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. That all changed during the Pro All Stars Series, Southern Maine Motors 150 weekend. The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour was one of many events on an action packed day of racing at “The Ridge,” and Shaun Buffington was finally able to get that monkey off his back when it came to racing on the fast 3/8s mile oval.

Constant rains throughout the week set the stage for a fresh track for the Legends Car on Saturday, and it all started with the first heat race that had the 81 of sophomore driver Dan Winter. On the start, Winter was able to get out to the lead, and held on for two laps until the 17 of Terry Kirk showed his experience at Beech Ridge and took over the lead. The 38 of Matt Bourgoine was on the move though, and it wasn’t long before he took the race lead and set sail. Bourgoine took the heat win over the 2 of Ryan Hammar and Winter rounded out the top three.
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Bittersweet Success for Reid Lanpher, in the Amsoil NELCAR Series.

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Story by Chris Roy

With a 2nd place finish at Unity Raceway and a 5th place finish on the road course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS), 13 year old Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine has taken over as the points leader in the Amsoil NELCAR Series. This weekend NELCAR has a double header, racing at BRMS on Saturday, then at Seekonk Speedway on Sunday.

Though Reid is the current point’s leader, he will take a big hit in the standings after this weekend because of his age, he won’t be able to compete in any of the races at BRMS. “Yes, I couldn’t be happier with those two finishes. After NHMS last weekend I was very pleased to find myself in the points lead. It’s a shame I cannot run BRMS this Saturday and for the rest of the season, but I entirely understand that the tracks have a age limit and are sticking to it. I hope that I can continue running up front throughout the season.” Reid does have a chance of winning the NHMS Legends Championship this season.
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Beaulieu Crosses One Off Bucket List, Wins at NHMS!

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Evan Beaulieu has been going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway since he was a young kid, watching his heroes run on “The Magic Mile” and hoping that one day he would be able to take a checkered flag. After going winless at NHMS last season, Beaulieu opened up this year’s NHMS season with a big victory. Not only was this race the first of the season for the Moat Mountain NHMS series, but it was also a road course Regional Qualifier for the Nationals later this year. With each spot meaning so much to each driver, it was yet another great race on the 1.6 mile road course.
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NELCAR Points Leader

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It is still very early in the season but 13 year old Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine has picked up right where he finished his rookie season in NELCAR… up front.

Starting on the outside pole in his heat race at the season opening race at Unity Raceway, Lanpher led every lap and was a half a straightaway ahead when the checkers fell. Starting outside of Matthew Bourgoine for the feature, Lanpher made several runs and Bourgoine and was on his bumper several times but was not able to pass his friend from karting days and settled for a 2nd place finish.
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Right Where He Left Off – Bourgoine Wins at Unity

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The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour 2012 season kicked off right where it left off at Unity Raceway. After ending last season on a hot streak, Matt Bourgoine picked up right where he left off in 2011 by opening up the season with a big win at “Maine’s Toughest Track.” While the forecast showed rain, the sun came out, and the Legends Cars hit the track for the first time of 2012.

For the first heat race it was former Nelcar Champion Steve Fox on the pole with Bourgoine on the outside. Bourgoine was able to use the outside fast line to his advantage and get the lead early as Fox settled into second. Coming from the rear was the 27 green machine of Kevin Hutchens, as he was making moves and trying to close in on Bourgoine. At the finish though, Bourgoine drove on with the heat win while Hutchens and Fox rounded out the top three.
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“Alexander looks to Conquer the NELCAR Legends”

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Story by Chris Roy

Wyatt Alexander of Ellsworth, Maine is one of the new young guns in the Amsoil NELCAR Legend Series. Wyatt, like most young drivers, got started in go-karts and is now taking the next step moving into a legend car. “After karting for 8 seasons I decided it would be a great development series to enter. A new challenge in my motorsports career.”

Though the NELCAR legends are a logical next step for young drivers moving up from go-karts, the legend race cars are much different than the go-karts he was used to racing. “The legend car has more horsepower, about 10 times the power. The kart I drive does not have suspension, so the ride in the car is much smoother.”
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Bourgoine Looks Forward to New Racing Season

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Story by Chris Roy
Mathew Bourgoine finished the 2011 Amsoil NELCAR race season with a trip to victory lane as he took the checkered flag at the prestigious 1.6 mile road course, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). “The last lap felt like it would never end, but it did and it feels great to go into the 2012 season with that win under my belt.”

On April 21st the NELCAR Legends head to Unity Raceway for the first race of the season and, Bourgoine looks to start the 2012 race season exactly where he finished the 2011 season, with a trip to victory lane.
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