Herriott Doubles Up at Home Track
2016 Texas Roadhouse North East Mini Stock Tour presented by Twisted Tea
The Texas Roadhouse North East Mini Stock Tour made its return to Speedway 51 (formerly Riverside Speedway) in Groveton, NH for the first time in 2 seasons on Saturday, August 6th. Twenty-one tour style minis invaded the tight quarter mile for a 51 lap feature event. Early on in practice, it was the 88 of Emerson Cayer pacing the field followed closely by Matt Sonnhalter and Nick Maniatis.
In the heat races hometown driver, Cody Leblanc tried to hold off a hard-charging Jake Rheaume who used the outside lane to take over the lead and win his first NEMST heat race of all time. In the second round of heat, Nick Maniatis started on the pole and ran away from the field in the caution free 10 lap event. Rheaume would draw a 6 car invert for the feature line up placing Darren Jacobs and Mike Viens on the front row for the main event.
Desmond Skillings would start in the third spot and fire to the lead off of turn 2 and began to pull away from the field. Haywood Herriott would make quick work of the field and move to the 2nd spot when the first caution flew on lap 12. The caution was caused by engine failure in the 88 of Emerson Cayer who is also second in points behind the aforementioned Herriott. The field would thunder away on the restart with the advantage going to Skillings at first and Herriott taking the lead exiting turn 2. Herriott would never look back. The early on fast cars of Sonnhalter and Maniatis fell out due to mechanical failures and the outside pole sitter of Viens and Leblanc got into an incident on lap 28 causing the 85 of Viens to return from competition with heavy driveline damage.
On the final restart, Herriott would again overtake Skillings and hold on for the win. Skillings was involved in a spirited battle for second with last weeks winner Mike Parker and NEMST front-runner Jake Rheaume. Parker pushed the issue battling on Skillings bumper for the final 15 circuits while Rheaume drove the high line and held his own on the outside of Parker. Skillings would win the battle for second for his highest NEMST finish of all time in his black and yellow Twisted Tea sponsored machine. Parker would bring home his second podium in as many weeks and Rheaume would settle for fourth. Nick Anderson would battle back for a 5th place finish after suffering early damage and having to pit.
The NEMST is back in action on Sunday, August 28th as part of the legendary HP Hood Oxford 250 weekend for a 50 lap main event and the NEMST’s second visit of 2016 at the 3/8 mile oval. For additional event info please visit www.northeastministocktour.com or like us on Facebook for the most up to date NEMST info.
Sources: Bob Guptill/NEMST PR