Jarvis Back in Black, Stebbins Takes First Ever At Claremont
Jarvis Takes 2nd Feature, Hammond, Stebbins In Pros & Late Models
CLAREMONT NH: After three rain cancellations the 3rd race in the 2000 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at Claremont Speedway is now in the record books. One hundred and eighteen cars filled the pits to put on a race for the points show for the fans. In the mighty mods, Dwight Jarvis showed his power bringing his car to the front of the field to take the win. Peter Daniels, defending track champion, got his #76 machine bogged down in the middle of the pack and could only climb to 4th by the end of the event. Jarvis on the other hand recorded his second win and his 3rd top three this season. It is becoming an anticipated sight to watch Jarvis set his sights on the lead and work his way through the pack to take the lead late in the race. Jarvis took the lead from Sean Boudreau on lap 21, who led from lap 12. As usual, there was the Bruce Batchelder/Dwight Jarvis wheel to wheel several lap showdown bringing the fans to their feet with Jarvis making the pass.
The Pro Stocks saw Walt Hammond decide that he was not going home with a broken car this week as he had in both races so far this year. Hammond, starting from the pole, stuck the #97 way out front and kept it there all night taking his first win this season. Jarrod Robie made a late-race charge from the back of the pack to skate his #29 machine into second place followed by Bucky Demers #26 in third. Demers has been in the top three so far and is adding up points. Barry Messer in the #20 took 4th followed by the #28 of Dave Davis for 5th.
Dan Stebbins from Agawam Mass. charged through the pack like gangbusters to take the checkers in the Late Model McClay 2nd and John Meany in the 15MA car running third. Stebbins moved the car through the pack to the front despite the heavy traffic. His night could have been over when he ran up on the back of Everett Bingham’s #24 in turn 4 on lap 13 as Stebbins was looking for 6th spot. Bingham suffered a blown right rear tire in the tangle and went to the back of the pack after making a pit stop. Stebbins continued his charge to the front taking the lead in a last-lap scramble on lap 24. McClay in the #16 had held the lead for 22 laps but had to settle for 2nd.
The Street Stockers saw another flag to flag win. Mark Thibodeau driving Dennis Greenwoods old #73 running a substitute engine after oiling the track with his good race engine several weeks ago put the blue car in victory lane. Try as hard as they might neither Randy Town in the #15 nor Ed LaQuire in the #71 could chase him down. David Anthony, who had been running 6th in points, was caught up in a crash on lap 14 and retired to the pits. Anthony was running well and moving up and running 6th after starting 11th when he was taken out.
Bill Clark driving the #96 just seems to keep the #96 within striking distance when the leaders of any Mini Stock race get in trouble. Then watch for the #96 to come steaming through the pack to take the point. That is what happened last Saturday night. Clark worked up from mid-pack and when Sean Page in the #44 got loose on a restart Clark struck. Just after that Chris Gilbert decided to put on a show for the fans. Coming out of turn two wide and not wanting to give up position he slide up on the beach on the backstretch. Instead of backing off and coming to rest, he kept his foot planted firmly on the throttle and ran parallel to the racing surface coming back down on the track at the entrance to turn three under control and in third place. He said that he did it for the cameras, but whatever a neat piece of driving for the second-year driver.
Saturday night will feature Exide Night at the races with a Late Model 70 lap feature. At the end of the evening, the Janci Metal 4 cylinder Demo Derby will wind up the evening. Claremont Speedway runs 5 full divisions of Weekly NASCAR action every Saturday Night. Pit gates open at 3:00PM and grandstand opens at 4:00PM. Admission for all shows is $10 for adults, $6.00 for students with ID, and kids under 7 free. A family-owned track for 54 years and now with the excitement and action of NASCAR.
Top ten modified
1. #28 Dwight Jarvis 2. #24 Todd Patnode 3. #20 Rusty Ball 4. #76 Peter Daniels 5. #3 Sean Boudreau 6. #9NH Dennis Albro 7. #17 Chris Norton 8. #43 Kirk Alexander 9. #5 Kevin Konopka 10. #61S John Scarborough.
Top ten Pro Stock
1. #97 Walt Hammond 2. #29 Jarod Robie 3. #26 Bucky Demers 4. #20 Barry Messer 5. #28 Dave Davis 6. #42 Kevin Brooks 7. #5 Tom Patenaude 8. #1 Mike Brousseau 9. #11 Bryon Baker 10. #41 Peter Jarvis.
Top ten Late Model
1. #5 Dan Stebbins 2. #16 Jack McClay 3. #15MA John Meany 4. #2 Kevin Lescord 5. #21 Monica Rook 6. #91 Bon Hagar 7. #29 Aaron Fellows 8. #35 Jamie Lanou 9. #51 Rocky Branch 10. #47 Mike Benson.
Top Ten Street Stock
1.#73 mark Thibodeau 2. #15 Randy Town 3. #71 Ed Laquire 4. #38 Rod Dorr 5. #32 Travis Cass 6. #3 Greg Sargent 7. #0NH Nathan Young 8. #34 Scott Chute 9. #27 Chris Bergeron 10. #97 Scott Ovitt.
Top Ten Mini Stock
1. #96 Bill Clark 2. #31 Randy Holms 3. #12 Chris Gilbert 4. #18 Brian Henry 5. #94 Rick Lambert 6. #44 Sean Page 7. #73 Joe Tetreault 8. #22 April May Gelineau 9. #76 Danny Brown 10. #72 Charlie Wheeler.
Sources: ClaremontSpeedway.com