Perry Picks Up First Career Win
Winchester, NH — In the sweltering heat of a genuine summer day, the Pro Four Modifieds of New England (PFMNE) completed their ninth race of the season at Monadnock Speedway. Sponsored by Bot-L-Gas and RF Logic, the 25-lap main event showcased 16 Pro Fours. The #60 of Andy Major—in his debut event for 2009—won the first qualifying heat while the #1m of Norm Wrenn won the other. But it was the #83 of Franky Perry that drove his machine into victory lane at the end of the night to capture his first win of the 2009 season.
When the green flag unfurled for the feature, Perry started on the pole with the #12 of Rob Richardi, Jr. to his outside. From his fourteenth starting position, Wrenn moved past Major and the #86 of Mark Charette. But Major followed closely on his heels. Wrenn and Major continued making their way to the front when they passed the #16 of Stan Mertz, who was holding steady in the middle of the pack.
But the first caution of the event was flown on lap six when the #34 of Mark Giordano spun coming out of turns three and four. In his first race with the PFMNE, the #26 of Mike Patnaude headed to the pits with mechanical failure before the restart. On the restart, Richardi, Jr. drove by Perry to claim the lead while Major moved under Lausier to capture the fourth position. Wrenn continued his move ahead by passing the #00 of Dave Richardi and the #11 of Keith Caruso, but Wrenn headed to the pits when he spun and cut a tire, necessitating the second caution on lap eleven.
He was able to change his tire and make it back out for the restart, as Major drove his Pro Four under Perry and Richardi, Jr. to become the third leader of the event. The #10 of Brian Vincent, who started fifth, moved his car into the top three, forcing Perry into fourth. Wrenn moved under the #11a of Dan Meservey for fifth. Both Richardi’s were forced to quit racing when they encountered mechanical failure on lap fifteen. One lap later, Joerres spun in turns one and two to bring out the third yellow of the event.
On the restart, Meservey drove under Caruso to make his claim on the sixth position. Within a few laps, Wrenn moved into third and soon stole second away from Vincent in turns three and four. Major spun on lap 20, and Wrenn was called to the rear for the assist as the fourth yellow of the event waved.
Vincent suffered irreparable damage and headed pit-side. Lausier, too, was forced to the pits because his motor broke on the restart. The race would not stay green for long as Joerres went spinning for the second time. Following a brief caution period, Wrenn and Charette spun on the frontstretch; and another caution followed. Both were unable to return to the event. After a red flag for track cleanup, the feature got underway again.
Major started second to last on the restart, but made his way around Giordano on the outside and under Meservey on the backstretch a few laps later. In the end, he came up just short, as Franky Perry picked up his first career Pro Four win.
Major, Meservey, Caruso, and Giordano rounded out the top five. Joerres, Mertz, Wrenn, Vincent, and Lausier crossed the line in positions six through ten. Charette, Richardi, Jr., D. Richardi, Cleary, Mike Patnaude, and Travis McCalister—also in his first event of the season—rounded out the rest of the field. Giordano was the first Limited driver to cross the line, followed by Joerres and Mertz to round out the top three.
Catch the PFMNE at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH on Friday night, August 21.
Sources: Ashleigh Vanada/Pro Four Modifieds of New England PR