Long Break Does Not Keep Wrenn from Picking Up Where He Left Off
Winchester, NH – September 26, 2009 – The Pro Four Modifieds of New England (PFMNE) completed their eleventh race of the season on Saturday at Monadnock Speedway. The Bot-L-Gas and RF Logic-sponsored race brought out the best car count of 2009, with a total of 21 cars. The #5 of Dan Meservey, Jr. and the #83 of Franky Perry each won a heat race, but it was the #1m of “Stormin’ Norman” Wrenn who claimed the victory, his ninth of the season.
The PFMNE were led by the #00 of Dave Richardi and the #13 of George Sherman as the field took the track for their 25-lap feature. As the green flag waved, the #07 of Phil Lausier advanced from his fourth starting position into second, around the #12 of Rob Richardi, Jr. and Sherman. The #10 of Brian Vincent followed close behind Lausier to claim the third position. Towards the back of the pack, the #19 of Tim D’Amico passed under the #86 of Mark Charette and the #31 of Michael Crawford for the eleventh position. But on lap three, Richardi Jr. and Sherman got loose and made contact heading into the backstretch, necessitating the first caution of the event.
Before the restart, the #39 of Travis McCalister headed to the infield for the remainder of the race. When racing got underway again, it was D. Richardi and Lausier who led the field. D’Amico moved under the #16 of Stan Mertz to claim the eighth position. Vincent was able to move himself around Lausier to claim the bridesmaid spot, but then the second caution came out, slowing all progress.
The restart quickly became a caution when D’Amico found himself in the frontstretch wall; he was unable to return to the event. Dave Richardi and Vincent led the field on the restart, followed closely by Lausier and the #4 of Cory Cleary—who had started the feature in tenth. Perry drove his machine passed the #11a of Dan Meservey, while the #49 of Joe Lemay headed pit side. Wrenn drove under the #07x of Robin Berghman to capture the ninth position; and Cleary was able to steal the third spot away from Lausier. On lap five, however, the caution flag was brought out for #34 of Mark Giordano, who spun alone on the frontstretch.
On this restart, D. Richardi and Vincent led the field again. Wrenn drove into the seventh spot, after moving under Charette and the #99 of Billy Joerres; and within one more lap, he’d driven under Meservey and Lausier to claim a spot in the top five. On lap seven, D. Richardi got loose coming out of turns three and four; Vincent was able to pass him to claim the lead. Meservey, Jr. was making an impressive run through the field from his 20th starting position; on lap nine, he passed Meservey for seventh. On lap ten, the caution flag was displayed for the #26 of Mike Patnaude who spun.
On the restart, Vincent and D. Richardi took the green with Perry and Wrenn at their heels. One lap later, Meservey and the #60 of Andy Majors were putting on some great side-by-side racing, with the nose of Majors’ machine holding a slight advantage. On lap twelve, however, Lausier spun in turn two, bringing out another caution.
When racing got underway again, it was Vincent, Perry, Wrenn, D. Richardi, and Cleary in the top five. Majors moved from seventh into sixth position when he passed under Meservey, Jr. Fighting their way to the front, Richardi, Jr. followed Lausier as they passed under Joerres and Charette. On lap fifteen, Wrenn moved his machine ahead of Perry to claim second. By lap nineteen, Wrenn had caught up to Vincent and had begun challenging him for the lead. But on the next lap, Perry and Cleary made contact, and Cleary’s machine spun on the backstretch. Cleary parked his car for the rest of the night, while Perry restarted at the rear of the field.
Because there were only five laps to go, the PFMNE had a single file restart. But on the first attempt, D. Richardi spun and brought out the caution. He drove into the infield, where he remained for the rest of the race, while Meservey, Jr. headed into the pits. Once racing began again, Wrenn moved outside Vincent on the backstretch, but they stayed side-by-side for a lap before Wrenn held the advantage. When the checkers unfurled, Wrenn claimed the win, followed closely by Vincent, Majors, Meservey, and Berghman to round out the top five. Right behind them, Lausier, Richardi, Jr., Perry, Patnaude, Giordano, Charette, Cleary, D. Richardi, Meservey, Jr., Joerres, Mertz, Sherman, D’Amico, Lemay, Crawford, and McCalister rounded out the rest of the field. Charette was the first Limited driver to cross the line, followed by Joerres and Mertz.
Catch the PFMNE at Twinstate Speedway in Claremont, NH next Sunday afternoon for their twelfth race of the 2009 season.
Sources: Ashleigh Vanada/Pro Four Modifieds of New England PR