Green Flag Racing Abounds at Legion Speedway, Four Out of Five Features Go Green-to-Checker
WENTWORTH, NH – It looked like St. Patrick’s Day in June at Legion Speedway as the Modified, Street Stock, Outlaw Mini Stock and 500cc Mini Sprint features all ran non-stop from the drop of the green flag to the finish without a yellow flag. In addition, the 600cc Mini Sprint feature was slowed by only a single yellow flag for a stalled car.
It was as close to carnage free as a night of short track racing can be.
Christine Boesch of Center Harbor, NH, who has two previous victories in 4 Cyl Stock Cars, won her first Papa Z’s 600cc Mini Sprint feature in a resounding fashion. Starting third, she passed polesitter Frankie Sweeny halfway through the 20 lap event and then ran off and hid. She got the jump on a lap 11 restart, caused by the stalled car of Spencer Allen. Sweeny wasn’t able to get within striking distance and spent the last five laps holding off the quickly closing Jake Williams, who started eighth.
“The car was perfect and Dan had the track perfect, it couldn’t have been better,” Boesch said of track preparer Dan Bowne, who also just happens to own her car.
Racin’ Jason Sanville of Grafton, NH started fifth and moved into the lead with an outside pass on polesitter Chad Tuck. After that, Sanville couldn’t be touched for the remainder of the 25 lap Forward’s Garage Modified main event. Todd Petschke finished a distant second, comfortably ahead of Allan Hammond.
“We’ve been having motor problems all year and this is the third one we’ve run. To be honest, I think this one has about had it too,” Sanville said.
James Travis of Shapleigh, ME scored a wire-to-wire victory in the Street Stock 20 lapper. Although the race lacked a lead change it didn’t lack excitement as the four lead cars – Travis, Mark Brown, Jason Giguere and Jack Whynot spent most of the race close enough to see each other’s tattoos… assuming they had any. Lapped traffic made the race interesting, but didn’t affect the outcome.
Modified expatriate Ryan Avery of Thornton, NH came from sixth to win the 20 lap Outlaw Mini Stock feature by passing five cars on the first lap. For most of the race, Rob Gioia was on Avery like white on rice, but Avery held him off.
Josh Boissoneau of Bedford, NH, reprised his role from Bear Ridge Speedway the night before by winning the Granite State Mini Sprints 500cc feature. The race saw three lead changes- Stephen Hutchinson, Shena Covey and Laury Clark all had the point for a period- but Boissoneau was the class of the field, lapping up the fifth position in the 13 car field.
Twilight Sunday racing continues at the Legion Speedway this Sunday as the Atlantic Coast old Timers join the Forward’s Garage Modifieds, the Papa Z’s 600cc Mini Sprints, the Street Stocks and the Outlaw Mini Stock for an all you can eat buffet of racing action. It all starts with hot laps at 4:15 pm and the first green flag at 5:00 for the Forward’s Garage Modifieds, the Papa Z’s Mini Sprints, the Street Stocks and the Outlaw Mini Stocks.
Adult admission is only $10, with Juniors and Seniors at $8.00. Kids 11 and under are free with an accompanying paid admission and money saving Family Pack is just $25. Parking is always free. Alluringly ensconced in the Connecticut River Valley between the Green Mountains to the west and the White Mountains to the east, Legion Speedway is located on NH Route 25 at the Rumney/Wentworth town line and is easily reached via either I-93 or I-91.
Papa Z’s 600cc Mini Sprints (20 laps): 1. Christine Boesch, 2. Frankie Sweeney, 3. Jake Williams, 4. Kevin Heath, 5. Spencer Allen, 6. Josh Boissoneau, 7. Dale Shallow, 8. Lacey Hanson, 9. Jamie Glidden. DNS: Troy Boissoneau.
Forward’s Garage Modifieds (25 laps): 1. Jason Sanville, 2. Todd Petschke, 3. Allan Hammond, 4. Trevor Rocke, 5. Travis Shinn, 6. Dan Eastman, 7. Chad Turk, 8. David Heath, 9. Todd Buckwold, 10. Adam Pierson, 11. Mark Cole.
Street Stocks (20 laps) 1. James Travis, 2. Mark brown, 3. Jason Giguere, 4. Jack Whynot, 5. Marc Jenot, 6. Travis King, 7. Doug Boucher, 8. Scott Heath.
Outlaw Mini Stocks (20 laps) 1. Ryan Avery, 2. Rob Gioia, 3. Andy Johnson, 4. Ryan Christian, 5. Chris Cole, 6. Tony Shaw, 7. Derrick Durkee, 8. Jim Durkee. DNS: James Davis
500cc Mini Sprints: 1. Josh Boissoneau, 2. Lacey Hanson, 3. Troy Boissoneau, 4. Dylan Rock, 5. Patrick Smith, 6. Shena Covey, 7. Lauren Boisvert, 8. Brandon Berry, 9. Keisha Boissoneau, 10. Eva LeClair, 11. Steve Hutchinson, 12. Derrick Barker. DNS: Tyler Farnham.
Sources: Mark McKeon/Legion Speedway PR