Barry Gray Wins Vampire 100 on Monster Dash Super Saturday
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester NH. The Granite State Pro Stock Series invaded the Monadnock Speedway for their final event of 2012. Consecutive rain outs put this event on hold until the weather cleared up enough to end their season. Nineteen teams ran heats and then drew for starting positions for the Vampire 100. This race would also decide the 2012 GSPSS Champion. Bobby Cabral of East Kingston NH held a slim 14 point advantage over Bob Baillargeon of Kingston NH.
Pole sitter Jake Vanado of Beverly MA and Eric Sands of Seabrook NH brought the field to green. Vanado jumped to an early lead with Sands in tow. Barry Gray of Belchertown MA, Rick Eaton of Seabrook NH, Baillargeon and Cabral round out the front six.
The first of 7 caution flags flew on lap seven for a crash between the 36 of Jay Sands from Seabrook NH, the 2 of Keith Caruso of Millbury MA and the 66 of Mike Parks of Walpole NH. When the race resumed the only change to the leader board was the 5 of Phil Meany from Gardner MA racing his way up to the 6th position.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
A lap 21 yellow flag jumbled the leaders together again when 2nd place Eric Sands #87 and Rick Eaton #4 spun together in turn 2. On the restart Barry Gray powered his way into the lead dropping Vanado back to 2nd. On lap 53 coming off turn 2, Vanado in his #46 is running 2nd and spins, ending up sitting sideways on the back stretch where he was T-boned by the #12 of Derek Griffith from Hudson NH. Both drivers emerged unharmed, but their cars were done for the night. The restart saw Gray take command again, this time with Baillargeon in 2nd, the 37x of Larry Gelinas 3rd, Fran Jr. Colson in 4th, and Cabral in 5th. The last yellow came out on lap 75 for a minor spin. While under yellow Gelinas #37 swerved into Gray, a left rear flat is being blamed. Gelinas went in for repairs, placing Colson in 2nd, Cabral in 3rd, Meany 4th, and Baillargeon 5th. The green flew and so did Gray, but lapped traffic made for late race drama and closed the leaders up. With 3 to go Colson drove his mount up beside Grays’ machine but Gray caught a break in traffic, driving his Meadow Motor Car #29 on to his first feature win of 2012. Fran Colson was 2nd, Bobby Cabral was 3rd, Phil Meany was 4th, Zig Geno #57 was 5th, and Eric Sands was 6th over the line.
In victory lane Gray said he told his crew before the race that if he didn’t win this one, it would be the first time in 20 years they hadn’t won a feature race. His streak is still alive.
Barry Gray and Bob Baillargeon were heat winners.
Congratulations to Bobby Cabral and crew upon being the first ever Granite State Pro Stock Series Champion.
In the Sportsman Modifieds a field of 21 cars ran the 40 lap race. Dan Stebbins of Bernardston MA powered his newly purchased #88 car into the lead on lap 16 and drove off for his first feature win of 2012. Also on the podium were the #44 of Brian Chapin in 2nd, and 3rd goes to the #27 of Arthur Heino.
The Super Stocks ran their Monster Mash 35 with Chris Curtis in the #25 making a clean sweep winning his heat race and then coming back to win the feature. John Lavoie took 2nd place in the #33, and Geoff Rollins #02 crossed the line in 3rd.
The 35 lap Mini Stock feature was won by Toby Wells. Beth Adams took 2nd in the Adams Racing #87. Kim Rivert was awarded 3rd.
The Young Guns feature was won by Chris Lawrence, his 4th of the year.
Sources: Jim Snape