Savary Overpowers VMRS Port City 100 Field
LEE, NH — Canton, Mass. driver Richard Savary was all smiles as he sat in victory Lane at the Lee USA Speedway after recording his second win of the season in the 2014 Modified Racing Series.
In a solemn gesture, the pace laps of the feature had the pole position open in the “missing man formation” in remembrance for Jim Boniface, who lost his battle with cancer earlier in the week.
When the field came to green pole sitter Tom Carey Jr. of Wendell Depot, Mass. led last week’s Stafford Motor Speedway winner Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, Connecticut and Donnie Lashua of Canaan, New Hampshire in the Jack Bateman owned number 17. The three ran in a tight draft trying to break away from the fast field behind them.
Passing was at a premium on this abrasive, 3/8 mile track, but Steve Masse of Bellingham, Mass., was running his typical run and gun style, picking off competitors one at a time. Masse was running seventh at lap 10, then applying pressure on Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania from lap 13 to lap 18 until he made an inside move to take over the fifth spot. A lap later Masse put the move on Justin Bonsignore of Islip, New York, taking fourth place. Masse was conserving nothing as he put the hammer down and quickly gained on the three leaders.
At the quarter-century mark of the race, others started to get aggressive, as Matt Mead of Richmond, New Hampshire was turning in a stellar performance moving past Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Mass. into eighth, while at the same time Savary was picking off Bonsignore for sixth.
A couple of laps later Savary’s number 99 outdueled Pennink for fifth, which set up a five car freight train of Carey Jr., Szegedy, Lashua, Masse and Savary. On lap 30 Masse used a slingshot move off turn four to get past Lashua into third and two laps later, Savary raced by Lashua dropping the number 17 back to fifth.
By lap 40 Savary used an inside pass on Masse, now putting himself third. For the next 10 laps, Carey, Szegedy and Savary ran nose to tail looking for the slightest advantage, and at the crossed flags Savary saw the opportunity he needed and eased by Szegedy for second. Now #99’s only obstacle was the number 42 of Carey, whom he quickly caught. The two lead cars made slight contact and Savary came away with the lead and the next lap Szegedy also got by the fading Carey machine for second.
With 40 to go Savary ran out to a sizable lead until a lap 72 caution tightened up the field. On the restart Savary pulled away with the lead, while Justin Bonsignore in fourth, raced by both Masse and Szegedy, finding himself in second place. A lap 83 yellow now brought the two strongest cars together for a side-by-side restart. Savary and Bonsignore ran wheel to wheel for a lap before Savary powered back into the lead.
A persistent Bonsignore wasn’t about to give up, looking high and low for a passing lane, until lap 99 when Savary bobbled in turn three and Bonsignore bumped him in turn four. Savary got out of shape momentarily, regained control and crossed the line 0.072 seconds ahead of Bonsignore. Masse came home and third, Dwight Jarvis was fourth and Pennink rounded out the top five.
VMRS Port City 100
Lee USA Speedway, Lee, New Hampshire
Track length: 0.375 mile
Time of race: 32:18.600
Margin of victory: 0.072 seconds
Best lap time: 14.836
Best speed: 90.995.
Best lap: #42 Tom Carey Jr.
Cautions: (2) lap 72, 83
Lap leaders: #42, 1 – 54 #99, 55-83 #21, 84 #99, 85-100
Next race: July 5 – Monadnock Speedway
Sources: Jim Snape
Photo: Crystal Snape