Geoff Rollins Defends Home Turf, Becomes Third Different Winner on North East Street Stock Tour
WINCHESTER, NH – Geoff Rollins passed Joe Arena on a restart on lap 8, and never looked back, powering to the victory in the Christmas in July event at Monadnock Speedway.
Rollins used the outside groove on an early race restart on lap 8, when Charlestown, NH driver Bryan Town’s rear-end expired, bringing out the caution. Rollins would fend off challenges from Chris Douton and Arena on five other restarts, the final one on lap 38, setting up a green-white-checker finish. Rollins jumped ahead, as Mike Palin spun on the final lap, collecting Armand Cote, ending the race under caution.
Rollins commented on his solid victory after the race, saying “We have a huge advantage, I have about a million laps here, and over ten wins. I’ve won in everything from a Late Model, Mini Stock, to a Street Stock. I’ve run some long Pro Stock races here, and I know you can really abuse your car the whole race, because this track is very forgiving on tires.”
Rollins quickly commented on the strength of his competitors, continuing “Arena was fast, you always have “Moose” [Douton] that’s good, Town was right there, [Anthony] Belfiore. They’re all good guys, all champions, all won a bunch of races. I think everywhere you go you will have tough people.”
The win for Rollins marks the third different winner in as many races on the NESST. Douton crossed the line first at the inaugural event at Seekonk Speedway (MA), with Arena taking honors at Speedway 51 (NH).
Douton would hang on to pick up the second spot, after a hard fought battle with Arena before the last caution.
The Waterford, CT resident knew Rollins would be tough at Monadnock Speedway, saying “This is his track. We had a good car, but it didn’t help that a plug wire came off, and we were running on seven cylinders. Geoff’s a good guy and a good runner, and we had a good race up front.”
UNH alum Billy Clement, Jr. was credited with the third position. Clement was involved in an incident with Caleb Cashman on lap 11, but fought his way back up through the field in the remaining 29 laps to complete the podium.
An ecstatic Clement, Jr. commented after the race, “They say if you can’t win the show, be the show. I think we earned that here tonight. It wasn’t easy, but we’re proud to be here, and proud to be a part of this tour. The first races we couldn’t make, but we made a splash at this one.”
Arena would end up in the fourth position, with home track racer David Greenslit taking the fifth spot, racing from sixteenth on the starting grid. Randy Town, father to Bryan, grabbed sixth, Richard Vincent seventh, with Jim Boyle, Bill Staves, and Craig Chaffee completing the top ten. Douton, Steve Kenneway, and Rollins picked up qualifying heat victories.
The North East Street Stock Tour is back in action under the lights at Lee USA Speedway, on Friday, July 31. For more information on the North East Street Stock Tour, visit www.nestreetstocktour.com, on Facebook (N.E. Street Stock Tour), Twitter @NEStreetStock, or on Instagram at NorthEastStreetStockTour.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
Monadnock Speedway
7/11/15
Pos. (Start) Driver Hometown
- (6) Geoff Rollins Groton, MA
- (5) Chris Douton Waterford, CT
- (14) Billy Clement, Jr. Manchester, NH
- (1) Joe Arena Bristol, CT
- (16) David Greenslit Claremont, NH
- (9) Randy Town Charlestown, NH
- (11) Richard Vincent Greenfield, MA
- (8) Jim Boyle Waterford, CT
- (19) Bill Staves Windsor Locks, CT
- (7) Craig Chaffee Keene, NH
- (2) Steve Kenneway Lowell, MA
- (13) Mike Palin Dudley, MA
- (4) Anthony Belfiore Haverhill, MA
- (17) Paul Varricchio Berlin, CT
- (18) Armand Cote Rocky Hill, CT
- (12) Patrick Tanguay Lebanon, ME
- (10) Caleb Cashman Marlborough, NH
- (15) Greg Williams Montague, MA
- (3) Bryan Town Charlestown, NH
DNS. Matt Morrill Moultonborough, NH
DNS. Charlie Beal Ledyard, CT
Sources: Shawn Sicard/NESST PR