Lee USA Speedway 6/10/16 Race Report
Lee, NH -Fans at Lee USA Speedway were treated to a full program of racing action on Friday night, with the throwback racecars of the Senior Tour Auto Racers (STAR) and the Northeast Classic Lites on hand to join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season weekly divisions for a full night of entertainment on the fast 3/8ths mile oval.
Veteran Classic Lites racer Ed Gilman of nearby Sandown took his first career Lee USA checkered flag, taking the lead from defending champion Eric Skofield of Plaistow halfway through the main event. Tom “Hulk” Harton of Barnstead challenged Gilman the rest of the way, but “Fast Eddie” held on to post the win.
The Gilman family have been strong supporters of both Lee USA and the Northeast Classic Lites for years, and after eight seasons and dozens of races trying, the winner’s circle interview showed that Gilman was clearly thrilled that he finally made his way to victory lane at “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed“.
Former Lee USA Ironman champion Harton and Duane Skofield of Plaistow rounded out the podium in second and third. Fourth went to the winner’s brother, Sam Gilman of Sandown, followed by hometown racer Justin Harris, Jim Wentworth of Haverhill, MA, Claremont’s Jim Ayotte , Kevin Merryfield of Rochester, and Barrington racers Barney Boyle and Chris Sullivan.
STAR action saw Alan Zemla take down the checkers in the Sportsman portion of the program, with Jim Allen picking up the Modified win. Allen got out of shape as the Mods were coming to the checkers, but he took the win before making contact with the retaining wall and requiring the assistance of the good folks from Skip‘s Towing of Londonderry to get back to the pit area.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action saw Lance Barthelemy of Fremont taking a return trip to victory lane in the 30-lap EKeys4cars Supermodified feature event, making his second visit to the winner‘s circle and becoming the first repeat winner of the 2016 campaign.
After leading the first 11 laps of the main before Barthelemy got past, Leslie Keyser of Northfield took runner-up honors, with 2016 Rookie of the Year contender “Hollywood” Dave Helliwell taking an impressive third, the second straight podium for the second-generation racer. Fourth went to last week’s winner Kyle Sawyer of Kingston, with another Kingston runner, Moe Lattime rounding out the top five.
“Big Steve” Paquette of Seabrook was first out of the gate to set the pace in the R&R Public Wholesalers Late Model Sportsman feature, pulling away to claim the lead in the early going. Paquette was running the race of his life, and held the point for the first 23 circuits before he found trouble and dropped off the pace.
Nate Leavitt of Buxton, ME was next to take a turn out front, and he held off a determined charge from Jimmy Russell of Exeter the rest of the way to post the win when the checkers waved. Russell was next across the stripe, with Frankie Eldredge of Stratham closing out the podium in the third spot.
Fourth spot went to Jesse Bousquet of Pittsfield, followed by George Helliwell of Pelham, fellow second-generation racer Kris Miller of Manchester, Bruce Rego, Mike Mitchell of Dracut, MA, Paquette, Grant Aither of Exeter, and Neil Evans, Jr. of Hampton.
After a couple of straight weeks of tough luck to start the 2016 campaign, Jay Avery of Barrington bolted out to the early lead in the David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stock main, with Jake Michaud of Lebanon, ME challenging for the top spot early on.
A lap two scramble saw Paul Palen of Pelham, former champ Patrick Tanguay of Rochester, and Zac Fraser of Nottingham all in trouble on the backstretch, with Fraser slamming the turn three wall driver’s side first to bring a red flag situation on the field just two laps in.
Palen returned to action missing all of the left side sheet metal of his normally-sharp looking Camaro, and two-time champ Tanguay joined him at the rear for the restart. Avery yielded the point to Michaud shortly after racing resumed, with Newmarket’s Eric Hoffman moving up to run third until a flat tire and spin knocked him from contention on lap seven.
Michaud looked to be on his way to victory, and still held serve with the white flag in the air, but Epping’s Dylan Bilodeau worked past and took the checkers to collect his first win of the year. Michaud, Bill Clement, Sr. of Manchester, Palen, Tanguay, Jim Piaseczny of Merrimack, Lebanon, ME’s Chris “Rooftop” Harding, Avery, Hoffman, and Kevin Aberle of Wilmington, MA were the rest of the top ten.
The Tri-City Line-X Ironman feature event was all Mike Farrington of Farmington in the early going, but Ryan Pitkin of Nottingham recovered from some early-race trouble to contend for the lead in the late laps. For the second straight week, Pitkin moved the to the lead in the late going and went home with the win.
A disappointed Farrington had to settle for runner-up honors, followed by Ryan Washburn of Farmington, Adam Knowles of Seabrook, Zach Washburn of Farmington, James Witkum of Lowell, MA, Jesse Tellier of Dracut, MA, Luke Grammont of Nottingham, and Joe LaPorte.
The MLM Diagnostics Pure Stock main event was all Tyler Mailhot, as the Epping driver pulled away from the field in the early going and led the entire distance to post his second win of the 2016 season. Danielle Evans of Berwick, ME was best of the rest in the runner-up spot, with Scott Farrington rounding out the podium in third.
Next up at Lee USA Speedway is a special appearance by the Northeast Street Stock Tour on Friday, June 17, along with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series EKeys4cars Supermodifieds, R & R Public Wholesale Late Model Sportsmen, David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stocks, Tri-City Line-X Ironmen, and MLM Diagnostics Pure Stocks.
Sources: Lee USA Speedway PR