Dwight Jarvis, Mark MccClay Win at Claremont Speedway
CLAREMONT, NH – Modified superstar Dwight Jarvis did what he’s done often over the past 40-plus seasons Friday, May 12, at Claremont Speedway. The 62-years-young Ascutney phenom led from green to checkers to win his first outing of the season.
Other winners Friday at the Thrasher Road speedplant included Mark McClay, who outran a blockbuster 23-car Super Street field to notch his first win of the season, Tyler Janovsky, who led early and often to top the Limited Sportsmen, and Dale Squires Jr., who scored his career-first Wild Cat feature win.
In the Modified main event, Jarvis fired from the pole and never looked back as he added the night’s feature win to his earlier heat race victory.
Jeff Murray and TJ Bleau squared off in a tight battle for the deuce, but a two-car skirmish on lap 16 ended Bleau’s strong run early and brought opening night winner Dana Smith to third on the restart. Smith would quickly drop Murray to third but on this night had to settle for the runner-up finish, two lengths behind Jarvis.
Murray finished his strong night’s work in third, Nutmeg State hot shoe Nick Salva sailed under the checkers in fourth, and Chris Bolton came home fifth. Jarvis and Smith won the night’s qualifying races.
The brothers McClay, Mark and Jack, led the 23-car Super Street field to the green to begin the night’s 40-lap main event, with Mark quickly taking command as brother Jack and 2016 track champ Aaron Fellows – from row two – fought for the deuce spot.
Fellows, following Mark McClay in the low groove, claimed the position, but that victory was brief. Charging through the east-end turns, Fellows spun in a cloud of tire smoke on lap two, with Jack McClay then thumbed to the back of the pack for his involvement in the subsequent caution.
Ben Poland was the benefactor of the two-three runner’s misfortune, moving up to second on the restart, from where he would run out the race to earn the runner-up finish 38 laps later. Good fortune, in fact, almost kissed Poland twice.
Jack McClay, leading by a half-dozen lengths on lap 19, was picked off by a slower car trying to go pitside from the inside groove, sending up a shower of sparks, with McClay able to escape with only cosmetic damage to his ride.
Ricky Bly, the runner-up on opening night, claimed the three spot on lap 32 but, on this night, would advance no further, taking the checkers behind McClay and Poland. Radical Russ Davis and Dylan Bodreau, both strong all night, rounded out the top five.
The McClays, Mark and Jack, and Fellows won the night’s qualifying races, with Jeff Morse topping the consi to earn his spot in the feature field.
Dale Squires Jr. scored his first-ever Wild Cat victory, winning both his heat and feature races.
In the feature, Squires and Zach Lynn battled wheel-to-wheel for 11 laps, with Squires using the low line through turn two to take command the next time around and then hold off opening night winner Greg Millette to earn the win. Lynn finished his strong night’s work in third, Nick Little grabbed the four spot, and Jim Carley came home fifth.
Tyler Janovsky led all the way in the Limited Sportsman feature to win his 25-lapper, bettering his runner-up finish on opening night to establish himself as the man to beat in the early season points parade.
Scott Vien and Joe Tetreault followed Janovsky closely under the checkers but when the smoke had cleared in the post-race tech line, Josh Ruel was awarded the deuce spot and Cote Swenson came home third, his best finish yet in the Limited Sportsman division.
Next Friday, May 19, Claremont Speedway will host the Northeast Mini Stock Tour, in town to contest a 50-lap main event. The Super Streets, Wild Cats, and Limited Sportsmen will all be in action too, as well as the season’s first Spectator Drags.
It will be Little League Night at the third-mile speedplant, with all Little Leaguers attending in their uniform tees and hats admitted free. Post time at Claremont Speedway is 7 p.m.
For more information, visit www.claremontspeedway.net..
Sources: Gary Dutton/Claremont Speedway PR