Russ Davis Tops Super Streets at Claremont Speedway
CLAREMONT, NH – Radical Russ Davis roared to victory Friday, May 19, at Claremont Speedway, topping a 21-car field to win the night’s 40-lap Super Street main event.
Wild Cat Greg Millette became the third-mile oval’s first multiple-race winner this season, matching his opening night victory in the four-cylinder division. Kenny Thompson won the Limited Sportsman feature, his first win of the summer, and Nick Anderson was victorious in the visiting Northeast Mini Stock Tour 50-lapper.
In the first Spectator Race event of the summer, Enfield’s Robbie LaCroix’s undefeated streak came to an end when he looped his 1934 coupe in turn three as Kyle Buck sped away to win the finale.
Davis is one of several hot shoes returning to Friday night competition in the speedway’s stout Super Street division this year. Among them, Newport’s Lenny Silver took the night off Friday, while in-race mechanical woes dropped Unity’s Drew Davis out of the money. Radical Russ, though, was on a rail.
Bryan Town and opening night winner Hayden Scott led the field to the green, with Scott quickly realizing that the outside groove was not the quick line around the track Friday, a reality that would slap Town 32 laps later.
Unity rookie Craig Smith – from row two – quickly grabbed the deuce, with Scott settling in for third; his mirror filled by Davis.
Town, Smith and Davis crossed the stripe nose-to-tail as lap six went into the book and, a lap later, Davis stormed into second and the lead pair quickly left the field in their wake. Further back, both Jack McClay and Ricky Bly were slicing through heavy traffic.
Town and Davis scorched the asphalt under a blanket for the next 25 laps, until Town opened the door ever so little and Davis dropped low in turn four to take the lead on lap 32. Like Scott earlier, Town quickly felt the chill of the outside groove, as McClay dropped him to third a lap later, and Bly moved him to fourth the next time around.
Once in command, Radical Russ would never look back, taking the checkers four lengths ahead of McClay. Bly earned the three-spot, Town finished his solid night’s work in fourth, and Newport’s Craig Smith came home fifth aboard his 52 machine, honoring his fallen father who had passed away four days earlier.
Zach Lynn and Greg Millette staged a classic battle in the Wild Cat 25-lapper, trading positions over the first three go-rounds, until Millette seized the point and the pair then drove away.
Millette never looked back as he sped to his second win of the young season, but Lynn kept him close at hand over the final 22 laps, taking the runner-up checkers only five lengths back. Week-two winner Dale Squires made a last-lap pass to claim third, Nick Little was fourth, and Kyle Currier came home fifth.
Kenny Thompson wired the Limited Sportsman feature to become his division’s third different winner in as many races this year. After the race’s only caution regrouped the field before lap one was completed, Tyler Janovsky moved up to second, and Scott Vien to third.
The trio would run the entire 25-lap event in that order, with the division’s two previous 2017 winners following Thompson under the checkers. Joe Tetreault and Chris Colburn rounded out the top five.
Nick Anderson led the final ten laps of the Northeast Mini Stock Tour feature, taking the checkers just ahead of row-six starter Mike Stebbins and Jerrad Soucy. Emerson Cayer, who had one of the strongest cars in the 28-racer field, recovered from a trip pitside to finish fourth.
MOMENTS OF SILENCE: Pre-race moments of silence were observed in both the pits and spectator grandstands for former racer Dean Smith, the father of Newport Super Street competitor Craig Smith, who died earlier in the week. He had been a popular member of the speedway community for more than 30 years.
Next Friday, May 26, the Super Streets will compete in a special 52-lap main event, honoring Smith’s memory. The Modifieds, Wild Cats, and Limited Sportsmen will all be in action too, with action starting at 7 p.m.
For more information on this and all other events, visit www.claremontspeedway.net.
Sources: Gary Dutton/Claremont Speedway PR