Claremont: History in the Making for Bly & Bodreau
With 9 different feature winners, 13 different heat race winners, and 19 different lap leaders, the R.E. Hinkley Super Streets have been one of the most competitive racing divisions in all of New England. With one race left in the season, only two drivers are left standing with a chance to win the championship and it will be the first one for both of them.
“Radical” Ricky Bly has had sole possession of the top spot since Race 8 and has outlasted the competition to this point leading Dylan Bodreau by 33 points heading into Friday. Last year’s runner-up, has posted a division-leading 3 feature wins, and 87 feature laps lead as well. His nine top 3’s are tops in the division as well. Since Race 8, he has four podiums in five races during that span. This is Bly’s 17th race season as he seeks his first-ever championship.
3rd generation racer Dylan Bodreau comes into championship night within distance of the title. Bodreau is enjoying a great season thus far and has done so in a stealth-like manner. Bodreau picked up his feature win on Race # 9, has posted five top 3’s, and is tied for the division lead with ten top 5’s. He is also one of three drivers to have recorded at least twelve top 10’s in 13 races. Bodreau last finished 2nd in points in 2011 and is seeking his first championship in his 11th season.
While Bodreau will pull every trick out of the Bodreau Racing stable to overtake Bly, he has 2nd year driver, Hayden Scott, only 25 points behind in 3rd. Scott opened the season with his first career Super Street win in the Mike Richardson Memorial 75 and won later in the season on Race 12. Scott has been in the top 5 in points all season. He has four podium finishes, six top 5’s, and just like Bodreau and Bly, twelve top 10’s. Scott is 3rd in the division with 66 feature laps led as well.
Heading into September 8th, 2015 track champion Jack McClay was only 16 points behind Bly in the Newport Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Point Standings. Finishes of 21st (Lap 1 wreck) and 15th (mechanical issue fighting for the lead) in the past two events has sent McClay back to 4th in points, 25 points behind Scott. McClay has 2 feature wins on the season, six podiums, nine top 5’s, and ten top 10’s.
Positions 4 through 7 could change easily change hands before the night is over as 2012 track champion, Craig Smith (23/52) sits in 5th with 522 points, 2 points behind McClay. In what has been an emotional year for Smith, he has a feature win, three podiums, eight top 5’s, and eleven top 10’s doing so with two different cars.
Rookie Craig Smith (97) has 513 points and is 6th heading into the final night with his 1st career Super Street win under his belt. Smith has logged three podiums, five top 5’s, and ten top 10’s. His 5 heat race wins is tied for tops in the division with Ben Poland.
Poland has 500 points on the year and is 7th. Poland has four top 3’s, five top 5’s, and eight top 10’s. The 2011 Super Street champion finished 4th in points in 2016.
“Judge” Joe Brown (353 points), Bryan Town (353 points), and Kenny Fowler (334 points-1 win) make up the remainder of the top 10. Andrew Martell (324 points) and Ryan Currier (321 points) are lurking outside the top 10 and hope to have good showings this week.
With an average starting field of 21 cars this year, 33 points is within striking distance. From 1st to 21st, there is a 42-point span. Whoever ends up taking home the title of 2017 R.E. Hinkley Super Street Champion, they did so by beating the best in one of the best racing divisions in the Northeast.
Sources: ClaremontMotorsportsPark.com