JBH 150 at Monadnock Speedway up Next for GSPSS
After a long summer break, The Granite State Pro Stock Series gets back to action with one of its biggest events of the season. The JBH 150, at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester NH, is the series annual tribute to one of its founders, John “Boy” Hoyt.
This event has turned into one of the most anticipated events of the season for the fans, series staff and the competitors. The Wrenn family has stepped up and turned this into a showcase event going 150 green flag laps, paying $3000 to win and $300 to start.
In 2011 Hoyt and Mike Parks teamed up to run a one-off event for pro stock style cars. The event, held at Claremont Motorsports Park, was a huge success and lead to the first GSPSS season the following year.
“Without Hoyt’s hard work and dedication the series would never have gotten to the point it’s at today,” said series co-founder Mike Parks, “and for this reason, we celebrate him with this event”. Parks then added “He was a good friend, person and a true racers racer.”
In the 2018 edition of this event, Devin O’Connell picked up the win holding off a hard-charging Todd Stone and Mike O’Sullivan. The win, O’Connells second of the season, helped propel him to the 2018 series championship. O’Connell comes into the 2019 event trying to defend his championship but looking up at the top spot at the midway point of the season.
For 2019 there are two visits to the high banked quarter-mile Monadnock Speedway scheduled. Round one was dominated by Mike O’Sullivan who not only won the race but set fast time in the Crazy Horse Race for the pole and won his heat race. O’Sullivan has multiple Monadnock wins on his resume and knows a repeat of his spring performance will not be easy.
Joey Doiron comes into the event holding down the lead in the series point standings. Doiron competed in the recently held Motor Mountain Masters at Jennerstown Speedway, during which he got something in his eye and was forced to withdraw early. Doiron hopes the eye is recovered in time for the JBH 150 so he can continue the championship fight.
Todd Stone comes to Monadnock off a victory in the Jennerstown event and looks to ride the momentum to his second career GSPSS win. 2019 has been a bit of a struggle for the Middlebury VT driver as his team has tried to work the bugs out of a brand new Port City Race Car. With his big win in PA Stone hopes that momentum is on his side.
In 2019 Jimmy Renfrew Jr has been one of the northeast’s hottest drivers. Podium finishes in street stocks and ACT style late models have come with ease in this year, but a second GSPSS victory has eluded the young driver. He hopes that the JBH 150 can be his breakout pro stock event for 2019.
Other notables on the entry list include former Monadnock champion and many time winner Barry Gray as well as 2017 JBH winner Josh King. Both former regulars at the Winchester oval have had their struggles this season. They look for a home town advantage to help turn around their seasons and get them back running up front. King currently sits fifth in the point standings but would like to pick up his first podium finish in 2019.
Rookie competitor Jake Matheson looks to make his series return at Monadnock. His team was forced to make a trip to NC for chassis repairs after a grinding wreck in the Lee event and didn’t have their car ready to go to Hudson. Matheson finished solidly in the top ten the first time the series visited Monadnock and is looking for his first top-five finish in a full-sized car.
Racing at Monadnock Speedway will kick off at 5:00 on Saturday August 17 with the Crazy Horse Racing race for the pole followed by heat races and the 150 lap feature event. For more information check out Monadnock Speedway at www.monadnockspeedway.com or the Granite State Pro Stock Series at www.gspss.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Sources: Mike Parks/GSPSS PR