Chase Dowling Saves Early, Storms to Victory Lane Late at Monadnock Speedway

WINCHESTER, N.H. — Strategy was the name of the game in the fourth round of the Tri Track Open Modified Series season at Monadnock Speedway on Saturday, August 14. While Chase Dowling started his day at the back of his qualifying heat and the 100-lap feature, the end of the 100-lap special sponsored by Wonder Casino saw him park the No. 9 Start Finish Motorsports machine in Victory Lane.

The win was Dowling’s fourth career in Tri Track competition and his second career at Monadnock. But it didn’t come without a thoughtful strategy from the Roxbury, Connecticut, native. As part of the random draw process, Dowling didn’t get a favorable spot to start his qualifying heat and elected to ride patiently in the 12-lap qualifying race, saving his equipment. He started the feature at the tail end of the pack, and rode at slow speed to start, continuing to save his Hoosier rubber for when it mattered most.

During one of many cautions in the race, Dowling peeled off to pit road on lap 31 and entered the track again at the rear of the field with one goal in mind: wait until the leaders pit. When the rest of the field dropped to pit road at lap 42, Dowling stayed out and entered the top-six. From there, he worked up through the few cars left in front of him and took the lead from Kirk Alexander on lap 54. He never looked back from there.

At arguably one of his worst statistical tracks, Hirschman chased his car from the middle of the pack late to the front after winning his qualifying heat race. The five-time Tri Track champion took over the points lead heading for the final two races of the season, while Ron Silk, who entered the race as the points leader, was involved in a wreck and finished 18th.

Justin Bonsignore was third, running a similar strategy to Dowling and contending late, with Ronnie Williams fourth and local favorite Brian Robie fifth. Joey Cipriano finished sixth, followed by Matt Swanson, Kirk Alexander, Richard Savary and Chris Pasteryak.

Bonsignore collected the Green Construction Hard Charger of the Race honors, starting 26th and finishing second, while Dowling added another $300 to his winning prize for posting the Fast Feature Lap Award courtesy of Jerico Performance Products.

Earlier in the day, Max Zachem, Hirschman and Pasteryak won $300 each as part of the Pepsi Challenge for winning their heat events. A total of 27 cars showed up to the Winchester, New Hampshire, high-banked oval for the fourth race of the Tri Track season and all started the Wonder Casino 100.

Up next on the Tri Track circuit is a return to Seekonk Speedway on Wednesday, August 25, for the conclusion of the $10,000 to win Open Wheel Wednesday Speed51.TV Modified Madness. The show will begin at 7 p.m., with just feature events left to run. It was originally slated for June 30, but a power outage in the area that night forced it to be postponed. The series will also be back at Seekonk on Saturday, October 23, to crown the 2021 champion in the annual Haunted Hundred.

For more information on the Tri Track Open Modified Series, visit TriTrackModifieds.com and follow the series on social media.

RESULTS: Tri Track Open Modified Series at Monadnock Speedway, Saturday, August 14, 2021:

1. Chase Dowling

2. Matt Hirschman

3. Justin Bonsignore

4. Ronnie Williams

5. Brian Robie

6. Joey Cipriano

7. Matt Swanson

8. Kirk Alexander

9. Richard Savary

10. Chris Pasteryak

11. Les Hinckley

12. Max Zachem

13. Earl Paules

14. Ryan Doucette

15. Tommy Barrett

16. Matthew Kimball

17. Rob Murphy

18. Ron Silk

19. Woody Pitkat

20. Anthony Sesely

21. Tyler Barry

22. Sam Rameau

23. Derek Robbie

24. Dylan Izzo

25. Frank L’Etoile Jr.

26. Robert Bloxsom III