Chase Dowling Takes Tri Track Modified Win, Fellows Celebrates Late Model Sportsman Victory
Winchester, NH – Saturday night Monadnock Speedway celebrated the return of the Tri Track Modified racing series, the speedway’s 51st anniversary and the life of Johnny Corliss, former racer and car owner. The evening’s events tied together nicely. Corliss, a Winchester businessman, was in the field of racers on Monadnock’s opening night, August 13, 1971, and at his passing was the owner of one the race cars competing in the Tri Track series.
The Wonder Casino 100 Honoring Johnny Corliss took the green flag with Richard Sherman of Canton, MA, leading the first 42 circuits. An extended caution on lap 43 allowed many competitors to pit for tires or adjustments. Swanzey, NH’s Kirk Alexander remained on the tracking, taking the lead on the restart. A caution just after the halfway mark in the race brought the field together. On the restart, Chase Dowling of Roxbury, CT, jumped in front and held the top spot to the checkers and the $6000.00 top money. Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, always a favorite to win big money races, managed a second. Justin Bonsignore, from Holtsville, NY, collected third place.
Monadnock’s NHSTRA Modifieds ran a clean green to checkers 35-lap main event. Tyler Leary of Hatfield, MA, took the early lead. Bennington, NH’s, Matt Kimball took over the top spot on lap nine and rode the wave to his third win of the season. Point leader, Todd Patnode of Swanzey, NH, moved up to take second. Leary slipped to third.
After a half-season foray into the Modified ranks, the 2020 Late Model Champion, Aaron Fellows of Croydon, NH, returned to late model competition with an exciting win over point leader Austin Brehio of Concord, NH. Brehio had moved into the lead on a lap 3 restart of the 25-lap race while Fellows worked his way into second from his seventh starting position. The final ten laps saw a fierce nose-to-tail battle between the two drivers. Fellows made the winning pass going into turn three on the last lap for the win. Brehio was second, Cam Curtis of Baltimore, VT, rode into third.
The 25-lap Mini Stock feature also went clean and green to the end. Not surprisingly, Gordon Farnum, of Fitzwilliam, NH, raced to his eighth win ahead of point leader, Louie Maher of Baldwinville, MA. Jake Puchalski of Sunderland, MA, had his best run of the year for third.
The 25-lap Pure Stock main was interrupted twice with cautions before Granby, MA, driver Nick Houle collected his 5th win of the year ahead of point leader, Chris Davis of Winchester, NH, and third finisher, Jimmy Zellman from Greenfield, MA. (Unofficial at press deadline).
Young Gun, Teagan Edson of Ashburnham, MA, raced to her first win, out-racing Jeff Moffat, Jr, from Davidson, CT, and Dominic Stafford of Milles Falls, MA.