Sprint Car Slugger Clay Dow Bats .750 With SCoNE Win at Legion Speedway
Rumney, NH — Clay Dow of Barnstead, NH picked up his third win in his last four races, coming from 11th to snatch the lead from Mark Cole in the 25 lap Sprint Cars of New England feature at Legion Speedway Sunday afternoon. Cole seemed to have the field covered until he was slowed by a loose top wing and then forced to pit for fuel. Dow’s victory comes on the heels of his Triple Crown Series triumph last weekend. Running just a limited schedule this season, Dow hasn’t finished further back than fifth in seven starts.
“We went back to our notes from the Triple Crown Series and then we went a little further on the set-up,” Dow said. “Top, bottom and middle, I had bite everywhere- the car has never handled so well. It’s challenging racing on dirt in the daytime and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get Mark, but it was fun to start towards the rear and come up through traffic – it’s something I’d like to do every weekend. Without the people who help me, Tom, Penny and Karen Sawyer from Sawyer’s Tractor Works in Barnstead, none of this would be possible- we’d be sitting home every night instead of out playing.”
With the season winding down, three drivers are locked in a tight-as-a-guitar string battle for the championship. “The Fairlee Flier,” Kevin Chafee helped his chances by advancing from 14th to finish second behind Dow, while Dan Douville finished fifth and Chris Donnelly was sidelined by a drive line failure and did not finish, being scored dead last in the 16 car field.
The often underestimated Robby Bodwell had another strong showing, winning his heat and coming home third while Tunk Berry was fourth.
The race was red flagged twice. A frightening flip by Will Hull shot him head on into the backstretch wall, ripping the front axle from the car and sending it hurtling across the track. After the restart, Shawn Berry suffered a nearly as violent flip in turn three. Both drivers were shaken up, but neither was injured.
Three classes of Mini Sprints were on hand for the final event in the Open Cockpit Sunday Super Series. Teenager Kyle Smith of Great Barrington easily held off the field to grab the brass ring in the East Coast Mini Sprint Association 750/1000cc event. After Lacey Hanson was eliminated when her car was hit by another during the heat race, each of the four remaining drivers was old enough to be Smith’s father.
Troy Boissoneau of Bedford, NH swept the 500cc heat and feature, holding off a bid from 11 year old Dylan Rock who started at the rear of the 11 car field and Lacey Hanson, who competed in three classes during the afternoon’s program.
Dave Morgan of Woburn, MA made an infrequent start payoff and took up the winner’s trophy in the 600cc feature after leader Jake Williams suffered a broken rear axle so severe that it punctured his fuel tank. The always colorful Lowbed Johnson was second and Troy Boissoneau was third.
A Moment of Silence was observed in recognition of September 11, 2001 and for our men and women in uniform. A plaque was presented to the track owner, Lamont-Kenneson American Legion Post 76 in recognition of their 50 year record of support of auto racing.
The Sprint Cars of New England Championship will be determined at their final race of the season on September 24 at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT as part of New England Dirt Track Championship night. The program includes the DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds, the USAC DMA Midgets and all the weekly Bear Ridge Stock Car divisions.
SCoNE Feature (25 laps) 1. Clay Dow, Barnstead, NH, 2. Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee, VT, 3. Robby Bodwell, Sanford, ME, 4. Tunk Berry, Center Ossipee, NH, 5. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, NH, 6. Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, NH, 7. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT, 8. Bruce Kimball, Lebanon, NH, 9. Brandon Valley, Center Ossipee, NH, 10. Mark Cole, Lebanon, NH, 11. Shawn Lawler, Mason, NH, 12. Tyler Rich, Lyme, NH, 13. Jim Lowrey, Jr., Tilton, NH, 14. Shawn Berry, Center Ossipee, NH, 15. Will Hull, East Montpelier, VT, 16. Chris Donnelly, Piermont, NH. DNS: Matt Robie, Hill, NH. Heat winners: Bodwell and Valley.
500cc Feature (20 laps) 1. Troy Boissoneau, Bedford, NH, 2. Dylan Rock, Enfield, NH, 3. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT, 4. Kyle Belliveau, Hopkinton, NH, 5. Patrick Smith, Andover, NH, 6. Steve Hutchinson, Goffstown, NH, 7. Pete Belliveau, Hopkinton, NH, 8. Robyn Boisvert, Andover, NH, 9. Laury Clark, Salisbury, NH, 10. Ryan Porter, Enfield, NH, 11. Chad Southworth, Thetford, VT. Heat winner: Boissoneau.
600cc Feature (20 laps) 1. Dave Morgan, Woburn, MA, 2. Lowbed Johnson, Arlington, MA, 3. Troy Boissoneau, Bedford, NH, 4. Terry Reil, East Barre, VT, 5. Rich Crooker, Nashua, NH, 6. Spencer Allen, Plainfield, NH, 7. Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, NH, 8. Kevin Stolte, Northbridge, MA, 9. Christine Boesch, Center Harbor, NH, 10. Derek Eldridge, Tyngsboro, MA. DNS: Pete Belliveau, Hopkinton, NH. Heat winners: Boissoneau and Crooker.
750/1000cc Feature (20 laps) 1. Kyle Smith, Great Barrington, MA, 2. Rick Stone, Cornwall, CT (First 750), 3. Todd Perry, Winsted, CT, 4. Paul Rose, Lexington, MA, 5. Wayne Bush, Russell, MA. DNS: Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT. Heat winner: Stone.
Sources: Mark McKeon/SCONE PR