Lee USA Speedway 7/8/16 Race Report
Lee, NH – Lee USA Speedway showcased another program of weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action on Friday night, featuring the “Supermodified Special” with twin-25’s for the Supers, regular feature events for the LMS, Hobby Stocks, and Ironman competitors, and double features on tap for the Pure Stocks due to rain the week before. Another appearance by the Northeast Classic Lites rounded out the racing schedule for the night.
Rookie contender Dave Helliwell of Pelham, NH scored his second win of the 2016 season in the first 25-lapper for the Supers, taking the lead from Mike Murphy of Groveland, MA on lap nine, and eventually holding off a hard-charging Kyle Sawyer of Raymond to pick up the checkers with a .386 margin of victory.
Two-time 2016 winner Lance Barthelemy recovered from early-race problems to collect third pace honors, followed by Mike Spurling of Rochester, Moe Lattime of Kingston, Tilton’s Jim Lowrey, Jr., Mike Keddy of Raymond, Murphy, Jim Barker of Meredith, and Leslie Keyser of Northfield.
Keyser looked to have turned things around in the nightcap, but a post-race disqualification cost him his first win of the season. Mike Spurling was the benefactor, getting credit for his second victory of the campaign when all was said and done. Lowrey picked up his best finish of the year in the runner-up slot, with Sawyer, Helliwell, and Barthelemy rounding out the top five.
Steve Paquette of North Hampton led the R & R Public Wholesalers Late Model Sportsman feature to the green flag, and he quickly move out to a comfortable lead. Connor McDougal of Rochester and George Helliwell of Pelham got together battling for second on lap 11, bringing caution on the speedway, and Paquette back to the field.
Buxton, ME ace Nate Leavitt took to the outside when the race restarted, and he quickly moved past “Big Steve” to take command. It was all but over from there, as Leavitt led the remainder of the 30-lap run to score his second win of the year and cushion his points lead approaching the halfway mark in the season.
Paquette scored a career-best finish in the second spot, followed by Jimmy Russell of Exeter, Rookie of the Year contender Kris Miller of Bedford, Patrick Stewart of Georgetown, MA, Ray Dinsmore III of Waterboro, ME, Epping’s Ricky Porter, Helliwell, Jesse Bousquet of Pittsfield, and McDougal.
The David’s Race Cars and Components Hobby Stocks saw a dominating performance by Nottingham’s Zac Fraser, as the second-generation racer bolted out to the lead at the drop of the green flag, and he never looked back on the way to his first 2016 visit to the winner’s circle.
Paul Palen of Pelham was the best of the rest, returning to action with a solid second place run ahead of former two-time champ Patrick Tanguay of Berwick, ME, Dylan Bilodeau of Epping, Newmarket’s Eric Hoffman, Jay Avery of Berwick, ME, Jim Piaseczny of Epsom, Tyler Munroe of North Andover, MA, Jake Michaud of Lebanon, Me, and Boe Green of Berwick, ME.
Points leader Ryan Pitkin of Lee once again grabbed the Tri-City Line-X Ironman win, beating out Luke Grammont of Nottingham, 2015 Pure Stock champ Jesse Tellier of Derry, Travis Hollins of Milford, Chris Howard, Farmington’s Troy Washburn, Jamie Holland of Somersworth, Ryan Washburn of Dover, Epping’s Anthony Nadeau, and Zach Washburn of Rochester. Hannah Shaw of Chester retired from the event in spectacular fashion when she blew
Epping’s John Boomhower grabbed the win in the first of the two MLM Diagnostics Pure Stock mains, taking the checkers over Tyler Mailhot and Danielle Evans. The regularly-scheduled main went to Mailhot, with Boomhower and Evans closing out the podium.
The Northeast Classic Lites once again put on an entertaining race for the fans, with just a single caution flag slowing the action. Eric Skofield took the checkers in that one, with his uncle Duane right behind in the runner-up slot.
Next up at Lee USA is the annual Ironman 200 Special on Friday, July 15, along with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Supermodifieds, Late Model Sportsmen, Hobby Stocks and Pure Stocks, and the eighth annual “El Camino Night” featuring dozens of classic El Caminos touring “New Hampshire‘s Center of Speed.”
Sources: Lee USA Speedway PR