Star Speedway 6/8/19 Race Report
Epping, NH – The 350 Supermodifieds continued their perfect season at Star Speedway Saturday night, with defending champion Dave “Hollywood” Helliwell of Pelham picking up his first feature win of the 2019 campaign to make it five winners in five races for the year.
Mike Murphy of Fremont broke out of the pack first to set the pace until they were approaching the halfway mark, when Mike Collins of Strafford motored past to stake his claim to the lead. Collins immediately began to pull away from the field, but he suddenly slowed on lap 31, handing the lead over to Helliwell, who had just passed Murphy for what appeared to be second spot at the time.
Helliwell took command on the restart, and he led the rest of the way to score his first win of the year. Seabrook’s Rich Eaton slipped past Murphy in the late laps to score runner-up honors, with Murphy rounding out the podium in third.
Fourth spot went to Ryan Gath of Chelmsford, MA, followed by Tommy Tombarello of Haverhill, MA, Kingston’s Jim Storace, Jeffrey Battle of Westford, MA, Eddie Witkum, Jr. of Westford, MA, and Bobby Timmons III of Windham, ME.
In the Ken Izzett Construction ACT-type Late Model main, Mike Toner, Jr. of Portsmouth, RI made a quick move from third on the starting grid to take the lead, and he was the man to beat from there. Toner survived a couple of restarts along the way, eventually leading the field under the checkers for his first career Star Speedway win.
Hampton’s Erick Sands came on strong in the late going to checker in the runner-up spot, with Josh Hedges of Rochester, MA, Tom Mackey of Gloucester, MA, Charlie Rose of Tiverton, RI, Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. of Candia, Hampton’s Jay Sands, Dennis Dumas of Raymond, Patrick Stewart of North Andover, MA, and Jeramee Lillie of West Warwick, RI the rest of the top ten.
Alby Ovitt of Barrington continued his winning ways in the Woody’s Auto Street Stock main event, running down leader Joey “The Jet” Ventrillo of Methuen, MA to take the lead, and eventually, the win. Ventrillo checkered second, with Jimmy Renfrew, Sr. of Candia finishing up the podium in third.
Former champion Ron Bolduc of Plaistow came home in the fourth spot, with Kingston’s Jim Storace, Dylan Bilodeau of Fremont, “Mad Max” Dolliver of Londonderry, Shane Gendron of Tyngsboro, MA, Bret Culleton of Pelham, and Jeremy Scott of Derry closing out the top ten.
Katie Buxton of Derry picked up her first Powder Puff win of the season over Jacquelyn Foster of Maynard, MA and Luann Sawyer of Kingston. Wicked Good Vintage action saw Bob Symonds of Casco, ME victorious in the Sportsmen, and Ben Levangie of Plymouth, MA winning the action-packed Modified main.
Sources: Rich Hayes, Star Speedway PR