Posted: September 20th, 2011

On what turned out to be a downright chilly night in the White Mountains, the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen got down to it and settled their points battle for the 2011 season. Quinney Welch in the #78 Local Linemen 104, M.A. Bean and Associates Chevrolet Impala SS becomes King of the Mountain at WMMP for the second straight year. He ended the night by putting an exclamation point after his name by capping off the night winning the NAPA Late Model Sportsman 50 lap feaure event.

In qualifying action it was Mark Puffer from Groton, VT in the #37 truck taking the win in the Little Ceasar's Kids Truck Division. In the Avery's Sweeping Tiger Sportsmen it was the #6 of Michael Moore from East Haven, VT carrying the colors on a lap of honor. When the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen rolled onto the grid for their two qualifiers it was Oren Remick in the #21 out of Warner, NH and the #16 of Travis Fadden from N. Haverhill carrying the checkers. The semi-feature for the NAPA Late Models went to the #3 of Bernie Lantagne from McIndoe Falls, VT. In the Beaon resort Strictly Stock Division the qualifying win went to the #4 of Elwin Sydney III. Qualifying concluded witht the running of the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Mini-Stock Division where the win went to the #19 of Dave Driscoll.

Feature event action started with the Little Ceasar's Kid's Truck Division. From the drop of the green flag it was the #37 of Mark Puffer in command of the field. He jumped out to an early lead and tried to run away from the field. Brandon Croteau piloting the #4 truck out of Irasburg had other ideas. He hounded Puffer for the majority of the 15 lap race. Then in the late stages, the #23 of Chandler Potter stepped up to challenge Croteau for second. This took Croteau's attention off Puffer and Puffer began to walk away from the field. When the checkers went in the air it was Puffer with the win, Croteau in seond with Potter rounding out the top three.

The Beacon Resort Strictly Stock main event didn't go quite as smoothly. Out came the green flag and the field dives into turn one. On to to turn two and suddenly half the field is facing the wrong direction as the #4 of Shane Sicard, the #40 of Alan Sicard, and the #31 of Brandon Bourne, among others all spin in the middle of turn two. Scoring scrambles and the field is reset to try it again. Green is out. The #49 of Jody Sicard takes the early lead. Then out of the back of the pack the #84 of Elwin Sydney breaks free and runs down Sicard in a hurry. Despite a restart on lap 17 with the likes of Sicard, #21 Lucas Wheeler, and the #16 of Brandon Albee surrounding him, Sydney held on to win with Wheeler in second and Albee in third.

Next out on the N. Woodstock highbanks was the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Mini-Stock Division. The green flag flew and the field made it as far as turn four where the #4 of Travis Dickerson from Littleton, NH looped it in the face of the field going into the turn. The field was realigned and the green flag flew again. This time they made it as far as turn one when the #17 of Desirae Sicard got off the racing surface and went skating up the racetrack. It was deemed that she had help getting off the racing surface so the offending party got to chat with Flagman Bill and was invited to join in at the rear of the field. Third time is a charm as when the green flew again Dave Driscoll from Lincoln, NH in his Viking Restoration #19 drove off and pretty much left the field behind him. Jason Fallman in the #21 put up a challenge late in the race for the lead but didn't have anything for the Driscoll machine, as he had done battle earlier with Kyle Willis and the #00 of Ronnie Bailey of Brewster, Mass. and had all he could do at one point to keep them behind him. Driscoll got his second win of the season, Fallman came in second, and third went to the #43 of Kyle Willis.

The Avery's Sweeping Tiger Sportsmen came out of the pits and onto the frontstretch ready to do battle for 25 green flag laps. And battle is exatly what they did. Dan Colby, normally of the Late Model ranks, opted to take a ride in the backup car of tiger sportsman driver Tim Churchill again this week. The green flag flew and Churchill took his Impalla SS straight to the front. Mid-pack it was Jeff Huntington in the #24 and the #90 Sean Akers duking it out for the points lead in the division. Colby hooked it high in the outside lane and started working his way forward and eventually caught Churchill and proceeded to go after the lead. Behind them Huntington was still doing battle with Akers. About mid-race Michael Moore in the #6 out of East Haven, VT stepped out of line in the low groove and went into the high lane. It took him a lap or so to get the grip he was looking for and when he found it he drove right around Akers and Huntington into third place. and was going after Churchill and Colby. The laps ran short as Moore headed for the front. At the line it was the #66 of Tim Churchill, the #68 of Dan Colby and Michael Moore in the #6 in third.

Last to take to the N. Woodstock high-banked 1/4 mile was the "Thunder In The Mountains"....the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen, for their final show of the 2011 season. The green flag flew and the #3 of Bernie Lantagne took the early lead and would swap it back and forth in the early goings with the #42 of Mike Jurkowski and Oren Remick in the #21. Then Todd Aldrich in the #17 from N. Haverhill, NH got sideways getting up off turn two and out onto the backstretch. Stacy Cahoon in the #83 had nowhere to go and pushed him halfway down the backstretch with some help from #78 Quinny Welch. Welch drove off and rejoined the field while Cahoon got the worst of it and returned to the racing surface minus a fender and the whole front nose piece, dragging a rocker panel. On lap ten Welch began to move towards the front. On lap 17 Welch went high into the outer groove and put race leader Oren Remick behind him. On lap 24 the caution flag flew for Travis Fadden who had broken a left-rear hub and was sitting at the top of turn one. Then again on lap 28 when Jurkowski backed it into the turn one fence. On lap 35 the final yellow flag flew for a spinning Stacy Cahoon in turn three. At the line it was Welch with the win, Remick in second, and in third Joe Amour.

Immediately following trophy presentations the top three in points for the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen were invited along with family, friends and fans for the champagne ceremony. Quinny Welch is the 2011 NAPA Late Model Sportsmen champion, with Stacy Cahoon in second and in third this year is Travis Fadden. Congratulations to you all.

This year's banquet will once again be held at the Beacon Resort. It is on October 29th. Tickets on sale at the tracks front gate. $40.00 per person

***Next Week***

Final points race in Tigers, Mini's, Strictly's and Trucks

PASS Super Late Models 150

Gates open 2pm

Practice 4pm

Race 6pm

We are very easy to find in the heart of the White Mountains, in Woodstock, NH. We are two miles south of N. Woodstock Village on route 3 and three miles north of exit 30 off Interstate 93. We are a family friendly facility with no alcohol being allowed on the grounds at any time, and the grandstands split evenly into smoking and non-smoking sections.