Posted: August 1st, 2011

After the loss of three events early in the season due to rain, Mother Nature seems to be making up for lost time at the White Mountain Motorsports Park in N. Woodstock, NH. Saturday night saw all but perfect conditions for racing as the temperature was in the mid 70's with a stiff breeze blowing up from the south. This made for great horsepower in addition to great grip where the rubber meets the racetrack. With only seven points counting events left for the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen their racing was spectacular and did nothing to overshadow the other four divisions who now have only eight points counting events left.

In qualifying, it was Michael Lloyd in his #22 Chevy S-10 outpacing the field to the checkered flag in the Little Ceasar's Kid's Truck Division. In the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Mini Stock Division if was Jason Fallman across the line first with his #21 Ford Mustang. When the Beacon Resort Strictly Stock Division took to the track for their qualifying event it was the #16 of Brandon Albee winning handily in his Chevy Monte Carlo SS. The win in the Avery's Sweeping Tiger Sportsmen didn't come as easily for the #66 of Tim Churchill who had to fight off the hard charging #77 of Thumper Griswold the whole way. The Napa Late Model Sportsmen rolled out of the pits for their qualifying events and the racing was fierce, not just for the qualifying position into the main event, but to get into the top four of each qualifier to get into the extra points counting semi-feature later in the evening. Qualifier number one went to the #42 of Mike Jurkowski of Claremont, NH. Qualifier number two went to the #21 of Oren Remick from Warner, NH, but he had a rearview mirror full of Quinny Welch in the #78 the whole way, while the #60 of Dan Colby did his level best to apply pressure to both of them the whole way as well. When the semi-feature rolled out onto the grid and took the green it was all Remick from the drop of green flag. With the win in his qualifier and again winning in the semi, Remick set himself up to win the coveted triple crown trophy at the end of the season awards banquet.

After an action-packed round of qualifying in all divisions, the Little Ceasar's Kid's Truck Division took to the highbanks for their feature event. At the drop of the green flag it was the #43 of Nick Willis to the early lead with the #26 of Logan "Flipper" Oliver taking chase. The battle was behind them as the #37 of Mark Puffer, the #22 of Michael Lloyd and the #61 of Ryan Olsen were battling it out for the third spot. They were still battling for position on lap six when "The Flipper" went to the high side of Willis to take the lead down the backstretch. "The Flipper" got into the clean air in the lead and he was gone from the rest of the field. The battle raged on for the second and third positions, with Olsen breaking through under Willis on lap eleven. Before Willis could get back down into the lower lane the #20 of Amanda Wheeler filled the hole down low to take the third spot away. That's the way they would finish. The #26 of "The Flipper" Logan Oliver recovered from barrel-rolling his truck down the backstretch last week to find himself in victory lane this week with the win in his Pine Mountainview Farm, B&T Equipment machine. Second went to the # 61 of Ryan Olsen in his Fadden Automotive, Woodsville Machine entry, while third went to the #20 of Amanda Wheeler sponsored by Lakeside Auto and Dennis O'Donnell Builders.

Out next on the grid were the Avery's Sweeping Tiger Sportsmen. In what turned out to be a great contest of handling and horsepower, the next flag to fall after the green flag was the checkers as the Tigers put on a whale of a show from start to finish. At the drop of the green flag it was the #24 of Jeff Huntington finding his way to the front and doing his best not to look back. That was not an easy feat as the #77, 2010 track champion, Thunper Griswold was on him like a wet blanket. While they were going at it the #66 of Tim Churchill was working over the #16 of George May. May had his hands full the whole way as Churchill looked high and low for an opening, but May held his line the whole way to protect his third running spot. Ahead of them though the battle was on for the lead. There was incidental contact on a number of occasions where Griswold got into Huntington causing him to break traction, but on all occassions Griswold lifted his foot out of the gas, let Huntington get his car back under him and then went after him again. True sportsmanship prevailed all the way around by the time the checkers flew. Depsite the best efforts of Griswold, the #24 of Huntington took the win in his GRS Auto Chevy Monte Carlo, Griswold was about a layer of paint behind in second in his #77 Winget's Ground Maintenance Chevy Impala SS, while third went to the #16 of George May in his 3M Racestock Sports Chevy Impala SS.

Taking their cue from the Tiger Sportsmen Division, the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Mini Stock Division took to the racing surface and went wire to wire with no caution flags in between. The green flag flew and so did the #17 of Desirae Sicard straight into the lead. the whole field was jostling for position behind her and out of the dust arose the #01 of Shawn Sinclair. Sinclair wasted little time taking to the high side down the backstretch and finding his way around Sicard. This left Sicard to fall into the clutches of the #0 of Lisa Hodgdon, the #43 of Kyle Willis and the #21 of Jason Fallman. While the three swapped positions between them Sinclair was driving his VW into another time zone out in front. Fallman worked his way through traffic and caught Sicard. After a number of laps he worked his way through on the low side and took second position away, then set sail after Sinclair. Time was not on his side as the checkers flew. It was the #01 of Shawn Sinclair winning four in a row in his VW Scirocco sponsored by Spinnaker Contract, second to the hard-charging Fallman in his #21 sponsored by Cannon Mountain Ford Mustang and third went out to Sicard in her Pontiac Sunfire #17 sponsored by Brown's Custom Meats and Dale Neland Building.

With the air cool and calm and the sun fading out of sight, the NAPA Late Model Sportsmen rolled out of the pits in turn four and onto the racing surface. The racing was bound to be a little hot to handle, with the #78 of Quinny Welch looking to extend his points lead and the #21 of Oren Remick running and gunning for the triple crown trophy. From the start it was all Remick, who bolted into the lead at the drop of the green flag. Immediately the battle started in the middle of the pack as the #3 of Bernie Lantagne settled into second behind Remick. Five cars including the top four points leaders were under a blanket for the third running spot, swapping positions, paint and rubber marks all the way. Jeremy Welch in the #88 who had the third spot was under fire all the way around when the #38 of Tyler Cahoon went to the outside in turn one, only to have his father in the #83, Stacy Cahoon fill the hole down low and box him out of the low lane, with Quinny Welch right there looking for anybody to make a mistake he could take advantage of. It was go or go home in the outside lane for the younger Cahoon in the outside lane and he was coming forward when the yellow came out on lap twenty-two for the Jeremy Welch machine who fell off the pace and into the infield grass on the frontstretch. When the green came out again it was Remick and Lantagne off the front line into turns one and two. It was short-lived as the #17 of Todd Aldrich spun off the backstretch just off the racing surface. With the green again flying in the air, Remick and Lantagne set sail at the front of the field yet again. However, Welch in the #78 did as well, taking to the high side and working his way around traffic and into the third spot. Welch wasted little time catching and overtaking Lantagne and then setting his sights on Remick. But as Welch later said in victory lane, "Oren just had the car to beat tonight." And he did as he sailed into victory lane with his Chevy Impala SS sponsored by Darlings Auto, Edge Erectors and Suitor'sGarage.com, sweeping his qualifier, semi-feature and feature to take the coveted triple crown. Second went to current points leader, 2010 track champion and driver of the #78 Quinny Welch in his Local Linemen 104, M.A. Bean and Associates Chevy Impala SS. Third went to the #3 of Bernie Lantagne in what he claims is his FareWell Tour driving his Chevy Monte Carlo SS sponsored by P&L Loggers of VT, DC Autobody and Paul's Whistle Stop.

Rounding out the nights' racing, the Beacon Resort Strictly Stocks pulled out of the pits and onto the frontstretch, stopped, and got out for driver introductions and the National Anthem. With the pleasantries out of the way, the drivers climbed back into their machines, cinched the belts up tight and prepared to do battle for their twenty-five lap feature. When the green went in the air it was rather short-lived as the #16 of Brandon Albee came out of turn four on the front line and had the lights go out under the hood of his Monte Carlo. With the field realigned and the #16 out of the pits and on the rear the green flag flew again. With a tussle going into the first and second turns, the front half of the field suddenly was in the rear and vice-versa. Jody Sicard in the #49 took the lead, but with the running order shuffled in turns one and two Lucas Wheeler in the #21 found himself in second and on lap four the new leader. With less than ten laps down, the #27 of Alex Kelley tangled with the Sicard machine and went around. Kelley pulled on the rear, the green flag flew again and on lap eight the Albee car once again came to rest just off the racing surface on the backstretch. The green went in the air for the final time and Kelley began his march to the front as Wheeler and the #84 of Elwin Sidney pulled away from the pack. With just two laps to go Kelley had worked his way into fourth place and was looking for third. Going into turn one with just two laps to go Kelley punched a hole down low under The #4 of Shane Sicard sending both cars sideways up the track. Kelley was able to rebound first and stole the spot away when the checkers flew. Wheeler crossed the line for the win in his Lakeside Auto, Bare Bones BBQ Monte Carlo SS for his second win in a row. Second went to the #84 of Elwin Sidney in his Viking Restoration, Foley Oil Co. Monte Carlo SS, while third went to Alex Kelly in his #27 Chevy Camaro.

In the kids bike races the results are as follows:

In the Up To Four Division

1st place Kyle Goodboo

2nd place Carson Colby

3rd place Marcus Jacobs

The 5&6 Division

1st place Brian Bourne

2nd place JJ Goodboo

3rd place Dillon Kelley

7&8 Division

1st place Elijah Kelley

2nd place Jordan Eastman

3rd place Blake Martin

9 and Up Division

1st place Caleb Kelley

2nd place David Bourne

3rd place Tyler Guerriero

Congratulations to all the winners!!

Next Week:

The New England Antique Racers will be in town for their exhibition race this year at WMMP. These are the cars and stars of yesteryear that raced decades ago that have brought us to the cars we race today. If you have never seen this display of old Ford Flathead coupes, sedans and full-bodied machines. This is not a sight to be missed.....

Don't forget about the new program for the kids we have started just this year. Each week the announcer will be pulling a child's ticket. That child and parents will then be invited into the tower to watch a feature event. When that event is over the child will be brought down onto the track and will hand out the trophies to the three winning drivers. As a "Thank-You" to the child for doing it, they will be taking home a trophy of their own! This is just one more way White Mountain Motorsports Park would like to thank the families that come out in support of our racing program every week. We look forward to seeing you soon!!

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. Again, we look forward to seeing you, if not next week, then sometime in the next couple of months.