7/17/2023
Lee USA Speedway
Hudson’s Derek Griffith $10k richer!
Lee, NH – Mother Nature has beat up and ruined a lot of plans for those in New England over the past few weeks and the initial forecast for this past Friday nights Rodfather Pro Stock’s $10K to win race sponsored by Keen Parts featuring NASCAR Cup star Kyle Busch had the same feeling but track owner Ben Bosowski and General Manager John Esburnett said let's gamble and go for it. Well their gamble paid off! A slight rain shower came thru the area around 130pm and was done by 3pm. The track crew got right on the track as rain started and didn’t stop till they had it dried off and ready for racing. Given the forecast showing rain later in the evening and wanting to reward the racers and fans with getting the racing program in slight changes were made to the schedule.
29 Rodfather Pro Stock’s filled the pits for the Keen Parts 125 with only 26 listed to start the feature; however the decision was made to start all of the cars. Time trials were the first event of the evening for the Rodfather Pro Stocks. Dover New Hampshire’s Wayne Helliwell Jr. put his familiar orange number 27 on the pole setting the quick time of 14.715 and sitting second fastest, was no stranger to New Hampshire Center of Speed; was Rowley, MA Eddie MacDonald in the 17MA. NASCAR Cup star Kyle Busch qualified 5th in his Keen Parts 8NC car. A lucky fan got to draw the chip to determine the invert and that fan drew 9. This would put the 73D of Joey Doiron and 8 of Angelo Belsito to the front row for the feature.
Next on the track would be the Original Wheelman Late Models for group time trials to set their lineup for the 50 lap NHSTRA Battle of the Belts. Nick Maniatis set fast time turning a lap of 17.084 in his number 63 machine. The invert chip drawn was 7 putting two drivers from Claremont, NH on the front in Hayden Grenier (83G) and Andrew Brousseau (81). The Black Flagged Podcast Ridge Runners and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Six Shooters skipped their qualifying and were lined up by draw or handicapping depending on where they were in the rotation of number of events run this season to date.
The Black Flagged Podcast Ridge Runners opened the feature events running a 20 lap feature green to checker in less than 7 minutes. Heath DeButts (76) and Mike Dube (51) lead the field to the green flag with DeButts taking off to a strong lead. The real adventure was further back in the field as current point’s leader and winner of the first two races of the season David Cameron in the 2 car started 10th. DeButts would lead the first 16 circuits giving the lead to Cameron on lap 17. DeButts would hold on to finish 2nd and Carl Gagnon in the 99NH rounded out the top 3.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Six Shooters came onto the track next for their 20 lap feature event was brought onto the track lead by Paul Childs (24) and Trystin Bodwell (17x). Childs took the early lead and would be followed closely by Bodwell and the 67 of Christin Destafano. The lone caution would fly as the right rear tire of the 52NH of Mike Comtois ending his evening. Childs and Bodwell made up the front row again. Childs stepped on the accelerator to jump back out front but Destafano would follow closely taking the top spot on lap 7. The Space Cowboy Steve Miller Sr. would take his number 68 past Bodwell for the third spot. Miller Sr. would reel in Childs as Destafano was in her own zip code. Destafano would take the win, followed by Childs in 2nd and Miller Sr. in 3rd.
The reason a lot of fans gathered at Lee USA Speedway was next on the track. It was the Rodfather Pro Stock’s Keen Parts 125 and a chance to see all of the local favorites do battle with NASCAR Cup Star Kyle Busch. Doiron and Belsito would go side by side thru turn 1 and 2 before Belsito would settle in the 2nd spot. Joey Polewarczyk Jr. in the 97 would run 3rd and Ryan Kuhn in the 72 ran 4th. The battle was for fifth between the 94 of Garrett Hall and 8NC of Kyle Busch but Hall would prevail this time. Belsito would apply pressure for the lead and 15 laps in Belsito would make the pass for the lead. Lap 31 Polewarczyk Jr. would see his day end as his car would go up in smoke and then on lap 33 the caution would fly again as fluid was on the track in turn 1 and 2. Derek Griffith in the 12G used Polewarczyk Jr. Misfortune to get himself into the 4th spot. The top on the restart would be Belsito, Doiron, Kuhn, Griffith, and Hall. Belsito roared back out front but Doiron thru a rope to him and said you are not getting away that fast. Griffith used the restart to get around Kuhn for the 3rd spot and Busch went around the outside of Hall for the 5th spot. A lap later Busch the outside to wrestle the 4th spot from Kuhn and it was a 4 car breakaway at the front at lap 40. Lap 41 the caution would fly for the 82 of Bobby Bailargeon making hard contact with the turn 2 wall. Belsito and Doiron looked to do battle again on the restart with Griffith and Busch ready to pounce on any mistake. They would go side by side for lap 42 before Doiron made the outside work thru turn 1 and 2 for the lead. Griffith got around Belsito for 2nd. The top two would start to pull away as Belsito and Busch would battle for the third spot before settling in to tick of some laps and save something for the end. Right around halfway Helliwell Jr. would pass Hall for the 5th spot. The battle for the lead would heat up at lap 70 as Griffith would want the top spot but Doiron would hold on but this would allow Belsito to catch the top 2. Lap 83 Belsito would try to use the bottom side to get the 2nd spot but Griffith split the middle of two lap cars to hold onto the 2nd spot. Lap 94 the caution would fly for the 40 of Mike Mitchell coming to rest in the grass in turn 3. The top 5 for the restart would be Doiron, Griffith, Belsito, Busch and Helliwell Jr. with 31 laps remaining which is like a typical short track shootout. The question for the fans was who saved something for the end and would capture the $10K prize. Doiron would opt to start on the outside on the restart but Doiron never went and Griffith took off bringing the caution back out and they would try again with a great start but coming out of turn 2 Griffith took the lead followed closely by Busch but Doiron shut the door on Busch quickly. Hall and Belsito would wrap up the top 5. The battle for 2nd would ensue as Griffith set sail. On lap 100 Busch would take the 2nd spot and would attempt to track down Griffith but Doiron would try a few more times before having to settle into the 3rd spot. Derek Griffith would hold on the capture the $10K prize. Kyle Busch settled for 2nd and Joey Doiron 3rd.
The last feature event of the evening was the Original Wheelman Late Model’s 50 lap Battle for the Belt race. Grenier and Brousseau brought the field to the green, but before things could really get going the caution would fly for the 7 of Donald Belisle. On the restart Brousseau would make hard contact with turn 1 wall after his throttle stuck but would get out of the car on his own power. Grenier would assume the lead with the 08 of Milton Duran joining him on the front row but again the caution would fly for the 33jr of Billy Clement Jr. spun coming out of turn 2. On the restart Duran shootout to the lead like a rocket with the 22 of Austin Erikson jumping into 2nd and looking to chase down Duran. Erikson reeled in Duran and on lap 15 would take the lead. Lap 32 the caution would fly for the 64NH of Tory Kovalesky spun out of turn 2. Erickson, Duran, Grenier, Maniatis, and Geoff Rollins (02) made up the top 5. Erikson wasted no time getting back out front but Maniatis and Rollins used the restart to get around Grenier. Then on lap 37 Rollins took over the 3rd spot. Then on lap 39 the caution would fly for the 79 of Patrick Tanquay. On the ensuing restart the caution would fly as coming to the green the 88T of John Vinal had something break sending him straight up the track taking the 79x of Trevor Rocke hard into the front stretch wall. Erickson and Duran would battle side by side on the restart coming to 10 to go. As Duran entered turn 1 he tried to fit in between Erikson and Rollins causing contact between with Rollins. Duran would try to hit the brakes but would bump Erikson moving both of them up into the 2nd groove of turn 1 and 2 allowing Rollins to shoot to the inside and take the lead down the backstretch. Erikson would settle into 2nd followed closely by Maniatis. With 7 laps to go contact between Maniatis and Erikson would see Erikson spin collecting the 01 of Bill Helliwell. For the restart you would see top 5 of Rollins, Duran, Grenier, the 30 of Andrew Morin and the 37 of Wade Gelinas. Rollins took the lead with Duran in tow while Morin and Grenier battled for the 3rd spot with 5 laps to go Morin took sole control of the 3rd spot. Rollins held on for the win with Duran in 2nd and Morin in 3rd. In after race Tech the 02 would be disqualified for violation of rule: Section 18, Part B
We at Lee USA Speedway want to thank all of the fans and racers that joined us. Lee USA Speedway next race day is Saturday August 5th with the Ollie Silva Mid-Summer Classic. Divisions in action will be the Rodfather Pro Stocks, Original Wheelman Late Models, 350 Super Modifieds, NELCAR Legends and NELCAR Bandolaros. Pits will open at Noon, main gates open at 230pm, Practice at 3pm and racing starts at 5pm.
Article Credit: Ryan Lawliss
Submitted By: Mark Beaudry
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