Jarvenpaa Celebrates
First Sportman Modified Win...(By
Gary Dutton) – Sportsman Modified pilot Tyler Jarvenpaa was a
first-time winner Saturday, June 15, at Monadnock Speedway. Ditto
for both Dennis Stange and Beth Adams. Jarvenpaa, a potent sophomore
in the high-banked speedplant’s open-wheel division, scored his
first career victory in Monadnock’s premier division. Adams’ Mini
Stock win was the first of the season for the perennial powerhouse,
while the veteran Stange scored his first-ever Super Stock victory.
Other winners Saturday included Thunder Stock blaster Ed Lofland,
who stayed perfect on the season with his fifth win in as many
outings, Young Gun hot shoe Chris Lawrence, who earned his third win
of the summer, and Rob Richardi, who topped the Pro-4 Modified
feature.
Joey Kendall set a torrid pace in the Sportsman Modified main,
leading the pack for seven laps until Jarvenpaa edged past him to
take command. Bill Kimball would drop Kendall back to third two laps
later, with two-time winner Adam Norton then up to fourth and
charging. While Jarvenpaa would be undaunted by a lap-14 caution,
Kimball’s workload would increase, as he got hung on the outside and
lost two spots before falling back in line. With Jarvenpaa quickly
taking charge again, Kendall moved back into second, with Norton
stilled riding in his shadow. Norton grabbed the deuce spot on lap
16, with Kimball moving back to third six laps later as Kendall’s
ride began to fade. Jarvenpaa, who missed half of last season with a
broken arm, was on a rail though, outrunning Norton by ten lengths
to score his first-ever Sportsman Modified victory.
Norton finished his
strong night’s work in second, with Kimball, Keith Carzello, and
Brian Chapin rounding out the top five. With the victory, Jarvenpaa
became the sixth different Sportsman Modified winner in seven weeks
this season at the high-banked quarter-mile.
Dennis Stange led the
first nine laps of the Super Stock feature, with Tyler Lescord
leading the furious charge behind him. Farther back, Tom Carey III
and John Lavoie were sailing through the pack. Carey reeled in
Stange and edged into the lead on lap ten, with Lavoie already up to
third from row five. Lavoie’s undoing, however, would begin a lap
later. Bounced out of the top three on lap 11, the two-time
defending champion would be gone for the night two laps later, after
heavy contact with Lescord’s ride while under caution.Carey’s bid
for victory would end on the ensuing restart, as he coasted to a
stop as the green waved again. Back in the lead, Stange would run
out the race to score the win five lengths ahead of steady Bill
Johnston. Eddie Brehio III, Ben Poland, and Dave Striebel rounded
out the top five.
Kevin McKnight led the
first four laps of the Mini Stock feature, with Beth Adams then
taking charge and immediately opening lots of airspace between
herself and the rest of the pack.Julia Raymond powered into second
on lap 14, but Adams had a half-lap lead by then. Mike Stebbins –
bidding for his third win of the summer – took the deuce spot from
Raymond on lap 20, but the Adams Express was nowhere in sight.With
Adams taking her first victory lap of the season after beating
Stebbins by a third-lap, Stebbins completed his own impressive run
in second, followed under the flags by Raymond, Joe Rogers, and JT
Cloutier. For the first 24 laps of the Thunder Stock feature, Ed
Lofland’s unbeaten streak was in severe peril.
Tyler Janovsky led lap
one, then watched Marshall Usher storm into the lead and pull
away.At the halfway mark, Usher had opened a huge lead, with Scott
Thompson second, and Lofland third. A lap-24 caution was the last
thing Usher wanted to see, and just what the doctor ordered for
Lofland.It took Lofland two laps to clear Thompson for second, and
when Usher left the door wide open on lap 27, Lofland ran right
through it. With Lofland topping his fifth event of the season,
Thompson came home second, followed by Usher, Janovsky and Jason
Barden.
The Young Guns feature
was Chris Lawrence’s race to lose. The youth division powerhouse had
no intention of that happening though, leading all the way to score
his third victory of the summer.Joe Collins came from row four to
finish second, ten lengths behind Lawrence, with Cameron Sontag
making a last turn pass to come home third. Matt Kimball was fourth
on the night, with Cole Littlewood fifth.
In the Pro-4 feature Rob
Richardi took the lead from Dan Meservey Sr. on lap three and dashed
off to victory. Andy Major got up for second, with Robin Berghman
strong in third. Mark Charette piloted the first Limited car under
the checkers.
Firecracker 100
Advanced Tickets...Discounted
tickets are available now for the Firecracker 100 (Saturday-July
6th) featuring the Valenti Modified racing Series and the best
Fireworks Display in the region by Altas Pyrotechnics! Adult general
Admission $20 ($25 day of event ), Seniors 65+ $10 ($15 day of the
event), Students $5 and children 12 and under are free.
Tickets are available at the souvenir booth on race day or by
calling the speedway's office Tuesday - Thursday 10am-3pm.
Deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday, July 3rd. Family Four
packs will be available the day of the event for $40 and includes 2
Adults & 2 Children General admission tickets.
Carzello takes the
checkers...Keith
Carzello held Tyler Jarvenpaa in his shadow for 29 sizzling laps
Saturday, June 8, at Monadnock Speedway to win his first Sportsman
Modified feature of the season. Carzello became the fifth different
winner in six weeks of competition at the high-banked speedplant.
Other winners included John Lavoie, who rock...eted
to his third Super Stock victory of the young season; Mike Stebbins,
who earned his second Mini Stock victory of the summer; and Young
Gun Cameron Sontag, who also notched his second victory.
Lightning Stock ace Chris Davis made a furious charge from eight
rows back to snag the lead with one lap to go en route to his second
win of the summer, opening up a sizable lead in the points parade
with Saturday’s victory. In the NE Champ Kart feature, Mike Dinsmoor
led all the way to score his first Monadnock victory.
Carzello started on the point in the 30-lap Sportsman Modified
feature, outgunned Eric LeClair to lead lap one, and then, after a
lengthy caution brought out by a four-car jingle along the
backstretch wall, outran the potent field to earn his first win of
the summer.
Before lap two was completed, action came to an abrupt halt, as
points leader Adam Norton, Jeff Beckwith, Alyssa Rivera, and Brian
Chapin tangled along the backchute, with Beckwith’s ride receiving
the heaviest damage, while Norton and Chapin were able to return to
the track after hasty work pitside by his crew.
Tyler Jarvenpaa rocketed into second on the ensuing restart, and
would remain glued to Carzello’s bumper the rest of the race,
looking high and low without success until the checkers waved on his
second runner-up showing of the season.
Bennnington Bullet Bill Kimball finished at Jarvenpaa’s bumper to
complete his hard night’s work in third, with Steve Fifield and
Norton fourth and fifth, as the rapid quintet rode nose-to-tail the
final five laps of the event.
Dave Striebel set the fast pace for the first ten laps of the Super
Stock main, until watching Eddie Brehio III rocket past from the low
groove, with John Lavoie following Brehio by as Striebel got hung
outside.
Lavoie stayed glued to Brehio the next nine trips around the high
banks, until inching ahead of him from the top of the track on lap
19. Tom Carey III would grab third on lap 22 and, with Lavoie
setting a blistering pace he would score his third win of the summer
ahead of Brehio, Carey, Striebel, and Craig Smith.
Joe Rogers held the point in the Mini Stock feature for the first
six laps, but then Mike Stebbins – from row four - would complete
his rapid march to the front, with Chris McTaggart dropping Rogers
to third three laps later.
McTaggart would look high and low but, on this night, Stebbins had
the hot hand, outgunning McTaggart by two carlengths to score his
second win of the year. JT Cloutier, a first-time winner a week
earlier, came back from a lap-three crash to claim third, with Beth
Adams and Kimmy Rivet rounding out the top five.
Hillary Renaud set the pace for laps one through four in the
Lightning Stock 30-lapper, then giving way to Tim O’Shea. By lap 16,
O’Shea was putting open track between himself and Renaud, but
further back, red hot Chris Davis – from row eight – was mowing
through the field.
Davis pulled finally pulled up on O’Shea’s bumper with two laps to
go, took command at the white flag, and sped off to victory. O’Shea
was a solid second, with Renaud impressive in third. Matt Gauffin,
like Davis, came from deep in the field to claim fourth, with steady
Gary Johnson coming home fifth.
In the Young Guns feature, Cameron Sontag started on the front row,
held Sonja Carey in his shadow for five laps, and then drove away
from the pack to win his second event of the summer by half a lap.
Carey completed her strong run in second, with Matt Kimball third,
Cole Littlewood fourth, and Justin Faford fifth. Her deuce finish
was Carey’s second runner-up showing in as many weeks.
In the visiting NE Champ Kart feature, Mike Dinsmoor led every lap
but one to score the victory. Scott Foster turned on the
afterburners on his final trip around the high banks to seize the
runner-up spot, and Damon Schuster came home third.
Monadnock Speedway
"Fast Cash" Rewards...We are
rewarding you for supporting local businesses in support of the
campaign "Local Matters"! Please visit the following participating
businesses and receive a $5 "Fast Cash" reward good towards Adult
General Admission! Keene, NH:Rick's Gourmet Ice Cream,
U-Save Car & Truck Rental, Hamshaw Lumber, Pamela Moore Bridals,
Little Zoe's Take and Bake, Life is Sweet, Alpha Dogs Circus of
Weiners, Toy City, Video Headquarters, Jim Eddie's Restuarant, The
Sport Source and RA Tanning; Winchester, NH: Big Daddy's RV,
Kathyrn's Florist and Toy Box Kustoms; Swanzey, NH: Bob's
Auto/West Swanzey Garage and Angie's Pizzaria; Winchendon, Ma:
Chick's tavern and CS Pizza; Brattleboro, VT: Stop and Go Oil
Change. (Only one $5 "Fast Cash" reward may be used towards
Adult General Admission and cannot be combined with any other
discount).
Norton Takes Two in
a Row
(By Gary Dutton):Second
generation racer Matt Kimball scored his first career win Saturday,
May 18, at Monadnock Speedway, topping one of two Young Guns feature
events to earn a victory lap his father, Sportsman Modified ace Bill
Kimball, has taken many times at the high banked speedplant. Other
first-time victors Saturday included Ed LaQuire Jr., who wired the
Super Stock main event to score his first Monadnock win, and Matt
Gauffin, who earned his first victory of the year by dominating the
Lightning Stock feature.
Thunder Stock strongman Ed Lofland won
his third feature in as many tries this season, while a trio of
drivers scored their second win of the young campaign. Adam Norton
won his second consecutive Sportsman Modified feature, with
defending Mini Stock champion Kimmy Rivet earning her second in a
row as well, and Young Gun Chris Lawrence notched his second victory
of the summer.
Ken Thompson led the first eight laps
of the Sportsman Modified main event, then giving way to Eric
LeClair on a restart. LeClair's stay at the point would be brief,
though, as another caution a lap later brought Adam Norton alongside
for the subsequent restart, with Norton then speeding ahead at the
drop of the green. With Norton leading the final 15 laps of the
event, Tyler Jarvenpaa’s charge came up three lengths short, netting
him a strong runner-up showing. Keith Carzello completed his solid
night’s work in third, with Bill Kimball and Russ Hersey rounding
out the top five.
Ed LaQuire Jr. survived eight caution
flag restarts to hold of Bill Johnston in the Super Stock main.
Johnston, from deep in the field, grabbed second from Tyler Lescord
on a lap-16 restart, staying glued to LaQuire the rest of the way to
earn a solid runner-up finish. Eddie Brehio III was strong in third,
with Tom Carey III and Lescord rounding out the top five. Points
leader John Lavoie finished out of the money after being jostled on
lap 19 and, while keeping his ride under him, losing valuable
positions while getting back up to speed.
Joe Rogers led the first five laps of
the Mini Stock main, then giving way to JT Cloutier, who would pace
the sizzling field the next 11 laps. Mike Stebbins took command when
Cloutier bobbled on lap 17, holding the point until Kimmy Rivet
rocketed under him three laps later. Beth Adams would soon grab
second, settling for the deuce finish behind Rivet. Chris McTaggart
got up for third, with Stebbins coming home fourth, and Julia
Raymond fifth.
Jason Barden held a healthy lead in
the Thunder Stock main until a pair of cautions brought Ed Lofland
knocking at his door, with Lofland taking control on lap 15 and then
outgunning Barden by a dozen carlengths to score his third win of
the season. Barden, Joe Ethier, Jon Goddard, and Marshall Usher
completed the top five.
In the Lightning Stock 30-lapper, Matt
Gauffin came from row four to seize the lead from CJ Johnson on lap
three and then pull away. Craig Chaffee, from deep in the field, put
on a strong run to finish 20 lengths behind Gauffin, with Chris
Davis a close third. Johnson and Matt Somerville rounded out the top
five.
Chris Lawrence led all the way in the
Young Guns A feature. Joe Collins and Cameron Sontag were second and
third, with Sonja Carey a close fourth, Justin Faford came in fifth.
Youth division rookie Matt Kimball won his first career event in the
Young Guns B event in style, leading all the way and lapping cars as
early as lap seven. Cole Littlewood was second, with Mike McGoldrick
third. Corey Wheeler and Dylan Stebbins rounded out the top five.
Rob Riccardi reeled in his brother
Dave on lap 11 of the Pro 4 feature, with the siblings then running
under a blanket for the next five laps before Rob seized control
from the top of the track. With Rob Richardi scoring the win, Andy
Major and Robin Bergman were second and third, with Mark Charette
wheeling the first Limited machine under the flags.
In the two NEAR events, Lloyd Hutchins
topped the Sportsman go-round, with Bob Donahue winning the Modified
event. Gregg Massini and Barry Roy followed Hutchins under the
checkers, with Scott Poirier and Jimmy Allen chasing Donahue to the
flags.
Race Tires for the
2013 Season-
Monadnock speedway management announced at
the Annual Rules meeting that the speedway will be selling the tires
for the Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks and mini Stocks divisions
due to the retirement of Joe Goss from Northern Race Tire. The
speedway has contracted with Hoosier Northeast. The Sportsman
Modifieds will remain on the same Hoosier tire as last year however
the Super Stocks and Mini Stocks will be changed from the American
Racers to the 8" Hoosier 800 series. Super Stocks and Mini
Stocks may use the American Racer tire from 2012 however any new
tire purchases must be made at the speedway and be the designated
Hoosier tire. Tires sales are on race day from 1:30pm - 5:30pm
on regular events..
Attention
Twin State Speedway Competitors...The speedway owners and
management are deeply sadden to see the announcement of the
possibility that another historical speedway, Twin State Speedway,
may not be in operation this season. It has been become a
horrible reality all over the country and no competitor, race team
or fan wants to lose their hometrack.
The Monadnock
Speedway management invites all Twin State Speedway race teams to
the rules meeting to discuss the possibility of making your new
hometrack...Monadnock Speedway. There are several divisions
that Twin State Speedway ran on a weekly basis that will fit into
one of the Monadnock Speedway divisions and we are willing to work
with you. If you are interested and cannot attend the rules
meeting, please email us at the speedway...monadnockspeedway@ymail.com
and a tech official contact you.

It is with sadness to announce
the passing of Carl Merrill. Carl was a big part of
Monadnock Speedway for many many years as the Race Director up to
his retirement in 2011. He was dedicated to auto racing for
well over 60 years starting at Norwood and Westboro. Carl will be
sadly missed by all in the racing community. Our prayers go out to
his wife Treva and all the Merrill Family.
Alderman
Carleton
P. Merrill, a lifelong
Newton resident, died on Jan 23, 2012. He was 88.
Carleton was elected 13 times to
serve as an Aldermen-at-Large from Ward 1 in Newton. His first term
was the 1950-1951 term. He then skipped a few years and served 3
terms from 1956 - 1961. In 1962 he became the Veterans Agent
for
the City and served in that role until 1995 when he retired. Upon
retirement he again ran as an Aldermen from Ward 1 and served 8 1/2
terms from 1996 until his death. Carleton
graduated from Newton High in 1942 and served in the U.S. Army Air
Corps during WW II. An avid stock car racing fan,
Carleton had owned and raced his
own car. He was a NASCAR official and had officiated at Norwood,
Westborough, Thompson and Monadnock Speedways and had
officiated at the Daytona 500 several times.
Carleton was also a member of the
VFW and American Legion Post 48. He is survived by his wife Treva
(Rector) Merrill, his sister Jane
Merrill of Newton and his sister in
law of Eva Austin of Wilmington DE. He was the brother of the late
Edward Merrill.
A funeral service will be held on Tues Jan 29 at
11 AM in the Newton Cemetery Chapel 791 Walnut St Newton Centre
followed by interment with Military Honors. Relatives and friends
are kindly invited. Visiting hours will be in the Eaton & Mackay
Funeral Home 465 Centre St. NEWTON CORNER on Mon from 4-7 PM.
In lieu of flowers donations in his name may be made to the American
Heart Assoc 20 Speen St. Framingham, MA 01701.