6/2/2024
Monadnock Speedway
Robie and Stockwell Saturday Winners at Monadnock
ROBIE AND STOCKWELL SATURDAY WINNERS AT MONADNOCK
Monadnock Speedway June 1 event story
By Gary Dutton
WINCHESTER, N.H. – Modified ace Brian Robie stayed perfect on the year, topping the Mad Dog Modifieds for his third win of the season in the night’s Triple Crown Series, Race One, main event Saturday.
Robie set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 12.072, then besting it with a 12-flat circuit in the 50-lap main event. Saturday’s Robie victory, though, didn’t come as easily as his previous two 2024 scores.
Scott Zilinski and Kimmy Rivet led the sizzling 20-car field to the green, with Rivet blasting to the lap-two lead just before Zilinski looped in turn two, scattering the field, with many – including Robie and Tyler Leary – having to then restart from deep in the field. Bad news for Robie? Not really.
This one had lots of cars trying to lead every lap, none more-so than Leary, who blasted back through the field to take the lead from Rivet on lap 17. Robie, not far behind, was flying forward too.
The Sunapee speedster blasted into second on lap 21 and took charge on the 25th go-round, never looking back again en route to victory lane. Leary’s second place run gave him sole possession of tops in the points parade, and Brad Zahensky, having the best season on his ten years in the Mods, was strong in third, finishing just ahead of Rivet and Andy Major.
JD Stockwell, the Bay State teen phenom, dubbed the Massachusetts Missile, rocked the high banks Saturday to win his first Super Street victory of the summer, and second of his career. At his high school prom a week earlier, he basked in Monadnock Speedway’s victory lane Saturday night.
Chris Riendeau’s strong runner-up finish kept him atop the points parade, and Chris Curtis outdueled 2023 champ Tim Wenzel for third. Dan Petrowicz, stronger every week, was a close fifth.
Seventeen-year-old Pure Stock star Andrea St. Amour had another big night Saturday on the high banks, winning her second feature race of the young season and, with it, taking over the championship points lead. And, while St. Amour’s star shined brightly, other top runners suffered nights to forget.
Jimmy Zellman, a two-time 2024 winner, had the lead when he met violently with the turn four wall on lap four, and four-time champ Chris Davis, the winner two weeks ago, had a big lead when he coasted quietly into the infield five laps later. St. Amour, though, stayed perfect all 30 laps, taking the checkers two lengths ahead of William Graham. Rookie Adrian Smith completed his best night of the season in third.
Mini Stock super star Erin Aiken began the month of June on Saturday, the way she’d ended her incredible May. Winning her eighth event of the month the night before, she rocketed to her third Monadnock victory of the season Saturday.
Taking the lead from reigning Mini Stock champ Louie Maher – back from a horrendous crash three weeks ago – on lap 17, Aiken sailed off to win with ease. Maher was second on the night, and Reagan Buffum, with another strong run, was third.
Like Brian Robie in the Modifieds, Six Shooter ace Michael Yeaton blasted into victory lane again Saturday to stay perfect on the year. For Yeaton, Saturday night’s romp was his fourth win of the summer. Mike Comtois, in a team car, was second, and David Bell came home third.
Markus O’Neil, all of 13 years old, led all the way to win his second Young Pups feature in a row. Potent Owen Zilinski got up for second on lap seven, then finishing at O’Neil’s bumper. Madison Cusino impressed in third.
Pro 4 Modified victory lane? Who else, Rob Richardi took the lead from Jack Dumas on lap 11, firing low into turn one and then zipping away to score another Mad Dog win. Brayden Meservey, strong in second, went pitside on lap 20, with Dumas then scoring the runner-up finish just ahead of Brandon LaVoie.
Monadnock Speedway will host a gigantic Saturday night of racing this week, on June 8, when the JDV Open Modifieds square off in the second annual 100-lap Winchester Open.
Inaugural Open winner Matt Kimball will be defending his title of a year ago and Kirk Alexander, the legendary wheelsman from just down the road, will be competing in his the final event of his storied career. The event, run in honor of Modsman Bruce Bachta, will headline a seven-division card of racing beginning at 6 p.m.
MONADNOCK SPEEDWAY JUNE 1 TOP PERFORMERS
MAD DOG MODIFIED 50: Brian Robie, Tyler Leary, Brad Zahensky, Kimmy Rivet, Andy Major, Kyle Robinson-Newell, Kevin Pittsinger, Trevor Bleau, Cole Littlewood, Eric Leclair.
SUPER STREET 35: JD Stockwell, Chris Riendeau, Chris Curtis, Tim Wenzel, Dan Petrowicz, Isabella Minchella, Wesley Stedt, David Boisvert, Zach Zilinski, Hillary Renaud.
PURE STOCK 30: Andrea St. Amour, Billy Graham, Adrian Smith, Dominick Stafford, Chris Chambers, Zach Phillips, Chris Davis, Carter Chamberlin, Jimmy Zellman.
MINI STOCK 30: Erin Aiken, Louie Maher, Reagan Buffum, Kevin Clayton, Eric Pomasko.
SIX SHOOTER 25: Michael Yeaton, Mike Comtois, David Bell, Garrett Barry, Meghan Bell.
YOUNG PUP: Markus O’Neil, Owen Zilinski, Madison Cousino, Hunter Duquette, Haley Crestuk, Ella Grabowski, Sofia Rego, Carter Conroy.
PRO 4 MODIFIED: Rob Richardi, Jack Dumas, Brandon LaVoie, Kurt Lester, Robert Matheson Jr., Jon Provost, Sophia Ashford, Brayden Meservey, Alan Reiser, Jeff Heath.
Article Credit: Gary Dutton