8/11/2025
Monadnock Speedway
LECLERC FIRST TIME WINNER ON SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAME NIGHT
Monadnock Speedway Saturday, August 9, event story
WINCHESTER, N.H. - Ty Leclerc won his first career 604 Modified feature event Saturday, roaring to victory as the storied high-banked oval celebrated its inaugural Hall of Fame Night.
Other winners Saturday included second-generation hot shoe Dylan Zullo, who solidified his Super Street points lead by winning his fourth main event of the summer, ditto for Mini Stock kingpin John Fultz, and Pure Stock titan Jimmy Zellman, who notched his second 2025 win.
Young Gun Maya Bell swept both her heat and feature races, topping her second youth division main event.
On Saturday - August 9th, a bevy of the 55-year-oval’s shakers and bakers from the past, those who helped grow the high-banked oval facility into its position atop the Northeast region’s top short track facilities, were honored trackside as the first class of inductees into its newly formed Hall of Fame.
During the induction ceremonies, speedway legends Punky Caron and Dwight Jarvis could be heard hamming it up as to which would win should they square off then and there. It was decided that perhaps it might be a draw.
Caron and Jarvis were both among those enshrined in the Hall Saturday, joined by other former star drivers Roger Raymond, Jerry Marquis, Ollie Silva, Pete “Travelin’ Man” Fiandaca, Ted Brown - winner of the track’s first-ever race on the original dirt surface in 1971 and Dave Grantz.
The late Bill Brown, whose dream was realized when he built and opened the oval 55 summers ago, was inducted, as was his successor, Bill Davis. The hard-working team of Larry Cirillo and Fred Pafumi, who grew the facility steadily for more than three decades were on hand to accept their place in the Hall.
Regional racing legend Bob Whitcomb also joined the inaugural class, as did longtime Monadnock staff members Dave Sutherland - he the voice of the speedway for more than 50 years - Carl Merrill, Jim Hanks, and Herb “Chan” Stevens.
Colton Martin and Saturday night fast-timer Trevor Bleau led the Allstates Materials Group 604 Modifieds to the green Saturday, with each gunning for his first win of the summer, Martin focused on winning for the first time at the high-banked quarter-mile. Toward that goal, the Claremont teen jumped all over the opening lead.
Martin’s mirror was immediately filled by Todd Patnode while further back - firing from row four, another teen star, Ty Leclerc shared the same lofty ambition as Martin.
Leclerc was up to second by lap 12, giving the spot up to super star Brian Robie eight laps later, and in the perfect spot when Martin and Robie tangled in turn three on the 31st go-round, sending Martin around and the potent pair to the back.
Once in front, the fully focused Leclerc never looked back, rocketing to his first career victory on the high banks. Tyler Leary, the winner a week ago, was strong in second, and Patnode came home third. Robie, the Modified points leader, stormed back to finish fifth.
Wesley Stedt, gunning for win number one, led the Twin State Truck Services Super Streets to Saturday’s green, then holding the top spot until Hillary Renaud stormed by on lap seven, her mirror immediately filled by 2024 track champ Chris Riendeau.
Riendeau took charge a lap later and was off to the races, but Super Street points leader Dylan Zullo - from row five - was the class of the show again on this Saturday night.
Zullo rocketed to the front on lap 19 and then drove away to score his second win in a row and fourth on the year. Riendeau’s ride shut down on the final lap while in second, moving JD Stockwell and Renaud each up one spot to join Zullo in trophy row.
Fabian Fuels Mini Stock points leader John Fultz and strongman Louie Maher got into it early in Saturday’s 25-lap feature. No problem, the dynamic duo would blast back to the front and finish one-two, as Fultz scored win number four to pad his points lead.
There was paint traded aplenty in this one, with Maher surviving to earn runner-up honors, Cameron Sontag third, early leader Owen Zilinski in the fourth spot, and 2000 track champ Kevin Clayton fifth.
Nobody hits the green-flag-go button any better than Jimmy Zellman in the Brattleboro Towing and Recovery Pure Stocks. Over and over Saturday Zellman - choosing the top groove to work from - got the jump and blasted off. A close second the night before at Claremont, he held the surging Dominick Stafford off Saturday to score his third 2025 victory.
With Stafford finishing at Zellman’s bumper in second, newcomer Chris Quinn, a star at Hudson but a first-timer Saturday on the high banks, impressed in third. Top Pure Stock top points man Kyle Kenny finished fourth.
Young Gun Hunter Duquette will have to wait another week to try for win number six in the Doug’s Auto Body sponsored youth division. Rising star Maya Bell held a perfect line all night long, surviving a lap13 rough-up to win her second feature of the year. With Duquette at her bumper in second, Ella Grabowski came home third.
The ground-pounding Modified Racing Series comes to town next Saturday, August 16, atop a full card of weekly racing series action. Post time is 6 p.m. each Saturday at Monadnock Speedway.
Article Credit: Gary Dutton
Submitted By: Michelle Cloutier
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