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WENZEL, ZULLO WIN THRILLERS SATURDAY (APRIL 25, 2026) AT MONADNOCK 2026 OPENER

WINCHESTER, N.H. - Open-wheel ace Nathan Wenzel strutted the stuff that made him both a speedway and New Hampshire state Modified champion Saturday at Monadnock Speedway, topping the season opening main event at the high-banked speedplant.

And even though Saturday marked the first event of the new season, reigning Limited Late Model track champion Dylan Zullo is already in the running for what may be the summer’s most exciting victory at the historic quarter-mile oval.

With a huge crowd braving the chilly April temperatures, six drivers started their season with a flourish, each earning the first victory lap of the new season in their respective division. Along with Wenzel and Zullo, long-ago Mini Stock champ Kevin Clayton, Pure Stock hot shoe Jimmy Zellman, Pro V8 Sportsman pilot Chris Kingsley and Young Gun speedster Sofia Rego each went home victorious.

Colton Martin and JT Cloutier led the All States Materials Group 604 Modifieds to the green Saturday, with Martin jumping all over the opening lead. Cloutier rode second in his shadow, with Kimmy Rivet a close third, and Wenzel, from row three, quickly on the charge.

Wenzel had third on lap three and took second from Rivet on the tenth go-round. He and Martin then raced under a blanket until light contact on lap 28 sent Martin tumbling off turn two, then moving Wenzel and Rivet to row one, with Tyler Leary now up to third.

Leary powered up to second on lap 36, quickly gluing his ride to Wenzel’s as the two former speedway champions squared off. They rubbed in the final turn, with Wenzel wobbling but still holding the point to score his first win of the season.

With Leary an airtight second, Martin charged back through the field to snatch third from Rivet, and Cloutier’s strong night’s work netted him fifth. Leary set fast time in qualifying, scorching his way around the high banks in 12.127 seconds.

Hillary Renaud led early in the Twin State Truck Services Limited Late Model feature. Dylan Zullo, though, was on a mission, blasting from row three as he began to pick up where he’d left off in his championship season a year ago. Taking the lead on lap two, he looked headed for an easy romp in Saturday’s 30-lapper. A caution, though, on lap 24, brought JD Stockwell to his door and the action was just getting started.

Over the last three laps, they rubbed, they pushed, and they traded places, with Zullo prevailing to win by just a foot. Robert Hagar had the best view of the top-two chaos, watching from close behind as he impressed in third. Renaud was fourth on the night, and Erik Smith rounded out the first five.

Kevin Clayton won the Monadnock Speedway Mini Stock championship more than a quarter century ago, taking top honors way back in 2000. In recent summers, victory lane had been like a foreign nation to him. But now, the popular wheelsman has a new streak started.

Starting up front, Clayton led all the way to win by three lengths over third row starter Craig Chaffee in the night’s Keene Towing and Recovery MIni Stock main event. Steady Tim Paquette came home third, Tim O’Shea was fourth, and Dick Lamotte fifth.

Jimmy Zellman won a thriller in the Brattleboro Towing and Recovery Pure Stocks, coming off a pair of runner-up finishes at Claremont, the Bay State blaster had his mind set on something a little bit better, Leading all the way, he achieved that goal Saturday.

Zellman’s opening night victory didn’t come easily though. He had Colton Hull and Carlos Grenier draped all over him every inch of the way. Grenier got up for second on lap18 and the potent trio raced under a blanket the rest of the way. With Hull third, Josh Brigham impressed in fourth, and Kyle Begos was fifth.

Chris Kingsley won the spirited Beck’s Automotive Pro V8 Sportsman feature. Stephen LaPlante was second and Garden State ace Scott Riggleman came home third. It was Kingsley’s first career win on the high banks.

Sofia Rego had a memorable night in the Doug’s Auto Body Young Guns, winning with ease in both her heat and feature races. Eleven-year-old Dylan Stati - yes, just eleven - was second in the 15-lap feature, and Maeve Barry was third.

Monadnock Speedway roars back into action next Saturday, May 2, with a special Todd Martell Memorial 75-lap Modified main event atop a full night of NASCAR Local Racing Series events, and the first visit of the season of the exciting Pro 4 Modified series. Post time is 6 p.m each Saturday.

MONADNOCK SPEEDWAY SATURDAY, APRIL 25 RESULTS:

MODIFIED: Nate Wenzel, Tyler Leary, Colton Martin, Kimmy Rivet, JT Cloutier, Joey Jarvis, Andy Major, Todd Patnode, Kyle Kenny, Brian Chapin, Eric LeClair, Ben Byrne, Andrew Brousseau

LIMITED LATE MODEL; Dylan Zullo, JD Stockwell, Robert Hagar, Hillary Renaud, Erik Smith, Owen Zilinski, Mike Lashua, David Boisvert, Wesley Stedt, Zach Zilinski

MINI STOCK: Kevin Clayton, Craig Chaffee, Tim Paquette, Tim O’Shea, Dick LaMotte, Eric Pomasko, Dominick Stafford, Dana Shepard

PURE STOCK; Jimmy Zellman, Carlos Grenier, Colton Hull, Josh Brigham, Kyle Begos, Eric Lanou, Andrew Plumb, David Bell, Linsey Wenzel, Gavin Rhodes, Ella Grabowski, (DNS) Michaela Krafve, (DNS) Markus O'Neil, CJ Johnson

PRO V8 SPORTSMAN: Chris Kingsley, Stephen LaPlante, Scott Riggleman, Stephen Dubois, Aaron Thompson, Seth Laplante, Ron Burgess Jr, Hunter Duquette, James Thompson, Connor Sherborne, (DNS) Matt Robinson

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