CLAREMONT — Nobody collected the Superman Bounty Friday, June 28, at Claremont Motorsports Park, as Croydon Comet Aaron Fellows again dominated the R.E. Hinkley Late Model Sportsman feature to stay a perfect seven-for-seven this season.
Fellows wasn’t the only repeat winner Friday at the Thrasher Road speedplant. Pepsi Sportsman Modified points leader Brian Robie held off Dana Smith to score his fifth victory of the summer, Six-Shooter Jeremy Blood earned his seventh victory lap, and Newport’s Jim Carley topped the Pure Stocks for the second time.
Fellows, at 40, already an 11-time Motorsports Park champion, entered Friday’s LMS main event with a bulls eye on his back and a bounty on his head. A $500 bonus has been offered to the first driver to beat him on-track this summer, but that perk went uncollected Friday.
After two attempts to complete the opening lap, Ben Poland was the point man as green-flag racing finally prevailed. By lap four, Fellows was already up to second but far behind the speedy Poland. By lap ten, he’d closed to within five lengths and the next time around he was knocking at the door.
Rocketing low out of turn four, he beat Poland to the stripe on lap13 and then gave up big leads three times as subsequent cautions regrouped the field but still took the checkers six lengths ahead to score win number seven. Poland and two-time defending champ Ricky Bly put on a great show for second and, with Bly coming home third, Ryan Bell and Tyler Lescord rounded out the top five.
Firing from outside on the front row, Modsman Brian Robie looked to have the deck stacked in his favor in his quest for five wins in a row. Dana Smith, though, had other plans.
Robie jumped all over the opening lead, bringing Dylan Bodreau with him, with Smith powering into third a lap later. By lap seven, Smith was up for second and coming fast. As the tenth go-round went in the books, he was knocking.
The only stoppage of the 40-lapper happened on lap 18, as a stuck throttle sent Bodreau – running strong in third at the time – hurtling into the turn three wall. While the third-generation pilot’s car was heavily damaged, Bodreau escaped the crash without injury.
Back under green, Robie and Smith were side-by-side. Smith, from the high groove, led by inches as lap 19 was completed, a foot on lap 20, and then two feet on circuits 21 and 22. But the next time around, it was Robie by a wheel.
With Robie adding to his points lead with his fifth win in a row, Smith was a strong second, and open-wheel rookie Kyle Welch came home third, earning his third top-three trophy in as many outings. Mike Smith, solid all night, claimed the four-spot, and Kenny Thompson was fifth.
Kyle Templeton led the first eight go-rounds of the Pure Stock feature, then giving way to Jim Carley, who sped off to his second victory of the summer. Templeton was strong all night to earn the runner-up hardware and, with it, move back atop the points parade. Rich Streeter claimed the three-spot.
In the Six-Shooter 15-lapper, Paul Colburn led lap one, with Jeremy Blood then taking over and darting off to his seventh win in eight outings. Colburn finished second, and Eric Lanou was third.
In support events, Granite State Legends ace Shaun Buffington won both his heat and feature races, leading Thomas Gray and Jack Walker under the checkers, while Baltimore, VT youngster Camdyn Curtis topped the Claremont Karting Series 25-lapper ahead of Mason Prouty and Brandon Morey.
On Friday, July 5, Claremont Motorsports Park will present a big night of oval track racing, culminated by a huge aerial fireworks display. It all starts with an on-track meet and greet session from 6-7 p.m., followed by five divisions of weekly racing series action and the third go-round of the 2019 Red Neck Enduro series.
Feature Finishes
SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS—Brian Robie, Dana Smith, Kyle Welch, Mike Smith, Kenny Thompson, Cole Littlewood, Alyssa Rivera, Dylan Bodreau.
LATE MODEL SPORTSMEN—Aaron Fellows, Ben Poland, Ricky Bly, Ryan Bell, Tyler Lescord, Briana Akusis, Greg Millette, Mark Blair.
PURE STOCKS—Jim Carley, Kyle Templeton, Rich Streeter, Tom Engelhart, Bruce Adams, Bruce Cantara Jr.
SIX-SHOOTERS—Jeremy Blood, Paul Colburn, Eric Lanou, Eric Prescott.
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