Eagle Times Staff
N. WOODSTOCK, N.H. — White Mountain Motorsports Park crowned its first champion on Saturday night in the Central Asphalt Paving Triple Crown Series for the Fisher Auto Parts Flying Tigers. After both earned +5 handicaps in the American-Canadian Tour Plus/Minus handicap system, Luke Peters and Tyler Pepin brought the field to green for their final 75-lap affair of the year at New Hampshire’s Favorite Short Track. While the two fought it out throughout the opening circuits, Sam Caron patiently made his way under Pepin while Brandon Gray powered his way by on the outside lane.
Gray motored to the lead with Caron stalking closely behind until Gray methodically grew his lead steadily lap after lap. The lone caution came on lap 57 as Nate Hamblett spun into the infield to re-rack his competitors for a final run at the checkered flags. With Peters and Cameron Ouellette in the mix with Caron, Brandon Gray held off the pack in the final 18-lap sprint to take his tenth Flying Tiger win of the season at White Mountain and a clean sweep of the Central Asphalt Paving Triple Crown. Peters and Ouellette would hold on to join Gray in the victory lane podium.
The Foley Oil & Propane Late Models were 21 strong under the green flag with Stacy Cahoon and Oren Remick leading the twin lanes of traffic into turn one. With Cahoon correcting a slippery No. 83VT Chevrolet, Remick charged out to the front with Mike Jurkowski all over his back bumper. With hardnosed racing at the front, Tyler Cahoon slid around sideways off the top of the racing groove in turn three to bring out the first caution on lap 25. A pile-up in turn one ensued on the restart to set the stage for a melee on the lap 28 caution.
Howie Switser chased rookie Thomas Smithers, VI around the racetrack three times under caution with the field stopped behind the pace car for their own safety. Both cars were parked and disqualified from the event with further penalties being assessed at the American-Canadian Tour offices as of press time on Monday. Moving to single file restarts the front of the field continued to be the best racing of the night as Jurkowski and Jaden Perry battled hard, and respectfully, for the top spot until the very end. Mike Jurkowski would take his second win of the season with Jaden Perry taking a career-best second place run and Kyle Goodbout coming on strong at the end to claim third.
Leading rookie Connor Rueda brought the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Minis to the green flag in their 25-lap feature event. Rueda took off from outside polesitter Donnie Baumgardner while the first yellow flag flew on lap 18 as McKenna Merchant, Patrick Switser and John Knight went in the spin cycle in turn three. Back under green, Connor Rueda took down the first Strictly Mini win of his young career with Jacob Roy and Todd Derrington rounding out the top three.
The Wayne’s Market Dwarf Cars started with Andy Hill spinning in the borrowed Ryan Ware-machine while Chris King and Jeff Ainsworth also went around in a twitchy start to their 25-lap main. Jason Wyman quickly launched to the front around last week’s winner Chad Dufour to win the Saturday sprint with Ainsworth and Hill recovering nicely to round out the podium.
Rookie Chris Moulton brought the Ammonoosuc Asphalt Mini Late Models to green with Matt LeBlanc to his outside on the initial green flag. One lone caution on lap 18 saw high point drivers LeBlanc and Nick Anderson get crossed up leaving the restart in the hands of Nick Miller and Garrett LaBounty. LaBounty powered by Miller just after the restart to claim his first career Ammonoosuc Asphalt Mini Late Model victory at White Mountain with Miller coming home second overall and Chris Moulton hanging on for third.
The NELCAR Legends Tour was on hand Saturday for a national qualifier event. A rough and tumble affair saw Jase Mongeon take the top spot over Cole Robie and Zach Martinez at the line. The NELCAR Bandoleros were also on hand Saturday with a 20-lap feature event led flag to flag by young Bryson Robidoux with Brody Wakefield recovering from a mid-race wreck to take second and Parker Davis rounding out the podium.
For more information, contact the White Mountain Motorsports Park offices at 802-244-6963, [email protected] or visit whitemountainmotorsports.com.
