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By Jeff Brown, for Granite State Pro Stock Series
EPPING, N.H. – Casey Call never got to complete a lap in May’s Granite State Pro Stock Series lidlifter at Star Speedway. But he more than made up for it Saturday night.
The fourth-year challenger started from the pole and led every lap en route to his second career GSPSS victory in the Key Auto Group 100 at Star, the third race of the young season.
Call was quick in qualifying in the early-May Hedges Excavating 100, the first of three stops at Star in 2023. But the team discovered a suspension failure while preparing for the feature, and was unable to get the car repaired in time for the main event.
No such issues impaired Call’s drive this time around. The Pembroke, N.H., pilot put his car on the pole in time trials, then redrew first place to lock in his position on the grid. From the drop of the green flag, Call was in command, leaving the rest of the field to settle second place among themselves.
Two-time and reigning GSPSS champion Joey Doiron quickly moved into second, pressuring Call before settling into a rhythm to conserve for the closing stretch. Outside polesitter Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. closed in on Doiron just past halfway, taking the runner-up spot with 43 laps to go.
Renfrew left Doiron in his wake, but could not close the gap on Call enough to mount a charge. With clear track both ahead and behind, Call coasted home to his first GSPSS victory since last July’s Keen Parts 150. In his first GSPSS start of the season, Renfrew crossed the line second at the track where he won his first series race in 2018.
Points leader Travis Benjamin’s quest for a third-straight win was stymied by a poor qualifying run, but the veteran racer patiently picked his way through the field, climbing to third by the checkered flag.
Cory Casagrande finished a strong fourth, while Brandon Barker rounded out the top five. Call is the 14th different winner at “The Place to Race” in 18 events at the quarter-mile since 2012.
The fourth race of the Granite State Pro Stock Series season is on Saturday, July 22, 2023, when the series will make its first trip to Speedway 95 following a rainout of June’s originally-scheduled event. The Hermon, Maine third-mile welcomes the GSPSS back to Vacationland for the first time since 2021.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
RESULTS, Key Auto Group 100, July 1, 2023
1. (90NH) Casey Call
2. (00) Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.
3. (7B) Travis Benjamin
4. (7CT) Cory Casagrande
5. (32) Brandon Barker
6. (21ME) David Oliver
7. (73D) Joey Doiron
8. (44) Trevor Sanborn
9. (21) Josh King
10. (44P) Rusty Poland
11. (77) Jeremy Sorel
