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By Gary Dutton
LEBANON, N.H. – Claremont Motorsports Park feted its top achievers of the 2023 racing season Saturday, January 27, as the storied third-mile oval hosted its 76th annual awards banquet.
No fewer than three of the Thrasher Road speedplant’s 2023 track champions were first times, while Outlaw king Ben Poland picked up his second CMP crown and dynamite Dave Greenslit, who raced through a quiet season by mere mortal’s standards, still earned his fifth track championship.
Bay State hot shoe Nate Wenzel, a former Monadnock Street Stock champion, set the NHSTRA Modified class on fire this past summer, winning numerous titles including the top spot in CMP’s Asetex Tire and Auto Modified division, his first crown here. Former track champ Brian Robie finished the campaign right on Wenzel’s heels, and fellow veteran Joey Jarvis was third.
Poland topped the Brodie Ladue State Farm Outlaws on the strength of his four-win season, edging fellow four-time 2023 feature winner Guy Caron for the top spot. Veteran wheelsman Steve Bly was solid in third.
Greenslit, who was winless for most of the season, continued his domination of the R.E. Hinkley Fuels Late Model division. Green Mountain Boy Chris Riendeau, who peaked late, finished second, and strong and steady Joe Tetreault was third on the year.
Teen phenom Colton Martin earned his first CMP crown atop the LaValley Building Supply Pure Stock division. Finishing in his shadow was Andrea St. Amour, and Sunshine Towner Chris Conroy was third on the summer.
Grantham’s Steve Miller Jr. raced tooth-and-nail all summer with his dad before earning the crown worn by the elder Miller a season ago in the Avery Insurance Six Shooter division. Upstart Trevyr Young was third
ROOKIES: Honored Saturday as 2023 CMP divisional Rookies of The Year were Brian Morway, Asetex Tire & Auto Modifieds, Thomas Smithers, Brodie Ladue State Farm Outlaws, JD Stockwell, R.E. Hinkley Fuels Late Models, Keegan Tabor, LaValley Building Supply Pure Stocks, and Trevyr Young, Avery Insurance Six Shooters.
MIKE’S BACK! After a season away, former speedway promoter Mike Parks will return to the helm for 2024. The former Pro Stocker has already set an incredibly ambitious schedule in place, with more being rolled out weekly. Telling the crowd on hand at Saturday’s banquet that “we have something really good here in our hometown,” Parks was loudly applauded when proclaiming the speedway’s “future is bright.”
SPECIAL AWARDS:CMP 2023 Track Manager Bryan Martin, who worked tirelessly throughout the season, was honored by speedway owner Ben Bosowski. “Miss Em,” four-track photographer Emily Miller, was also feted at Saturday’s banquet.
RACERS HELPING RACERS: A collection was taken at Saturday’s banquet to help 13-time track champion Aaron Fellows, who campaigned a Modified in 2023, who lost his home, complete race shop, and three racers to fire earlier in the week. Mike Parks, through his MDP promotional group, and track owner Ben Bosowski each tossed in $1,000 to help Fellows and his family.
COMING EVENTS: CMP’s first event of the new year is coming up soon, as the third-mile speedplant will host its third annual Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre event on Saturday, February 24, when, regardless of snow cover or not, multiple Enduro classes with battle on the asphalt.
The Thrasher Road oval’s first Weekly Racing Series event of the season is set for Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, when the two-day Spring Fling 2024 begins the championship points battles that won’t be decided until autumn.
CMP 2023 SPORTSMAN MODIFIED TOP TEN: Nate Wenzel, Brian Robie, Joey Jarvis, Jeremy Zullo, Aaron Fellows, Mike Smith, Brian Morway, Tyler Leary, Brady Lamotte, Adam LaPoint.
CMP 2023 LATE MODEL TOP TEN: Dave Greenslit, Chris Riendeau, Joe Tetreault, Robert Hagar, Matt Sonnhalter, Justin Beecher, Trevor Rocke, Andrew Brousseau, Chris Lindquisst, JD Stockwell.
CMP 2023 OUTLAW TOP TEN: Ben Poland, Guy Caron, Steve Bly, Tyler Lescord, Thomas Smithers, Dick LaMotte, John Meany, Aaron Fellows Jr., Max Bergstrom, Joe Brown.
CMP 2023 PURE STOCK TOP TEN: Colton Martin, Andrea St. Amour, Chris Conroy, Chris Chambers, Aiden White, Keegan Tabor, Carlos Grenier, Chris Bingham, Colton Hull, Sean Lantas.
CMP 2023 SIX SHOOTER TOP TEN: Steve Miller Jr., Steve Miller Sr., Trevyr Young, Robert Shaw, Jacob Scott, Andrew Scott, Tyler Scott, Rozwell Mason Jr., Ethan Meyette, Ryan Upham.
