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By Jeff Brown, for Granite State Pro Stock Series
CLAREMONT, N.H. – The last time the Granite State Pro Stock Series raced at Claremont Motorsports Park, Joey Doiron turned in a dominant performance to take home the big winner’s purse.
And neither a year away from the tricky third-mile nor a different car could keep the two-time GSPSS champion from the winner’s circle.
Doiron led every lap of Sunday night’s Key Auto Group 125, earning his seventh career GSPSS win and a $5,000 check.
The veteran racer from Berwick, Maine, was quick all night, turning the fastest lap in time trials and handily winning his qualifying heat. Former series regular Jeremy Sorel lined up alongside Doiron after his own heat win, but Doiron jumped out to an early lead as Sorel faced challenges from Casey Call and Cory Casagrande.
Call and Casagrande settled into second and third, and as the field stretched out over a long green-flag run, the three leaders drew closer together, setting up a thrilling battle for the closing laps.
Contact between Alex Quarterley and Ryan Green brought out the race’s second caution on lap 77, though, and as the yellow flag waved, Call made a beeline for the pits with a flat tire. Casagrande, still searching for his first GSPSS win, lined up alongside Doiron for the restart, but Doiron slipped away with the advantage.
Once again, Casagrande reeled in Doiron, closing the gap as the laps wound down. But he could not catch Doiron to make a move, and the veteran racer held on for his third career win at Claremont.
“I don’t know how much [Casagrande] had left,” Doiron said after the race. “But if that was all he had, I had a little bit more in the tank.”
Doiron joins Gabe Brown and Ray Christian III as drivers who have scored consecutive GSPSS wins at Claremont. Doiron’s third win also ties him with Brown, Christian and D.J. Shaw for the most series wins at the track.
Casagrande matched his GSPSS career best with his runner-up performance. Outside polesitter Sorel matched his own career best in third. Call drove back from his flat tire to place fourth, while Sorel’s teammate and crew chief, Quarterley, was fifth in his GSPSS debut.
With top-five finishes in the first two races of 2024, Casey Call unofficially leads the point standings headed to the series’ next race, a stop at Speedway 95 in Maine on June 16.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Results, GSPSS Key Auto Group 125:
1. (73D) Joey Doiron
2. (7CT) Cory Casagrande
3. (77) Jeremy Sorel
4. (90NH) Casey Call
5. (32Q) Alex Quarterley
6. (56) Evan Beaulieu
7. (93) Ryan Green
8. (50) Andy Shaw
9. (75) Gary Smith
10. (84) Jamie Wright
11. (95) Morgan Call
12. (18ME) Miller Buzzell
