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By Jeff Brown, for Granite State Pro Stock Series
PHOTO: Jeff Brown & Claremont Motorsports Park
CLAREMONT, N.H. – In a rare Granite State Pro Stock Series appearance, D.J Shaw seemed to have victory well in hand. And in the blink of an eye, a dominant triumph turned into a last-lap dogfight.
But in the end, and after review, Shaw came out on top by a matter of inches in Friday’s $5,000-to-win Fisher Auto Parts 125 at Claremont Motorsports Park.
Shaw, a last-minute entrant for the third race of the GSPSS schedule, topped a list of ringers including Wayne Helliwell, Jr. and 2020 GSPSS champ Joey Polewarczyk looking to join reigning champion Travis Benjamin and two-time titlist Joey Doiron on the short list of season winners.
The Center Conway, N.H., veteran secured the pole in his heat race, but outside polesitter Casey Call boldly charged to the point early, setting a torrid pace as the two leaders distanced themselves from the field.
Call was lapping well into the top ten on lap 58 when he and Evan Beaulieu made contact, sending Beaulieu around in front of the leaders. Call slowed up with damage and headed to the pits, handing the lead to Shaw under the caution with Polewarczyk assuming second place.
This time, Shaw escaped from the pack solo, with Polewarczyk and a quick Jeremy Sorel nipping away at Shaw’s lead on a long green-flag run. When fourth-place Helliwell slowed on lap 106, Shaw’s lead evaporated, drawing the remaining lead-lap cars together with just under twenty laps to go.
Chaos nearly unfolded in Shaw’s mirror after the restart, as the field bunched up in turn four and Sorel nearly turned Polewarczyk. Call stole second in the mayhem, but as the field settled down, Sorel and Polewarczyk ran Call back down for second. As the white flag unfurled, Morgan Call went for a ride in turn two, bringing out the yellow and setting up a rare two-lap shootout to the finish.
Shaw and Sorel lined up for the final restart, with Sorel keeping even with Shaw coming to the white flag. Sorel edged out Shaw on the backstretch, but off turn four, Shaw found the grip he needed to launch off the turn, drag-racing Sorel to the checkered flag.
After a moment’s review, Shaw was confirmed the winner, capturing his eleventh GSPSS win and his fourth at Claremont by just a whisker. Shaw’s win came in his first series start since 2022.
Sorel, third in May’s Key Auto Group 125, earned his best career GSPSS finish, giving Dale Shaw Race Cars chassis a one-two sweep at Claremont.
Polewarczyk held on for third, with Casey Call fourth. Ryan Green, in a car borrowed from Joey Doiron after a hard wreck at Lee USA Speedway two weeks ago, drove to a fifth-place finish.
With their top-five performances, Call and Green will unofficially stay atop the points standings with plenty of racing yet to go this year.
The GSPSS teams will regroup quickly for their next event, the return of the annual Gate City Classic at Hudson Speedway on Sunday, July 14. An event schedule and expected entries will be forthcoming.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net.
Results, GSPSS Fisher Auto Parts 125:
1. (60) D.J. Shaw
2. (77) Jeremy Sorel
3. (97) Joey Polewarczyk
4. (90NH) Casey Call
5. (73) Ryan Green
6. (56) Evan Beaulieu
7. (7CT) Cory Casagrande
8. (81) Dan Winter
9. (84) Jamie Wright
10. (32Q) Alex Quarterley
11. (95) Morgan Call
12. (27NH) Wayne Helliwell, Jr.
13. (75) Gary Smith
14. (50) Andy Shaw
15. (23) Brandon Sprague
16. (5VT) Pat Corbett
