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Claremont Motorsports Park Saturday, October 19, Fall Challenge Day 2 event story.
Miss Emm Photo
CLAREMONT, N.H. – Russ Hersey continued his incredible out-of-retirement October winning streak, Justin Beecher soared to victory in the Super Streets, and Cole Littlewood, aboard a totally unfamiliar ride, dominated the Pro V8 Sportsman feature Saturday at Claremont Motorsports Park.
No fewer than a dozen feature events were contested Saturday, as the historic Thrasher Road speed plant hosted day two of its ambitious 2024 Fall Challenge three-pack. A staggering field of 106 cars filled the pits Saturday, none faster than the rocket ship Little Webb’s 350 Super Modifieds, which blasted through two 25-lap feature events.
Jim Storace and Eddie Witkum Jr. split the wins in the Super Modified pair, while series’ rock star Jeffrey Battle brought the crowd to its feet with an in-race lap of 12.503 seconds around the third-mile oval in the nightcap 25. Earlier, in qualifying, Battle was one of three drivers turning in sub-13 second laps.
Steve Miller Jr. was the only Friday night winner able to double up on Saturday, topping the Six Shooter main to close out the show. Carlos Grenier was strong in topping the Pure Stocks, while Gage Osborne scored his first career CMP victory by winning the Ridge Runner main event.
And in the cream-always-rises-to-the top department. Rob Richardi stormed to victory in the Pro 4 Modifieds and Tom Harwood soared to win over a deep field of New England Dwarf Cars.
Veteran hot shoe Russ Hersey, coming off a huge recent win at Lee USA, took the lead from Kyle Goodbout on lap 11 of Saturday’s RaceDay TV Outlaw Late Model main event and soared off to his second win of the month. Goodbout held strong for second, and Friday night winner Cam Curtis came home third.
Hersey’s ride, with Robbie Streeter at the controls, had almost won Friday night’s Outlaw feature too until being swept up on the final turn. Saturday, it was again dominant in the single-caution event.
As is the norm at CMP, you had to really have something on the ball to win the R.E. Hinkley Fuels Super Street feature Saturday. Justin Beecher, an infrequent visitor at the Thrasher Road oval, had plenty.
Beecher took the lead from JD Stockwell on lap ten and quickly opened a big lead, as Stockwell, Andrew Morin and Cody Schoolcraft battled wheel-to-wheel behind him. Schoolcraft, the winner the night before, got up for second on lap 28 but Beecher was far ahead by then. Stockwell held strong for third, and 2024 track champ Matt Sonnhalter was fourth on the night.
Carlos Grenier took the lead from newly crowned track champ Keegan Tabor on lap nine of the LaValley Building Supply Pure Stock feature and then pulled away to win with ease. Tabor finished second, with Friday night victor Josh Rondeau finishing in his shadow.
Tom Harwood took the lead from Cody Hodgdon on lap 16 of the New England Dwarf Car feature and then held his fellow star at bay to score the win. Ryan Carman, in the mix all day, came home third, with Zig Geno and Chris Sullivan rounding out the top five.
Cole Littlewood, piloting the James Decourcy Pro V8 Sportsman ride, led all the way to win by a country mile Saturday. Milford’s Matt Robinson was second, with Scott Riggleman – hauling all the way from Manchester, N.J. – taking third on lap 16 en route to a podium finish.
Pro 4 super star Rob Richardi looked almost mortal over the first 11 laps of Saturday’s feature race. Almost. A caution then brought Richardi up to the front, where he followed Dave Luugee for nine laps before taking charge and dashing off to a three-length victory. Sophia Ashford, strong all day, impressed in third.
Gage Osborne had to take the lead twice in the RaceDay TV Ridge Runner feature, turning the feat the second time on lap17, and then holding off Friday night winner Brian Caswell to score his first CMP victory. Aiden White, the speedway’s 2024 division champ, came home third.
As he’d done the night before, Steve Miller Jr. took the lead from his dad, 2024 Avery Insurance Six Shooter track champ Steve Sr. and sped off to victory. The winning pass came on lap five Saturday – it was lap two a day earlier – with Miller Sr. again holding on for second. Former CMP regular Raven Streeter was close in third.
In a pair of Senior Tour Auto Racers 15-lappers, ageless wonder Charlie Lima topped the STAR Sportsmen, taking the checkers ahead of Gary Moore, while John Jalbert won the STAR Modified main, with Jim Allen second.
CLAREMONT MOTORSPORTS PARK OCTOBER 19 TOP PERFORMERS.
OUTLAW LATE MODELS: Russ Hersey, Kyle Goodbout, Cam Curtis, Randy Cole Jr. Steve Bly, Nathan LeClerc, Josh Ruel, Robert Leitch, Tyler Lescord.
SUPER STREETS: Justin Beecher, Cody Schoolcraft, JD Stockwell, Matt Sonnhalter, Robert Hagar, Robbie Streeter, Trevor Rocke, Joe Tetreault, Tim Churchill, Andrew Morin.
PURE STOCK: Carlos Grenier, Keegan Tabor, Josh Rondeau, Kyle Kenny, Colton Hull, Kodi Sabins, Gage Dillingham, Addison Brooks, Eric Laurendeau, Ethan Meyette.
NEW ENGLAND DWARF CARS: Tom Harwood, Cody Hodgdon, Ryan Carman, Zig Geno, Chris Sullivan, Kenny Scott Jr., Caden Roberts, Bob Poloski, Tim Griffith, Daniel Brofman.
PRO 4 MODIFIEDS: Rob Richardi, Dave Lougee, Sofia Ashford, Braden Lavoie, Ben Ashford, Fast Eddie Pestruskevicious, Moe Denner, Jon Provost.
PRO V8 SPORTSMEN: Cole Littlewood, Matt Robinson, Scott Rippleman, Robbie Robinson, Andrew Mills, Stephen Dubois, Robert Crawford, Kyle Buck, Chrissy Rizzuto, Jim Carley.
