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By Jeff Brown, for Granite State Pro Stock Series
PHOTO: Hudson Speedway
WALPOLE, N.H. – After a damp and slow start to the 2025 season, the year is finally ramping up for the Granite State Pro Stock Series. And to kick this summer’s busy schedule into top gear, Hudson Speedway is rolling out the red carpet Sunday evening for this year’s edition of the Gate City Classic 100.
A cornerstone of New Hampshire’s vibrant short track landscape, the high-banked quarter-mile perseveres as a bridge to the blue-collar, rough-and-tumble history of short track racing, while reflecting the modern touches track ownership has invested in to keep Hudson a welcoming place to spend a Sunday for racers and fans alike.
Ten different drivers have celebrated a GSPSS win before the hillside crowd, with thirteen bouts at the bullring dating back to 2012.
The proud owner of three of those trophies, and the only driver with three GSPSS feature wins at Hudson, is local favorite son Joey Polewarczyk. Both “Joey Pole” and his father Joe have long racing histories at Hudson, and both could walk from their homes to the track if they felt so inclined. Polewarczyk, the 2020 GSPSS champion, is the defending Gate City Classic winner, with his other wins coming in 2019 and 2021. The road to victory at Hudson is sure to go through Polewarczyk’s black Ford.
However, it’s too early to start engraving the trophy just yet. Carrying momentum from last weekend’s win at Speedway 95 is title hopeful Evan Beaulieu, who broke through with a command performance in the Pine Tree State. Beaulieu finished third last year in his first-ever trip to Hudson. With a better handle on his new Alan Berry prepared car, Beaulieu will be looking to strike while the iron is still hot.
Beaulieu’s title rival, defending champ Casey Call, finished second last year and again in 2021. A former winner at Star Speedway, another tight quarter-mile, Call is hungrier than ever for his first GSPSS feature win since 2023.
Wayne Helliwell, Jr. has a long family legacy at Hudson as well, plus a win in the season-opening tilt at Claremont Motorsports Park in 2025. After an early exit at Speedway 95, Helliwell is hopeful for a Hudson rebound. Cory Casagrande, who counts Hudson among his favorite tracks, struggled in Maine as well. A good run Sunday night would be the best kind of redemption.
Dan Winter and Seacoast veteran Frankie Eldredge will reinforce the New Hampshire contingent, along with Connor McDougal, who is slated to make his GSPSS debut with Golden R Motorsports. Bobby Frappier has thrown his hat into the quarter-mile ring as well. Bay Stater Angelo Belsito returns to the site of his 2020 victory, the first of two races he won that summer.
Mainers Cole Robie and Josh St. Clair, who shared the victory podium with Beaulieu Saturday night, will be trying to improve last week’s results this Sunday. Ryan Green, a winner at Riverside Speedway last August, is on the list for his first GSPSS start of 2025. Jamie Wright and Morgan Call will also be on hand to represent “Vacationland.” Wright scored a career-best fifth-place finish last summer, while Call is coming off one of his best runs yet.
Late entries are in for a pair of ringers who could prove to be big wildcards. Two-time GSPSS champ Joey Doiron finished second in his last visit to Hudson in 2022, and has two more top-five finishes on the high banks. And Eddie MacDonald, paired with car owner Dale Drew for the weekend, has never recorded a major series start at Hudson, but “The Outlaw” has plenty of quarter-mile experience to draw on.
Sunday’s GSPSS showdown, coupled with Hudson’s competitive weekly racing, is sure to end the weekend on a high note. And for those catching racing elsewhere in the state earlier in the day, the schedule is perfect for a nightcap on the way home!
Hudson Speedway welcomes back the Granite State Pro Stock Series for Sunday evening’s 100-lap Gate City Classic. The third race of the GSPSS season anchors a night featuring Hudson’s Pure Stocks, Six Shooters, Ridge Runners, and Thunder Lights. Post time is 5:00pm. Adult admission is $20.00, Senior/Military tickets are just $15.00, and families can take advantage of Hudson’s Family Four Pack for just $40.00. Fans are encouraged to check Hudson Speedway’s Facebook page for parking information on race day. Those unable to attend can also enjoy streaming coverage of the evening’s races at RaceDayTV.com.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
