Hometown Hero Joey Polewarczyk Hoists Fourth GSPSS Hudson Trophy in Gate City Classic

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By Jeff Brown, for Granite State Pro Stock Series

HUDSON, N.H. – Joey Polewarczyk left no doubt Sunday night as to who holds the home track advantage at Hudson Speedway.

The Hudson, N.H., native and 2020 Granite State Pro Stock Series champion, led every lap en route to his second straight victory in the series’ annual Gate City Classic 100.

Only a pre-race redraw could keep “Joey Pole” from starting on the pole, as the veteran clocked in fastest in time trials but redrew second. Two-time GSPSS champ Joey Doiron led the field to green, but Polewarczyk nosed out front before the field even reached turn one.

Polewarczyk and Doiron showed the way for the first nine laps, until Bobby Frappier nosed into the turn-three concrete to bring out the evening’s first caution flag. On the restart, Polewarczyk reasserted himself out front, keeping Doiron at arm’s length but setting a brisk pace around the high-banked quarter-mile.

While the two veterans held firm out front, former Hudson winner Angelo Belsito diced for third with recent winner Evan Beaulieu and first-time starter Connor McDougal. Eddie MacDonald lingered in the distance, cracking the top five by halfway as he gave Belsito fits for fourth.

Polewarczyk and Doiron were well ahead of the pack when Cory Casagrande ran up on a slower car in heavy traffic, sending the car for a spin and drawing a yellow flag with 25 laps to go.

Once again, the lead duo took off from the field, but the battle for third heated up as “The Outlaw” cleared Belsito, then Beaulieu, to claw his way toward the podium. Belsito and Beaulieu quickly found their hands full with a charging Casagrande and Cole Robie, both trying to make up for lost time in the closing laps.

But not even Doiron could chase down Polewarczyk, who gapped Doiron by nearly half a second on the way to his fourth GSPSS win at his home track.

Doiron’s runner-up result was his best-ever finish at Hudson, the track where he last finished a GSPSS race outside the top ten back in 2020.

MacDonald brought car owner Dale Drew’s No. 50 home in third, with Beaulieu close on his heels in fourth. Robie finished fifth, giving the young hard charger three top-five runs to open the season.

Casagrande was sixth after an early exit one week ago at Speedway 95, while Belsito slipped all the way to seventh in the home stretch. Frankie Eldredge had his best GSPSS performance yet with an eighth-place finish, while McDougal and Josh St. Clair rounded out the top ten.

Polewarczyk’s ninth GSPSS win elevates the 36-year-old to second on the series’ all-time win list behind D.J. Shaw. His home-track mastery has played a big part; only once in five GSPSS appearances at Hudson has Polewarczyk not parked in the winner’s circle.

The GSPSS teams have a week off to celebrate Independence Day before returning to action on Friday, July 11 at Claremont Motorsports Park, kicking off a four-week midsummer trek through New Hampshire.

For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Results, Gate City Classic at Hudson Speedway:

1. (97) Joey Polewarczyk

2. (73) Joey Doiron

3. (50) Eddie MacDonald

4. (56) Evan Beaulieu

5. (29) Cole Robie

6. (7CT) Cory Casagrande

7. (8B) Angelo Belsito

8. (09) Frankie Eldredge

9. (8M) Connor McDougal

10. (14) Josh St. Clair