RGeeProductions
05-18-2013, 09:40 AM
Last night, Les Hinckley went to work on the pride and joy of the late Chuck Montville for the first time since the untimely passing of the late car owner on April 4. The new race season was about to start for Montville, and the bright yellow car numbered 06 that week.
Sadly Montville, known for his unsurpassed dedication and his pursuit of a championship, never made it to opening day. Montville and Hinckley competed regularly on the Valenti Modifieid Racing Series from its beginning ten years ago. The feeling of many, including Montville, was that this would be the year.
While the healing process is still very evident for the Windsor Locks, Conn., driver, Debbie Marquis and the rest of the race team, the encouragement and sponsorship from LATICRETE International of Bethany, Conn., race fans and friends Jim Schaefer, Bruce Bachta and Cliff Nelson have led Hinckley back to the track.
“We welcome the opportunity to bring Les back to the track,” said LATICRETE Rep. Peter McKeon. “Chuck went out of his way to to thank us for sponsoring the race at Lee (N.H.) last summer. We are deeply saddened by his loss to the racing community.”
Hinckley will begin his season in the June 15, SBM 125 Modified Open at the Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire.
“For 20 years I haven’t gone until mid-May without getting to the race track,” Hinckley noted. “It will be mid-June by the time I get there, but I’m excited about it.
“It’s going to be a difficult transition doing it without Chuck obviously. There are big shoes to fill. It will be weird not having him there, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to get back to the track and seeing some familiar faces, and getting on the race track.”
The future of the 06 team is clearly unknown, and Hinckley’s success in this highest paying Modified race ever run at Star Speedway could go a long way in determining how many races he is able to run this season. But at least for one night, Hinckley will give Montville’s pride and joy a run, with high hopes, on what will be a very emotional evening no matter what happens on the track.
“If you are only financially able to run a few races you pick and choose the ones that are good ones,” Hinckley reasoned. “This is clearly one of those. I can’t thank enough those who are helping our team be able to run this race. From the Turkey Derby to the North-South Shootout, Chuck always loved the challenge of running in these events.”
Among the festivities, and the more than $12,000 in bonus awards available to race teams at the SBM 125 is the “Chuck Montville Car Owner Award”. A panel of judges will determine a winner, who exemplifies Chuck’s ‘get along with everyone’ attitude, among the competing car owners at Star for the June 15 event. The recipient will be awarded a very special plaque and $350 donated by six friends of Chuck.
While Hinckley’s entry into the race makes him an instant contender, it won’t be easy. The winners of the previous two SBM 125 events, Jon McKennedy and Matt Hirschman have the tricky quarter-mile figured out, and are considered favorites.
Others, such as Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Doug Coby and Chris Pasteryak are just a few of the championship drivers very capable of taking home the winners share, which is likely to top $9,000 for this all-star race, Modified style. It’s flat out hard racing from the drop of the green that makes the SBM 125, ‘A Race Like No Other’.
For more information, such as rules, entry forms, the event schedule and the long list of sponsors that have pushed the total purse close to $45,000 log onto the track web site at: www.star-speedway.com. Only a few laps remain unsponsored, with each lap paying both the race leader and another top ten car by draw a total of more than $7,000 in lap money alone.
Kevin Rice
Sadly Montville, known for his unsurpassed dedication and his pursuit of a championship, never made it to opening day. Montville and Hinckley competed regularly on the Valenti Modifieid Racing Series from its beginning ten years ago. The feeling of many, including Montville, was that this would be the year.
While the healing process is still very evident for the Windsor Locks, Conn., driver, Debbie Marquis and the rest of the race team, the encouragement and sponsorship from LATICRETE International of Bethany, Conn., race fans and friends Jim Schaefer, Bruce Bachta and Cliff Nelson have led Hinckley back to the track.
“We welcome the opportunity to bring Les back to the track,” said LATICRETE Rep. Peter McKeon. “Chuck went out of his way to to thank us for sponsoring the race at Lee (N.H.) last summer. We are deeply saddened by his loss to the racing community.”
Hinckley will begin his season in the June 15, SBM 125 Modified Open at the Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire.
“For 20 years I haven’t gone until mid-May without getting to the race track,” Hinckley noted. “It will be mid-June by the time I get there, but I’m excited about it.
“It’s going to be a difficult transition doing it without Chuck obviously. There are big shoes to fill. It will be weird not having him there, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to get back to the track and seeing some familiar faces, and getting on the race track.”
The future of the 06 team is clearly unknown, and Hinckley’s success in this highest paying Modified race ever run at Star Speedway could go a long way in determining how many races he is able to run this season. But at least for one night, Hinckley will give Montville’s pride and joy a run, with high hopes, on what will be a very emotional evening no matter what happens on the track.
“If you are only financially able to run a few races you pick and choose the ones that are good ones,” Hinckley reasoned. “This is clearly one of those. I can’t thank enough those who are helping our team be able to run this race. From the Turkey Derby to the North-South Shootout, Chuck always loved the challenge of running in these events.”
Among the festivities, and the more than $12,000 in bonus awards available to race teams at the SBM 125 is the “Chuck Montville Car Owner Award”. A panel of judges will determine a winner, who exemplifies Chuck’s ‘get along with everyone’ attitude, among the competing car owners at Star for the June 15 event. The recipient will be awarded a very special plaque and $350 donated by six friends of Chuck.
While Hinckley’s entry into the race makes him an instant contender, it won’t be easy. The winners of the previous two SBM 125 events, Jon McKennedy and Matt Hirschman have the tricky quarter-mile figured out, and are considered favorites.
Others, such as Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Doug Coby and Chris Pasteryak are just a few of the championship drivers very capable of taking home the winners share, which is likely to top $9,000 for this all-star race, Modified style. It’s flat out hard racing from the drop of the green that makes the SBM 125, ‘A Race Like No Other’.
For more information, such as rules, entry forms, the event schedule and the long list of sponsors that have pushed the total purse close to $45,000 log onto the track web site at: www.star-speedway.com. Only a few laps remain unsponsored, with each lap paying both the race leader and another top ten car by draw a total of more than $7,000 in lap money alone.
Kevin Rice