TVMRS at Lee USA

[phillie]

Les Hinckley won another one tonight at Lee. Kirk A 2nd and Jimmy Kuhn Jr 3rd. Not a very good race in regards to cautions as there were a lot. A few questionable calls by the officials as well. All in all a good race though.

[CynthiaTork]

Having a "superior" car cause three of the cautions certainly wasn't a big help!

When the racing was on, it was good racing.

[RGeeProductions]

Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks CT; captured his third win of the season Friday night July 13, in the 100 lap Mid-Summer Modified Shootout at Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH. The True Value Modified Racing Series event served as a guaranteed starter race for Mod Mania 400 weekend at Thompson, CT; in September 8, 9. The series will compete in a 75 lap race at the historic 5/8 mile facilty.

Qualifying heats set the stage for the feature race with Bryan Shumway, Belchertown, MA; Mike Douglas Jr, Auburn, NH; and Hinckley, the winners while Richard Savary, Canton, MA; won the 15 lap consolation race.

25 cars took the green flag from series flagman John Spence Jr. with Shumway and Douglas making up the front row. Shumway lead the first lap with Hinckley, Dale Evonsion, E.Harland,CT; Mike Holdridge, Madison,CT; and Douglas making up the top five. At lap 10, Shumway was still the leader, while Rob Goodenough, W.Swanzey, NH; who started 7th, worked his way to 4th. On lap 13, Goodenough moved by Evonsion to third.

The first of 13 caution flags flew on lap 18 for a Tom Abele, Jr., spin and on the restart, veteran Jack Bateman, Canaan,NH; spun and struck the concrete wall driver’s side first. When Bateman failed to respond his status by radio, flagman Spence dropped the red flag to stop the race. Following a check by emergency personnel, Bateman walked to an awaiting ambulance for observation. He was not transported.

Peter Jarvis,Ascutney,VT; drew the third caution flag for a turn four spin on lap 19. Hinckley, Shumway, Goodenough, Evonsion, and Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT; made up the top five on lap 25.

At lap 30, Jonathan McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA; cracked the top five with Andy Seuss, Hampstead, NH; in tow. Point leader Kirk Alexander W, Swanzey, was now in the top ten from his 25th starting spot. Five laps later, Alexander was 6th, and then 4th by the 40th marker. Louie Mechalides, Tygnsboro,MA; a winner at Lee last month, and defending champion Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney, were fast making their way to the front.

At the Black Mountain Painting halfway mark, Hinckley, Shumway, Alexander, Goodenough and Mechalides made up the top five. Following yet another caution on lap 57 for a spinning Peter Jarvis, the restart would find a shootout developing between the race leader Hinckley and Alexander. Despite the yellow flag being displayed on six more occasions between laps 67 and 97, the leaders put on a show with Alexander trying Hinckley inside and outside for the last 20 laps but the second generation driver of the bright yellow # 06 was equal to the task. The two front runners were not the only drivers drawing the interest of fans, the two top point getters last season made a late race charge with Dwight Jarvis third, and Jimmy Kuhn Jr, W.Bridgewater,MA; fourth on lap 95.

At the finish it was Hinckley notching his 8th TVMRS victory and his 2nd win at Lee. Alexander, Kuhn, a determined Peter Jarvis, and McKennedy covered the top five positions. Mechalides, Goodenough, D.Jarvis, Douglas, and Vinnie Annarummo, Swansea, MA; rounded out the top ten.

In a post race interview Hinckley said,” In the beginning part of the race when Bryan was leading we were kind of just riding but after I got by him it was hard to get any rhythm with all them cautions.” He added, “ when it closed up and Kirk was there, it was a tough race, a lot of pressure, pressure from a car that you know is as good as you, if not better, if you make a mistake, your gonna get beat.”

Next up for the TVMRS is a first ever visit to the Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, ME for the Main-ly Action Sports 100, Saturday, July 21. Race time is 6:30 PM.

Race Summary:
Mid Summer Modified Shootout 100
Lee USA Speedway, Lee. NH
All cars (25) started

Black Mountain Painting 1/2 Way Bonus: Les Hinckley, #06
Koszela Speed 7th Place Award: Rob Goodenough, #6
Sherwood Wheels 5th Place Award: Jon McKennedy, #73
Sunoco Hard Charger Award: Kirk Alexander, #43 25-2
Cautions: 13, two were changed to Red Flags
Race time: 1:20:41
Leaders: Brian Shumway, #5, laps 1-18; Les Hinckley, #06, laps 19-100

MID SUMMER MODIFIED SHOOTOUT 100 LAPS
Finish Car # Driver Starting Position
1 06 Les Hinckley 3
2 43 Kirk Alexander 25
3 72 Jimmy Kuhn 24
4 9 Peter Jarvis 14
5 73 Jon McKennedy 11
6 40 Lou Mechalides 15
7 6 Rob Goodenough 7
8 28 Dwight Jarvis 9
9 23 Mike Douglas, Jr. 2
10 12 Vinnie Annarummo 13
11 27 Richard Savary 18
12 15 Chris Pasteryak 8
13 5 Bryan Shumway 1
14 0 Mike Holdridge 6
15 69 Jimmy Dolan 20
16 33 Ken Heagy 23
17 01 Todd Patnode 19
18 1 Sean Bodreau 5
19 48 Ed Dachenhausen 16
20 32 Tom Abele, Jr. 21
21 70 Andy Seuss 12
22 4 Tony Ricci 17
23 38 Bill Goodrow 10
24 35 Dale Evonsion 4
25 17 Jack Bateman 22

John Spence Sr/True Value Modified Racing Series PR

[Jamie Williams]

I've posted all my photos fromthe Lee modified race to my web site if any one would like to check them out.
http://finishlinephotography.smugmug.com/