By Ryan Lawliss

Winchester, NH: After a two week layoff due to Mother Nature and the scheduled mid-summer NASCAR break Monadnock Speedway was back in action this past Saturday night with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in action with the Young Guns, Granite State Legends and Bandoleros as well. Early the weather looked great but just as the first feature was wrapping up in victory lane Mother Nature tried to win the night, but thanks to the efforts of the track crew, numerous drivers and race teams after a roughly hour and a half rain delay racing action resumed and those fans that stuck it out were rewarded with some of the best finishes of the season. Giovanni Ruggiero took down the win in the Bandoleros and Shaun Buffington took the win in the Legends feature. Ed Lofland (Thunder Stocks) and Nathan Wenzel (Young Guns) returned to victory lane; while Cole Littlewood (Super Stocks), Brian Chapin (Sportsman Modifieds), and Louis Maher (Mini Stocks) captured their first wins of the season.

Bandoleros took the track to start the evenings feature events. Kyle Souza in the 00 and Giovanni Ruggiero in the 7 brought the field to the green. Souza jumped out to the lead but coming out of turn 4 would get a little loose allowing Ruggiero to take over the top spot. The race was slowed on lap 2 for a caution but the field was quickly doubled back up and sent back racing. Souza got the jump on Ruggiero again but the 12 of Kadyn Berry spun before the lap was completed bringing out the 2^nd caution of the event. On the restart Souza took control again until he spun coming out of turn 2 bringing out another caution. Ruggiero took full advantage of the next restart and rocketed out to the lead and never look back on his way to victory lane. Souza finished 2^nd and Nicholas Hovey in the 16 rounded out the top 3. Ruggiero spoke of how much fun it was to come back to Monadnock Speedway and get another win.

After the rain and track drying the decision was made to bring the Thunder stocks out onto the track for their 25 lap feature event. Nathaniel Nunez in the 15 and Hillary Renaud in the 88 made of the front row. Nunez took the lead early and led the first 5 laps before Renaud spun out coming out of turn 4 creating the first caution of the even with assistance from Comeau. Craig Chaffee in the 28 had nowhere to go and got caught up in the accident. Nunez had a new dancing partner for the restart in the 4 of Richard Vincent. Nunez resumed the lead on the restart but the top 5 cars where close enough to cover them with a blanket. On lap 8 Vincent took his car to the outside of Nunez to take the lead. On Lap 12 Nunez spun in turn 4 and the 09 of Dan Comeau was unable to stop before making hard contact with the passenger side of Nunez ending both of their evenings. Vincent took the lead on the restart but would feel pressure from the 45 of Ed Lofland for a few laps before being able to pull away. On Lap 14 the 2 of Chris Buffone was able to complete the pass for the 3^rd spot. Vincent sailed the rest of the way to victory lane. Lofland finished 2^nd and Buffone held onto the 3^rdspot.  In a post-race inspection, Richard Vincent was penalized for a rules infraction and the win was awarded to Ed Lofland.

Young Guns took to the track next for their 15 lap feature event. Jake Puchalski in the 13 started in the first spot. Puchalski took a commanding lead by the end of lap 1. On lap 2 Nathan Wenzel in the 03 had made his way to the 2^nd spot after starting shotgun on the field. By lap 5 Puchalski had opened up a half a straightway lead but by lap 10 Wenzel had reduced the lead to a 2 car lengths lead. On lap 12 Wenzel tried to dive to the inside of Puchalski but Puchalski shut the door. Wenzel then turned to the outside grove and was able to make the pass for the lead coming out of turn 4 for the checkers! Wenzel spoke about how much is comfort in running the high grove helped him take the win, his fourth on the year.

Mini stocks rolled out onto the track for their 25 lap feature. Shelby Avery in the 8 and the 1 of Cory Plummer led the field to the green. Avery would lead the first 4 laps before Louis Maher in the 69z took the lead on lap 5. Ethan Marsh in the 97 would come to a stop on the backstretch on lap 6 bringing out the caution. Maher took control of the top spot once again on the restart. On lap 7 Kevin McKnight in the 76 took over the 3^rd spot and 3 laps later passed Avery for the 2^nd spot. On lap 11 Matthew Kimball in the 50x made the pass for the 3^rd spot. Then on lap 14 Kimball passed McKnight for the 2^nd spot. The caution flew one last time on lap 20 as the 33 of Jaret Curtis spun coming out of turn 2. Maher maintained the lead on the restart but Kimball tried everything he could over the last 5 laps to make the pass but his attempts wouldn’t be successful. Maher collected his first win of the season; while Kimball finished 2^nd and McKnight finished 3^rd. Maher was happy to finally get the monkey off his back and get this new car to victory lane.

Super Stocks rocketed out for their 25 lap feature event with the 96 of Nancy Muni-Ruot and the 12 of Cole Littlewood pacing the field to the green. Muni-Ruot and Cole Littlewood where side by side at the drop of the green but before lap 1 was completed the caution flew for the spinning 44 of Dennis Stange. It was determined that the 11x of Tyler Leary was involved so he joined Stange at the back of the pack. On the restart Cole Littlewood took over the lead. On lap 7 the 33 of Solomon Brow pressured Cole Littlewood on the low side heading into turn 3 but Brow ended up locking his breaks and spinning out causing the 2^nd caution of the event.  On the ensuing restart Muni-Ruot spun entering turn 1 bringing the caution back out. On the restart Cole Littlewood got a great jump and took the lead. Eric Pomasko in the 71, making his first start of the season after having to have surgery just before the start of the season, took over 2^nd followed closely by Leary. Then on lap 9 Leary got past Pomasko for 2^nd and 2 laps later Brow moved into the 3^rd spot. By lap 17 the top 3 where running nose to tail just as the caution flew one last time for the 22 of Scott Beck who came to rest against the tire wall at the top of turn 1.  The field restarted single file and this proved to be a huge advantage to Cole Littlewood as Leary tried everything he could to get by Cole Littlewood for 4 laps but it was Cole Littlewood taking down the win with Leary 2^nd and Brow 3^rd. Littlewood was excited to get his first win of the season and appreciated how clean Leary raced him over those last few laps.

The Granite State Legends zipped onto the track for their 25 lap feature and 2^ndtime at Monadnock Speedway this season. The winner of their previous visit Shaun Buffington in the 23s start on the pole with Jake Matheson in the 52NH on his outside and at the drop of the green Buffington wasted no time taking the lead. The race was slowed on lap 3 as numerous cars got sideways causing most of the field to slow. On the restart Buffington was joined by the 31 of Noah Korner on the front row. On the restart the 25MA of Brett Crowther ended up in the front stretch wall ending his night. Buffington and Korner brought the field back to try it again and this time it would be a successful restart as Buffington rocketed out to the lead. Around lap 20 Buffington caught up to lap traffic which allowed Korner to catch up to him. Korner threw everything at Buffington and on lap 23 threw a little too much causing Buffington to spin bringing out the final caution of the race. Buffington was put back into his spot and Korner was punished a few spots. Buffington found himself on the inside of Matheson once again. Matheson timed the start perfectly and was able to stay side by side with Buffington. They raced the last 2 laps side by side but it would be Buffington taking the win by a difference of 0.010. Matheson was 2^nd and Luke LeBrun in the 27MA finished 3^rd. In victory lane Buffington was impressed with the youngster Matheson and stated again how much he loves this track (Monadnock Speedway) and is hopeful the legends can return next year.

To round out the evening’s activities the Sportsman Modified’s roared onto the track of 35 laps of wheel to wheel action. Brian Chapin in his #44 was joined on the front row by the 99 of Kim Rivet. Chapin shot out into the lead like a man on a mission but Rivet wasn’t going to roll over as she gave chase. Matthew Kimball in the 50 broke away from the rest of the pack in the 3^rd place giving chase of the top 2. At halfway Chapin had a straight away lead but by lap 27 Rivet had moved to within 5 car lengths of him but that would be as close as she could get. Chapin held on to celebrate the win while Rivet settled for 2^nd and Kimball finished 3^rd. Chapin was so excited in victory lane that he just started hugging everyone!

Sportsman Modifieds: Brian Chapin, Kim Rivet, Matt Kimball, Ben Byrne, Joel Monahan, Keith Carzello, Geoff Rollins, Tyler Jarvenpaa, Eric LeClair, Alyssa Rivera, Matt Mead

Super Stocks: Cole Littlewood, Tyler Leary, Solomon Brow, Dennis Stange, Geoff Rollins, Eric Pomasko, Justin Littlewood, Nancy Muni-Ruot, Scott Beck

Mini Stock: Louis Maher, Matt Kimball, Kevin McKnight, Shelby Avery, Tim Paquette, Pat Houle, Mike Radzuik, Tim Wenzel, Jaret Curtis, Darren Jacobs, Cory Plummer, Kevin Cormier, Bill Chaffee, Kevin Russell, Ethan Marsh, Kevin Pittsinger

Thunders Stocks: Ed Lofland, Chris Buffone, Bruce Clark, James Nowakowski, Hillary Renaud, Craig Chaffee, Chase Curtis, Michelle Leh, Dan Comeau, Nathaniel Nunez, Doug Mclean, Richard Vincent

Young Guns: Nathan Wenzel, Jake Puchalski, Chris Phelps, Matt Lambert, Sammy Silva, Chloe Wright, Elijah Castillo

Photos Courtesy of Emily Miller: Sportsman Modifieds Winner #44 Brian Chapin (Palmer, Ma) and Super Stock Winner #12 Cole Littlewood (Orange, Ma)