Ouellette dominates Cyclone feature; Laleme claims Street Stock win
GROVETON, N.H. – Joel Hodgdon reclaimed the Sign Depot Tiger Sportsman point lead with his fourth overall win of the season on Saturday night at Speedway 51.
The Craftsbury driver posted finishes of first, second, and third in the three-segment event to post the lowest overall score of six points.
Chief rival and defending champion Brendan Moodie of Wolcott finished second overall with segment two victor Mike Giroux of North Hatley, Que. third overall. Final segment winner Mike Martin and Bill Stebbins Jr. completed the top-five finishers.
With the win, Hodgdon went from a four-point deficit to a three-point advantage over Moodie with three races remaining.
Chris Ouellette went wire-to-wire to claim the win in the 30-lap North East Cyclone event.
The Milan, N.H. driver won his heat race and used that advantage to claim the win.
Cole Kilby of Lancaster, N.H. finished second over hometown driver Jason Kenison by inches at the checkered flag. Matt Kopp of Lancaster, N.H. finished fourth with Jon Savage of Whitefield fifth.
Keith Normand, Jamie Carbone, Josh Barney, Daniel Gooden, and Edwin Brown finished sixth through tenth, respectively.
Dylan Laleme of Bethlehem, N.H. posted a pair of runner-up finishes to claim the overall win in the Schweppes Street Stock two-segment feature event.
Point leader Bunker Hodgdon of Hardwick, Vt. finished second overall with Cody Smith of St. Johnsbury, N.H. third overall. Second place point driver Jared Plumley and Peyton Lanphear finished fourth and fifth overall, respectively.
Jordan Pearson of Glenburne, Maine won the 51-lap North East Street Stock Tour event over series point leader Joe Arena of Bristol, Conn. Connecticut drivers Jim Boyle, Cory Casagrande, and Steve Barrett finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
Cody Leblanc of Gorham, N.H. won a tight White Mountain Community College Pure Stock feature after narrowly edging out Richie Veilleux for the win. Todd Derrington finished third with Haywood Herriott and Troy Prentice completed the top-five finishers.
Kasey Beattie won a thrilling conclusion to the 15-lap A.B. Excavating Daredevil feature.
The St. Johnsbury, Vt. youngster would receive contact from Garrett Labounty on the final lap and go into the infield. Labounty lifted to allow Beattie to correct it, but the move allowed Evan Hallstrom to zoom into the fray. Beattie and Hallstrom would make contact, which ended with Beattie in the wall, but being named the victor.
Hallstrom finished second with Labounty third. Kyle Labounty and Kailie French completed the top-five finishers.
Speedway 51 is off for one week and returns on Saturday, September 3. Post time is set for 6:30pm.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Regular Event
Speedway 51, Groveton, N.H.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
Sign Depot Tiger Sportsman (3 x 15 laps)
1. Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury, Vt.
2. Brendan Moodie, Wolcott, Vt.
3. Mike Giroux, North Hatley, Que.
4. Mike Martin, Craftsbury, Vt.
5. Bill Stebbins Jr., Pittsburgh, N.H.
North East Cyclones (30 laps)
1. Chris Ouellette, Milan, N.H.
2. Cole Kilby, Lancaster, N.H.
3. Jason Kenison, Groveton, N.H.
4. Matt Kopp, Lancaster, N.H.
5. Jon Savage, Whitefield, N.H.
6. Keith Normand, North Concord, Vt.
7. Jamie Carbone, Webster, N.H.
8. Josh Barney, Guildhall, Vt.
9. Daniel Gooden, Bethlehem, N.H.
10. Edwin Brown, Granby, Vt.
Schweppes Street Stocks (2 x 15 laps)
1. Dylan Laleme, Bethlehem, N.H.
2. Bunker Hodgdon, Hardwick, Vt.
3. Cody Smith, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
4. Jared Plumley, Guildhall, Vt.
5. Peyton Lanphear, Duxbury, Vt.
North East Street Stock Tour (51 laps)
1. Jordan Pearson, Glenburn, Maine
2. Joe Arena, Bristol, Conn.
3. Jim Boyle, East Windsor, Conn.
4. Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs, Conn.
5. Steve Barrett, Norwalk, Conn.
White Mountain Community College Pure Stocks (15 laps)
1. Cody Leblanc, Gorham, N.H.
2. Richie Veilleux, Lisbon, N.H.
3. Todd Derrington, Bethlehem, N.H.
4. Haywood Herriott, Gorham, N.H.
5. Troy Prentice, Lisbon, N.H.
A.B. Excavating Dare Devils (15 laps)
1. Kasey Beattie, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
2. Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.
3. Garrett Labounty, Irasburg, Vt.
4. Kyle Labounty, Irasburg, Vt.
5. Kailie French, Northfield, Vt.
PHOTO: Joel Hodgdon celebrates with some fans on Saturday night at Speedway 51 for his fourth Tiger win of the season. (Alan Plummer photo)
