Moodie claims third straight Tiger Sportsman feature win; Hodgdon grabs first Speedway 51 win
(From track press release)
GROVETON, N.H. – West Burke, VT native Derek Ming had one heck of a day at Speedway 51 NAPA Kids Night as he took two trips to victory lane and became the point leader in the North Country Ford Late Model division.
The day started with the forty-lap feature that was rained out on June 11th. After an caution involving leader Brandon Lambert and Shawn Swallow at the halfway mark, Ming was able to get around Cambridge, VT’s Brad Bushey to take the lead and he would not give it up the rest of the race.
The Battle for second would come down to the line as Bushey would go door to door with Groveton’s Corey Mason, in the final corner Bushey would drive it in hard, bouncing off Mason and just beat him back to the line for the runner up spot. Mike Kenison and Walter Hammond finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The second feature had an early lead for Brad Bushey before a fifteen lap side-by-side battle with Corey Mason. Mason would take the lead on a restart and looked poised for a victory before a late caution came out before Mason took the white flag setting up a two-lap shootout.
Ming had made his way around Bushey before the caution and he and Mason would lean on each other for the full two laps with Ming edging out Mason at the line. Shawn Swallow made his way back from multiple pit stops to edge out Bushey for the third place finish.
Wolcott, VT’s Brendan Moodie claimed his third straight victory in the Sign Depot Tiger Sportsman division taking the three-segment event just edging out Craftsbury, VT’s Joel Hodgdon and Aaron Smith of Irasburg, VT. Moodie took a first, third, and second place in the segments. Colby Bourgois and Mike Giroux rounded out the top five.
A very excited Bunker Hodgdon celebrated his first ever Speedway 51 victory in the Schweppes Street Stock division.
Hadwick, VT’s Hodgdon battled his way through traffic in both segments to claim victories and leave no doubt that he was the overall winner.
Jesse Switser was Hodgdon’s biggest competition Saturday finishing second in the first segment. He got to the front before Hodgdon in segment two but unfortunately had to go to pit road under caution when his shifter came off. Switser would make it back through the field to second but could not get around the leader.
Rookie Stephan Martin finished a street stock career best third overall, while fellow rookie Peyton Lanphear and Kelly Miller Jr. completed the top 5. Hodgdon also takes the point lead from Jared Plumley.
Point leader Kasey Beattie used a strong start on the outside to get to the lead in the feature for the A.B. Excavating Dare Devils and held off the hard charging Garrett LaBounty for his third win of the season. Evan Hallstrom finished third coming of last week’s victory followed by Josh Plumley and Kyle LaBounty.
In the first of 5 events for the White Mountain Community College Pure Stocks a fantastic battle between Jenna Randle and Jaime Swallow ensued as the pair swapped the lead in six of the last seven laps with Swallow taking the checkered flag by feet at the line. Richie Veilleux came home with a third place finish. The Pure Stocks return July 23rd for their second race of their five race shootout.
Speedway 51 is back in action Saturday July 2nd featuring the Granite State Pro Stocks and fireworks. Post time is set for 5:30. For more information visit www.speedway51int.com
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – NAPA of Northern New Hampshire Night
Speedway 51, Groveton, N.H.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
North Country Ford Late Model Feature #1 (40 laps)
1. Derek Ming, West Burke, Vt.
2. Brad Bushey, Cambridge, Vt.
3. Corey Mason, Groveton, N.H.
4. Mike Kenison, Lancaster, N.H.
5. Walter Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
North Country Ford Late Models Feature #2 (40 laps)
1. Derek Ming, West Burke, Vt.
2. Corey Mason, Groveton, N.H.
3. Shawn Swallow, Stark, N.H.
4. Brad Bushey, Cambridge, Vt.
5. Mike Kenison, Lancaster, N.H.
Sign Depot Tiger Sportsman (3 x 12 laps)
1. Brendan Moodie, Wolcott, Vt.
2. Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury, Vt.
3. Aaron Smith, Irasburg, Vt.
4. Colby Bourgois, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
5. Mike Giroux, North Hatley, Que.
Schweppes Street Stocks (20 laps)
1. Bunker Hodgdon, Hardwick, Vt.
2. Jesse Switser, Lyndonville, Vt.
3. Stephen Martin, Craftsbury, Vt.
4. Peyton Lanphear, Duxbury, Vt.
5. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson, Vt.
White Mountain Community College Pure Stocks (15 laps)
1. Jamie Swallow, Stark, N.H.
2. Jenna Randall, Stark, N.H.
3. Richie Villeux, Lisbon, N.H.
A.B. Excavating Dare Devils (10 laps)
1. Kasey Beattie, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
2. Garrett LaBounty, Irasburg, Vt.
3. Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.
PHOTO: Derek Ming carried two checkered flags on Saturday night at Speedway 51 in North Country Ford Late Model competition. (Alan Plummer photo)