WINCHESTER, N.H. – Modified super star Brian Robie won Sunday’s 80-lap NHSTRA Modified feature at Monadnock Speedway, first setting fast time in time trials, and then leading the final 54 laps of the afternoon’s main event to top the second annual Duel at The Dog biggie.
By Gary Dutton
Other winners on 2023 opening weekend at the storied quarter-mile speedbowl included Tim Wenzel after a post-race inspection was concluded awarding him the win in the NHSTRA Late Models, Cole Littlewood, who wired the Outlaw main, and Gordon Farnum, who rocketed to victory lane in the Mini Stock feature, something he did a dozen times a summer ago. On Saturday’s event, Colton Martin took the Pure Stock victory. Owen Zilinski led all the way to score the Young Guns victory. Steve Miller, last summer’s Six Shooter champion at Claremont, led all the way Sunday to earn his first career Monadnock victory.
Sunapee’s Robie a former track Modified champion here set fast time with a blistering circuit of 12.660 seconds Sunday, the fastest of four sub-13 drivers in the 18-car field. By virtue of a top-four redraw, Sammy Rameau and Aaron Fellows sat on row one as the 80-lap main went green.
Rameau, who like Robie has impressed in past victories here, jumped all over the opening lead and set fast time the first 25 times around. But then Robie, from row two, took control and never looked back.
Fellows, strong in third until the victim of the second – of five – cautions, would return to notch a top ten finish, but with Robie and Rameau setting a blistering pace, it was Kimmy Rivet, methodical all afternoon as she marched forward from row five, earning an impressive third-place finish.
Kenny Thompson led the first 20 go-rounds of the Late Model feature but Ryan Bell, firing from row three, then took charge and outran 2022 Monadnock champ Tim Wenzel and Thompson into victory lane. In a post-race inspection, Wenzel was awarded the win.
Farnum, who sold his championship Mini Stock ride only hours before Sunday’s feature gave it one last dash to victory lane. Cole Littlewood led all the way to win Sunday’s Outlaw main just ahead of Steve Bly. Littlewood’s brother Justin won the same event a year ago.
Monadnock Speedway will return to action on May 20, when it begins it 2023 Saturday night racing series as it hosts Military Appreciation Night, with a seven-division card of racing.
Results:
May 6, 2023 Event
Pure Stocks: Colton Martin, Zach Zilinski, CJ Johnson, Chris Davis Carlos Grenier, Chris Conroy, Teagan Edson, Mike Douglas, Dominick Stafford, Tim Taft, Trevor Carey, Chris Bingham, Jim Rhodes, Aaliyah Tacy, Matt Croteau, Ricky Melcher
May 7, 2023 Event:
Young Guns: Owen Zilinski, Adrian Smith, Emma Blake, Markus O’Neil, Kailyn Hubbard, Hunter Douglas
Six Shooters: Steve Miller, Michael, Yraton, Jacob Scott, Steve Miller Jr., John Thibodeau, Zach Zilinski, Andrew Scott, Tyler Scott, Garrett Barry, Rozwell Mason
Mini Stocks: Gordon Farnum, Louis Maher, Jon Fultz, Kevin Clayton, Chris Sontag, Robert Williams, Cameron Sontag, Patrick Houle, Skyler Shippee, Greg Millette, Reagan Buffum, Matt Lambert, Kyle Templeton
NHSTRA Outlaws:Cole Littlewood, Steve Bly, Phil Meany, John Meany, Leighton Lutz
NHSTRA Late Models: Tim Wenzel, Kenny Thompson, Hillary Renaud, JD Stockwell, Chris Emerson, Isabella Minchella, Kevin McKnight, Dan Robinson, Chris Castor, Robert Hagar
