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06/30/2012 |
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HINCKLEY SURVIVES TO WIN WILD LEE RACE |
 Windsor
Locks, CT., veteran Les Hinckley III, visited the winner’s circle for the
first time this season after surviving the final 10-laps of Friday night’s
Valenti Modified Racing Series event at Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH.
The 100-lap race was marred by several crashes including a 10-car pileup at
lap 90 that eliminated race leader Jon McKennedy, of East Chelmsford, MA,
from the event. In the final 10-laps, race leaders Rowan Pennink, of
Huntingdon Valley, PA., and Jeff Malave, of Manchester, CT., was also
knocked from the lead. Series officials blamed aggressive driving for the
incidents.
24 cars started the ‘Port City 100’ presented by Laticrete.
Polesitter McKennedy led the first five circuits. Defending series champion
Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., lead the field through lap 17 when Pennink
took command until lap 82. A hard charging McKennedy then regained the lead.
Tommy Barrett, Millis, MA., who started 24th in the field, battling for the
lead on lap 90, made contact with McKennedy, triggering the massive pileup.
After Pennink and then Malave were eliminated from the lead, Hinckley led
the final two laps to secure the win “It was a game of survival. We were in
good position all race. Had a good race with Rowan early,” said Hinckley.
“When they had that big wreck it kind of opened the door. When we got going
again all hell broke loose a couple of times right in front of us. Sometimes
good things happen when your patient.”
Todd Owen, of Somers, CT., finished second for his best finish to date. “We
survived. We had a good car,” said Owen.” Got to thank Jack Bateman for
giving me the opportunity. Thanks to Laticrete and congratulations to Les.
He deserved it. Stayed out of trouble.”
Tyngsboro, MA., veteran Louie Mechalides scored a podium finish. “A couple
of cautions at the end helped. We were just riding around. This was a pretty
good finish for what we had,” explained Mechalides “Lot of wrecks out there.
The first part of the race was good but they got a little wild at the end.”
Pasteryak battled back to finish a respectable fourth with Max Zachem, of
Preston, CT., finishing fifth.
Sixth through tenth were, Jimmy Dolan, Joe Doucette, Norm Wrenn, Pennink,
and Mark Bakaj. Hinckley’s win was his 16th VMRS victory, his third at Lee
tying Kirk Alexander for total wins (Lee).
17 of the 24 cars that started the race finished on the lead lap. Five
yellow flags and one red flag on lap 90 slowed the event completed in
1 hour 15 minutes.
Next Event: Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH. July 7, 2012.
Race Summary:
Race # 6 Lee USA Speedway
Entrants: (24)
Distance: 100 laps
Time of Race: 1:15:06:626
Margin of Victory: 1.100
Best Lap Time: 15:127
Best Speed: 89.244 (Pasteryak)
Lead Changes: 6
Lap Leaders: McKennedy (1-5) Pasteryak (6-17) Pennink (18-82)
McKennedy (83-90) Pennink (91-93) Malave (94-98)
Hinckley (99-100)
Cautions: Laps 58, 82, 89, 90 (Red) 93, 98
Order of Finish: (1) Hinckley (2) Owen (3) Mechalides (4) Pasteryak
(5) Zachem (6) Dolan (7) Doucette (8) Wrenn (9) Pennink (10) Bakaj (11)
Nocella (12) Mead (13) Malave (14) Schneider (15) Jordan (16) Barnett (17)
McKennedy (18) Fifield (19) Barrett (20) Goodenough (21) Holdridge (22) D.
Jarvis (23) J. Jarvis (24) Murray |
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Source: John Spence Sr / Valenti Modified Racing Series
Posted: June
30, 2012 |
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