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06/30/2012 |
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LES HINCKLEY GETS FIRST 2012 VMRS WIN
AND CONQUERS THE "SURVIVOR SHOW"
Surviving the Melee
the VMRS teams put on a Good Show for Fans
by
Denise DuPont
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 The
Valenti Modified Racing Series (VMRS) headed to Lee USA Speedway Friday June
29th for 100 lap of green flag racing. The “Port City 100” event was
presented by Laticrete, a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of ceramic
tile and stone. Through their generosity, additional money was added to the
winner’s purse and to the top five finishers. In addition to that a long
time area race fan, Lucky Young, posted $100 to the best finishing rookie
driver. This has been what we have seen as a continuing trend of local
business and individual support for short track racing. It has been a tough
year for tracks, race teams, fans and media alike and we all thank those who
have stepped up to support the sport.
The VMRS race at Lee USA Speedway started like a normal race with limited
cautions and a lot green flag racing with hard charges to the lead. Jon
McKennedy, Chris Pasteryak and Rowan Pennink all took their turn leading the
pack with Pennink capturing the largest share of laps led.
Then the race took a turn. On lap 89, it was caution after caution as melee
arrived at Lee USA Speedway. There were four lead changes as racing moves
took out leaders one after the other. The worst incident happened when
rookie Tom Barrett went inside leader Jon McKennedy to pass for the lead.
The two made contact coming out of turn three and spun right in front of the
field. The field backed up and scurried everywhere. Barrett and McKennedy
drove away but other competitors were not as lucky. They sat in their cars
stacked up between turn three and four. If I were to use a Matt Buckler type
quote here, “Cars were stacked up like pancakes waiting for the maple syrup
to top them!” Tow truck crews worked feverishly to untangle cars while the
rest of the field was maintained under red flag conditions.
Race winner Les Hinckley dodged incidents left and right to win the
“Survivor” race. Hinckley himself had spun in separate incident on Lap 89.
After spinning he found himself at the back with only 11 laps left in the
race.
 But
Lady Luck was on Hinckley side as he managed to stay clean and bring home a
win for the Chuck Montville #06 team. “It was a crazy race that is for sure.
I do not know what I could say about it,” said Hinckley after the race. “It
was a calm race and then it was just madness at the end. I have never been
in a race where leaders got taken out at so many different spots. We will
take it. A win is a win! “
Chuck Montville owner of the CMR Race team just keeps smiling and bringing
the pristinely prepared #06 car to every race. With all the challenges that
hard racing brings the #06 team keeps coming back struggling to meet their
goals. “Well it is about time. We finally got lucky for a change. We have a
had a good car capable of winning the race but I just did not think that it
was going to happen after making contact with Rowan (Pennink). We had to go
to the back and after the big jam-up over in turn three and four I thought
now we have a chance again. Then everybody started smashing and taking
everybody out and there we were at the front. So I will take it!”
 Montville’s
team member and biggest supporter Debbie Marquis is there every week to help
the team through all the ups and downs. She summarized the team’s night the
best: “I cannot believe we won. It was such a race. I just cannot believe
it! Les was upfront and we had a good chance at it. We tried to pass Rowan
(Pennink ) on the outside and they touched and he lost it (Les). I thought
“We are not going to come up back through because Les kept saying that the
right rear is going away. So we came in with 19 laps to go and they switched
the right side tires and we went back it. It just all fell in place. We
started seventh passed a couple cars and then the two leaders tangled and
there we were – right in the right position. After what happened at Thompson
we deserved this, we needed this. It is good for the team, good for morale
and good for our pocket. It is just wonderful to finally win a race this
year. It has just been a tough year for us. But that is racing and that it
how it goes. I am just excited. I cannot believe we won!”
Todd Owen has not been with the #17 Jack Bateman team very long but his move
into the seat to take over when Bateman retired has proven to be a very
positive move for the team. At Lee he held on tight and wheeled his way to a
second place finish. “It was a crazy race. We were pretty good for the first
half and then it (the car) started to go away a little bit. So we pitted and
then we tried to work our way up a little bit and stay out of trouble. And
that was what we did. The spots kept coming to me. I was not getting the
spots. But you take them anyway that you can get them I suppose.”
 Somehow
Owen managed to avoid the big crash and several small accidents afterwards.
“I do not know if it is some of my experience at Stafford (Speedway) and
always keeping my eyes open or what. But I saw people spinning and I looked
at the situation. I just hit the gas to get away from it. It was a
challenging night for sure.”
Coming off of a series win at Seekonk Speedway, veteran driver Louie
Mechalides also managed to avoid race incident and hang in there for a
podium finish. “They kept on wrecking and wrecking so I just rode around in
the back just waiting and waiting. And I ended back up front when the big
crash happened. Before the wreck I was running fifth and they put me way
back to about tenth. Then it was an easy way to pass all those cars after
they crashed.”
Over the years Mechalidies has seen a lot of things. But this race was
definitely unique and hopefully future racing will not unfold with this type
of race end. “The second part of the race was a real rough race. The
beginning of the race was really good and I do not know what happened. I do
not know if everybody got a little anxious or what. I just do not know.”
The VMRS teams will now prepare for next Saturday night’s Monadnock
Speedway’s Firecracker feature event. And hopefully next weekend the only
firecrackers we see are in the sky!
Notes from Lee USA Speedway:
Les Hinckley spun on lap 89 after running for
the lead. It was a mishap that could have led to defeat or making the best
of the situation. Hinckley did the later and it proved to be the best
decision. After the spin he had to regroup and decided what to do next.
Les Hinckley
“I was mad and I cannot believe that this is going to happen again. That we
are not going to come out of a place with a decent finish after running up
front all day. My spotter Scooter said it best after the race: “You did a
good job keeping your cool.” I started to get pissed in the car obviously
but then I said “you just have to make the best of this. It is Lee.” We came
in and swapped right side tires and then said let’s go see what we can get
out of it. Then we had a big wreck and then a couple of smaller one. But it
all worked out for us. It does not always happen that way but it did tonight
and that is good for the team.”
Les Hinckley came to Lee winless in 2012. At the
end of the race he not only had his first win in 2012 but also tied Kirk
Alexander with three wins at Lee USA Speedway.
Les Hinckley
“That is an interest fact with Kirk. He has won a lot of races so that is a
fun fact. We have had our fair share of success here. I have always liked
coming to Lee. “
More than one racer has said that when it comes to winning a race it is 80%
luck and the rest the talent that gets you there. I asked Chuck Montville
his thoughts on that.
Chuck Montville
Luck it not always on our side but it was tonight. Normally we have the
talent and we have the car.
But the luck we sometimes do not have it. But tonight we had it.
Todd Owen is running weekly in the SK Modified
series at Stafford Speedway. June 29th was the rescheduled 39th annual
CARQUEST SK Modified 100 XMART race. Owen selected to head north to Lee USA
Speedway 100 lap VMRS event where he had already committed to run versus the
SK race.
Todd Owen
Listening to how that race turned out tonight I am kind of glad that I am
here. I heard that they had a tough night there. Jack (Bateman) has given me
an awesome opportunity here. This is probably what I want to do in the
future so to miss one race at Stafford to get a top ten like this is an easy
choice. |
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Source: Denise DuPont/ TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: June
30, 2012 |
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