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MIKE DOUGLAS
JR. GOES HOME
TO WIN FIRST VMRS RACE |
 It
took over 15 years to win his second race at what he
calls his ‘home’ race track, but Auburn New
Hampshire’s Mike Douglas Jr. finally put it all
together Saturday afternoon May 27, and won his
first Valenti Modified Racing Series event at Lee
USA Speedway, Lee, NH.
Douglas first trip to victory lane was in the tracks
Hobby Stock division in 2003.
Saturdays race was a special holiday weekend
presentation by the Lee track with qualifying heat
race winners receiving $500 to win and $3,000 was
awarded to the winner.
Douglas was clearly the class of the field as he won
his heat race and then the 50-lap main event.
The second-generation driver started on the pole and
led the entire race.
Donnie Lashua, of Canaan, NH, and Dana Smith, of
Sunapee, NH, gave chase early on with Richard
Savary, of Canton, MA, and Anthony Nocella, of
Woburn, MA, providing some late race drama when
Savary pulled alongside Douglas with Nocella on his
heels.
While Savary was dealing with a tight car and
Nocella, Douglas pulled away to notch his first VMRS
victory.
To many Douglas looked fast in practice and that he
might have something going. In fact he finished the
heat race a full straightaway ahead of the second
place car.
“I did not put much bank into practice. The car felt
good during the heat race. I had told Dad (Mike
Douglas Sr) I was gonna run as hard as I could. They
kept telling me to slow up. I don’t run a mirror so
I don’t know how far I am ahead.” Douglas said.
Douglas furthered,“ In the feature I wanted to run
the pace I wanted to run. I had no clue that Richard
Savary was as close as he was. I honestly thought I
was by myself.”
As the race drew closer to the finish, “The laps
were clicking down. I glanced up at the board saw
seven-laps to go, then it was four, and it was
pretty much cruise control from there on. It was
nice to come off turn four and see the (checkered)
flag.
Douglas is sure to point out “We do not have a big
sponsor or a stacker trailer we are a low buck team.
He dedicated the win.” This is one for the little
guy, the guys that can’t run every week.”
As for the new ride it is new to the Douglas team
but it stops there. The car has no history to speak
of.“ We found it in Rusty Ball’s garage. Dad was
going to build a street rod and he visited Rusty
about parts when it was suggested we buy this car he
had. It was a Raceworks chassis built in 2008. It
sat for almost 9 years .We bought it and stripped
it. Made some changes and spoke with Jon McKennedy
who was a big help and Eddie Flemke who I can’t
thank enough.”
Raceworks Chassis has been in victory lane the first
two races of the 2017 VMRS season.
Heat winners: (1) Douglas (2) Lashua (3)
Perry
Next Event: June 17,2017
Speedway 51 Groveton, NH.
Race Summary:
Lee USA Speedway
Lee, NH.
Race # 2
May 27, 2017
Entrants: 23
Distance: 50-Laps
Lap Leaders: Douglas (1-50)
Cautions: Laps- 10, 31
Unofficial Order of Finish: (1) Douglas (2)
Savary (3) Nocella (4) Hinckley (5) Annarummo (6)
Smith (7) Willis
(8) Rocco (9) Medeiros (10) Perry (11) Pasteryak
(12) Fournier (13) Lashua (14) Mead (15) Rameau (16)
Gallup
(17) Riccardi (18) Rock (19) Kay (20) Shaw (21)
Molleur (22) Cantara (23) Dolan
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Source:
John Spence / Valenti Modified Racing Series
Posted:
May 28, 2017 |
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