5/19/2024
Monadnock Speedway
Robie, Riendeau, and Davis Top Monadnock Salutes Main Events
ROBIE, RIENDEAU, AND DAVIS TOP MONADNOCK SALUTES MAIN EVENTS
Monadnock Speedway Saturday, May 18, event story
By Gary Dutton
WINCHESTER, N.H. – Brian Robie rocketed to victory in Saturday’s Inaugural Monadnock Salutes main event, winning his second JDV Mad Dog Modified feature of the summer. Super Street ace Chris Riendeau and Mini Stock star Erin Aiken both earned their second of the season too Saturday on the high banks.
Chris Davis, of four Pure Stock track championships and a Mini Stock crown too, shook off his early season funk to win the night’s 50-lap Pure Stock Special, while Michael Yeaton won for the third time in the Six Shooters, and youngster Markus O’Neil raced to his first 2024 Mad Pup victory.
In a very moving on-track ceremony before the night’s feature races, the first-ever Monadnock Salutes event honored the memory of all fallen members of the United States Military. Gold Star Family members were recognized and would later participate in green flag and victory lane ceremonies, while the names of 18 fallen heroes were displayed on race cars throughout the night.
Dominick Stafford and Chris Davis led the Pure Stocks to the green Saturday; with Davis potent all night long to score his first win of the summer. Stafford, punted out of second on lap ten, would recover strongly to score a top-five finish, but it was the family team of Andrea St. Amour and Chris Chambers who’d give Davis all he could handle.
With Chambers second and St. Amour, the winner a week ago, third, Stafford rebounded for fourth, just ahead of two-time 2024 winner Jimmy Zellman.
Brian Robie won his second Mad Dog Modified main event in as many tries this summer, romping to victory in the end after being sorely tested mid-race. Robie, in fact, surrendered the lead to Nate Wenzel on a lap ten restart before reclaiming it four circuits later.
With Wenzel shuffled back on the top groove, former track champ Tyler Leary rocketed into second on lap 15, bringing potent Kimmy Rivet with him. Rivet, in her strongest run of the young season, impressed in third, holding off Trevor Bleau and Colton Martin for the podium finish.
Martin, who’d gone pitside on lap six, recovered strongly to earn an extra 22 points for his hard night’s work. Robie, who’d set fast time in qualifying at 11.944 seconds, was again fastest in the main event, turning an 11.871 circuit. Robie, Rivet and Martin each turned sub-12 laps Saturday.
Super Street star Chris Riendeau, racing Saturday to honor the memory of fallen U.S. Marine Darren Ponsiano, blasted to his second win of the young season and, with it, took a single marker point lead over last year’s titlist Tim Wenzel.
Hillary Renaud set a fast pace early, giving way to Riendeau on lap four and then holding the deuce spot until Wenzel edged past on a lap 14 restart. Riendeau, though, was unfazed by his new challenger, rocketing off to win by a country mile. With Wenzel next in second, super soph JD Stockwell got up for third on lap 24, edging out Dan Petrowicz for the night’s final trophy.
Erin Aiken, her Saturday Mini Stock ride carrying the name of U.S. Marine LCPL Michael Geary, picked up Saturday where she’d left off a week ago. Coming off a four-for-four run a weekend earlier, including one here on the high banks, she wired Saturday’s 25-lapper to open up a commanding lead in the points parade.
With Aiken simply blowing the field away, Kevin Clayton pitched a season high in second, and Reagan Buffum rocketed to third. Defending Mini Stock champ Louie Maher, who’d heavily damaged his ride a week ago, piloted a loaner to fifth Saturday to earn valuable points.
Markus O’Neil led all the way to win his first Mad Pup feature of the season. Slowed by only a single caution, he’d opened a comfortable lead until the yellow flag brought previous winner Owen Zilinski to his bumper. O’Neil held strong to score the victory ahead of Zilinski and Addison Brooks.
Carter Conroy was fourth in the 15-lapper, and Ella Grabowski scored her first Young Pup top five.
Six Shooter ace Michael Yeaton stayed perfect on the season, winning his third event in as many outings Saturday. Yeaton wired the 25-lapper, again finishing far ahead of the rest of the field. David Bell, faster every week, was second, with number two points man Garrett Barry coming home third.
After four very successful 2024 racing events, Monadnock Speedway will be silent next Saturday. The storied oval will host the first ever Monadnock Bull Riding Championship on Sunday, May 26, afternoon and then resume its championship racing schedule on Saturday, June 1, with the running of its 2024 Triple Crown Round One event.
INAUGURAL MONADNOCK SALUTES TOP PERFORMERS
50-LAP PURE STOCK SPECIAL: Chris Davis, Chris Chambers, Andrea St. Amour, Dominick Stafford, Jimmy Zellman, Teagan Edson, Addison Brooks, Adrian Smith, Chris Bingham, Carter Chamberlin.
JDV MAD DOG MODIFIEDS: Brian Robie, Tyler Leary, Kimmy Rivet, Trevor Bleau, Colton Martin, Nate Wenzel, JT Cloutier, Brad Zahensky, Cole Littlewood, Kevin Pittsinger.
SUPER STREET: Chris Riendeau, Tim Wenzel, JD Stockwell, Dan Petrowicz, Hillary Renaud, Isabella Minchella, Erik Smith, Wesley Stedt, David Boisvert, Zach Zilinski.
MINI STOCK: Erin Aiken, Kevin Clayton, Reagan Buffum, Eric Pomasko, Louie Maher.
MAD PUPS: Markus O’Neil, Owen Zilinski, Addison Brooks, Carter Conroy, Ella Grabowski, Sofia Rego, Hunter Duquette.
SIX SHOOTER: Michael Yeaton, David Bell, Garrett Barry, Meghan Barry.
Article Credit: Gary Dutton
