Home town hot shoe Joey Polewarcyk
lead the majority of the 2019 Gate City Classic to take down the win. Cory
Casagrande returned to the series and established the track record and the
point leader continued his string of consistency in 2019.
It was a picture perfect day for racing as
the Granite State Pro Stock Series took to the family fun track for an awesome
night of racing. Ben Bosowski and his team had the facility fixed up and ready
to go with a brand new back stretch wall, new track lighting and a newly paved
pit area. On track just before the feature Bosowski was thanked for his efforts
and responded “I always love it when the Granite State Pro Stock series comes
here. The racing is always great and the fans love it.” After a little prodding
Bosowski added “I’d love to have the series here again this year… maybe we can
make that happen”.
The night kicked off with the Crazy Horse
Racing race for the pole and It was Cory Casagrande establishing the track
record with a time of 13.267 seconds. Being that electronic scoring was just
added this spring there was no record to beat so Casagrande is the “Original”
track record holder in the pro stock division. After time trials Casagrande was
asked about the lap. “I didn’t think that was a pole lap” said the driver if
the Chalew Performance number seven. “It felt good but not that good. Now we
just need to stay up there all night long”.
Heat races where up next and they became the
Joey and Joey show. Heat one went to Joey Doiron in a battle that was hotly
contested to the end, while Joey “Pole” won the second heat with relative ease.
After the GSPSS redraw Joey Doiron would
find himself on the pole with a shot at the NHSTRA back of the pack challenge.
Doiron, Who had earned the extra $1000 for starting at the back at Claremont
Motorsports Park earlier in the year, chose to keep his pole position. When
asked about the decision during driver intros Doiron said “no way… not at this
track. We’re going to stay right here”.
As the 100 lap main event went green it was
a tale of two races for the eventual race winner. The redraw saw Polewarcyk on
the outside of row four with some work to do if he was to go three for three
with the GSPSS. For the first forty laps the Hudson Hero slowly, methodically
and patiently worked his way to the front, finally taking the lead on a restart
and from there he would never look back. “Pole” never got to more than an eight
or ten car length lead but also was never seriously challenged. “The car was
really really good all day” said “Pole” in victory lane “My guys busted their
butts all day to give me the feel I needed and it paid off.”
Devin O’Connell fought hard for everything
he got on the track but in the end the defending series champion could only
muster enough for second. “I really wanted to go back to back” said the driver
of the 43 car in victory lane. “It’s an honor to race against someone like Joey
and second is nothing to be bummed about but I really wanted to beat him”.
Joe Doiron fought hard to stay within sight
of the leaders all day and when asked what he needed to beat them he said “my
other car”. He went on to say “I didn’t expect such a clean race so I brought
my older car and it just isn’t as good”.
Jimmy Renfrew JR fought hard for a fourth
place finish at one of his home race tracks while Mike O’Sullivan came back
from missing a race due to a concussion to complete the top five.
Cory Casagrande came back from an early pit
stop to finish sixth ahead of Jacob Dore in seventh, Mike Mitchell in eighth,
Todd Stone in ninth and Angelo Belsito who rounded out the top ten.
Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond
GSPSS control, the event scheduled for August third at The New London -
Waterford Speedbowl has had to be removed from the schedule. The next event for
the series will be the JBH 150 at Monadnock Speedway on Sat. Aug. 17th.
This will be the first time the series has gone 150 laps at the high banked
quarter mile bull ring and should be a wild affair that honors one of the
series founders, John “Boy” Hoyt.
For more information on the Granite State
Pro Stock Series go to www.gspss.net of
check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Granite
State Pro Stock Series contingency awards:
AR Bodies
Hard Luck Award $100 : 93 Ray Christian
O’Reilly
Auto Parts last car on the lead lap $75: 17 Kevin Folan
O’Reilly
Auto Parts 7th place finisher $75: 05 Jacob Dore
American
Racer N.E Hard Charger One free tire: 97 Joey Polewarczyk
Sunoco Heat
Race Winners 5 Gallons fuel: #1 73Joey Doiron, #2 97 Joey Polewarczyk
VDL 5th
Place $100: 08 Mike O’Sullivan
Crazy Horse
Racing Fast Time$125: 7 Cory Casagrande, 2nd 27 Wayne Helliwell
$75.00 3rd 73 Joey Doiron $50.00
Gate City
Classic Official Finish
1- 97 Joey Polewarczyk
2- 43 Devin O’Connell
3- 73 Joey Doiron
4- Jimmy Renfrew JR
5- 08 Mike O’Sullivan
6- 7 Cory Casagrande
7- 05 Jacob Dore
8- 40 Mike Mitchell
9- 1x Todd Stone
10- 8 Angelo Belsito
11- 27 Wayne Helliwell
12- 16 Tommy Rosati
13- 12 Bobby Pelland
14- 17 Kevin Folan
15- 21 Josh King
16- 14 Matt Frahm
17- 93 Ray Christian III
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