Seth Carlson Etches Name in History Books as First Time Winner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Dirt Track

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Loudon, NH: Seth Carlson of Stafford, CT, became the first winner of a USAC dirt midget race at the new dirt track on the grounds of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This is Carlson’s third win of the season driving the #2 Seals-it sponsored, Skip Matczak owned dirt midget. Carlson scored the win in front of a packed house of race fans who did not let the extreme heat keep them away from enjoying a full night of racing.

 

Heat race one (8 laps) started with the 5 of Steve Medford from Ellington, CT on pole and the 17 of Justin Sheridan from Suffield, CT outside row one. With the green flag waiving heat race one was underway with Medford’s 5 taking the point and Sheridan’s 17 close behind. Caution came out on lap two for the 91 of Wayne Koehler flipping in turn one. The track was made ready again and back to racing with Medford and Sheridan keeping spots one and two in front of the field with the 26 driven by TJ Foster of West Topsham, VT in third. With the remaining laps going caution free, the top three would finish battling to the first checker flag of the night. Steve Medford in the Seals-it sponsored number 5 would claim the heat race victory followed by Justin Sheridan’s Ray Miller Racing 17 for second and TJ Foster, Mikes Custom Milling number 26 for third.

Heat race 1 finishing order: Steve Medford (5), Justin Sheridan (17), TJ Foster (26), Owen Carbee (50), Bobby White (68), Tim West (23), Wayne Koehler (91). 

Lap leaders: laps 1-8 Steve Medford (5).

Time of race: 10 minutes 6 second (slowed by 1 caution)

Fast lap: Steve Medford (5) 18.02 seconds

Margin of victory: 1.50 seconds

 

Heat race two (8 laps) had Jeff Horn of Ashland, MA in the A1 starting pole with the 18C of Mike Chaffee from Corinth, VT starting beside Horn. The flagman waived the green and off into turn one with Chaffee quickly taking the point position in the 18C now followed by the A1 of Horn. On lap three the 37 of Tyler Rivard would spin in turn three which brought out the caution flag. Back to green flag action with Chaffee’s 18C still in command of the race with the 7X of Dan Douville from Bridgewater, NH now second after getting around the A1 of Horn. The race would conclude with Mike Chaffee piloting the 18C Miller Racing USAC DMA midget to the win with second place going to the 7X of Dan Douville sponsored by Big Enterprises and rounding out the top three was Jeff Horn in the A-1 Automotive number A1.

Heat race 2 finishing order: Mike Chaffee (18C), Dan Douville (7X), Jeff Horn (A1), David Moniz (9M), Tyler Rivard (37), Jack Arute (10), Alex Rose (11).

Lap leaders: laps 1-8 Mike Chaffee (18C)

Time of race: 4 minute 41 seconds (slowed by 1 caution)

Fast lap: Dan Douville (7X) 18.03 seconds

Margin of victory: 0.372 seconds 

Carlson in the 2 and Hull in the 3 would maintain the top two positions with Carlson’s lead stretching out three car lengths over Hull. Lap twenty one had the caution displayed for the last time of the evening as the 18C with Mike Chaffee and the 16 of Justin Philips would bang wheels coming out of turn four causing the18C of Chaffee to spin and ending his night. At the same time Jeff Horn’s A1 would spin in turn one to avoid contact with a slowing racecar. Lap twenty two was back to green and it was Carlson in the 2 and Hull in his number 3 battling lap after lap as both wanted to win this special event. Meantime the 1B of Joe Krawiec of Granby, CT would make his way up to the third position moving the 77 of Champagne back to fourth. As the race started to wind down and closing in on lap thirty, the top three knew it was time to make their move and become the first driver to win this event. Under the checker flag it would be Seth Carlson from Stafford, CT in his yellow number 5 Seals-it sponsored USAC Dirt Midget Association racecar scoring the win followed by teammate Will Hull in the 3 from Plainfield, VT also sponsored by Seals-it and rounding out the top three was Joe Krawiec from Granby, CT in the Miller Racing number 1B.

 

FEATURE RACE:  Finishing order: Seth Carlson (2), Will Hull (3), Joe Krawiec (1B), Jeff Champagne (77), Manny Dias (42), Dan Douville (7X), Justin Phillips (16), Adam Whitney (12), Tyler Rivard (37), Justin Sheridan (17), TJ Foster (26), Tim West (23), Jack Arute (10), Mike Netishen (55), Jeff Horn (A1), Mike Chaffee (18C), Owen Carbee (50), David Moniz (9M), Steve Medford (5), Mark Cole (6X), Bobby White (68), Alex Rose (11)-DNS, Wade Koehler (91)-DNS.

Lap leaders: laps 1-9 Steve Medford (5), laps 10-30 Seth Carlson (2)

Time of race: 25 minutes 31 seconds (slowed by 3 cautions)

Fast lap: Seth Carlson (2) 17.6 seconds

Margin of victory: 0.489 seconds

 

The series will be back in action on Saturday night July 27th at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT.

 

To learn more about the USAC Dirt Midget Association, please visit the series website at www.usacdma.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DirtMidgetAssociation

 

For additional information regarding this press release please contact Mark J. Hann, USAC DMA Series Director, at usacdma@usacdma.com