Corliss Fends Off Hodgdon for Season-Opening Win at WMMP

Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photo Wayne G. Barber Library

N. Woodstock, NH – Barre, VT’s Jason Corliss picked up the 2020 season right where he left off in 2019 by capturing the season-opening event for the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models at White Mountain Motorsports Park (WMMP) on Saturday, June 6. The defending Thunder Road (VT) track champion took the lead early from Craftsbury Common, VT’s Joel Hodgdon and held him off the rest of the way to capture his first WMMP win in the 75-lap feature as seen around the world on Northeast Sports Network.

Corliss earned the third starting spot in the main event under the American-Canadian Tour “plus-minus” system while Hodgdon started on the pole. Following a rain shower that delayed the start of the feature, Corliss quickly moved to Hodgdon’s bumper, attempting a crossover move on lap-5 that fell short.

However, the first caution flag of the race flew just two laps later when Christopher Pelkey spun out of the fifth spot. Hodgdon chose the inside for the restart, and Corliss blew past him for the lead when the green flag came back out.

The race was far from over, though, as Hodgon continued to nip at Corliss’s heels. The sophomore Late Model racer got underneath Corliss multiple times under green and also drew alongside for five more restarts, including one after a lap-31 incident where Randy Cole clobbered the turn one wall.

Even after multi-time Pro All Stars Series Champion D.J. Shaw made it a three-way battle, Hodgdon kept up the attack on Corliss. The veteran parried everything he had to offer, though, with Corliss holding on through one final 11-lap sprint after the sixth and final caution to claim the season-opening victory.

Hodgdon’s second-place result marked the best of his young Late Model career. Center Conway, NH’s Shaw came in third while Hinesburg, VT’s Bobby Therrien took fourth. Jesse Switser, Woody Pitkat, Alby Ovitt, Shawn Swallow, Ryan Lineham, and Quinny Welch round out the top-10.

Littleton, NH’s Michael Clark came out on top of a barnburner in the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers to score the victory in their 50-lap feature. Clark started 10^th and held back in the middle stages of the race as Colin Cornell, Cooper Bouchard, Derrick Calkins, and others waged a war at the front. At one point, Cornell and Bouchard got sideways racing for the lead off turn four, and Calkins went wide open through the front stretch grass to avoid them — all with nobody getting turned around.

Calkins and Clark eventually got into a long battle for third, which came apart when they banged doors off turn two, triggering a multi-car crash that swept up Calkins, Nathaniel Parkin, and defending champion Jody Sicard. Clark was able to escape and was looking underneath E. Burke’s Cornell for the lead with four laps remaining when the race’s fifth caution flew for rain.

Following track-drying and the running of the Late Model feature, the Tigers retook to the track for the final dash to the checkered flag. Clark flew around Cornell on the outside when the green came out and held off a late counter-bid to take the win.

Cornell settled for second while Morrisville, VT’s Dwayne Lanphear sliced through the field to take third. Bouchard, Eric Messier, Jason Woodard, Matthew Potter, Michael Potter, Jody Sicard, and Kasey Beattie completed the top-10.

In the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s, Littleton, NH’s Tyler Thompson survived a late scare to take his third career victory in the 30-lap feature. Thompson had walked away from the field after early leader Ryan Ware began slowing on lap 4 and eventually pitted. His huge lead evaporated, though, when Jamie Ball and Travis Dickinson tangled in turn three to bring out the event’s lone caution with six laps to go.

As the field was coming to the restart, a lapped car on Thompson’s outside suddenly pulled up to let the field by. Thompson hesitated, and in the confusion, Barton, VT’s Adam Sicard darted around him to swipe the lead away.

After taking a couple laps to collect himself, Thompson set back out to take what had been his. The sophomore dove to the veteran’s inside with two laps to go, leading the white-flag lap by just 0.002 seconds and keeping a nose out front the rest of the way for the win.

Sicard came in second with Bethlehem, NH’s Les Washburn completing the podium. Brandon Gray, Ball, Jeffrey Martin, Brett Jackson, Keri Driscoll, Jamie York, and Chuck McDonald finished fourth through 10^th.

St. Johnsbury, VT’s Colby Bourgeois combined a fast car with some good fortune to pick up his first career 7-Eleven Dwarf Car victory. Bourgeois was running second near the halfway point of the 30-lap feature when polesitter and early leader Jason Wyman suddenly slowed and headed down pit road. The youngster inherited a huge lead and cruised to the win in the caution-free event.

Derry, NH’s Tom Harwood finished second while Bethlehem, NH’s Jeff Ainsworth held off multiple challenges from “Downtown” Bobby Brown to take third. Kevin Wyman rounded out the top-five.

Groveton, NH’s Luke Shannon captured the victory in the 20-lap Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Truck feature. Shannon was part of a thrilling three-way battle for the lead with Owner Rogers and Thomas Smithers VI when Logan Farnsworth spun on the backstretch to bring out the lone caution with six laps to go. On the restart, Shannon got the jump over Rogers and sped to the win. Smithers finished third with Damian Sicard and Dominic Warren completing the top-five.

The season-opening White Mountain Motorsports Park doubleheader weekend continues Sunday, June 7 at 2:00pm. The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models go 150 laps in their first event of the year with some of the biggest names in Northeast stock car racing expected. They’ll be joined by the PASS Modifieds, Honey Badger Bar & Grill Street Stock Series, and GoMotorsportsShop.com NELCAR Legends Tour. The event will be broadcast on Northeast Sports Network (www.NSNsports.net) at a cost of $25.

WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK

JUNE 6, 2020

2020 SEASON OPENER

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

FOLEY OIL & PROPANE LATE MODELS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) Barre, VT

2. Joel Hodgdon ( 36VT ) Craftsbury, VT

3. D.J. Shaw ( 60NH ) Center Conway, NH

4. Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) Hinesburg, VT

5. Jesse Switser ( 25NH ) Lyndonville, VT

6. Woody Pitkat ( 91CT ) Bellingham, MA

7. Alby Ovitt ( 35NH ) Candia, NH

8. Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) Stark, NH

9. Richard Sprague ( 10RI ) W. Warwick, RI

10. Quinten Welch ( 78NH ) Groveton, NH

11. Oren Remick ( 21NH ) Monroe, NH

12. Stacy Cahoon ( 83VT ) St. Johnsbury, VT

13. Mike Benevides ( 50RI ) Westerly, RI

14. Anthony Hill ( 8VT ) Waterford, VT

15. Jon Savage ( 78VT ) Whitefield, NH

16. Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) Warwick, RI

17. Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) New Salem, MA

18. Christian Laflamme ( 10ME ) Whitefield, NH

19. James Aube ( 41VT ) Charlotte, VT

20. Matt Anderson ( 49NH ) Andover, NH

21. David LaBrecque ( 57NH ) Thornton, NH

22. Ricky Roberts ( 3VT ) Washington, VT

23. Allie Menard ( 06NH ) Dorchester, NH

24. Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) Graniteville, VT

25. Randy Cole ( 55MA ) Middleton, MA

26. Matthew Morrill ( 9NH ) Moultonborough, NH

27. #Tyler Tomassi ( 76RI ) W. Greenwich, MA

28. Lance Allen ( 17NH ) Barre, VT

29. Reilly Lanphear ( 21VT ) Waterbury, VT

30. Stephen Donahue ( 22VT ) Graniteville, VT

WELLS RIVER CHEVROLET FLYING TIGERS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Michael Clark ( 2VT ) Littleton, NH

2. Colin Cornell ( 54VT ) E. Burke, VT

3. Dwayne Lanphear ( 40VT ) Morrisville, VT

4. Cooper Bouchard ( 7VT ) Hinesburg, VT

5. Eric Messier ( 88NY ) Hinesburg, VT

6. Jason Woodard ( 68VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT

7. Matthew Potter ( 23VT ) Marshfield, VT

8. Michael Potter ( 23NH ) Marshfield, VT

9. Jody Sicard ( 49NH ) Barton, VT

10. #Kasey Beattie ( 45NH ) St.Johnsbury, VT

11. Amanda Wheeler ( 20NH ) Bradford, VT

12. Adam Maynard ( 45VT ) Milton, VT

13. #Bryan Wall Jr. ( 77NH ) East Kingston, NH

14. Chris LaForest ( 56VT ) Barre, VT

15. Laci Potter ( 55NH ) West Danville, VT

16. Derrick Calkins ( 15VT ) Hinesburg, VT

17. Nathaniel Parkin ( 88NH ) Bradford, VT

18. Shane Sicard ( 4NH ) Barton, VT

19. Trevor Lyman ( 17VT ) Hinesburg, VT

20. #Hunter King ( 62VT ) Woodbury, VT

21. Sam Caron ( 07VT ) Colchester, VT

WOODSVILLE GUARANTY SAVINGS BANK STRICTLY STOCK MINI’S

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Tyler Thompson ( 51 ) Littleton, NH

2. Adam Sicard ( 16 ) Barton, VT

3. Les Washburn ( 11 ) Bethlehem, NH

4. Brandon Gray ( 00 ) E. Thetford, VT

5. Jamie Ball ( 99 ) Passumpsic, VT

6. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT

7. Brett Jackson ( 31 ) Bethlehem, NH

8. Keri Driscoll ( 91 ) Gilmanton, NH

9. Jamie York ( 68 )

10. Chuck McDonald ( 01 ) Groton, CT

11. Dan Garrett ( 54 ) Berlin, VT

12. Joe Giddings ( 41 ) Waterford, VT

13. Jack Hayes ( 09 ) Littleton, NH

14. Travis Dickinson ( 60 ) Littleton, NH

15. Ryan Ware ( 32 ) Littleton, NH

7-ELEVEN DWARF CARS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Colby Bourgeois ( 82 ) St. Johnsbury, VT

2. Tom Harwood ( 29 ) Derry, NH

3. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH

4. Bobby Brown ( 27 ) Lincoln, NH

5. Kevin Wyman ( 02 ) Bath, NH

6. Dave Gyger ( 93 ) Campton, NH

7. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH

8. Paul Marsan ( 45 ) Methuen, MA

9. Tim Sherman ( 6 ) Berlin, VT

10. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Easton, NH

11. Derrick Marsan ( 40 ) Methuen, MA

DADS 4 BY TOOL & SUPPLY KIDS TRUCKS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Luke Shannon ( 13 ) Groveton, NH

2. Owen Rogers ( 4 ) Glover, VT

3. Thomas Smithers, VI ( 24 ) Gilmanton, NH

4. Damion Sicard ( 23 ) Barton, VT

5. Dominic Warren ( 9 ) Concord, VT

6. Logan Farnsworth ( 22 )

7. Matthew Knowlton ( 8 ) Northfield, VT

Source;

American-Canadian Tour

Media Director