Hebert’s Big Dare Pays Off for Spring Green Win

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

Earlier Thompson Speedway Victory Photo

N. Woodstock, NH – Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert showed that fortune favors the bold by capturing the 45^th Spring Green 120 at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, June 13. Hebert made a three-wide move to swipe the lead following a lap-93 restart before holding off American-Canadian Tour ACT) champions Wayne Helliwell Jr. and Joey Polewarczyk Jr. down the stretch in the ACT season opener presented by C&S NAPA Auto Parts of Littleton/Whitefield and Sanel NAPA.

After starting 11^th on the grid, Hebert was content to run in the middle of the top-10 for much of early going. At the front, outside pole sitter Ryan Kuhn and multi-time Pro All Stars Series D.J. Shaw went back and forth for the top spot. Kuhn would pully away or dog Shaw on the short runs, but Shaw would take control during multiple long green-flag stints.

As the race passed the halfway point, a five-car battle for third developed between Stacy Cahoon, Hebert, Helliwell, Christopher Pelkey, and Polewarczyk. Hebert looked inside Cahoon multiple times before finally swinging to his outside to take the spot on lap 86 with Helliwell quickly following him around.

With the duo having set their sits on Shaw and Kuhn, the event’s fourth caution flew on lap 93 for Alby Ovitt’s spin coming off turn four, re-racking the field for a restart. The field accordioned in turn two on the restart and Mike Benevides paid the brunt of it, spinning with a punched in nose to bring out the fifth yellow and bunch the field up again.

When the field lined backed up, Shaw had a lapped car to his outside, with Kuhn and Hebert in row two. Kuhn dove inside Shaw on the backstretch, and Hebert went right with him, risking it all as the front trio came out of turn four three-wide. Shaw got shuffled back in turn one, and after Kuhn lead lap 95, Hebert completed the pass on the outside one lap later to take the lead.

Helliwell and then Polewarczyk also got aroung Kuhn as the defending Rookie of the Year started to fade down the stretch. Both former ACT champions then closed to Hebert’s bumper as the trio navigated slower traffic in the closing circuits. But Hebert fended both of them off to capture his sixth career ACT Late Model Tour win and second at White Mountain.

Shaw recovered from his backwards shuffle to take fourth. Defending White Mountain Late Model Champion Quinny Welch caught Kuhn at the wire for fifth. Cahoon, polesitter Tom Carey III, Seekonk standout Derek Gluchacki, and Pelkey rounded out the top-10. Forty-two cars attempted to qualify for the 30-car starting field in an event seen worldwide on Northeast Sports Network.

45^TH SPRING GREEN

JUNE 13, 2020

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

1. ( 11 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 120 Laps

2. ( 7 ) Wayne Helliwell Jr. ( 27NH ) , Dover, NH , 120 Laps

3. ( 14 ) Joey Polewarczyk ( 97NH ) , Hudson, NH , 120 Laps

4. ( 2 ) D.J. Shaw ( 60NH ) , Center Conway, NH , 120 Laps

5. ( 16 ) Quinten Welch ( 78NH ) , Groveton, NH , 120 Laps

6. ( 3 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E.Bridgewater, MA , 120 Laps

7. ( 5 ) Stacy Cahoon ( 83VT ) , St. Johnsbury, VT , 120 Laps

8. ( 1 ) #Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , New Salem, MA , 120 Laps

9. ( 10 ) #Derek Gluchacki ( 03MA ) , Dartmouth, MA , 120 Laps

10. ( 4 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 120 Laps

11. ( 9 ) Joel Hodgdon ( 36VT ) , Craftsbury, VT , 120 Laps

12. ( 29 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Plainfield, NH , 120 Laps

13. ( 8 ) Jesse Switser ( 25NH ) , W. Burke, VT , 120 Laps

14. ( 13 ) Bryan Kruczek ( 19NH ) , Newmarket, NH , 120 Laps

15. ( 18 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Milan, NH , 120 Laps

16. ( 24 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 120 Laps

17. ( 6 ) Alby Ovitt ( 35NH ) , Candia, NH , 120 Laps

18. ( 12 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 120 Laps

19. ( 22 ) Mike Benevides ( 50RI ) , Westerly, RI , 119 Laps

20. ( 21 ) Jimmy Renfrew Jr. ( 00NH ) , Candia, NH , 119 Laps

21. ( 15 ) Woody Pitkat ( 91CT ) , Bellingham, MA , 119 Laps

22. ( 20 ) Trenton Goodrow ( 31MA ) , Carver, MA , 119 Laps

23. ( 30 ) Reilly Lanphear ( 21VT ) , Waterbury, VT , 118 Laps

24. ( 28 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Stark, NH , 117 Laps

25. ( 23 ) Oren Remick ( 21NH ) , Monroe, NH , 116 Laps

26. ( 17 ) Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 100 Laps

27. ( 19 ) Michael Mitchell ( 40RI ) , Cumberland, RI , 88 Laps

28. ( 27 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 64 Laps

29. ( 26 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 51 Laps

30. ( 25 ) John Donahue ( 26VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 23 Laps

Lap Leaders: Tom Carey III pole, D.J. Shaw 1-4, Ryan Kuhn 5-45, Shaw 46-94, Kuhn 95, Jimmy Hebert 96-120. (5 lead changes among 4 drivers)

Time of Race: 44:49   Margin of Victory: 0.595 seconds

Cautions: 5 (laps 5, 14, 51, 93, 93)

Heat Winners: Woody Pitkat, Quinny Welch, Mark Jenison, Derek Gluchacki

Consi Winners: Joel Hodgdon, Wayne Helliwell Jr.

B-Feature Winner: John Donahue