(Press Release from Granite State Pro Stock Series)
Saturday May 25 the Granite State Pro Stock Series is headed to Monadnock Speedway in Winchester NH.
The quarter mile, high banked bull ring will host two GSPSS races in 2019 including the JBH 150 in August and this week ends event, which is the third on a fourteen race schedule.
Originally this event was scheduled to be contested at the Waterford New London Speedbowl, but construction delays with the new bleachers meant a new home had to be found for this race on very short notice. Fortunately the Wrenn family was willing to step up and host this event at their newly purchased racetrack.
Lee USA Speedway winner Brandon Barker will not compete in this event due to a scheduling conflict, so the only driver who can repeat thus far in 2019 will be Joey Doiron. He comes into the event having won the opener and having been one of the fastest cars at Lee, before a flat tire took him out of contention. When asked about the track Doiron said “last year was the first time I raced there. I feel like I can be a lot better this time around”.
In 2018 eventual champion Devin O’Connell picked up his second win of the season at the New Hampshire oval. He returns, having not visited victory lane since and trying to become the first back to back champion in series history.
2016 series Champion Barry Gray returns to one of his favorite tracks with a new race car and a burning desire to get back to victory lane. Gray is a former champion and multi time winner at Monadnock and looks to get his season back on track this weekend. “The new car feels very familiar” said Gray while waiting to practice at Lee. “It’s just comfortable. When I slide down into it, it’s like a comfortable pair of old shoes”. This said, Gray is a favorite every time the series visits Monadnock and one of the drivers too watch.
Another former series champion in action this weekend is two time champ Mike O’Sullivan. The Springfield MA driver is also a former winner at the Winchester oval and looks to rebound after a blown motor suffered in round one. Unfortunately O’Sullivan was forced to withdraw from the Lee event when the motor wasn’t rebuilt in time and looks to rebound this weekend.
Other drivers looking to rebound after early season struggles include rookie Jacob Perry as well as Veterans Dennis Spencer and local driver Josh King, a former series winner at Monadnock.
DJ Shaw has filed a late entry for the race at a track that he feels owes him one. “Last time I raced at Monadnock I left feeling like I had been out driven” stated the second generation driver. I really want to go back and win there”.
Craig Weinstein, Kevin Foland and Kevin Casper will also be making their first starts of the 2019 season while Bobby Pelland, Jimmy Renfrew Jr and Jake Matheson look to improve on their finishes in the first two races.
Pit gates will swing open at 11am on Saturday morning with practicing beginning at 2pm. Time trials for the GSPSS will kick off competition at 5pm followed by heat races and concluding with the 100 lap feature for the pro stocks.
In addition to stepping up and hosting this event, the Wrenn family and Claremont Motorsports Park co-owner Ben Bosowski have dreamed up one of the best short track promotions held in years. Anyone who purchases a grandstand ticket for the Monadnock GSPSS event on May 25th will get free admission to Claremont Motorsports Park the next night. Racing that night will be the Tri-track Open Modified Series as well as several of Claremont’s weekly divisions.
For more information check out the series at www.gspss.net or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Official Entry List for this weekend’s event.
1. 29 Barry Gray
2. 52 Jake Matheson
3. 00 Jimmy Renfrew Jr
4. 93 Ray Christian III
5. 21 Josh King
6. 1x Todd Stone
7. 21 Jacob Perry
8. 73 Joey Doiron
9. 16 Tommy Rosati
10. 46 Dennis Spencer Jr.
11. 43 Devin O’Connell
12. 08 Mike O’Sullivan
13. 14 Matt Frahm
14. 8 Angelo Belsito
15. 12 Bobby Pelland
16. 82 John-Michael Shenette
17. 17 Kevin Folan
18. 40 Mike Mitchell
19. 88 Kevin Casper
20. 90 Craig Weinstein
21. 31 Luke Hinkley
22. 60 DJ Shaw
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