LeBlanc Dominates for NEMST Win at White Mountain
N. Woodstock, NH — Berlin, NH’s Cody LeBlanc went to the front early and stayed there to win the North East Mini Stock Tour (NEMST) “King of the Mountain 50” at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 25. The 2018 NEMST Champion took the lead from polesitter Issac Rollins on a lap-4 restart and left the field in the dust for his first victory in nearly two years.
Leblanc earned the fourth starting spot in qualifying for the 50-lap main event and was already up to second when the first caution flew on lap 4 for Joe Katula’s spin. When the green flag came back out, LeBlanc flew past Rollins like a man possessed, determined to break his winless streak.
Three more yellows slowed the field over the next 11 circuits. The incidents and stoppages allowed multi-time NEMST champion Emerson Cayer, who started next-to-last in the 21-car field, to quickly slice through the pack. When second-place runner Tim Paquette spun to trigger the fourth and final caution on lap 15, it was Cayer who assumed the spot, putting a pair of champions alongside for the restart.
On this night, though, it was LeBlanc who had the upper hand. The veteran easily pulled away with Cayer instead backsliding to fourth. Although Cayer eventually got the second spot back, LeBlanc had him and everyone else covered for a convincing win.
Cayer came home second followed by Michael Viens in third. Matt Sonnhalter, Robert Anderson, Louis Maher, Erin Aiken, Jesse Copp, and Rollins completed the top-10.
In the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models, second-year Late Model racer Joel Hodgdon beat first-year runner Christian Laflamme in a photo finish for his second win of the year. Craftsbury Common, VT’s Hodgdon had grabbed the lead from veteran Jeff Marshall on a lap-31 restart and was inches ahead when contact caused a mechanical failure on point leader Quinny Welch’s car to bring out the fourth caution on lap 34.
Laflamme grabbed the second spot on the restart, and when Hodgdon chose the outside for the final restart with 11 laps to go, Laflamme used the shorter way around to get the lead. Hodgdon fought back, though, and after dueling side-by-side over the final circuits, the two crossed the finish line in a flash. While the electronic scoring system had Laflamme in front, the eye test favored Hodgdon, and Hodgdon was ultimately awarded the victory. A post-race check revealed the discrepancy was due to Hodgdon’s transponder being mounted too far back.
Graniteville, VT’s Stephen Donahue completed the podium in a rare 2020 Late Model appearance at White Mountain. Marshall, Mike Bailey, Stacy Cahoon, Oren Remick, Matthew Morrill, Allie Menard, and rookie Andy Hill rounded out the top-10. Welch ended up 16th, breaking a streak of top-5 finishes that dated back to at least the start of the 2019 season.
Barton, VT’s Shane Sicard found Victory Lane for the third time this year in the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers. The two-time defending champion started seventh in the 35-lap feature and, with aid of spins on each of the first two laps, quickly marched to the front. After a brief duel with Matthew Potter, Sicard took the lead on lap six.
However, it was no walk in the park for the veteran. Rookie Kasey Beattie and point leader Jaden Perry, in a car borrowed from Donahue Motorsports, were able to break out of the pack and chase Sicard down. The trio were practically under a blanket over the final laps, taking the checkered flag less than 0.4 seconds apart.
St. Johnsbury, VT’s Beattie was the runner-up for the second straight night after pulling the same feat at Vermont’s Thunder Road on Friday. Hardwick, VT’s Perry unofficially maintained his point lead with a third-place effort. Matthew Potter, Michael Clark, Kaleb Rogers, Ryan Ware, Michael Potter, Amanda Wheeler, and Laci Potter finished fourth through 10th.
Defending Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini Champion Dustin Jackson of Bethlehem, NH made his triumphant return to White Mountain Motorsports Park with a win in the 25-lap Mini feature. In his first outing of the season, Jackson started 14th on the grid and cut through the field like a hot knife through butter.
Just before the third and final caution flag came out on lap-14, Jackson snatched the lead from Whitefield, NH’s Tim Corey. It was no contest from there as Jackson cruised to the win.
Corey’s second-place was his best outing of the season. Dustin’s dad Brett, who entered the night as the point leader, kept that lead with a third-place trophy. Adam Sicard, Darren Newland, Tyler Thompson, Jack Hayes, Jamie Ball, Todd Derrington, and Keri Sicard also earned top-10 finishes.
St. Johnsbury, VT’s Colby Bourgeois inherited his second win of the season in the 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars. Bourgeois crossed the finish line second after “Downtown” Bobby Brown passed him on the track with four laps remaining in the 25-lap feature. But Brown’s car was found to be too wide in post-race technical inspection, stripping the veteran of the win and handing it to the youngster.
Bourgeois’s teammates Jason Wyman and Dave Gyger were awarded the second and third spots following the disqualification. Tommy Smithers, Jeff Ainsworth, Chad Dufour, Paul Marsan, Tim Sherman Jr., Tim Sherman Sr., and Lucas Nast followed them across the line.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to White Mountain Motorsports Park this Saturday, August 1 at 5:30pm for the White Mountain Showdown. Nearly 30 of the region’s top Modified drivers have filed entries for the second series visit of the summer. They’ll be joined by the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models, Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers, and 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars.
Admission is $30 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under. Advance sale tickets are available now at https://happsnow.com/event/White-Mountain-Motorsports-Park. Attendance is limited to 50% of capacity per state health and safety guidelines. The Modified feature will also be broadcast live on NBC Sports TrackPass for those with a monthly or yearly subscription.
For more information, contact the White Mountain Motorsports Park offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.whitemountainmotorsports.com. You can also follow on Facebook at @WhiteMtnMotorsports.
WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
NORTH EAST MINI STOCK TOUR
Pos., Driver, Car #
1. Cody LeBlanc ( 7nh )
2. Emerson Cayer ( 88 )
3. Michael Viens ( 85 )
4. Matt Sonnhalter ( 33vt )
5. Robert Anderson ( 55 )
6. Louis Maher ( 69z )
7. Erin Aiken ( 33 )
8. Jesse Copp ( 37 )
9. Issac Rollins ( 10 )
10. Tim Paquette ( 93 )
11. Nick Manichis ( 63 )
12. Tommy Silva ( 34 )
13. Justin Faford ( 04 )
14. Ray King ( 15 )
15. Dana Shepard ( 43vt )
16. Pat Houle ( 57 )
17. Dan Morris ( 33me )
18. Bill Dehorler ( 84 )
19. Desmont Skillings ( 90 )
20. Jaden Rheume ( 18 )
21. Joe Katula ( 4k )
FOLEY OIL & PROPANE LATE MODELS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Joel Hodgdon ( 36vt ) Craftsbury, VT
2. Christian Laflamme ( 10me ) Whitefield, NH
3. Stephen Donahue ( 2vt ) Graniteville, VT
4. Jeff Marshall ( 32nh ) Gilman, VT
5. Michael Bailey ( 1me ) South Barre, VT
6. Stacy Cahoon ( 83vt ) St. Johnsbury, VT
7. Oren Remick ( 21nh ) Monroe, NH
8. Matthew Morrill ( 9nh ) Moultonborough, NH
9. Allie Menard ( 06nh ) Dorchester, NH
10. #Anthony Hill ( 8vt ) Waterford, VT
11. #Shane Hawthorne ( 5nh ) Franklin, NH
12. Jon Savage ( 18nh ) Whitefield, NH
13. Sam Gooden ( 01nh ) Whitefield, NH
14. Joey Laquerre ( 15vt ) E. Montpelier, VT
15. David LaBrecque ( 57nh ) Thornton, NH
16. Quinten Welch ( 78nh ) Groveton, NH
17. Richie Brown ( 20nh ) Wentworth, NH
18. John Donahue ( 26vt ) Graniteville, VT
19. #Tyler Tomassi ( 76ri ) W. Greenwich, RI
WELLS RIVER CHEVROLET FLYING TIGERS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Shane Sicard ( 4nh ) Barton, VT
2. #Kasey Beattie ( 45nh ) St.Johnsbury, VT
3. Jaden Perry ( 92vt ) Hardwick, VT
4. Matthew Potter ( 23vt ) Marshfield, VT
5. Michael Clark ( 2vt ) Littleton, NH
6. Kaleb Rogers ( 37nh ) Glover, VT
7. Ryan Ware ( 32vt ) Littleton, NH
8. Michael Potter ( 23nh ) Marshfield, VT
9. Amanda Wheeler ( 20nh ) Bradford, VT
10. Laci Potter ( 55x ) West Danville, VT
11. #Hunter King ( 62vt ) Woodbury, VT
12. Jody Sicard ( 49nh ) Barton, VT
13. Nathaniel Parkin ( 88nh ) Bradford, VT
WOODSVILLE GUARANTY SAVINGS BANK STRICTLY STOCK MINI’S
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Dustin Jackson ( 37 ) Bethlehem, NH
2. Tim Corey ( 10x ) Whitefield, NH
3. Brett Jackson ( 31 ) Bethlehem, NH
4. Adam Sicard ( 16 ) Barton, VT
5. Darren Newland ( 25 ) E. Burke, VT
6. Tyler Thompson ( 51 ) Littleton, NH
7. Jack Hayes ( 09 ) Littleton, NH
8. Jamie Ball ( 99 ) Passumpsic, VT
9. Todd Derrington ( 57 ) Littleton, NH
10. Keri Driscoll ( 91 ) Gilmanton, NH
11. Jillian Baumgardner ( 14 ) N. Woodstock, NH
12. Les Washburn ( 11 ) Bethlehem, NH
13. Nicole Ouellette ( 88 ) Milan, NH
14. Richard Stockwell ( 82 ) Plymouth, NH
15. Joe Giddings ( 41 ) Waterford, VT
16. Scott Senecal ( 1 ) Lisbon, NH
17. Dave Driscoll ( 19 ) N. Woodstock, NH
18. Gavin McGinnis ( 10 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
7-ELEVEN DWARF CARS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Colby Bourgeois ( 82 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
2. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Easton, NH
3. Dave Gyger ( 93 ) Campton, NH
4. Tommy Smithers ( 60 ) Gilmanton, NH
5. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH
6. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH
7. Paul Marsan ( 45 ) Methuen, MA
8. Timothy Sherman, Jr. ( 6 ) Northfield, VT
9. Timothy Sherman, Sr. ( 68 ) Berlin, VT
10. Lucas Nast ( 67 ) Lancaster, NH
11. Jeremy Labrecque ( 21 ) Canaan, VT
DSQ Bobby Brown ( 27 ) Lincoln, NH – TOO WIDE