The True Value Modified Racing Series returned to Monadnock Speedway on
Saturday, July 4th to help New Hampshire families celebrate the
nation’s birthday with the ground pounder’s roar and fireworks. This is the
TVMRS twenty sixth time that the series has come to Monadnock in the sixth
year of the series.
Kirk
Alexander
started
the race on the outside pole and did what he does best; he drove his car
hard right to the front to capture the lead. He then held on to the number
one position for 100 laps to dominate and win the TVMRS race.
“The car was just awesome
tonight,” said Alexander from victory lane. “We made a couple of changes
before the feature. I looked at my spotter, chuckled and said that is the
winning move right there.”
There is no question that Alexander and the A-Team did have one of
the best cars on the track as it looked as though he just sat back with it
in overdrive and cruised. “It was great. The car was awesome. It could go
anywhere and do anything.” But of course after leading from the beginning,
this was an easy statement for Alexander to make. “I get to say this
because we were in the front. We ran the other tires and with just a hair
more stagger. It was the right call with the right stagger. The thing was
actually wicked fun to drive.”
After all the rain we have been having in New England the track
like the racers, teams and fans, was ready for competition and racing.
“Tonight the track had a lot of grip in it. Too bad we had so many cautions
because the more we went the faster it got and it (car) was coming to me.
The tires would actually close up a little and closed the stagger closed a
bit more. It was really fast.”
“It was great to win but I wish there was more competitive racing.
It is great to win especially with the luck that we had at the first race.”
During the last Monadnock TVMRS race, Alexander hit the second turn wall
while making a late race move on a lapped car. The A-Team car was towed into
the pits and they had to start the series season off with a sixteenth place
finish. Alexander remembered this and did not was an instant replay. “We
had that race won here because we were really clocked out. We had that race
dominated then we lost. That was in the back of my mind too. So I took it
easy and was cautious on my part that is all.”
Les Hinckley was Mr. Consistent during the night of competition
running at a steady pace to come across the start finish lien in second. “It
feels good to run good again. We struggled all afternoon, made some changes
and turned it around for the race. It was a good night.”
The Chuck Montville team had a tough start to the racing season
when they finished twenty-second here in the spring. This time Hinckley
started in the top five and stayed there all night. “We are getting back
into the swing of things so hopefully some of the stuff that went wrong
already we got out of our system.”
Once he got to the front, Hinckley did not do his normal
competitive racing with Alexander for the lead. The car appeared to be good
enough to be in the front but lacking a little of its normal pizzazz. A
close inspection found the guilty culprit.” The sway bar arm fell off the
car. When I got out of the car (during victory lane ceremonies) it was
sitting just on the ground. It was hooked up to the control arm but came
off of the sway bar though. It (the car) was basically free but that
explains things though. We were literally racing without a sway bar.”
Running in the top ten in points for the TVMRS, young Rowan Pennink
has continued his competitive run with the series finishing the night with a
podium finish. “It is fun to be back racing in this series, “Said Pennink
from the inspection area. “It is a bunch of good guys racing. We had a good
car tonight. I have to thank Gary Casella and the whole #25 team, Brian
Crowley and my Mom and Dad.”
“We were actually a little bit tight the whole race. We just could
not get the run up off to pass Les there and I did not want to push the
issue with him.” Like Alexander and Hinckley, Pennink was also racing a
little gun shy and not making risky moves. After he and Hinckley had a run
in at the TVMRS June race at Seekonk Speedway. “We got into one another a
couple of weeks ago and I did not want to see both if us get wrecked again
and end up not getting a good finish. I was happy with a third.”
New week
the TVMRS heads to Lee USA Speedway on Friday, July 11th for The
Laticrete 100 putting summer into full swing with good New England modified
racing.
Monadnock Speedway TVMRS Race
notes:
Kirk
Alexander
This week Kirk Alexander’s dad is in the hospital and TVMRS
Announcer John Spence, Sr. has just left the hospital after heart by pass
surgery. The TVMRS competitors and officials are a tight knit family and
when one is sick they all feel the pain, absence or lost.
Kirk Alexander dedicated his win to his dad and the voice of the
TVMRS, Spence, Sr. “I won this one for my dad tonight. He is in the
hospital. He has some bad medical trouble going on. I hope he feels better.
And a word out to John Spencer (Sr.) ‘Our hearts are with him’. I hope he
feels better along with my dad to get things back rolling normal again. We
miss them around here.”
Alexander was also very grateful for his victory and those that
made it happen. “I want to thank all my sponsors, my crew, everybody, True
Value…the whole bunch of guys. They make it easy for me to start in the
front. Take nothing away from Les he had a good run, but I wanted this one
bad.”
Les
Hinckley
Continuing the family racing tradition, the Hinckley family
tries to attend the race events as often as they can as a family. Many a
night you see Les Hinckley, Sr. rooting from the sideline. Les and his wife
have continued the family racing tradition and love of the sport by ensuring
that their sons come to the track whenever they can. At Monadnock, his
oldest son cheered from the grandstand as dad competed on the track. “As
much as we can bring my oldest son we will bring him. He had a million
questions and it was fun bringing him here.”
Will the #06 race team compete in the Seekonk open show this year?
“We are planning in it but we will see. If things continue to go well then
we will. We are just playing it by ear for now.”
Rowan
Pennink
“Competing when he can in the TVMRS Rowan Pennink is trying
he skill at several small tracks of all sizes and shapes. Is he having fun
and why is he doing it? It is fun to run the little bull rings once in a
while. They keep you on your toes all the while and make fast reactions. It
keeps you well prepared to go out there. Any time that you can get seat time
makes you a little better. We are running a bunch of races and it only helps
you.”
Mike
Douglas, Jr.
Mike Douglas, Jr. qualified well and started the Monadnock
TVMRS race in seventh spot. He broke into compete with the top five runners
just shy of half way and competitively remained there until he was spun
within the last twenty laps by Jim Boniface. Boniface was penalized for his
actions and sent to the back of the pack. Douglas recovered and went on to
finish the race in ninth, not as good as he hoped but better than last.
“There was no reason for it we are just running the sport. The #06 car (Les
Hinckley) was kind of holding us up a little bit, the #25 (Rowan Pennink)
and I. I think if the #25 could have gotten underneath him we would have
been OK.”
So next Friday it will be onward to Lee Speedway and their home track for
the Douglas team. They are looking forward to a good finish since they have
many laps there competing in the track’s Hobby Stock Division. “The car is
one piece we will go to Lee and I know that I run good there. So we will be
happy. I am going to drive the car there the way that it should be and sit
back and enjoy.”
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