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JON MCKENNEDY CAPTURES "FIRECRACKER 100" VICTORY
AT MONADNOCK SPEEDWAY
McKennedy Leads
in 2016 VMRS Points and Series Wins
by Denise
DuPont |
On
Saturday, July 2nd, the Valenti Modified Racing
Series returned back to Monadnock Speedway in
Winchester, NH, for the second time in 2016 to
compete at the high banked ¼ mile track. Fourth of
July weekend has become a tradition for the track as
they celebrate the country’s independence with
fireworks and modified racing. And as usual, the
modifieds made the last ten laps as spectacular and
exciting as it was to watch as the fireworks.
Jon McKennedy from Chelmsford, MA., started the
feature race seventh. He did not stay there long
though as McKennedy was positioned in the top five
before there were five circuits in the books. He
continued to run with the lead pack for about 60
laps and then it was time for his move and forward
he went.
With
15 laps to go, he pulled into second and put into
motion a plan to challenge for the lead. After a few
cautions and only two laps to go, McKennedy tried
his first attempt at a slingshot under Hersey for
the lead. “I had a decent run but I do not feel that
I had enough up on him. I did not want to send it
(#29 modified) in and end up wrecking both of us. I
wanted to make sure if I was going to pass that I
had enough speed and my angle was good getting into
the corner.”
So McKennedy backed off, regrouped and on lap 100
showed what champions are made of. “On the last lap,
I was able to do all of the above,” stated
McKennedy. “I had the car on the right angle on the
corner and had a good run of steam so I was able to
keep the car low down on the apron there and make a
good hard clean pass. It is great to win again at
Monadnock.”” Crossing the finish line a slight
margin ahead of Hersey, he secured the victory while
fans jumped to their feet so they did not miss any
of the racing action.
Russ Hersey of Swanzey, NH, had a great run at
Monadnock. He took the lead on lap 22 and restart
after restart, the top spot was his. It appeared he
had the victory sown up until two late race cautions
occurred. When you
have
only nine laps to go at Monadnock and you are
running for a victory, it seems like an eternity
even to the winner. The last thing you want to see
is a late race caution flag to fly to stop your
forward momentum.
Hersey must have felt it was history repeating
itself when McKennedy moved into second hungry for
another win. During the race, Hersey held off
several driver’s attempts to pass him for the top
position and he took a toll on his equipment as he
defended his territory. “It is easy to second
guess,” divulged Hersey after the race. “We had a
good run up in Groveton which was similar to this –
high bank quarter mile stuff. We got out in front
early which I am finding is the safest place to
judge things. You are not at somebody else’s mercy
most of the time. So I got out there and I was not
trying to use my stuff up.”
“We finally got some long green flag runs which was
pretty good.” The race ran green starting on lap 38
for 58 green laps of racing before the yellow flag
flew. “I had a straightway on the field with ten to
go. I was feeling really good. I said we can do this
but we do not need any cautions and what typically
happens in these races happened – then ten cautions
in the last ten laps.” It may have feel like ten
cautions and forever to get to the checkered flags
for Hersey. But in reality there were only two late
race cautions which were enough for McKennedy to get
under him for the win.
With his right rear going fast Hersey went into
defense mode to protect his lead. “We used some
stuff up trying to hold people off. Then Jon is an
awesome talent and great racer. We have worked
together a lot. I knew he was going to cross me over
and I tried to defend against it. I knew he was
going to cross me over but there was nothing I could
do there. Maybe I slowed up too much trying to
defend my position. We had a good run down the back
stretch and we went down in turn three and then turn
four. We dragged race to the line and he just beat
me. I know that I got sideways at the end but it was
a great night and we are making progress with the
car. I am really happy.” Hersey stated about his
solid second place finish.
Richmond,
NH’s, Todd Patnode won his heat race and started on
the outside pole. He has a new car and his crew is
still working on the race setups to get Patnode
where he wants to be. But the team has to be close
since he was able to use cautions to his advantage
and jump from fifth to third in the last nine laps.
“It was a good overall race. We are gaining on
things. We are trying new things on the track.
Dennis is helping us out and he is working real
hard. I think that we have a clutch that is
slipping,” revealed Patnode while in inspection. “It
started slipping about half-way in the race and I
had to really ease into the throttle or it would
just wind up and not go anywhere. That did not help
us but we are happy with third and our car.”
Sitting in third position Patnode had a bird’s eye
view of the action in front of him. He watched and
was ready to make a move at any opportunity.” I was
battling with Steve and I was up on the outside
making my run so I did not see before the last lap
what was happening in front of us. Then on the last
lap, I was watching it but I just could not get
there to fill the hole with him. Overall it was a
good race and I hope that the fans enjoyed it. ”A
podium finish was a good reward for #24 modified and
their day’s work.”
Steve
Masse of Bellingham, MA., came to Monadnock after
sitting on the sidelines for several races. He
charged forward from mid-pack and by lap 30 broke
into the top five. “I am very happy,” exclaimed one
very happy racer. “The car is in one piece. I would
have like to have completed third. I had third
locked up and the cautions kept coming out and I
pretty much ran out of tire. I need to be a little
smoother on the gas, but I will take it. The place
finish is definitely good for this place so I will
not complain.”
It has been quite a while since Masse has competed
in the VMRS ranks and coming to the track he was a
little nervous on his ability to jump right back in
and compete in the VMRS series. “You definitely have
the jitters when you have not done something in a
little while. I was not totally comfortable. I burnt
up the right rear too soon and that probably came
from inexperience and I was being a little hard on
the throttle coming off the corners. I would have
liked to take that back a little bit but it will
come.” So getting back in the driver’s seat Masse
was enjoying it and satisfied with his run and he
also knows he has some to tweak. “It was pretty much
like riding a bicycle, once you get back on you do
not forget. I have been driving these cars for a
long time so it was pretty comfortable out there. I
still have just a little bit of rust to knock off.”
Chris Pasteryak rounded off the top five finishers.
Dave Schneider took home sixth followed by Geoff
Gernhard, Matt Mead, Scott MacMichael and Jeff Pearl
for the top ten.
VMRS teams will now head back to the shop and
prepare their strategies and equipment for next
Friday night racing under the lights Claremont
Speedway, Friday, July 8th.
Notes
from Monadnock Speedway:
On lap 98 you
went forward setting into motion what appeared to be
the pass for the lead. Why did you wait so long?
Jon McKennedy
“I was too tight on the center of the corner,”
confessed McKennedy. “It took my car about four or
five laps to get going and then it would start to
get better. I could see that Russ was loose. I knew
that it was just a matter of time in the corner that
I could complete the pass.”
“Russ (Hersey) and I are pretty good friends. When
it came down to him and I on the restarts it was a
little tough. He had me going down in there high. I
knew the last few laps I had to size him up. I went
into turn one real high and I got a good arc across
the corner. And then a good head of steam on the
back straightway and I was able to complete the pass
in turn three. It was not easy to do. There was a
great effort by the whole team.”
“We had a real good car. Most of the race we road
between third and fifth. We had a late caution with
about ten to go. Russ had a good car but I could see
that he was getting loose off. So I positioned
myself for the crossover in turn one and two and I
had a good run of steam on the straightway to
complete the pass so it all worked out. “
2016 has been a good
year, McKennedy has experienced a lot of success.
Jon McKennedy
“It has been a great year. Five wins out of ten
races. With a few seconds and fourths it has been an
outstanding year. It has been a total group effort
with the car. We made a lot of changes over the
winter. It has been great and hopefully we can keep
running the wave while it lasts. In the future
hopefully I get some opportunities down the road and
maybe venture out on some other rides.”
Did you see Jon
McKennedy positioning himself high for the crossover
coming off of turn two on the last lap?
Russ Hersey
“No I did not see anything and my crew did not make
me aware. All they said was Jon is right with you.
Which I knew what he was going to do. Consistently
he was running about a half a groove higher so I
knew what he was going to do. I was defending the
bottom so he could not root me out of the way. I
said so if he is going high he is going to drive in
lift early and cross over and that is what he did.
There is not much more than what I am going to do
other than drive on the white line and force him to
go high. And he was going to go around me at that
point because I could not get into the corner with
any authority. He just had a better race car for the
hundredth lap. And that is just the way that it
falls once in a while.”
Masse took some time off
from racing for family and life commitments and he
is certainly going to be back racing when he can.
Steve Masse
“I have gotten the itch because I am back at the
track. I am not racing for points so I want to take
it one race at a time. I will not be going to
Claremont. But I am planning on going to next
Tri-Track race.”
Rumor had it that Steve
Masse had sold all his race equipment and that he
was not going to race any more. Obviously he had not
or he would not be here on the track with the #13
modified.
Steve Masse
“I heard the same thing before. I did sell one of my
cars two weeks ago – just the chassis. And I did
hear the rumor before I sold the car. This car was
up at Northeast for about six months so people may
have thought Brad was going to keep it.” So a rumor
it was and Masse will be back racing when he can.
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
July 3, 2016 |
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