N. WOODSTOCK, N.H. — Saturday night short-track racing ruled the roost once again at White Mountain Motorsports Park with a night of firsts, family ties and plenty of fender-bending action. A longstanding family returned to victory lane, a rookie caught his first checkered flag and a growing Kid’s Division continued to wow the large Saturday night crowd.
The Kids Division started the show with thirteen youngsters behind the wheel. A competitive 15-lap feature saw polesitter Cooper Benoit taking his first career win in a full-sized stock car after many a year behind the wheel of go-carts and other motorized racers. Colby Stygles again joined the podium in second with Connor Charbonneau rounding out the podium.
A fast-moving Strictly Stock Mini feature went haywire on lap 19 as a stack-up on turn two ended up in the backstretch wall. Aiden Young, McKenna Merchant and John Knight piled into the backstretch wall with Merchant flipping on her roof and the red flag coming out over the field. Merchant would walk away unscathed but the crew has a lot of work to do over the coming week. In a final six-lap sprint, Patrick Switser would nab his first win of the season over last week’s winner Jack Hayes and frequent top-five newcomer Jacob Roy.
The Flying Tigers also had a smooth start with Logan Powers in charge at the front of the pack after a spur-of-the-moment decision to race White Mountain’s highbanks on Saturday morning. Behind Powers, former champions Jason Woodard, Shane Sicard and Brandon Gray battled hard over the first half of the race among the top-five before a lap 17 caution re-stacked the field. Gray took the advantage on the restart and cruised to his third-consecutive win followed by Powers and Woodard on the podium.
The 50-lap Late Model feature was certainly the show of the evening with twenty-two starters on hand to take the green flag. Oren Remick and Stacy Cahoon battled at the front in a four-car breakaway that also included opening weekend winner Mike Jurkowski and 2023 top rookie Kyle Goodbout. The big-one on lap 12 ended a strong day for Reilly Lanphear and Keegan Lamson while Cahoon kept pace on the restart. The family reunion enclosed the top-three with Tyler Cahoon joining the front and taking over father Stacy on lap 39. Under the checkered flag Tyler Cahoon took down the win followed by multi-time champions Stacy Cahoon and Quinny Welch in victory lane.
The Mini Late Models finished the evening with their $1,000 special. Matt LeBlanc led the early pace at the front of the field with the lone caution coming on lap 14 for a melee between fellow top-three runners Nick Anderson and Nick Miller. Cameron Sontag would get the worst part of the ordeal, ending his strong run of fourth, at the time, with mechanical woes. Lined up alongside rookie contender Chris Moulton, LeBlanc would slip coming out of turn four sideways on lap 23 and gifted the lead to Moulton. Chris Moulton would take his first Mini Late Model victory, pocketing $1,000 as well, with Garrett LaBounty charging up to second and LeBlanc rounding out the podium.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(Local Drivers)
Late Models – (50 Laps)
14., 92VT, Jaden Perry, Hardwick, Vt.
Flying Tigers – (35 Laps)
7., 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott, Vt.
8., 5RI, #Kyle Gravel, Wolcott, Vt.
15., 62VT, Jamon Perry, Hardwick, Vt.
Strictly Minis – (25 Laps)
12., 32, #Kylee Potter, Marshfield, Vt.
Kid’s Division – (15 Laps)
10., 23, Madison Potter, Marshfield, Vt.
