N. Woodstock, N.H. – A picture perfect-evening in North Woodstock, on Saturday night for the Platinum Series championship showdown at White Mountain Motor Sports.
The evening started off with two Kid’s Division feature events. Split with a larger car count entering the pit area on Saturday, feature one saw young Madison Potter hold onto the lead, even after a hair-raising restart following Colton Williams’ smash-up with the turn two wall. Potter took down her first career Kid’s Division victory with an all-female podium featuring a hard-charging Chloe Doyle taking second and Makenzi Sicard coming home third. Feature two saw Connor Charbonneau pace the early going as Hayden Bushey and Colby Stygles powered their way to the front from their back-row starting spots. The battle came down to the final lap with Hayden Bushey claiming the win over Stygles and Charbonneau hanging on for third
The Dwarf cars saw another spirited battle between Jason Wyman and Andy Hill at the head of the field in their 20-lap dash. Hill led the early circuits with Wyman keeping him honest just inches off the bumper around the White Mountain highbanks. Wyman would get the best of the point leader just once on lap-nine with Hill quickly recovering and taking the Saturday night win over the defending champion with Jeff Ainsworth coming home third on the podium.
The Strictly Stock Minis with Donnie Baumgardner and Landyn O’Donnell pacing the field to the green flag. A lap-two caution saw O’Donnell, Dustin Wilson and Patrick Switser go around in turn two to re-rack the field in their lone caution of the night. Now up against Connor Rueda, Baumgardner held the lead until lap five with the young-gun getting the jump into the lead and taking his second career Strictly Mini victory with Jacob Roy taking second and Baumgardner holding on for third.
Rookies Owen Cheney and Kyle Willis brought the Flying Tigers to green for their 35-lap trophy dash Saturday night. Cheney went sideways with an ill-handling Monte Carlo, allowing Willis the lead until Brandon Gray drove around the rookie leader on lap-nine. The lone caution flag flew on lap 23 with Cheney going around with Toby Peters in turn three to re-rack the field. Brandon Gray put the power down and took win No. 12 at White Mountain over Tyler Pepin and Luke Peters at the line.
The Platinum Series Championship 100 wrapped up Saturday’s full card of racing with Quinny Welch and Tanner Woodard claiming the front row starting spots in ACT Plus/Minus handicap qualifying. The nine-time champion led current track point leader Woodard before Platinum point leader Gabe Brown overtook them both to lead lap eight. The first caution slowed the field on lap 10 with Peyton Lanphear, Jaden Perry, Thomas Smithers VI and Stacy Cahoon collecting in turn one. The second caution came just nine laps later with Tyler Cahoon going into the spin cycle in turn two. Back under a long-run green, Brown continued to set the pace in the Dale Shaw Race Cars back-up machine as Kasey Beattie made his way around Welch for second.
Beattie stalked Brown’s rear bumper the remainder of the event as Welch slid back behind Bryan Wall Jr. and Cody LeBlanc, having another great run in part-time competition. The final caution came on lap 70 for Jaden Perry’s single-car spin in turn three with the field set for a single-file restart over the final thirty circuits. Beattie remained glued to Brown’s bumper over those circuits, the two battling hard with lap traffic over the last ten laps but Gabe Brown persevered to sweep the three-race Platinum Series and the championship! Kasey Beattie would power through for second with Bryan Wall Jr. rounding out the podium in third.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Platinum Series Champion
15. 92VT, Jaden Perry, Hardwick, Vt.
Flying Tigers – (35 Laps)
6. 23NH, Michael Potter, Plainfield, Vt.
14. 77VT, Ryan Field, Wolcott, Vt.
Kid’s Division – (15 Laps)
Feature One:
1. 23, Madison Potter, Marshfield, Vt.
