Story By: WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK – NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH – Barton, VT’s Shane Sicard showed why he’s a three-time defending White Mountain Motorsports Park champion with a dominating victory in the J.P. Sicard Triple Crown Series on Saturday, May 8.
Sicard took the lead from Marshfield, VT’s Matthew Potter on lap 6 of the 75-lap Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tiger feature and cruised to the win as part of the 29th White Mountain Season Opener.
For Sicard, it was the third straight year that he’s won the opening round of the J.P. Sicard Triple Crown Series. The victory was also his 14th overall in that same time span.
A trio of Potters led the field to the initial green flag with “Uncle” Michael, Matthew, and rookie Chandler earning the top three starting spots in qualifying. Matthew Potter grabbed the lead from Michael at the start with Sicard following him around the outside into the second spot.
Sicard got a crack at the lead when Jason Woodard, the 2019 J.P. Sicard Triple Crown champion, spun on lap 4 following a turn-4 jumble-up to bring out the first caution. Matthew Potter was able to keep the nose out front on lap five, but Sicard took over the point one lap later.
After another yellow on lap 10 for Chandler Potter’s encounter with the backstretch wall, Sicard checked out from the field. A scintillating battle for second raged through the race’s middle stages with Matthew Potter, Ryan Ware, and rookie Brandon Gray going at it. But Sicard was long gone, at one point holding a margin of nearly half a track.
The third and final yellow on lap 46 for Colin Cornell’s spin let the field get a shot at Sicard. It wasn’t enough, though, as Sicard blazed to the season-opening victory.
Woodard steadily sliced through the field after his early spin and passed Gray in the closing laps for second. Matthew Potter finished fourth followed by rookie Tanner Woodard. Bryan Wall Jr., Ware, Michael Potter, Cornell, and Jody Sicard rounded out the top-10.
North Haverhill, NH’s Ryan Olsen got his first Foley Oil & Propane Late Model win since 2014 in their 50-lap main event. Olsen started sixth and was patient in the early stages as polesitter Tyler Cahoon, who had won his heat and the semi-feature, ran away from the pack.
Things closed up on lap 18 when John Donahue spun in turn four to bring out the caution. The field got antsy on the restart, and Olsen took advantage, shooting to the runner-up spot. Cahoon and Olsen then pulled away as Alby Ovitt, Mike “Beetle” Bailey, Derek Ming, and others duked it out behind them.
Another caution lap 30 for the stalled Chris Roberts machine put Cahoon and Olsen door to door. Cahoon chose the inside for the restart and cleared Olsen at first. But the fourth-generation racer kept at it and drove around the outside of Cahoon to take the lead with 14 circuits remaining.
Cahoon stuck right to Olsen’s bumper in the closing laps as Quinny Welch, who’d surged to the third position, lurked in the shadows. With four laps to go, Bailey cut a tire while running fourth, and the resulting caution gave Cahoon one last shot. Cahoon had his hands full with Welch on the restart, though, and Olsen was able to escape for a long-overdue win.
Danville, VT’s Cahoon settled for second with Groveton, NH’s Welch, who started 13th, coming home third. Ovitt held off fellow Candia, NH racer Jimmy Renfrew Jr. for fourth. All four drivers got off to great starts in their bids for the inaugural New England Late Model Challenge Cup.
Ming, Jeff Marshall, Donahue, Kasey Beattie, and Matthew Morrill completed the top-10. Twenty-five Foley Oil & Propane Late Models rolled through the pit gate with 22 starting the main event.
Groveton, NH’s “Lucky” Luke Shannon brought the crowd to their feet with a last-lap pass to win his first-ever Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini start. Shannon started 11th in the 25-lap main event and quickly knifed through the pack. After a hard-fought battle with Jack Hayes, Shannon moved into third with six laps to go. However, he was still well back of leader Tyler Thompson and runner-up Donnie Baumgardner.
But one circuit later, John Knight spun to bring the caution out and bunch up the field for a five-lap showdown. Baumgardner drifted up the track on the restart and Shannon slid underneath to grab second. He then set his sights on Thompson and swung to the outside with the white flag in sight. The youngster edged Thompson by just seven-hundredths of a second at the finish line for a thrilling victory.
Thompson and Hayes, both of Littleton, NH, completed the podium. Baumgardner, Mike Smith, reigning champion Brett Jackson, Jon Savage, Todd Derrington, Tim Corey, and Scott Senecal finished 4th through 10th.
Lincoln, NH’s “Downtown” Bobby Brown fended off a late charge from St. Johnsbury, VT’s Colby Bourgeois to win the 25-lap Arnolds Wayside Diner Dwarf Car feature. Brown grabbed the lead from Jeff Ainsworth on lap 4 and seemed to be well on his way to victory. Bourgeois moved into second on the ninth circuit but was having trouble catching Brown.
As the laps were winding down, though, Brown came up on up some slower traffic. As Brown struggled to get around them on the outside, Bourgeois came right up on his doorstep. However, the veteran Brown — now in his 49th season of racing — had a few tricks up his sleeve and held the young gun at bay.
Gilmanton, NH’s Tommy Smithers came out on top of a wheel-banger with reigning champion Jason Wyman for the third position. Chad Dufour rounded out the top-five.
Smithers’ son Thomas VI was the winner in the Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Truck 15-lap feature. Glover, VT’s Owen Rogers was holding Smithers off for the lead when Damion Sicard and Logan Farnsworth tangled with four laps to go. The contact sent Sicard hard into the turn-three tire barriers and let Smithers get alongside Rogers for a four-lap dash.
Rogers was able to hold off Smithers for one lap, but Smithers was just too strong. He swiped the lead away the following circuit and scored his seventh victory since the start of 2020. Waterford, VT’s McKenna Merchant took third followed by Farnsworth and Dominic Warren.
The day began with the annual White Mountain Car Show at the track. Island Pond, VT’s Derek Ming was the Late Model Car Show winner. Littleton, NH’s Russ Clark was judged the top Flying Tiger entry. Rookie Chris Moulton won the Strictly Stock Minis, Colby Bourgeois was top dog in the Dwarf Cars, and McKenna Merchant took home the first-place Kids Truck Car Show trophy.
White Mountain Motorsports Park returns to action this Saturday, May 15 at 6:00pm. The Foley Oil & Propane Late Models, Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Minis, Arnolds Wayside Diner Dwarf Cars, and Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Trucks. Admission is just $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK – N. Woodstock, NH
29th SEASON OPENER
SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
J.P. SICARD TRIPLE CROWN SERIES
WELLS RIVER CHEVROLET FLYING TIGERS
Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps
1. ( 4 ) Shane Sicard ( 4nh ) , Barton, VT , 75 Laps
2. ( 6 ) Jason Woodard ( 68vt ) , Waterbury Ctr., VT , 75 Laps
3. ( 5 ) Brandon Gray ( 00vt ) , Thetford, VT , 75 Laps
4. ( 2 ) Matthew Potter ( 23vt ) , Marshfield, VT , 75 Laps
5. ( 7 ) #Tanner Woodard ( 68nh ) , Waterbury Ctr., VT , 75 Laps
6. ( 10 ) Bryan Wall Jr. ( 77nh ) , East Kingston, NH , 75 Laps
7. ( 8 ) Ryan Ware ( 32vt ) , East Burke, VT , 75 Laps
8. ( 1 ) Michael Potter ( 23nh ) , Plainfield, VT , 75 Laps
9. ( 9 ) Colin Cornell ( 54vt ) , E. Burke, VT , 75 Laps
10. ( 15 ) Russell Clark ( 02nh ) , Littleton, NH , 73 Laps
11. ( 12 ) Jody Sicard ( 49nh ) , Gilmanton, NH , 65 Laps
12. ( 13 ) Jaden Perry ( 92vt ) , Hardwick, VT , 52 Laps
13. ( 11 ) Chris Laforest ( 56vt ) , Barre, VT , 31 Laps
14. ( 3 ) #Chandler Potter ( 22nh ) , Plainfield, VT , 10 Laps
15. ( 16 ) Hunter King ( 62vt ) , Woodbury, VT , 3 Laps
16. ( 14 ) David Ofsuryk ( 73ct ) , Holland, VT , 2 Laps
FOLEY OIL & PROPANE LATE MODELS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Ryan Olsen ( 61nh ) Bath, NH
2. Tyler Cahoon ( 38vt ) Danville, VT
3. Quinten Welch ( 78nh ) Groveton, NH
4. Alby Ovitt ( 35nh ) Candia, NH
5. Jimmy Renfrew Jr. ( 00nh ) Candia, NH
6. Derek Ming ( 45vt ) West Burke, VT
7. Jeff Marshall ( 32nh ) Gilman, VT
8. John Donahue ( 26vt ) Graniteville, VT
9. #Kasey Beattie ( 45nh ) St. Johnsbury, VT
10. Matthew Morrill ( 9nh ) Moultonborough, NH
11. Oren Remick ( 21nh ) Monroe, NH
12. Scott Dragon ( 15vt ) Milton, VT
13. Stacy Cahoon ( 83vt ) St. Johnsbury, VT
14. #Zachary Fraser ( 02nh ) Dorchester, NH
15. Mike Jurkowski ( 42nh ) Claremont, NH
16. Chris Roberts ( 3me ) Graniteville, VT
17. #Laci Potter ( 55nh ) West Danville, VT
18. Michael Bailey ( 1me ) S. Barre, VT
19. Will Avery ( 92nh ) Campton, NH
20. Marcel J. Gravel ( 86vt ) Wolcott, VT
21. David LaBrecque ( 57nh ) Thornton, NH
22. Mark Patten ( 07nh ) Belmont, NH
WOODSVILLE GUARANTY SAVINGS BANK STRICTLY STOCK MINIS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. #Luke Shannon ( 13 ) Groveton, NH
2. Tyler Thompson ( 51 ) Littleton, NH
3. Jack Hayes ( 09 ) Littleton, NH
4. #Donnie Baumgardner ( 4 ) N. Woodstock, NH
5. Mike Smith ( 22x )
6. Brett Jackson ( 31 ) Bethlehem, NH
7. Jon Savage ( 78 ) Whitefield, NH
8. Todd Derrington ( 57 ) Littleton, NH
9. Tim Corey ( 10x ) Whitefield, NH
10. Scott Senecal ( 1 ) Lisbon, NH
11. Jillian Baumgardner ( 14 ) N. Woodstock, NH
12. Gavin McGinnis ( 10 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
13. Christopher Cass ( 7x ) Jefferson, NH
14. John Knight ( 12 ) Franklin, NH
15. #Brendan Clark ( 22 ) Dalton, NH
16. #Chris Moulton ( 15 ) Pepperell, MA
17. #James Knights ( 02 ) Littleton, NH
18. Cody Smith ( 18 ) St.Johnsbury,VT
19. Rick Shifflett ( 51x )
20. Keri Driscoll ( 91 ) Gilmanton, NH
ARNOLDS WAYSIDE DINER DWARF CARS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Bobby Brown ( 27 ) Lincoln, NH
2. Colby Bourgeois ( 82 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
3. Tommy Smithers ( 60 ) Gilmanton, NH
4. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Easton, NH
5. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH
6. Howie Switser ( 11 ) West Burke, VT
7. Dave Gyger ( 93 ) Campton, NH
8. #Jamie Ball ( 99 ) Barnet, VT
9. Kevin Wyman ( 02 ) Bath, NH
10. Shaun Clifford ( 33 ) Thornton, NH
11. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH
DADS 4 BY TOOL & SUPPLY KIDS TRUCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Thomas Smithers, VI ( 24 ) Gilmanton, NH
2. Owen Rogers ( 4 ) Glover, VT
3. McKenna Merchant ( 99 ) Waterford, VT
4. Logan Farnsworth ( 22 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
5. Dominic Warren ( 9 ) Concord, VT
6. Hayley Corum ( 10 ) Gilmanton, NH
7. Sam Aldrich ( 16 ) Haverhill, NH
8. Austin Sicard ( 01 ) Gilmanton, NH
9. Damion Sicard ( 23 ) Barton, VT
