Tuesday, September 27, 2011

NHMS ~ 9/27/11

reprinted from nelcar.net

Buffington Takes Sylvania 300 Pre Race Victory!

The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour made a return to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sylvania 300 Nascar Sprint Cup Series event. This race was huge not only because it had only the best of the best in New England in this invitational only event, but also because it marked a year since the first event for Legends Cars at “The Magic Mile.” Although the racing is much different than most drivers in the North East are used too, they have adapted well and put on a great show for the thousands who packed into the seats. Those fans were treated to a spectacular race as the drivers took to the quarter mile as the pre race for the Sylvania 300.

The 25 lap feature lineup was determined from practice speeds, and the 18 of Tom Gray took the top spot with his teammate Shawn Buffington in the 23 on the outside. On the start, the two drove side by side for the first few laps, with Buffington able to get the lead around the outside with Gray, the 38 of Matt Bourgoine and the 56 of Evan Beaulieu right behind. The drivers at the front were dicing it out for the race lead before Beaulieu went for a solo spin in turn three, bringing out the first and only caution of the race. During the caution period, Gray, running in second had to pull off with an oil leak, ending his hopes of winning early.

For the start with 14 laps remaining, Buffington got the jump on Bourgoine. While there was a mad dash for the second spot, Buffington was able to pull away just a bit over that battle between Bourgoine and the 79 of Max Zachem. As the final laps ran incident free, Buffington once again added to his dominance at NHMS, taking the win on Sylvania 300 weekend! Zachem was able to wrestle his way to second after starting deep in the field. Bourgoine ended up in third while the 59 of Reid Lanpher and the 20 of Taylor Martin rounded out the top five.

After post race inspection, Martin did not pass, handing the top five position to Beaulieu in the final rundown. While this race was not a NHMS or Nelcar points race, it was the final points race for the National Legends Points, which many drivers in the race were gunning for. The next race comes in just a week as the Tour will make it’s debut at Star Speedway on Saturday, October 1st. Racing starts at 6PM. For more info, news and how you can get into the fast and fun racing that Legends has to offer, visit Nelcar.net

Monday, September 26, 2011

NELCAR Race added at Star Speedway!

Don't miss the NELCAR Legends as we take to the track at Star Speedway on Saturday night, October 1st!  This race was just added to the schedule with plans to possibly bring the series to the track for 2012.  Come out to support the #8 Hooligan Motorsports team, as well as our fellow Legends drivers.  Please sign in at the Legends window, as this is how the track will know how many fans and friends the series brings to the track -- and hopefully get the NELCAR series on the regular schedule for 2012!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

We're at The Healthy Buffalo Today!

Stop by our sponsor, The Healthy Buffalo and see us today, September 24th!  Come by and see the #8 NELCAR Legends car up close, get your photos and pick up some swag.  Don't forget to get all of your healthy meats and eats as well!  Then come see us race at NHMS tomorrow morning at 9:00am before the NASCAR Cup race!

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Beech Ridge ~ 9/17/11

reprinted from nelcar.net

Bourgoine Fights Back For 50 Lap Win At Beech Ridge

The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour was at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for what is one of the biggest races on the Tour. 50 laps and $400 to win on the Pro All Stars Series PASS 400 weekend, it was set to be a great race as it always is. With drivers from as far away as New Jersey, the 23 car field took to the track knowing there was just two races remaining and time was running out to make a statement before the 2011 season is over.

Heat race number one started with the 10 of Ed Getty on the pole with the 8 of Matt Chagnot starting on the outside. Getty got the jump while the 88 of Steve Fox followed through to second. Just a few laps in, the 56 of Evan Beaulieu, the defending race winner, jumped to the outside and with a few laps remaining he grabbed the lead from Getty. Beaulieu took the heat win, with the 14 of Trevor Sanborn finishing second and the 38 of Matt Bourgoine finished third.

Shawn Buffington, who has dominated at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this season, started on the pole for the second heat race with the 25 of Larry Poirier on the outside. At the start, Buffington got the jump with the 51 of Todd McCollum finding his way to second. Just a few laps into the event, the 48 of Kendall Curit and Poirier made contact, resulting in a pile up of cars, but everyone continued on. For the restart, Buffington was able to get away and take the heat win over McCollum and the 27 of Kevin Hutchens.

For the 50 lap feature event, Beaulieu was on the pole with Buffington on the outside. On the start, Beaulieu got the jump with Sanborn following him into second spot. Those two got a healthy distance on the rest of the field as they dueled it out for the race lead. The first yellow came out 32 laps into the event for the 46 of Chad Harrington spinning after contact with Bourgoine. On the following restart, Beaulieu got the jump once again, and pulled away with the race lead as McCollum got around Sanborn for second with Hutchens and Bourgoine in tow. Beaulieu looked like he was cruising to another win when the yellow flag changed everything with just two laps to go for McCollum and Hutchens getting together with the 17 of Terry Kirk getting collected as well.

Beaulieu and Bourgoine were on the front row with a green, white, checkered finish before them. Beaulieu once again got the jump on the start, but Bourgoine drove the 38 car hard into the first turn and held strong on the outside. The two ran side by side, and Bourgoine was able to get enough of a run to take the checkered flag on the outside, his first win at Beech Ridge. Beaulieu, who dominated the race, had to settle for second with Sanborn finishing third. The 399 of Bob Weymouth quietly worked his way to fourth at the finish while McCollum finished fifth.

With the second place finish, Beaulieu is 119 points ahead of Bourgoine with just one points race left to go in the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour season. The next time the Tour hits the track though will not be for points, but it will be in front of a big crowd. Sunday, September 25th the Tour will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as the pre race event for the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300. The invitational only event will be a great race as the action starts at 10 AM. For more news, info and how you can get into a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Unity ~ 9/10/11

reprinted from http://www.nelcar.net/

Beaulieu Holds Off Hard Charging Bourgoine To Win At Unity Raceway!

The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour returned to the Unity Raceway for the final time of the 2011 season this past weekend. With many of the newcomers in the tour who run very well at the rough track, they were going to do all they could to make their mark in the final race at Unity. For the series veterans however, they were just as competitive and ready for victory as well.

The 81 of Dan Winter was on the pole with the 49 of Pete Cannel on the outside of the front row for the first heat race. At the start, Cannel, who ran at Unity when it was a dirt track in the 70s, got the lead early and lead the first lap. The 27 of Kevin Hutchens however came from his midpack starting spot and took the race lead on lap two, and didn’t look back as he took the win. Matt Chagnot finished second with Winter rounding out the top three. After the win, a problem in Hutchen’s motor would end his night, keeping him from going for another Unity feature win.

For the second heat race, it was the 10 of Ed Getty on the pole with the 2 of Ryan Hammar on the outside. Hammar got the early race lead while Matt Bourgoine in the 38 made quick work of the traffic and got the lead at the halfway point. Going into turn one with a handful of laps left, the motor in Getty’s car expired, bringing out the yellow flag. On the next start, there was still oil on the track in the second corner, which resulted in Hammar spinning, collecting the 56 of Evan Beaulieu and the 17 of Terry Kirk. The safety crews got the mess cleaned up and Bourgoine was able to pull away with the win after the final restart. Weymouth finished second and Kirk rallied back to third.

Two of the tour’s top rookies, Winter and Hammar, paced the field to the green flag for the feature event. Hammar took off with the early lead, but Kirk was right on his tail trying to take the lead. The first yellow flew when the 25 of Larry Poirier went for a spin. On the restart, Hammar got the jump on Kirk and took the lead. The field wasn’t green for long however, as the 46 of Chad Harrington and the 33 of Alan Smith got together off turn two, collecting Winter. This restart, it was Beaulieu on the outside of Hammar. After slight contact off turn two, Beaulieu came out with the race lead. Just a few laps later, Poirier went for another spin off turn four, bringing out the yellow once again. On the restart, Beaulieu got the jump over the 399 of Bob Weymouth, but the yellow immediately flew as Hammar and the 59 of Reid Lanpher went for a spin in turn three. For what would be the final restart, Beaulieu got the jump once again on Weymouth, and pulled out with the lead off turn two. Bourgoine got second from Weymouth with a handful of laps left, and ran Beaulieu down for the lead. He made a few bids, but it wasn’t enough as Beaulieu took the win. Bourgoine finished second, with Weymouth in third and Kirk and Harrington rounding out the top five.

Just two more Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour races and the 2011 champion will be decided. Beaulieu currently holds a 70 point lead over Weymouth. Next weekend, the Tour heads to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for one of their biggest races of the season. The 50 lap National Qualifier, taking place on one of the biggest weekends in racing, the PASS 400 weekend. Racing will start Saturday, September 17th, at 5:45 PM. For more news, info and how you can get behind the wheel of a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.

Friday, September 9, 2011

NHMS ~ 9/3/11

reprinted from www.nelcar.net

Buffington Back On Top At NHMS

The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour headed to the final regular season oval race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. The last time the series raced the oval, it was Tom Gray who found himself being the first driver not named Shaun Buffington, to find victory lane this season. Buffington however, was ready to go for another win here today. He also had points leader Evan Beaulieu and former Nelcar champion Max Zachem to compete with as well. It was set to be another exciting day for racing as the 17 car field roared to life on the quarter mile oval.

For the first heat, Buffington once again found himself on the pole after morning time trials. He was able to get the jump on Matt Bourgoine as Beaulieu followed him through. The heat race was incident free as once again, Buffington took the heat victory. Beaulieu and Bourgoine had a great race going with Beaulieu finishing second and Bourgoine in third.

Tom Gray was on the pole for heat race number two with the 79 of Max Zachem on his outside. Gray was able to get the jump, and with Zachem right on his bumper, the two ran each other hard throughout the heat. Gray was victorious in another incident free heat race, with Zachem finishing second and the 399 of Bob Weymouth in third.


Buffington started the feature on the pole with Gray on his outside. However, Gray’s car would not fire on the start and he was forced an early exit. Zachem moved to the outside of row one as the green flag flew. Buffington was able to grab the early lead, leaving Zachem and Beaulieu to fight for the second spot. Around the midpoint of the race, Zachem and Weymouth made contact in turn two, sending the 79 car for a spin and the first caution of the afternoon. The next restart had Buffington with a new challenger to his outside in Beaulieu. The two were able to distance themselves from the rest of the field, and just a few laps into this run, Bourgoine went for a spin in turn two running in the top five. The race had reached it’s halfway point and another restart was coming. This time however, the 33 of Alan Smith found the wall and ended his day early. At the final restart, Buffington was able to distance himself from Beaulieu, and get himself back into victory lane at the finish! Beaulieu finished second and Bourgoine was able to make his way up to third at the finish. Zachem and Weymouth rounded out the top five.

All Buffington needs to do when the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour heads to the next points race at NHMS, is start and he will be crowned the NHMS Legends Champion. Before that however, the Tour will be at NHMS for the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300, once again the pre race for the big race on Sunday, September 25th. The next time the Tour races will be at Unity Raceway this coming Saturday, September 10th. Racing action starts at 6PM! For more info, news and how you can get behind the wheel of a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.
Photos by Chris Roy, official Nelcar photographer