Thursday, September 27, 2012

NHMS ~ NASCAR Invitational 9/22/12

This past weekend, the US Legends NASCAR Invitational race was held at NHMS on "Short Track Saturday," instead of the usual Sunday morning.  This made for a more energized race for the drivers and crews, as we had a lot more fans on hand to watch!  The Hooligan Motorsports #8 ran was running in the top five when a late race caution was brought out by the #39 of Nick Lascoula.  Matt ended the day in one piece and with a 6th place finish.

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reprinted from nelcar.net
photos by RPM Photography


New Look, Same Result For Buffington in NHMS Invitational
 
The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour returned to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway this past weekend as part of the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 weekend. The Legends Cars closed out an exciting “Short Track Saturday” at the “Magic Mile.” The sun was setting but the Legends were on track for a thrilling event.

At the front of the field for the feature event was the usual suspect, Shawn Buffington in the new white 23s with Taylor Martin in the 20 on his outside. On the start, Buffington was able to get to the lead but when the field came back around to complete lap one, the 39 of Nick Lascoula and the 33 of Alan Smith made contact racing for fourth, and collected the 59 of Reid Lanpher. Lanpher went for a wild ride, barrel rolling three times before coming to a rest just before turn one. Lanpher was able to walk away from the scary incident, and once proved how safe the Legends Cars are.

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After the great crew workers at NHMS cleaned up the mess in turn one, the field went back to green. Buffington once again got out to the lead while Evan Beaulieu in the 56 moved into second with Martin and Lascoula behind him. The race was running very clean until with just nine laps to go, Lascoula hit the wall off turn two, and brought out the race’s second yellow flag.


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A restart with just five laps remaining had two of the best Legends Cars drivers in the northeast on the front row looking to grab a win in front of the thousands of fans on hand to watch. When the green flag waved, nothing was going to stop Buffington. At the completion of the event, he took the checkered flag, his fourth straight win on the Nascar weekends. Beaulieu would finish in second, with Martin finishing third. Dan Winter in the 81 car grabbed his best career finish with a fourth place finish after coming back from the wreck earlier in the race and Bob Weymouth in the 399 rounded out the top five.


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The Legends Cars put on a great show in front of the great crowd on “Short Track Saturday” and will be back at the “Magic Mile” October 6th and the 7th for a double header weekend on the Road Course, which will be the conclusion of both the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour season and the Moat Mountain NHMS Series. The Tour will be in action next week as well, as they will head to Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine on Sunday, September 30th. This will be the first event in three years for the Tour on the famous oval, and will be part of the final Pro All Stars Series North event. Racing is set to start at 1:30 on Sunday. For more news, info and how you can get into a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Beech Ridge PASS Weekend ~ 9/15/12

The NELCAR Legends were back at Beech Ridge this past Saturday for a 50 Lap National Qualifier Feature as part of the PASS 400 weekend!  The Hooligan Motorsports #8 finished 6th in our heat and 12th in the feature race. 

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reprinted from nelcar.net
photos by Nichole, Hooligan Motorsports

Evan Beaulieu Outlasts Field in 50 Lap National Qualifier
 
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The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour was back at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway this past weekend for the final time of the 2012 season. It was one of the biggest weekends in short track racing, the PASS 400 weekend, featuring many of the top divisions in New England. The Legends drivers were up for a big prize, not only racing in front of the huge crowd, but the race was a 50 lap National Qualifier, and whoever won their division would get a provisional into the A-Main at the Legends Nationals at Atlanta Motor Speedway later this year. With tight point’s racing and just three races remaining , the race was set to be a thriller for the crowd.

Practice! #nelcar #legends #race #racing #8 #racecar #racetrack #maine #sky #clouds

The first heat race rolled onto the track with point’s leader Matt Bourgoine on the pole with the 4 of Peter Craig on the outside. At the start, Bourgoine was able to get away from the field and lead while it was a tight battle behind him for second. The 12 car of Charlie Buxton worked his way through and took the runner up spot with Alan Smith in the 33 right behind. That’s how it finished as the heat ran clean and green with Bourgoine taking the win with Buxton and Smith rounding out the podium.

Heat race number two rolled out and ironically enough the pole sitter was the driver chasing Bourgoine in the points, Evan Beaulieu in car 56. On his outside was Beech Ridge regular Tylar Braunschweig in the 70 car. At the start, Beaulieu was able to pull away with the lead while once again the field was getting sorted out for the second spot. It was another clean and green heat race, with Beaulieu taking the win over the 2 of Ryan Hammar and the 399 of Bob Weymouth.

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Next up was the 50 lap feature. While the Tour is used to running 25 lap features, this race doubled that distance and being able to make it through 50 laps around Beech Ridge is no easy task in the hard to handle Legends Cars. On the start, it was pole sitter Bourgoine who jumped out to the lead over Beaulieu who started second. It didn’t take long for a lead change however, as Beaulieu made his move early and took the lead on lap three, taking his team mate Buxton with him to second spot as Bourgoine was caught on the outside. Just a couple laps into the feature the 84 of Matt Grant went for a spin after contact with the 81 of Dan Winter, but the drivers were able to continue on without a caution flag being thrown. The race ran clean with Beaulieu up front and Bourgoine fighting his way to second with Hammar in third until with seven laps to go, the right front fender on Beaulieu’s car ripped off, forcing a caution for the debris.

The field was realigned, and just like the year before, it was Beaulieu in the first spot with Bourgoine to his outside ready to settle this race between them. As the green flag came out, the two drivers drew even into turn one, but Beaulieu was able to pull away once again, and hang on to take the win! Bourgoine crossed the line in second with Hammar in third. Buxton and Smith rounded out the top five.

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Beaulieu is not going down without a fight, as he took his third win in the last four races, but Bourgoine is doing what he has to do as well and is right there behind him in all the races and able to keep the points lead. This battle will come down to the final race in three weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After all was said done, five $100 checks were given away to teams as part of the Amsoil “Green to Checkered” program, which says if the race runs incident free there will be a random draw for money. Amsoil the series sponsor was able to send the checks home to very deserving teams at the end of the night. The next race for the Tour will be Saturday, September 22nd at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as part of the Nascar weekend. The race is slated to start at 5:45 PM, right after the ACT Late Model Invitational race. Be sure to come to NHMS for a thrilling day of short track racing on the big stage and root on your favorite Legends driver that night! Adult tickets start at $35 with youth tickets (12-16) just $5 and kids 11 and under get in for free. For more news, info and how you can get into a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Speedway 95 ~ 9/8/12

The #8 headed back to Speedway 95 in Northern Maine last Saturday night and took home a 9th place finish.

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reprinted from nelcar.net
photos by RPM Photography

Evan Beaulieu Out Runs The Rain For Speedway 95 Win!
 
The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour made their second northern Maine trip of the season this past weekend, as they traveled to Hermon, Maine to do battle at Speedway 95 thanks to the night’s sponsor K&B Automotive. With just four point’s races remaining in the season, the points battle is tight all the way through the top ten. Point’s leader Matt Bourgoine went into the race holding a slight margin over Evan Beaulieu, while the drivers behind them were locked into tight point’s races of their own. With many drivers seeking victory and threatening thunderstorms on the horizon, the Legends Cars took to the track and put on an excellent race.

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On the pole for the first heat race would be the 81 of Dan Winter with point’s leader Matt Bourgoine on his outside. On the start, Bourgoine got out to the lead with the 2 of Ryan Hammar right behind while Winter settled into third. The heat race was going smoothly until with a few laps Winter got loose off turn four, but was able to make a great save and continue on and the green flag stayed out. At the finish, Bourgoine was able to get the win over Hammar with Alan Smith rounding out the top three at his home track.

For the second heat race it was the impressive rookie Matt Grant in the 84 car on the pole with the defending series’ champion Evan Beaulieu on the outside. On the start, Beaulieu used the preferred outside line to his advantage and got the lead out of turn two. With Bob Weymouth working his way into second, he was doing all he could to get around Beaulieu, but it wasn’t enough as Beaulieu took the heat win. Weymouth was second with Reid Lanpher in car 59 rounding out the podium.

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For the feature event, it was the 33 of Alan Smith from nearby Lincoln, Maine on the pole with the Durham, Maine driver Beaulieu on his outside. As the green flag flew, the drivers drew even going into turn one, but Beaulieu worked the outside lane once again and got out to the lead, with Weymouth once again closely in tow. Hungry for a win, Weymouth was all over the back bumper of Beaulieu for the lead and made a few runs until the first caution came out just past the race’s halfway point. Wyatt Alexander, celebrating his 13th birthday at the track and even getting race against his grandfather and longtime racer Bob Alexander for the first time, went for a spin off turn four but was able to get the car stopped before hitting anything. After the field realigned, Beaulieu was able to use the lane choose rule on the restart and opted for the outside lane with Weymouth on the inside. As the field went green, Beaulieu jumped out to the lead but was closely followed by Bourgoine who followed through to grab second. As rain drops starting falling on the track with just a few laps to go, Bourgoine worked the bottom of the track underneath Beaulieu and the two drivers ran side by side for the final laps, but Beaulieu was not going to be denied as he took his fifth win of the season! Bourgoine ended up second with Weymouth in third. Ryan Hammar was fourth and Alan Smith rounded out the top five.

With just three point’s races remaining, Bourgoine holds just a slight margin over Beaulieu in the point’s standings, and the battle is certainly going to go down to the final race on the road course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on October 6th. The Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour is set to hit the big stage in what many drivers call the biggest race of the season, the PASS 400. The 50 lap Legends race is schedule on Saturday, September 15th with racing beginning at noon. The series’ sponsor Amsoil Four Seasons Synthetic is putting up $500 in purse money on top of the $400 to win if the race can run “Green to Checkered.” It is always a very interesting race and always has some of the craziest finishes; you won’t want to miss it! For more info, news and how you can get into a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.

NHMS ~ 9/1/12

The NELCAR Legends touring series kicked off September with a race on the Legends Oval at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  Click hear for NHMS's video recap

Photos from RPM Photography - be sure to check them out and order all of your favorite shots!

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Star Speedway Photos ~ 8/18/12

Special thanks to RPM Photography for these great on track shots from the NELCAR double feature night at Star Speedway on August 18! 

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Star Speedway DOUBLE FEATURE ~ 8/18/12

The NELCAR Legends hit Star Speedway for some Saturday Night Short Track Racing on August 4th with a double feature

Starting on the pole for heat 1 #racing #nelcar #legends #summer

reprinted from nelcar.net
photos by Nichole, Hooligan Motorsports

Beaulieu and Buffington Take Wins at Star!
 
After three rainouts in a row, the Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour returned to Star Speedway for double features and this time the sun was shining bright on the tight quarter mile. The Legends Cars had only ran one other race earlier in the season and the drivers were anxious to finally get a race in on the track. The day would start with the make up feature race from two weeks ago, when the rain came after the conclusion of heat races.

On the pole would be the 2 of Ryan Hammar with Mike Alton in the 99 on the outside. On the start, Hammar got out to the early lead, but the 59 of Reid Lanpher was right behind after starting third. The 22 car field was racing very hard behind the leaders and the first yellow of the race came out on lap eight as the 81 of Dan Winter and the 33 of Alan Smith made contact in turn one, sending Winter for a spin off the track. After the yellow flag, Hammar was able to resume in the race lead with the 20 of Taylor Martin working her way into second spot. Four laps from the last yellow would be the next, as the 98 of Dean Dezak slowed through turns three and four. The race would resume after the yellow flag and once again Hammar jumped out to the lead over the 20 of Taylor Martin and Lanpher. Lanpher would move his way through however, and take the race lead with ten laps remaining, but he had company as the 23 of Shawn Buffington was right behind in second. The two drivers swapped the lead until the final yellow came out with just three laps to go for the 15 of TJ Bleau going for a spin down the backstretch. The race resumed, and Buffington didn’t look back as he drove from the rear of the field and claimed the first feature win! Lanpher was second with Hammar in third. Bob Weymouth and Matt Grant rounded out the top five.

The two heat races for the second feature were won by Reid Lanpher and Ryan Hammar, and the field was set for the main event. As both the drivers who won the heats had to go to the rear after finishing in the top three in the first feature event, it would be Taylor Martin on the pole with Evan Beaulieu on the outside. On the start, the two competitors drove side by side for the first two laps, with Beaulieu coming out with the race lead. After a hard wreck just two nights before, Beaulieu was back for redemption and had a sizeable lead until the first yellow came out on lap 19 for the 49 of Pete Cannel going for a spin in turn three. When the race resumed, Beaulieu was able to clear Martin once again and regain the lead, as Martin and Matt Bourgoine fought for second. As the checkered flag waved, Evan Beaulieu would cross the line first and take the win! Bourgoine was second with Martin getting her first podium with Nelcar. Lanpher was fourth with Buffington rounding out the top five after coming from the rear of the field.

After 25 races, Bourgoine has a 17 point advantage over Beaulieu in the overall Amsoil Nelcar Legends Tour standings, and it is set to be an interesting battle between the two as the season reaches it’s final stretch. The Tour will take a week off this week, but will be back in action on Saturday, September 1st at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on the quarter mile oval. For more news, info and how you can get into a Legends Car, visit Nelcar.net.