CLAREMONT, N.H. – Jon McKennedy triumphed in the International Supermodified Association’s inaugural event at Claremont Motorsports Park Friday night.
Chris Perley sat on the outside of row one for the feature and immediately claimed the lead with Dan Bowes, McKennedy, Ben Seitz and Otto Sitterly chasing the Rowley Rocket for the first third of the 75 lapper.
Not unexpectedly McKennedy, who has been the man to beat of late in the New England area, moved up swiftly to challenge Perley as he was behind the No. 11 by lap 22 and swooped by him a lap later.
The No. 79 of McKennedy stayed out front of Bowes as Sitterly was on the move to get behind Bowes while Lane Racing teammates Anthony Nocella and Seitz completed the top five as the race reached the halfway mark.
At that midway mark, McKennedy easily claimed the $500 halfway bonus sponsored by Middlesex Interiors. The first yellow flag of the event came moments later as the No. 25 of Bowes spun off the track, but was able to restart. With 34 to go, McKennedy now had Sitterly knocking on the door while Seitz, Nocella, Moe Lilje, Mike Ordway Jr., Ryan Locke, Bowes, Kenny White Jr. and Dave Helliwell filled out the field still on the track.
The second yellow flag of the race came with 21 laps remaining, closing up the gap between McKennedy and Sitterly.
The double file restart put McKennedy and Sitterly side by side at the green with Sitterly pressuring McKennedy as the race was nearing the end. Sitterly couldn’t quite stick with McKennedy, who began to pull away.Â
The third and final yellow came when Ryan Locke slowdown down the backstretch.
Another double file restart found the McKennedy and Sitterly side-by-side one more time. It was McKennedy who emerged as the winner, with Sitterly settling for second.Â
Third went to Seitz, followed by Lilje and Nocella.
The finish:
1. Jon McKennedy 79, 2. Otto Sitterly 7, 3. Ben Seitz 97, 4. Moe Lilje 32, 5. Anthony Nocella 9, 6. Dan Bowes 25, 7. Dave Helliwell 07, 8. Ryan Locke 37, 9. Kenny White Jr. 77, 10. Mike Ordway Jr. 61, 11. Chris Perley 11, 12. Russ Wood 5.