LOUDON, N.H. — Blue skies and sunshine greeted the teams and fans at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday morning for the 4th annual Northeast Classic.
The season opener for the American-Canadian Tour also served as the third round for the PASS Super Late Models and lid-lifter for the R&R Race Parts Street Stock Open Series while also featuring a pair of exhibition events for the Open Tour-type Modifieds and the new Sunoco 604 Modifieds.
The American-Canadian Tour started their season with a 40-car field on the Magic Mile. After coming from last to second in his heat race, Dillon Moltz took the pole with an incredible plus-eight alongside defending Northeast Classic champion Derek Gluchacki.
His early lead would go into the scrambler in turn three on lap six ending the day for both Moltz and Tom Carey, III with D.J. Shaw jumping pit side for early and unexpected adjustments. Now under the command of Derek Gluchacki and Gabe Brown, the two young-gun rivals faced off for the first time this season with Gluchacki setting off with the race lead.
Gluchacki and Brandon Barker battled hard following the competition caution with Barker getting the lead. A slam-bang affair in turn two on lap 34 took out 2023 rookie of the year Tanner Woodard, as well as rookie contenders Kasey Beattie and Jeremy Sorel, among others.
The caution led to a late-race charge for West Burke, Vermont’s Jesse Switser as he barnstormed through the top five to challenge Gluchacki by taking the lead with ten laps remaining.
Following a rough patch of cautions through the final 10 laps, Switser and Gluchacki strong-armed one another over and over with Switser earning his second career ACT win followed by Derek Gluchacki and a top-five runner all day in Alexendre ‘Fireball’ Tardif.
PASS Super Late Models
The PASS Super Late Models started Sunday’s feature racing events with the first of three 50-lap showdowns on the Northeast Classic program. Starting off the show lean and green, a pair of cautions on lap 20 and 24 with Trevor Sanborn, Dennis Spencer, Nick Lascoula and Josh King having a rough end to their weekend.
‘The Outlaw’ Eddie MacDonald showed the way as the class of the field following the competition caution while D.J. Shaw, Ben Rowe and Corey Hall battled for second. The lap 41 caution for debris allowed the field one final chance at Eddie MacDonald but The Outlaw outgunned the field with D.J. Shaw and Johnny Clark rounding out the podium.
Open Tour-type Modifieds
In the Open Tour-type Modifieds, Anthony Nocella got the early jump from third place ahead of front row starters Matt Swanson and Jon McKennedy. After patiently stalking from behind, McKennedy shot underneath Nocella in turn three to lead lap 16 before Nocella returned the favor in turn two just three laps later. While Nocella maintained the lead following the competition caution, he certainly had his hands full with McKennedy, Swanson and Austin Beers keeping him busy.
Over the final ten laps Nocella and McKennedy flip-flopped the lead again and again, thrilling the Northeast Classic fans. With one final shove on the frontstretch, Anthony Nocella took his first Northeast Classic victory followed by Jon McKennedy and Austin Beers.
Sunoco 604 Modifieds
The Sunoco 604 Modifieds put on an outstanding show in their portion of the Northeast Classic. Although low in number after debuting the division at Thompson Speedway last weekend, the Sunoco 604 Modifieds kept within a car-length’s distance to one another throughout their 20-lap feature as Danny Cates and Tyler Berry swapped the lead, and some paint lap after lap. Danny Cates claimed the first-time win followed by Tyler Barry and Josh Carey, all three separated by less than 0.094-seconds at the line.
R&R Race Parts Street Stock
The R&R Race Parts Street Stock open saw Southern New England ace Ryan Waterman lead from the drop of the green flag with the field stretching itself out across the Magic Mile. As the race continued at a torrid pace, Waterman’s incredible lead was slowly and methodically eaten up by Charlie Baldwin.
At the halfway point, Waterman and Baldwin split a group of three lapped cars with Baldwin taking the lead in the daring dive into turn three. Charlie Baldwin kept the lead in his back pocket but an explosion under the hood with three laps to go ruined an epic run for the short tracker. Ryan Waterman scored the R&R Street Stock win followed by Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. and Shane Gendron.