Monadnock Speedway

Last updated
Monadnock Speedway
Monadnock Speedway logo.png
Location840 Keene Rd
Winchester, New Hampshire 03470
Time zone UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST)
Coordinates 42°49′52″N72°21′44″W / 42.83111°N 72.36222°W / 42.83111; -72.36222
OwnerNorman Wrenn Jr. (2018–present)
OperatorMichelle Cloutier
Opened1971
Major eventsCurrent:
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (1986–1990, 2010–2016, 2020, 2022–present)
Former:
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (1988–1995)
NASCAR North Tour (1979, 1982)
Website www.monadnockspeedway.com
Oval (1971–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.250 miles (0.402 km)
Turns4
BankingTurns 1-2: 18°
Turns 3-4: 16°

Monadnock Speedway is a paved 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) oval race track in Winchester, New Hampshire. Located south of Keene, the track is nestled between New Hampshire Route 10 and the Ashuelot River. Monadnock's nickname is "Mad Dog" and has been used over the years in various promotions.

Contents

The track hosts various races for regional touring series, including the Valenti Modified Racing Series, the Granite State Pro Stock Tour, the Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA) and NEMA Lites, and ISMA Supermodifieds. [1]

History

Panoramic view, April 2017 Monadnock Speedway panoramic.jpg
Panoramic view, April 2017

The track has been in operation since 1971, [2] [3] when admission was $2.50 for adults and $0.50 for children. [4] The track was built on the site of a former gravel pit by the first owner, Bill Brown, who later sold it to Bill Davis. [2]

Driver Ollie Silva was seriously injured and almost killed in a crash at the speedway on July 28, 1978, when his car left the track and crashed into a tree at nearly 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). [5] [6]

In January 1984, the venue was purchased by former driver Larry Cirillo and his business partner, Fred Pafumi. [7] They owned and operated the track for over 30 years. In late 2018, Cirillo and Pafumi reached an agreement to sell the track to Nashua-based businessman Norman Wrenn Jr. after working out applications for various permits and licenses. [8] Wrenn also purchased Lee USA Speedway the same year. [8]

Improvements to the property, including replacement of all bleachers, were announced with the purchase by Wrenn. [8] Longtime employee Michelle Cloutier was kept on as operations manager, and former racer Jeff Zuidema was brought on as a special advisor. [8] Zuidema was previously employed as director of competition for Thompson Speedway, before stepping down in 2014. [9]

In 2022, the Whelen Modified Series event at the speedway became part of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup. This promotional program promises cash awards to drivers who participate in the three races in the state at Lee USA Speedway, Monadnock Speedway, and Claremont Speedway. $5,000 is promised to the points leader, with smaller prizes for most laps led, highest average finish, and other criteria. The additional purse money totals $15,500, and is offered by regional motorsports broadcaster and promoter JDV Productions. [10] [11]

Races

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References

  1. ↑ "Events". Monadnock Speedway. Monadnock Speedway. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 Ainsworth, Chip (July 13, 2018). "Monadnock Speedway gears for new ownership" . gazettenet.com. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Monadnock Speedway". thethirdturn.com. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Monadnock Speedway (advert)". Rutland Daily Herald . Rutland, Vermont. October 28, 1971. p. 10. Retrieved February 28, 2022– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Caron Win Another, Ollie Silva Improved". Brattleboro Reformer . Brattleboro, Vermont. August 14, 1978. p. 9. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ McDonough, Will (September 6, 1979). "Once near death, he's racing back". The Boston Globe . p. 58. Retrieved February 27, 2022– via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Hasty, Roy (May 17, 1985). "Ex-Driver Off to Bumpy Start Chasing Dream". Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut. p. E2. Retrieved February 28, 2022– via newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Cloutier, Michelle (18 December 2018). "Monadnock Speedway Has A New Owner For 2019 Season". Race Pro Weekly. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  9. ↑ Courchesne, Shawn (11 January 2014). "Jeff Zuidema Leaves Racing Management Position At Thompson Speedway". RaceDayCT. E-Media Sports. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  10. 1 2 "JDV Productions announces Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup bonus program" (Press release). NASCAR. JDV Productions. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  11. ↑ Souza, Kyle (25 March 2022). "JDV Productions taking NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events to next level in 2022". Yahoo Sports. Yahoo. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Monadnock Speedway". racing-reference.info. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
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