By J.A. Ackley
TheChromeHorn.com

Winchester, NH -July 4, 2008- The True Value Modifieds visited Winchester, New Hampshire’s quarter-mile Monadnock Speedway for their second of three scheduled visits in 2008. Kirk Alexander won the first Monadnock True Value race, and he was the favorite leading into tonight’s event.

Heat # 1
#10 Ed Dachenhausen and the #35 Dale Evonsion led the field to the green with Dachenhausen taking the early lead. Evonsion struggled in practice and some of his competitors recognized opportunity. On lap 2, #9nh Peter Jarvis dived under Evonsion’s #35 and took second-place off turn 2. The next lap #28 Dwight Jarvis tried the same move to capture third and Evonsion continued his fade to the back. Lap 4, Peter Jarvis dove under the Dachenhausen in turn 3 and took the lead off of four. The next lap Dwight once again replicated his brother’s move with success, dropping Dachenhausen to third. The Jarvis brothers started to build their lead over the Dachenhausen while Dachenhausen tried to fend #83 Chris Wenzel’s efforts. The Dachenhausen-Wenzel battle allowed the Jarvis brothers to extend their lead to about a straightaway. Peter Jarvis won the heat followed by his brother Dwights. Ed Dachenhausen held on to third.

Heat #2
#76 Shelly Perry and the points leader #22 David Pinkham led the second heat to green. Pinkham powered to the early lead with the series founder #17 Jack Bateman moving into second. The third-place #08 Jim Boniface drifted high on lap 2, paving the way for the #73 Jon McKennedy and #77 Rob White Jr. to slip on by. On lap 8, #0 Mike Holdridge went low on White off turn four and takes the fourth-place position. On lap 11, McKennedy looked to pass Bateman and Pinkham and then Pinkham suddenly slows. Pinkham’s misfortune helped McKennedy’s move to the lead and when the checkers flew, McKennedy won the heat, followed by Bateman and Holdridge. Pinkham’s engine woes would end his night and his points lead.

Heat #3
The final heat saw a front row of competitors that are no stranger to each other—#20 Ted Christopher and #40 Ken Bouchard. The two would start the race even, but by the fourth turn, Christopher claimed the lead. Meanwhile Bouchard had his hands full, with #5m Bryan Shumway diving under the #40 in turn 1 and taking second-place. #43 Kirk Alexander was making quick work through the field, diving under Bouchard in turn 1 and taking the position out of turn 2 on lap 3. Alexander then set his sights on Shumway. Lap 5, Alexander dove under Shumway in turn 3 and took second-place off turn 4. For the next several laps, Alexander plotted his move, testing Christopher high and low, seeking his weak point. On the final lap, Alexander made his move. Alexander went high off turn 2 and started a side-by-side battle down the back straightaway. Coming off turn four they were neck and neck, knocking tires at the finish line. Alexander would take the heat win by a mere .001 second over Christopher. Shumway would finish third.

Feature
#9 Peter Jarvis and #73 Jon McKennedy presented a front row representing two generations of racers vying for the trophy. At the green, the two battled side-by-side, but by the end of turn 2 Peter Jarvis had control of the lead with McKennedy battling to keep second from #43 Kirk Alexander. By lap 3, Alexander moved into second and following him to third was #28 Dwight Jarvis. By lap 5, the trio of Peter Jarvis, Alexander, and Dwight Jarvis began to pull away from McKennedy and the rest of the pack. Lap 7, #20 Ted Christopher starts to look for ways around McKennedy for fourth.
Lap 13, #17 Jack Bateman goes high on Christopher in turn 1 and takes fifth position. Bateman then sets his sights on McKennedy for fourth.
Lap 20, Alexander dives under Peter Jarvis in turn 3 for the lead. The two would battle side-by-side for 2 laps before Alexander would take the lead on lap 22 off turn 4. The next lap Peter Jarvis starts receiving some heat from his brother Dwight, with Dwight eventually taking second-place away from Peter.
Lap 24, Bateman takes it to the high side once again, this time going high over fourth-place McKennedy in turn 3 and taking McKennedy’s spot by the end of turn 4.
On Lap 25, #83 Chris Wenzel pulls into the infield with mechanical woes. On lap 31, #23 Mike Holdridge brings out the first yellow with a spin off turn 4. Holdridge says he spun due to fluid on the track. Wenzel was leaking water, but officials checked the #40 of Ken Bouchard for any additional leaks. After review, the officials deem the #40 OK to continue.
The lap 31 restart saw Alexander and Dwight Jarvis lead the field to green. At the wave of the green, Alexander moves into the lead with Dwight Jarvis following him. Behind them Bateman takes the high line again, challenging Peter Jarvis. The two would battle side-by-side for several laps, with Bateman coming out the victor, taking third on lap 37.
Meanwhile the leaders—Alexander and Dwight Jarvis—extend their lead over third-place. Lap 42, Dwight Jarvis looks high on Alexander, but can’t make it. The next lap Dwight Jarvis goes high again on Alexander, giving Alexander a challenge on the outside. The next lap the two come upon lapped traffic, and Dwight Jarvis drops back to second. By lap 48, Alexander and Dwight Jarvis would extend their lead to nearly a straightaway-length over third-place Bateman. Lap 56, Alexander is proving to be more nimble with traffic than Dwight Jarvis and extends his lead to six cars.
Yellow waves for the second time on lap 59, this time for the spun #08 of Jim Boniface off turn 4. TVMRS officials determined that #15 Chris Pasteryak helped Boniface’s spin and sent Pasteryak to the rear.
The green would wave and caution would wave within a few seconds later as the #5m of Bryan Shumway got spun around in front of the inside line, collecting #0 Mike Holdridge. Luckily, both cars received minimal damage. The guilty party in that exchange was determined to be the #40 of Ken Bouchard, who admitted he got into Shumway due to transmission issues. Bouchard’s crew tried to repair the #40, but missed the call for the green.
Alexander and Dwight Jarvis lead the field to the green, with Alexander taking the lead on lap 60. Lap 61, McKennedy goes low on Peter Jarvis for fourth. The two would battle side-by-side, with McKennedy winning that battle on lap 64. On the move was last race’s winner, #06 Les Hinckley, who was watching the battle from sixth. However, on lap 66 he suddenly slowed, bringing out the fourth caution. Hinckley’s #06 would lose the rear end, thus ending his night prematurely.
Alexander and Dwight Jarvis led the field to green once again, with Alexander reclaiming first, Dwight Jarvis second, and Bateman third. Lap 68, #6 Rob Goodenough goes high on Peter Jarvis for fifth and on lap 71, Goodenough takes the position. Lap #71 Peter Jarvis’ #9 suddenly slowed off turn 2. Jarvis managed to refire it on the front stretch, but unfortunately the damage was already done and he fell to the back of the pack.
In the closing laps, Dwight Jarvis would try his all to pass Kirk Alexander, looking both low and high. Alexander managed to successfully maneuver through lapped traffic in the last 10 laps and Dwight Jarvis’ #28 began to fade. Alexander would take the win, his 30th in the True Value Modified Racing Series. Dwight Jarvis held on to second while Jack Bateman finished third.

THE END



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