Sunny skies loomed overhead on Saturday as 111 drivers showed up to compete at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on Saturday. The day’s events included the Granite State Pro Stock Series in addition to the Sport Series, Wildcats and a full Thunder program.
As usual, the Beetle Bugs kicked off the Thunder program with a 25-lap feature. There was a 3-wide battle for the early lead, with Derek McKeen leading the charge as Brandon Lizotte and Dustin Salley filed in behind him. Brandon Lizotte was in hot pursuit of the lead, making his way to Derek McKeen’s inside door in the opening laps of the feature.
Dustin Moreau tangled with Jordan Lopes on lap 4 in turn 4, resulting in Moreau taking a spin and Lopes losing a wheel. The incident led to the first caution of the feature.
Derek McKeen held the slight advantage on the restart, but Brandon Lizotte was back at his door by lap 5 and took over the lead the following lap. While battling for position on lap 10, Dustin Salley and Derek McKeen made contact in turn 1. This resulted in Salley having a right front tire go down and the driver headed to the pits as McKeen fell to the back of the pack. Corey Roussel benefited from his competitors’ shortcomings as he advanced into the runner-up spot.
Ed Johnson was on the move mid-race, going head to head with Butch Keene for third on lap 13, eventually taking over the spot. Derek McKeen pulled off-track in turn 3 on lap 19, retiring to the pits.
While battling for position once again on the final lap, Butch Keene and Ed Johnson both went sideways in turn 2. Johnson managed to hold onto it without losing any ground on the track as Keene spun, falling to the back of the pack. Brandon Lizotte sailed into the victory, collecting another checkered flag. Corey Roussel, Ed Johnson, Josh Knoll and Adam Warnock rounded out the top five.
Tyler Lerman took off with the early lead in the 25-lap Mad Bomber JV feature. Seth Drown took a spin in turn 2 on the initial lap, coming to a stop in the dirt. The incident led to an early race caution.
Tyler Lerman took off with the lead once again on the restart as Taylor Graffam advanced into the runner-up spot behind him. Desiree Lachance filed in behind her, moving up to third. Graffam continued her charge to the front, making her way to Lerman’s inside door on lap 6, challenging for the lead.
Taylor Graffam completed the pass, taking off with the lead as Josh Hodgdon advanced to third over Desiree Lachance. While battling for position, the two drivers made slight contact, resulting in Lachance nearly taking a spin and ultimately losing a few spots on the track.
Hodgdon continued his pursuit to the front as he pulled up to door of his brother, Tyler Lerman, on lap 15. The brothers battled it out for the runner-up position before Hodgdon eventually pulled away with the spot. Desiree Lachance took a spin on lap 19 in turns 1 and 2, resulting in a late race caution.
After a solid showing all day, Tyler Lerman took a spin on the restart, miraculously avoiding making contact with all of his competitors. As Lerman fell to the back of the pack, drivers went 3-wide for fifth in the closing laps, with Jon King taking over the spot. Taylor Graffam was able to hold off Josh Hodgdon in the closing laps, securing her second victory of the 2021 season. Joey Israelson, Brandon Williams and Jon King rounded out the top five.
Graffam was elated in her first career post-race interview at the track, thanking her friends, family and team for their ongoing support.
Keith Petrin took off with a huge jump in the 25-lap Mighty Trucks feature as his runner-up competitor, Derrick Drown, fell to the back of the pack. Father-son duo Jeff Gillette, Sr. and Jeff Gillette, Jr. went door to door for third on lap 8, with Gillette, Sr. pulling ahead with the advantage the following lap.
Derrick Drown was on the rebound on lap 10 as he found himself at Jeff Gillette, Jr.’s door on lap 10, challenging for fourth. The two drivers battled it out until lap 12, where Drown pulled ahead with the advantage. While battling for position, Nate Zinc and Trace Ayers both took spins on lap 15, resulting in a late race caution.
Keith Petrin powered into the lead on the restart as Derrick Drown’s shortcomings on restarts continued as he fell to the back of the pack once again. Jeff Gillette, Sr. and Dave Lamson duked it out for the runner-up spot on the restart and the battle lasted for a handful of laps before Gillette, Sr. claimed sole possession of the spot on lap 20.
Nobody was any match for Keith Petrin as he sailed into the victory, capturing his second win of the 2021 season. Jeff Gillette, Sr. and Dave Lamson rounded out the top 3.
Brandon Johnson took off with the early lead in the 25-lap Mad Bomber Varsity feature, but Tom Lovejoy, Jr. was right on his heels. Mike Dearden, Paul Lund and Richard Bourgeois-Lang tangled on the backstretch on lap 3, resulting in the first caution of the feature.
Brandon Johnson and Tom Lovejoy, Jr. went head to head for the lead on the restart. Johnson held onto the top spot as Mike Roe joined the battle, hot on Lovejoy Jr.’s heels for the runner-up spot. Drew Morse was also on the move, advancing to fourth on lap 10 after starting the feature from the tail-end of the field.
Paul Lund was on the rebound, challenging Drew Morse for fourth on lap 12 and pulling ahead with the advantage the following lap. After battling it out for a handful of laps, Tom Lovejoy, Jr. edged out Mike Roe for the runner-up spot and wanted more, pulling to the top spot over Brandon Johnson on lap 13.
Lovejoy, Jr. and Johnson remained glued to each other in the coming laps, swapping the lead back and forth before Johnson pulled ahead with the slight advantage on lap 20. The leaders began approaching lap traffic with 3 laps to go and Johnson went sideways in turn 4, allowing Lovejoy, Jr. to pull ahead once again.
Tom Lovejoy, Jr. maintained his advantage to the finish, picking up his first feature victory of the 2021 season. Brandon Johnson, Paul Lund, Mike Roe and Drew Morse rounded out the top five.
The NELCAR Legends Tour rounded out the Thunder program with a 25-lap feature. Luke LeBrun took off with the early lead as Nick Cusack and Trevor Krouse battled it out for third behind the leaders. Cusack ultimately won the battle, then setting his sights on his competitors at the top of the leaderboard.
Colby Meserve was also on the move early, making his way to Trevor Krouse’s inside door on lap 8 and advancing to fourth the following lap. Nick Cusack was all over Jack Walker for the runner-up spot on lap 11, but Colby Meserve was hot on their heels.
Cusack pulled ahead with the advantage on lap 13, but Meserve pulled up to his door the following lap, stealing the spot away. Connor Holderbach was coming through the field in the closing laps, completing the pass for fourth over Jack Walker on lap 19.
Luke LeBrun was long gone in the closing laps, continuing his dominance in the division as he captured yet another feature victory. Colby Meserve, Nick Cusack, Connor Holderbach and Jack Walker rounded out the top five.
The Thunder program continues to excite at Beech Ridge and this past weekend, we saw four repeat winners in Victory Lane. Drivers like Brandon Johnson, who hasn’t finished outside the podium in 2021, continue to impress week after week. Tyler Lerman and other newcomers continue to show promise and with time, those victories will come.
You can catch the next week of Thunder action this coming Saturday, June 19th. The racing action kicks off at 4:00 pm.
Continue chasing the checkered and support your local short tracks. I hope to see you soon!
Featured cover photo credit goes to Jamie Williams at Finish Line Photography!
