Hunt for October: Championship to be Decided at World Series
Walpole, NH- The 2014 Granite State Pro Stock Series Champion will be crowned at the World Series at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) on October 18-19.
Dillon Moltz holds a slim 16 point lead over veteran racer Larry Gelinas after 10 of 11 events, and a 17 point lead over Matt Frahm. Moltz, driving the Brackett Mechanical/RB Performance machine, has quietly jumped into the lead, after finishing in the top 5 in his last four races, including a win at the NH Classic at Star Speedway. “We are going into Thompson (Speedway Motorsports Park) with all guns loaded and not holding anything back,” Moltz exclaimed. “We are going to go there doing what we've been doing all year.”
The Waterford, Connecticut driver hasn’t always performed up to his liking. A stretch of races forced Moltz to relinquish a top spot for a trip down pit road, possibly costing him a win. Even with the adversity, Moltz and his team never gave up. Moltz posted a quote on his Facebook page recently, saying “Sometimes you have to get knocked down, to see how hard you’re willing to fight.” Moltz added in an interview “that quote is what we've always used to pick ourselves up through the hard times this year, and it truly does show how hard you’re willing to fight for something you’re so passionate about. There is no “quit” in our vocabulary.”
Gelinas held the points lead early in the year, after setting a blistering pace, including a win at the Gate City Classic at Hudson International Speedway. The Buxton, Maine driver suffered a few setbacks, including a chance at a win at Star Speedway, spinning into the infield after contact with Wayne Helliwell, JR. on the last corner of the race. Gelinas has been back on track with his consistent driving style, finishing in the top 10 in the last three races. Gelinas would need to gain 8 spots on Moltz in the feature to put the two drivers in a tie, provided the two finish in the same spots in qualifying.
The driver leading the championship standings before the last race, held at White Mountain Motorsports Park (WMMP), Matt Frahm, currently sits third. Frahm, the career wins leader in the series, was involved in an incident during the Fadden General Store 100 at WMMP, taking the Hampstead, New Hampshire driver out of the race. “My mindset has definitely changed after the wreck at WMMP, because now I realize the championship is possibly out of grasp, because of the top 3 being so close in points,” Frahm said. “We will do everything in our power to come out on top, and if not, it was still a great season for us.” Frahm’s determination and preparation make him a threat to challenge for the 2014 championship.
The early entry list shows two standout names as who have a chance to steal a victory at the World Series at TSMP. Fresh off his pro stock DAV win at Seekonk Speedway, Derek Ramstrom will be at the October 18-19 event. Ramstrom, who has seen time behind the wheel of a pro stock and modified race car, is on fire as of late, adding a PASS win at Beech Ridge before winning the DAV event.
Also on the entry list, Jason Boyd will pilot the Louie Mechalides prepared #47 machine. Boyd, from Edgewater, Florida, is a strong wheelman out of the late model ranks around the southeastern area of the country, who has won at the famed New Smyrna Speedway. With Mechalides knowledge and equipment, the duo will be one to watch at the Thompson, Connecticut speedway.
Another eye-opener on the entry list is the Tiverton, Rhode Island native, Ray Parent. Parent, a regular on the ACT tour, joins the GSPSS regulars in the quest to take the top spot at the World Series. The Amtrol Racing driver is the 2012 winner of the Bond Auto Parts ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, and recently won the late model portion of the DAV at Seekonk Speedway.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series will wrap up it’s 2014 season at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on October 18-19 at the World Series of Racing, joining 13 other divisions for a weekend packed full of racing. For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, contact Mike Parks at mparks@gspss.net, or visit our website, www.gspss.net.
