By Michelle Lavigne
Friday night this modchick and family headed to Lee USA Speedway to check
out the ISMA super modifieds. We missed practices and got there with about
twenty minutes to spare before heat races started. The worse thing about
racing on Friday nights is driving to a track in a hurry. With the ISMA tour
on the card for the night all heat races for Lee's lower divisions other
than the Late Models were not run.
I feel that I can classify myself as a big race fan but tend to go to shows
where I know the drivers and are familiar with the racing. I've been to Lee
a few times with the modifieds but this was the first time there for a show
without having a clue who anyone was. With only two exceptions of knowing
Wayne Helliwell Jr in the Late Model division and Boe Green who's crew guy is
93street from racersbored and then I really don't know him either.
I found myself on the edge of my seat and cheering for drivers I didn't even
know. Every division put on an awesome race. Jim Shorey in the hobby
stocks put on a great show taking the lead with very few laps left. Besides
the ISMA feature the street stocks put on one of the best shows I've seen in
a long time. Wayne Helliwell proved he was one hell of a fender driver.
Just when I thought he wouldn't have what it took to get past the leader he
pushed his car beyond limits to take the lead after battle on the outside
for many laps. All divisions of racing was side by side fender rubbing
action that had fans going nuts. And let me tell you the grandstands were
packed. There were very few empty seats.
In anticipation of the super feature the crowd was surprised with
motorcycles taking to the track. All shapes, forms and makes. There must
have been close to 100 taking to the track. Leader of the pack was Bentley
Warren, who I was told he used to race supers and was one hell of a driver.
After taking a few laps the lead motorcycles came to a stop on the
start/finish line. Mr. Warren announced that they had just completed their
charity ride to help benefit a young girl by the name of Megan. From what
was said Megan has a brain tumor and needs surgery which her insurance
company won't cover for some ridiculous reason if you ask me. Megan brought
tears to my own eyes as she thanked all the motorcycle riders there and
everyone who has helped her.
They say these ISMA guys are crazy, and I now know what they mean. They are
nuts but drive smooth and fast. Lee Speedway brought in a radar gun and
digital sign to record speed. Under caution laps they were clocking about 35
to 40 mph. But it wasn't very useful under green. The board locked up
because it only goes to 99 and can't read the speed. Hello those babies were
flying. And loud, I thought regular modifieds were loud. These guys make
them sound like go karts. The flagman had to hold on to the side of the flag
stand just to get his balance and the trees in turn one were just a
whipping. There were a total of four cautions for the seventy-five lap
event. These guys might be crazy but seemed they gave each other room and
drove clean. No bonzi or stupid moves wrecking half the field. I kept my
eye on the 11 of Chris Perley as he seemed to be the one people around me
were talking about pre-race time. After a few laps in I was impressed that
guy can drive. He started mid pack and was reeling them in one by one. His
number 11 would just come out of four and be almost into the wall to get a
good run. In the final laps of the race lap cars played a big part in who
was going to win the race. They weren't blocking the track or racing with
leaders but just changed up the front packs groove enough to let the 97 of
Bobby Santos catch the leaders. Bobby Santos just came out of no where. I
mean I didn't even see him coming through the pack as I was too amazed at
Perley. But with less than ten to go Santos took the lead. In victory lane
this 20 year old kid climbs out of this kick butt super modified. How can a
kid so young drive so smooth and kick some major butt. To me Santos
appeared to be a humble young man, no shock value, no fancy fire suit just
a good old American kid loving racing. His poor mother must have a head
full of gray hair or on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But the kids can
drive. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the high) this modchick rates a night
at Lee USA Speedway with ISMA an 11. I can't wait until the World Series at
Thompson in October when they will run again.
out the ISMA super modifieds. We missed practices and got there with about
twenty minutes to spare before heat races started. The worse thing about
racing on Friday nights is driving to a track in a hurry. With the ISMA tour
on the card for the night all heat races for Lee's lower divisions other
than the Late Models were not run.
I feel that I can classify myself as a big race fan but tend to go to shows
where I know the drivers and are familiar with the racing. I've been to Lee
a few times with the modifieds but this was the first time there for a show
without having a clue who anyone was. With only two exceptions of knowing
Wayne Helliwell Jr in the Late Model division and Boe Green who's crew guy is
93street from racersbored and then I really don't know him either.
I found myself on the edge of my seat and cheering for drivers I didn't even
know. Every division put on an awesome race. Jim Shorey in the hobby
stocks put on a great show taking the lead with very few laps left. Besides
the ISMA feature the street stocks put on one of the best shows I've seen in
a long time. Wayne Helliwell proved he was one hell of a fender driver.
Just when I thought he wouldn't have what it took to get past the leader he
pushed his car beyond limits to take the lead after battle on the outside
for many laps. All divisions of racing was side by side fender rubbing
action that had fans going nuts. And let me tell you the grandstands were
packed. There were very few empty seats.
In anticipation of the super feature the crowd was surprised with
motorcycles taking to the track. All shapes, forms and makes. There must
have been close to 100 taking to the track. Leader of the pack was Bentley
Warren, who I was told he used to race supers and was one hell of a driver.
After taking a few laps the lead motorcycles came to a stop on the
start/finish line. Mr. Warren announced that they had just completed their
charity ride to help benefit a young girl by the name of Megan. From what
was said Megan has a brain tumor and needs surgery which her insurance
company won't cover for some ridiculous reason if you ask me. Megan brought
tears to my own eyes as she thanked all the motorcycle riders there and
everyone who has helped her.
They say these ISMA guys are crazy, and I now know what they mean. They are
nuts but drive smooth and fast. Lee Speedway brought in a radar gun and
digital sign to record speed. Under caution laps they were clocking about 35
to 40 mph. But it wasn't very useful under green. The board locked up
because it only goes to 99 and can't read the speed. Hello those babies were
flying. And loud, I thought regular modifieds were loud. These guys make
them sound like go karts. The flagman had to hold on to the side of the flag
stand just to get his balance and the trees in turn one were just a
whipping. There were a total of four cautions for the seventy-five lap
event. These guys might be crazy but seemed they gave each other room and
drove clean. No bonzi or stupid moves wrecking half the field. I kept my
eye on the 11 of Chris Perley as he seemed to be the one people around me
were talking about pre-race time. After a few laps in I was impressed that
guy can drive. He started mid pack and was reeling them in one by one. His
number 11 would just come out of four and be almost into the wall to get a
good run. In the final laps of the race lap cars played a big part in who
was going to win the race. They weren't blocking the track or racing with
leaders but just changed up the front packs groove enough to let the 97 of
Bobby Santos catch the leaders. Bobby Santos just came out of no where. I
mean I didn't even see him coming through the pack as I was too amazed at
Perley. But with less than ten to go Santos took the lead. In victory lane
this 20 year old kid climbs out of this kick butt super modified. How can a
kid so young drive so smooth and kick some major butt. To me Santos
appeared to be a humble young man, no shock value, no fancy fire suit just
a good old American kid loving racing. His poor mother must have a head
full of gray hair or on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But the kids can
drive. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the high) this modchick rates a night
at Lee USA Speedway with ISMA an 11. I can't wait until the World Series at
Thompson in October when they will run again.
