Olsen Earns First Superspeedway Victory With Last-lap Triumph Over Caisse At New Hampshire Intl Speedway; Stretches Busch East Series Point Lead To 54
NOTE: Finish Revised 12:19 PM July 15 2006
LOUDON, N.H. – Mike Olsen led only one lap in Friday’s New England 125 NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway, but it was the one that counted. He dramatically passed Sean Caisse in turn three to win his first superspeedway race and score his second straight series win, boosting his point lead to 54 over Caisse, who led 95 laps, or over three-quarters of the race.
As late as lap 110, it looked like Caisse would cruise to his third win of the year, but he developed a push just as the track conditions came to Olsen late on the hot, humid afternoon. The Little Trees Chevrolet blew past Eddie MacDonald for second and began to close the gap on Caisse, At the five-to-go sign Olsen attempted a risky outside pass, got alongside the leader but could not complete the move. He tried the outside again at the white flag but switched to the inside in turn three. Caisse could not keep his car on the bottom and Olsen sailed to the win by 0.242 seconds, or about four car lengths. As the checkered flag waved, Caisse found himself in a drag race with Jerry Marquis for second, with Caisse prevailing in a near photo-finish.
Tracy Gordon charged into fourth in the closing laps with MacDonald hanging on for fifth. Busch Pole winner Brian Hoar was sixth with an engine which never matched its qualifying potential, while Sunoco Rookie contenders Ruben Pardo and John Freeman enjoyed career best finishes in seventh and eighth. Freeman won the Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award. Dave Dion hauled all the way from 40th and last on the grid to take ninth place and the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award. Joey MCarthy completed the top ten.
Peyton Sellers, in his NHIS debut, led the first nine laps from his outside front row start before Caisse swept by to begin his dominating performance. Caisse pitted early, at lap 21, allowing another AutoZone West Series visitor and first-time NHIS competitor, Andrew Myers, to lead 19 circuits before Caisse again took command. Olsen’s leadership of the last one-third lap won him $12,500 and helped him extend his Busch East Series lead, now 54 points over Caisse. Matt Koblyuck’s terrible NHIS luck continued as his engine failed after 35 laps, leaving him 36th at the finish, now over 150 points behind Olsen and dropping to third place.
Nine caution periods slowed the pace for 44 laps as Olsen averaged 85.428 miles per hour. Sellers’ accident on the back straight at lap 71 produced a red flag condition to clean up spilled fluid. A multi-car tangle in turn one eliminated John Salemi, Aaron Fike, and Patrick Dupree at lap 95, but no drivers were injured. Mike Johnson made contact with the inner front straight wall in the morning’s final practice session but his crew carried out extensive repairs and he finished 14th on the lead lap. Of the 40 starters, 28 were running at the checker, with 20 on the lead lap.
The Busch East Series returns to the short tracks on Saturday, July 29 with the Edge Hotel 150 at Adirondack International Speedway in Beaver Falls, N.Y.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH EAST SERIES
New England 125
New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H., Friday, July 14, 2006
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Hometown
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
5
61
Mike Olsen
N. Haverhill, N.H.
Little Trees Chevrolet
125
$12,500
2
3
44
Sean Caisse
Pelham, N.H.
Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet
125
$9,500
3
16
52
Jerry Marquis
Broad Brook, Conn.
Furnace & Duct Chevrolet
125
$7,800
4
10
33
Tracy Gordon
Strong, Maine
The Woodworks/Archer Corp. Ford
125
$7,300
5
1
45
Brian Hoar
Williston, Vt.
Goss Dodge Dodge
125
$7,300
6
17
12
Ruben Pardo
Mexico
Supercuts Dodge
125
$5,800
7
23
5
John Freeman
Huntersville, N.C.
Freeman's Stereo & Video Chevrolet
125
$5,700
8
40
29
Dave Dion
Hudson, N.H.
Berlin City/Continental Paving Ford
125
$5,900
9
13
3
Joey McCarthy
Randolph, N.J.
STI Motorsports Chevrolet
125
$4,400
10
8
47
Kelly Moore
Scarborough, Maine
NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
125
$3,500
11
14
35
Brad Leighton
Center Harbor, N.H.
Irving Oil Ford
125
$3,150
12
34
67
Jamie Aube
Manchester, N.H.
Red Line Oil Chevrolet
125
$3,550
13
6
96
Mike Johnson
Salisbury, Mass.
Johnson Lumber Ford
125
$3,450
14
20
03
Rocky Moran, Jr.
Irvine, Calif.
Telmex Chevrolet
125
$2,850
15
12
4
Andrew Myers
Newport Beach, Calif.
Toyota of Escondido Chevrolet
125
$2,750
16
21
30
Jeff Anton
Russell, Mass.
Engineered Floors Chevrolet
125
$3,150
17
26
32
Dale Quarterley
Westfield, Mass.
EDART/Northeast Mortgage Chevrolet
125
$2,625
18
18
01
Charles Lewandoski
Stafford Springs, Conn.
Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet
125
$3,100
19
25
8
Rich Gould
N. Brunswick, N.J.
Nassau Painting Chevrolet
125
$3,075
20
19
72
Nick Joanides
Woodland Hills, Calif.
MacDonald Motorsports Chevrolet
124
$2,550
21
28
84
Dion Ciccarelli*
Severn, Md.
Jamerson Motorsports/Star Sales Ford
124
$3,025
22
33
14
Joe Masessa
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Skin Cancer Foundation Chevrolet
124
$3,000
23
36
26
Scott Bouley
Thomaston, Conn.
Towne & Aurell Excavating Chevrolet
124
$2,975
24
7
06
Ryan Seaman
Toms River, N.J.
ERS Fleet Repair Chevrolet
121
$2,410
25
29
92
Doug Krpata
Bethpage, N.Y.
Island Trees Automotive Chevrolet
121
$2,350
26
38
10
Pierre Borque*
Ottawa, Ont.
Full Metal Minerals Chevrolet
121
$2,825
27
37
25
Jeremy Clark*
Cortland, N.Y.
Drake Oil Chevrolet
118
$2,800
28
32
15
John Salemi
Nashua, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
95
$2,800
Accident
29
22
41
Aaron Fike
Galesburg, Ill.
Mannings USA/Snacketizers Chevrolet
95
$2,300
Accident
30
30
24
Patrick Dupree
Onchiota, N.Y.
Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet
95
$2,800
Accident
31
24
88
Mike Gallo
Sanford, Maine
JBR Racing Ford
95
$2,300
Accident
32
11
99
Bryon Chew
Mattituck, N.Y.
Buzz Chew Chevrolet Chevrolet
95
$2,800
Overheating
33
2
31
Peyton Sellers
Danville, Va.
Whelen Engineering Chevrolet
71
$2,300
Accident
34
38
97
Brent Cross
Cortland, N.Y.
Cummings Auto Machine Chevrolet
40
$2,800
Engine
35
9
40
Matt Kobyluck
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
35
$2,800
Engine
36
31
16
Kip Stockwell
Braintree, Vt.
Stockwell Racing Chevrolet
35
$2,800
Electrical
37
27
00
Danny Sammons
Trenton, N.J.
Solhem Racing Chevrolet
29
$2,300
Overheating
38
35
1
Alex Hoag
Bath, N.Y.
Mavericks Fortune Racing Chevrolet
24
$2,800
Suspension
39
15
9
Tim Andrews
Concord, N.C.
Paul Andrews Racing Chevrolet
8
$2,300
Clutch
40
4
48
Eddie MacDonald
Rowley, Mass.
N.E. Mechanical Overlay Chevrolet
0
Disqualified
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 32 minutes, 11 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 85.428 mph
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.242 seconds
CAUTION PERIODS: 9 for 44 laps
LEAD CHANGES 4 among 4 drivers
LAP LEADERS: Sellers 1-9, Caisse 10-20, Myers 21-39, Caisse 40-124, Olsen 125
BUSCH POLE AWARD: Brian Hoar, Goss Dodge Intrpid (30.624 seconds @ 123.433 mph)
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Dave Dion, Berlin City/Continental Paving Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: John Freeman, MTX/Kenwood Audio Chevrolet
UNOFFICIAL BUSCH EASE SERIES POINT STANDINGS (wins)
1. Mike Olsen (2) 1025
2. Sean Caisse (2) 971
3. Matt Kobyluck (1) 877
4. Mike Johnson 867
5. Brian Hoar 845
6. Bryon Chew (1) 834
7. Charles Lewandoski 811
8. Joey McCarthy 802
9. Ruben Pardo 758
10. Jeff Anton 726
NEXT RACE: Adirondack Intl Speedway, Beaver Falls, N.Y., Saturday, July 29
