HUDSON, N.H. -- Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.’s second career Granite State Pro Stock Series win was a long time coming, but on Sunday afternoon at Hudson Speedway, the young racer claimed it at last.
The Candia, N.H., teen took charge on lap 26 of the Governor’s 100 and led the rest of the way to pick up his first GSPSS win since 2018.
And in Renfrew’s rear-view mirror, points leader Joey Doiron finished second to officially clinch his second GSPSS championship.
“I knew if I let Joey go, I’d probably never see him again,” an elated Renfrew said in victory lane. “I tried to keep the pressure on there and got by him.”
Renfrew rolled off third, but quickly settled into polesitter Doiron’s shadow, chasing his Dale Shaw Race Cars teammate around the high-banked quarter-mile. A quick caution ten laps in put Renfrew inside of Doiron for the restart, but Doiron was able to clear his challenger for the lead.
Try as he might, though, Doiron was unable to break away from Renfrew altogether. Renfrew stalked Doiron around the inside, finally finding an opening to challenge for the lead. Renfrew powered through on the curb to take the top spot as Doiron fell to second.
As the race remained green, Renfrew built an advantage over Doiron, picking through lapped traffic as the field spread out around the tiny oval. A pair of dueling lapped cars presented Doiron with a glimmer of hope with ten laps to go, but Renfrew was able to pick them off one at a time.
In the end, Doiron could only watch as Renfrew crossed the line 2.269 seconds ahead to win his first GSPSS feature since a breakthrough win at Star Speedway almost four years ago.
Doiron’s consolation prize, though, came courtesy of his eighth straight top-five finish. The 2019 GSPSS champion officially clinched the 2022 crown after Sunday’s race, joining series veteran Mike O’Sullivan as the only two repeat champions in series history.
Lee USA Speedway winner Casey Call held on for third after starting on the outside of the front row. Top rookie and points runner-up Nick Cusack rebounded from back-to-back misfortunes to place fourth, with Star Speedway feature winner Bryan Kruczek rounding out the top-five.
The final race of the 2022 Granite State Pro Stock Series season is the Ty Cooper 100 at Star Speedway on Friday, September 16, as the GSPSS kicks off Star’s annual Star Classic Weekend with an evening of fendered racing. Joey Doiron, who will be formally crowned as champion, is also the defending race winner.
For more information on the Granite State Pro Stock Series, visit www.gspss.net or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS, Governor’s 100, September 4, 2022
1. (00) Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.
2. (73) Joey Doiron
3. (90NH) Casey Call
4. (2) Nick Cusack
5. (19) Bryan Kruczek
6. (7CT) Cory Casagrande
7. (46) Dylan Estrella
8. (10) Kate Re
9. (77) Jeremy Sorel
10. (77H) Bill Helliwell
11. (05F) Bobby Frappier
12. (01) Sammy Gooden
13. (82J) Jason Ryan
14. (40) Mike Mitchell
-Story by: Souza Media/Granite State Pro Stock Series
-Photo credit: Rob Branning