Jeff White didn’t have the fastest car Tuesday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. — that distinction went to Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass. — but it mattered little to the Winthrop driver.

“We went down there to see if it we could get it a little quicker, and we did,” White said. “We’re still a little off, but we’re getting there.”

White was one of 45 drivers who participated in a test and tune session at Loudon in preparation for the second annual All-Star Late Model Challenge on Aug. 12 and 13.

The glorified practice also featured a pair of 12-lap simulation races.

White won the second race, holding off American-Canadian Tour drivers Brian Hoar and John Donahue.

“It was just a simulation, but it still feels good to hold them off,” White said. “It was fun. It was different.”

White and his Phoenix Welding/Johnson’s Auto No. 50 car traveled to Loudon last year for a practice session. However, he wasn’t picked to run in the race. This year, thanks to a June victory in a 150-lap ACT race at Oxford Plains Speedway, he’s in.

On Tuesday, White said he was clocking between 32 and 33 seconds a lap.

MacDonald turned in the fastest lap Tuesday, finishing one in 31.59 seconds.

“It’s awesome,” White said. “We took good notes when we were there. We’re all psyched. It’s going to be a blast.”

* * *

Greg Cummings knows it’s going to take quite a finish to win his first points title at Unity Raceway.

But the Augusta driver also knows his 1976 Ford Pinto is opening a few eyes at the track this summer.

“We’re out there every week,” he said. “We haven’t been out of the top five all season. We’re holding our own.”

Cummings is third in points in the Monsta Mini class, trailing Mike Wilson and frontrunner Zach Audet.

“We haven’t won yet this year, but we have some time left,” Cummings said. “We’ve kept our goal, though.”

Cummings finished fourth in the class last season.

He trails Wilson by 26 points and Audet by 63.

“I didn’t expect this,” Cummings said. “I hoped, but didn’t expect it. In the back of your mind, you knew it was going to be a long road because these guys are tough. It’s a tough place to race. It’s a challenge. We have eight weeks left. I’m really going to have to work, work, work to get by Mike. It won’t be easy. We’ll have to work to get there, but that’s why we’re in the garage and not watching TV at night.”

* * *

David Folsom I maintained his Late Model points lead at Unity over Jeff Burgess after winning a qualifying heat and then the feature last weekend.

The Skowhegan driver leads Burgess by 10 points.

Not bad, considering Folsom needed a new frame for his Late Model after a wreck two weeks ago.

“We won the qualifying heat race and the feature, which is pretty good after destroying the car the week before,” Folsom said. “We wrecked the car but still finished third in that race, which helped.”

Burgess and Folsom have occupied the top two spots in the class for much of the season.

“I’m sure Jeff and I will swap the points lead a few more times,” Folsom said. “It’s proving to be a good year. It’s been fun.”

* * *

Seven races. Six blown tires.

It’s been that type of season for Samantha Farnham, 22, who races an Oldsmobile in Unity’s six cylinder class.

“My first race went really well,” said Farnham, who lives in Benton with her boyfriend, George Fernald III. “We finished fifth. Then I’ve blown a tire in every race. It’s been every week. I’m hoping to get up there. The car runs right up there with them, but then my tires blow and I can’t finish the race.”

Track operator George Fernald Jr. says Farnham is just one of two women racing at Unity this summer. Mika Wilson of Chelsea is the other.

Farnham says “it’s no big deal” to race against the guys, but acknowledges she gets treated a bit different.

“I’ve been pushed around,” she said, “but I fight right back. If I keep fighting back, they’ll know I can take it.”

Farnham is sixth in points in the Six Cylinder Challenger division.

* * *

Left turns: Jeff Taylor of Farmington followed up his impressive run at the 38th annual TD Bank 250 by winning a 150-lap ACT feature at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway last weekend. Taylor, who owns a track record nine points championships at Oxford Plains Speedway, finished sixth at the TD Bank 250 on July 24. … The Pro All Stars Series North resumes Saturday with the PASS 150 at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, Mass. Farmingdale native Johnny Clark leads the series in points with 1,976. Ben Rowe of Turner is second with 1,912.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

 

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