This coming week, thousands of racing fans will flock to New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon to see their heros in action. But throughout the summer months, thousands to to Lee USA, Star Speedway, Monadnock and half a dozen smaller tracks. They go for their weekly racing fix. These tracks are the training ground for young drivers including women. NHPR Correspondent Jim Jeannotte has the story.
#52 (Nat Sound) (7 sec) �Hang on to your hat folks. ISMA Supermodifieds back here at Lee USA Speedway ready to kick off the night.�
THAT WAS THE CALL TO ACTION AS ABOUT 3,000 FANS CAME TO CHEER FOR THEIR FAVORITE RACE CAR DRIVERS AT A RECENT FRIDAY NIGHT SHOW AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY. NEARLY A DOZEN SMALL TRACKS IN THE GRANITE STATE HOLD WEEKLY PROGRAMS AND THEY�RE FINDING NEW HAMPSHIRE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY�S WINSTON CUP RACING WEEKENDS TOUGH TO COMPETE AGAINST. BUT, AS LEE�S GENERAL MANAGER, PETER WATSON NOTES, THERE ARE BENEFITS TO TRACKS LIKE HIS.
Pete Watson
#3 (11 sec) �If you came to a small oval like Lee, you�re like ten feet away from high speed cars at some times. You can feel the cars come by.� BUTT/BYTE #5 (11 sec) �You can smell it. You can�t smell it at New Hampshire because it�s a huge track and you�re quite a ways from the actual surface of racing. You can see the whole track here.
AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY, RACES ARE RUN IN FIVE DIVISIONS RANGING FROM PRO STOCK CARS TO THE FOUR-CYLINDER ROAD RUNNERS DIVISION. ACCORDING TO WATSON, IT�S RACING THE WAY OLD TIMERS REMEMBER IT TO BE.
Pete Watson
# 7 (14 sec) �This is really experiencing racing the way racing started off being...small track, tight racing. A lot of action. Guys go home here to repair their cars an awful lot because they run tight and they bend up metal quite a bit.�
ONE OF THOSE GUYS IS WAYNE HELLIWELL SENIOR, A BODY SHOP OPERATOR FROM PELHAM. HE HAS BEEN RACING AT LEE FOR 20 YEARS AND IS CURRENTLY SECOND IN THE POINT STANDINGS IN THE POPULAR PRO STOCK DIVISION
Wayne Helliwell Sr
# 16 (19 Sec) �It takes a different individual to drive them. Plus I have triple duty. I build them and drive them. These are my own cars. We maintenance out of our house. We just built a new garage two years ago, houses three Pro Stocks. As far as a special breed, you don�t have any other life but auto racing, but I like it.�
DRIVERS AND OWNERS DON�T MAKE MUCH MONEY WHEN WORKING THESE NEW HAMPSHIRE TRACKS. AT LEE, A WINNER CAN POCKET $1,200 AND EVERYONE WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE NIGHT�S FEATURE RACE TAKES HOME TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS. BUT ACCORDING TO WATSON, THE DRIVERS PARTICIPATING AT HIS TRACK GENERALLY WON�T MAKE A PROFIT.
Peter Watson
# 9 (13 sec) No. Absolutely not. It probably cost them more than what they can make. In the Pro Stock Division, just to race here on a Friday night, just to buy tires and fuel, you�re looking at five hundred bucks.�
HELLIWELL, ONE OF LEE�S TOP DRIVERS, AGREES. HE�S NOT IN THE GAME FOR THE MONEY.
Wayne Helliwell Sr
# 18 (7 sec) �Most years, you�re going to break even. That�s a good year. I think now out of 24 years, only three years out of that have I made money.�
ONE THING TRACKS LIKE LEE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THEIR BIG-TIME WINSTON CUP TRACKS IS THE FATHER-SON DRIVING COMBINATIONS. THE FATHERS AND SONS IN THE EARNHARDT AND PETTY FAMILIES HAVE COMPETED AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND AT LEE WAYNE HELLIWELL�S 22-YEAR-OLD SON, WAYNE JUNIOR, IS RIGHT BEHIND HIM IN THE PRO STOCK DIVISION STANDINGS. HELLIWELL SENIOR SAYS EMOTIONS RANGE FROM WORRY TO HAPPINESS WHEN COMPETING AGAINST HIS SON.
Wayne Helliwell Sr
# 23 (13 sec) �In one way, it�s a real good feeling, but in other ways, I worry for him. Bottom line, I really enjoy it. I just wish I could get my other son George out there soon. Hopefully next year, there can be three of us out there.�
WAYNE JUNIOR, WHO HAS BEEN DRIVING SINCE HE WAS 13, SAYS BEING AROUND A TRACK IS WHERE HE WANTS TO BE.
Wayne Helliwell Jr.
#43 (8 sec) �I grew up around it. Since a little kid, I�ve been brought to the race track. It�s just something that once it�s in your blood, it�s in your blood. I love it. There�s nothing I�d rather do.�
THERE�S EVEN A FATHER-DAUGHTER COMBINATION AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY. 19-YEAR-OLD MELANIE VENCIS IS CURRENTLY THE POINTS LEADER IN THE ROAD RUNNERS DIVISION. HER FATHER BOB RACED FROM 1979 TO 1997.
Bob Vencis
#34 (10 sec) �That�s when I got out of it and got my daughter involved. Actually, in �99 I decided to build a car for her.� BUTT/BYTE # 36 (12 Sec) �It�s quite a feeling to see someone you know, especially your daughter out there winning races and running up front. It�s really a great feeling.�
AND HOW DO HER MALE OPPONENTS FEEL ABOUT GETTING BEAT BY A FEMALE DRIVER?
Melanie Vencis
# 31 (11 sec) �I don�t think they like the fact there�s a female running against you. I believe they don�t like that. Can you feel that on the track? Do they bump you? Yes they do, a lot.�
BUT MELANIE�S FATHER SAYS CONTACT IS PART OF THE GAME.
Bob Vencis
# 40 (16 sec) �That�s all part of racing. We�re not here at a chess game, we�re at racing. Ever since racing started, it�s been a contact sport and that�s the way it�s always going to be. Some of them may not like it, but she can take it and she can dish it out.�
MELANIE HOPES HER BUMPER-TO-BUMPER DRIVING WILL HELP HER ACHIEVE SOME OTHER RACING GOALS.
Melanie Vencis
# 29 (8 sec) �To hopefully move up to either Pro Stock or Late Models. And hopefully pursue either Rookie of the Year or another championship, possibly.
ADMISSION WAS ONLY TWELVE DOLLARS AT LEE�S RECENT FRIDAY NIGHT SHOW, WITH CHILDREN UNDER 10 FREE. BUT WITH RACE FANS SAVING THEIR DOLLARS TO ATTEND THE WINSTON CUP EVENTS AT NHIS, THE SMALLER TRACKS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET THEM BACK TO THEIR LOCAL OVALS. LEE�S GENERAL MANAGER PETER WATSON SAYS THE LOCAL TRACKS MAY HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.
Peter Watson
# 13 (18 sec) �Well we�ve been surviving to this point. I think that in the future, we need to look at, not only at Lee Speedway, but also Star Speedway and Monadnock, and we need to come up with programs to work together so a lot of these guys can race two nights a week instead of one.�
# 55 (7 sec) (Nat Sound) �So a big win for the number 67. Here comes your qualifying event winner. How about a round of applause for Johnny Payne.�
FOR NHPR NEWS, I�M JIM JEANNOTTE.
