Hudson NH – Eric Vilandre won the Mario “Fats” Caruso Memorial Race for the New England V-6 Modifieds on Sunday evening August 1st at Hudson International Speedway. It was a nostalgic night with Caruso’s Worcester Sand and Gravel Coupe on hand and announcer John “Spider” Spence back behind the mic for the first time in fifteen years at Hudson Speedway.

Caruso was a local racing legend whose career spanned six decades beginning in 1949 and ending in 1991. Nicknamed “The Shrewsbury Flash” Caruso won races all over the Northeast and started two races in what is now Sprint Cup. He spawned two more generations of racers with his late son David Caruso and two grandsons Jeff and Keith Caruso.

Vilandre led most of the V-6 feature but was hounded throughout by Keith Caruso. Caruso tried high and low but couldn’t get a run on Vilandre. Coming off the last corner of the last lap Caruso had a run on the outside and got up to Vilandre’s door but Vilandre made it across the finish line to deny Caruso. Dick Dubois finished third followed by Anthony Frissora, Louie Maher, Tony Dubois and Jay Chicohas.

Jason Carroll won his first career win in the caution-free Roadrunner feature. Carroll started on the front row and quickly built a large lead. By the halfway point of the race the usual frontrunners led by Louie Maher had made it past slower cars and began reeling in Carroll. Maher got to Carroll’s bumper with five to go and tried high and low in closing laps but couldn’t find a way past Carroll. Carroll survived being knocked a bit sideways twice in the closing laps to bring the Angry Pork Racing Infinti G20 home in first place. Second through tenth were Maher, Loren Smith Jr., Dave Helliwell, Derek Griffith, Jef James, Don Soucy, Myles Devits, Matt Lombardi and Eric Miller. Maher and James won the heats.

Corrie Merritt took the early lead in the Rookie stock main until Heath Tortellotte took over. A few laps later Tortellotte held the top spot on a restart with Chris Augevitch outside of him. Toutellotte and Augevitch ran door to door for a few laps until Augevitch finally cleared Toutellotte. Augevitch began stretching his lead. Meanwhile Dean Wendell was working his way up, going to the outside to pass three freight-training cars to go from sixth to second in two laps and set his sights on Augevitch. Wendell began cutting into Augevitch’s lead but needed more laps to catch him and had to settle for second place. Tortellotte finished third. Bill Helliwell was fourth and Rosebud Shea had a fine run in the first time out in a newly purchased racer and finished fifth. Sixth through tenth were Jerry Lepage, Ron Coombs, Dan Murphy Jr., Scotty Duval and Merritt. Helliwell and Slika Ennis won the heats.

Rob Bryant took home the top honors in the Classic Lites feature. Bryant started thirteenth and sliced his way to the lead near the halfway mark of the race. George Helliwell started next to Bryant in fourteenth and got up to second about the same time. Helliwell was on Bryant’s bumper the rest of the way but the two cars were just about equal and Helliwell had to watch as Bryant passed under the checkers in right in front of him. Billy Ryder started last in field in the tenth row and drove up to finish third. Eddie Gilman started twelve and came home fourth while Jimmy Ryder Jr. started eleventh and finished fifth. Sixth through tenth were Jon Provost, Danny Shields, Dwayne Skofield, Jeff Gilman and Josh Provost. Helliwell and Billy Ryder won the heats.

Chad Wendell won the Thunder Lite feature to add to his ridiculous 300+ points lead in the youth division. Sammy Gilman was second and Carlos Esquivel had his first podium finish in third place. Dylan Beecher won the heat.

John Nickerson won the Spectator Drags and the Spectator Race. Robert Burke won the Flagpole Race.

On Sunday evening August 8th at Hudson International it’s the Outlaws, 50 lap full size Enduro and Peter Fiandaca’s NEAR Hall of Fame induction plus Rookies, Roadrunners, Thunder Lites, Spectator Race, Spectator Drags and Flagpole Race. Gates open at 4pm and the first green is at 6pm. For more info please visit www.hudsonspeedway.info.