Travis Benjamin passed the GSPSS field at Riverside Speedway and went on to the winning streak. (GSPSS photo)
Travis Benjamin is quickly making a home for himself with the Granite State Pro Stock Series – especially on the winning streak.
The award-winning racer from Belfast, Maine, took the lead in Saturday night’s VT&NH Racing News 100 at Riverside Speedway, claiming his second consecutive GSPSS win and leading a one-two for Petit Motorsports.
“For the past two years, we’ve fought and fought and fought,” Benjamin said. “We worked really hard over the winter and this year some new people have supported us. This car was great.”
Benjamin started from pole following a pre-race draw but slipped to third on the opening laps as Brandon Barker set the early pace. Joey Doiron, the reigning GSPSS champion and Benjamin’s new teammate, tracked his former teammate Barker along the high banks in search of a suitable opening.
Finally, Doiron found space under Barker to fight for the lead, taking first place on lap 27 and relegating Benjamin to second. It only took Benjamin a few laps to regroup, get back on offense and be the first to pressure Doiron. Benjamin pushed forward and finally took the lead on lap 35.
A spin by Luke Hinkley slowed the race on lap 44, but Benjamin was uncatchable at the restart and took his first career win at the quarter-mile track in Groveton, NH.
Doiron finished second, his third consecutive second place finish at Riverside dating back to 2019. In his first GSPSS race since winning the title last year, the Berwick, Maine driver achieved his best result for the Petit Motorsports team and completed a top result. two sweeps for the Maine-based operation.
“I’ve been here three times and finished second each time,” said Doiron. “We’re going to try to change a few things and see if we can try to do better. Maybe we’ll come back in August and try again.”
Barker was never seriously threatened for third place and scooped up a trophy for car owner Archie St Hilaire on his first visit to the track.
Ryan Green finished fourth on his Riverside debut and Evan Beaulieu was fifth on his first outing to the track in over ten years. The two Mainers rounded out the top five finish for Maine drivers in a hard-fought field.
Benjamin is the fourth different winner of six GSPSS events at Riverside since 2013. After not winning his first five GSPSS starts in 2017, Benjamin now has two straight wins to his name. A winner of some of New England’s biggest races, Benjamin holds the unofficial point lead in the series with two races out of eight completed.
The next event on the Granite State Pro Stock Series calendar is the series’ first-ever trip to Speedway 95 on Saturday, June 24th. At the third mile oval just outside of Bangor, Maine, GSPSS will host the first race in Pine Tree State since 2021.
Feature Results
1. (7B) Travis Benjamin
2. (73D) Joey Doiron
3. (32) Brandon Barker
4. (93) Ryan Green
5. (56) Evan Beaulieu
6. (7CT) Cory Casagrande
7. (94) Garrett Hall
8. (21ME) David Oliver
9. (31NH) Luke Hinkley
10. (4NH) Jamie Swallow, Jr.
11. (14) Matt Frahm
DNA (39) Nick Lascuola
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