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February 22, 2005 - We are back from the most extraordinary Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway that we have ever had. Everything was perfect - the weather, the crew, the competitors, the track officials, and the fans, but most of all the #47 Super Late Model. The Scott Fraser Chassis was perfect and after making a few changes to the set up Louie found himself not only setting fast time twice, winning twice, but eventually earning the Super Late Model points championship. The saying "It's never over till it's over" has never been more accurate than describing the final race. Just past the half way point it seemed like "it was over" with Mike Fritts leading the race and the #47 heading to the pits with a broken sway bar. While Louie and the crew worked quickly to repair the problem, Fritts was having trouble with some of the tough competitors that pushed him back several spots. For a great detailed summary of this final night got to Speed51.com

Also check out our photo album for some pictures from Florida

January 27, 2005 - It’s cold and we are getting anxious to go. Jason Boyd’s crew chief Donny arrived last Thursday from Orlando, FL to witness his first blizzard ever. Donny has been on hand to help the LCM team prepare the new MacLellan Metal Finishing #47 for our annual trip to New Smyrna Speedway for the 39th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing Speedweeks 2005. Racing will begin February 11th through the 19th, 2005. Special nights will include Thursday February 17th with a 50 lap feature and to round out the 9 nights of racing with a 100 lap feature on Saturday February 1. It will be an exciting race week with many more New Englanders making the trip south than ever before.

Included in the list of New Englanders is Jon McKennedy son of Dennis McKennedy – McKennedy Bros. Masonry, he will be racing for his first time at New Smyrna Speedway in a Tour Type Modified. Jon just came off a very successful year racing a 350 Super Modified at Lee USA Speedway and a ISMA Modified for Dunigan Motorsports. We wish Jon and his team the best of luck.

Check back at the beginning of the week for more updates. Also we wish Benji and Mike Rowe success at USA Speedway, Lakeland FL during Speedfest 2005 this weekend.

December 26, 2004 - After winning the 2004 LEE USA Speedway 350 super modified championship Turcotte Motorsports has decided to move on to the True Value Modified Series. Turcotte Motorsports has acquired a modified that Louie will be driving in the 2005 season.

Please check back for updates and up coming news. The schedule and picture page will be updated within the week. If you are planning on heading down to New Smyrna send us a e-mail or stop by and say Hello.

"Lightning" Lou Mechalides, Tyngsboro, MA; returned to his old stomping grounds, Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH; Friday night June 15, and when the checkered flag was displayed on lap 100, the veteran driver captured his third career win with the touring True Value Modified Racing Series. Mechalides is no stranger to feature wins at the Rte 125 oval. He is a former champion of the tracks super modified division driving for the same car owner, Marco Turcotte, Nashua, NH.

26 modified race cars towed to Lee for the "Rockingham Boat Spring Fling 100." Three 12 lap heat races and a 15 lap last chance consolation race determined the 24 car starting field .

When series flagman John Spence Jr, set the field in motion with the drop of the green flag, Tony Ricci, Westbrook, ME; a 2006 winner at Lee, jumped into the lead and set a fast pace early on. Outside pole sitter Rob Goodenough,Swanzey, NH; drew the first of four caution flags in the opening lap when he slowed and came to a stop in the second turn. Then with Goodenough in the pit area and out of the event, the race was quick to go back to green. Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT; was then in hot pursuit of the race leader with veterans Gary Casella, Saugus, MA; and Todd Patnode, Swanzey, NH; joining in. Dale Evonsion, E.Harland,CT; who started 10th on the field, was working his way to the front. Almost passing cars at will, the second generation driver moved to third spot on lap 6.

On lap 15, Ricci opened up a five car length lead on Pasteryak, with Evonsion, Casella, and Patnode in tow. On the next go around, 2nd year driver, Bryan Shumway,Belchertown, MA; spun and brought out the second caution period.

At the 20 lap mark, Ed Dachenhausen, Danbury, CT; wheeled his racer into fifth spot. Right behind him was Mechalides. who shared a sixth row start with the former Chemung, NY; champion. Mechalides started to stir the hometown crowd with precision moves in traffic and outside passes. It was clear that the Kingsley Automotive/Mid-City Paving/MacLellan Metals #40 was dialed in. Mechalides went by Pasteryak on lap 26, passed Evonsion on lap 30, and would take the top spot on lap 36.

Previous winners this season, Kirk Alexander,Swanzey, and Les Hinckley, Windsor, Locks, Two both started deep in the field had now cracked the top ten. Alexander was the point leader entering the race and Hinckley was fresh off a win two weeks ago at Canaan, NH.

Mechalides would set a torrid pace, leading the Black Mountain Painting half way award at lap 50. A third caution flag slowed the race on lap 57 for early race leader Ricci who spun. Longtime Lee racer and fan favorite,Vinnie Annarumo, Swansea, MA; moved into the top five on the 57th circuit.

Fans were starting to watch the Hinckley # 06 as the two time winner this season was starting to put on a late race show. By lap 70, Hinckley got past Annarummo, and cracked the top five. He dogged Alexander for several laps racing right behind the two time champ. Following a lap 88 caution for an Annarummo spin, the last ten laps got interesting. Hinckley was fifth with 10 laps to go; when the checkered flag was displayed the second generation driver was second. The charge to the front by Hinckley thrilled the crowd but it was the hometown driver,Mechalides, that put a charge into his old stomping grounds.

Jimmy Kuhn Jr, W.Bridgewater,MA; also made a late race run to the front to finish in the top five while Donny Lashua, Canaan,NH; garnered a solid sixth place finish driving the Jack Bateman entry.

Heat races were won by Ricci, Goodenough and Pasteryak with Mike Holdridge, Madison, CT winning the consi.

The True Value Modified Racing Series travels to Seekonk, Speedway, Seekonk, MA; Saturday June 23. Race time is 6:00PM

Race Summary:

Rockingham Boat Spring Fling 100

Cautions:, lap 1, lap 16, lap 57, lap 88

Leaders: #4 Ricci = 1-35, #40 Mechalides = 36-100

Non Qualifiers: Wayne Arute, Tommy Cravenho

Race Time: 41:05:857

Contingency Award Winners:

Black Mountain Painting 1/2 Way Bonus: Louie Mechalides

Koszela Speed 7th Place Award:Ed Dachenhausen

Sherwood Wheels 5th Place Award: Todd Patnode

Sunoco Hard Charger Award: Les Hinckley, 24-2

The second annual Sunoco Thompson Modified Mania TVMRS Series 75 lap event continued on Sunday, September 23rd after a delay of two weeks. The race had run two laps earlier this month before it was rained out. This time, race resumed Andy Seuss leading the field of cars around the track.

Lou Mechalides had a top five car during the practice sessions and continued on a roll when the race resumed. Mechalides won the 75 lap TVMRS race at Thompson Speedway after he moved into the lead on lap 23 and then dominated the race for the next 52 laps.

“We unloaded the car to day and it was pretty good,” said Mechalides. “I just never could have imagined that it was going to be that good come feature time. We have run a whole bunch of laps down here Pro Stocks and PASS cars but never got to win.”

As the green flag was thrown on Sunday, Seuss led the field of cars across the start line with Chris Pasteryak on his outside. Mechalides drove hard to get to the second position by lap nine. From that lap onward, Mechalides and Seuss tangoed as they exchanged the lead back and forth several times. Mechalides gained the lead for the last time on lap 23 and as Andy fought Lou for the lead on lap 27, Seuss’ brakes locked and he went into the wall between turn one and two.

“We had a great car again,” said Seuss. “Something happened and the brakes just

locked up. We were fighting that a little bit in practice. All of a sudden there were a ton of front brakes. There is an issue somewhere but unfortunately it destroyed the car. Hopefully we can salvage as much as we can.”

At the end of the race Mechalides found himself making a run for the lead against Tommy Cravenho in Gary Casella’s #25 car.

“They kept on telling me he was back there and I gave it all that I had for the last fifty laps or so,” said Mechalides. “I was just trying not to over drive in the corners and run a good lap. Then he got by me and I had to get it back from him. All of a sudden he was there.”

Tommy Cravenho who was doing double duty in the Modified Mania events made his way from 15th to second spot.

“I like this track,” said Cravenho. “I want to thank my sponsor for hooking me up with Gary Casella. They are a great bunch of guys that gave me a good car as you can see especially at the end. Hopefully the race was good for the fans.”

When the checkered flags were thrown Cravenho was a bride’s maid finishing only in second.

“We will take it,” said Cravenho. “We gained on him but maybe in the end I put it in too far in. I maybe should have slowed down a little. “

Jon McKennedy started way back in thirty-second, avoided accidents and maneuvered his way up to third by the end of the race. Jimmy Kuhn also made the right moves and maintained a top five car for almost the entire race.

Les Hinckley made it back up into the top five by lap 55. Then at one point in time he even made it all the way up to third spot but in the end he had to settle back for a fifth spot finish.

“We salvaged a good day out of it all in all,” said Hinckley. “I really think that we had one of the cars to beat all and all. It was really disappointing that we really could not get up and run with the leaders. I thought that we were going to have a shot at it but the car just freed up too much.”

Hinckley is now trailing Alexander by fourteen points in the battle for the TVMRS title.

Epping, NH – All-Star Speedway opened up the 2008 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship season on Saturday night, and it was local favorite Louie Mechalides of Tyngsboro, MA taking down the opening night win in the All-Star Modifieds.

When the 40-lap main event rolled out onto the high banks, Mechalides shared the front row with fellow heat winner Luke Royea, but not for long. After a few cautions slowed the pace in the early laps, Mechalides moved to the front, while Bill Clement, Matt Riley, Eric LeClair and Royea were all on the sidelines.

While Mechalides was having it easy out front, there was a great battle for position behind, with Jim Storace, Josh Cantara, Mike Murphy and Jimmy Kuhn swapping spots lap after lap. Out front meanwhile, Mechalides was in control, and he rolled the Marco Turcotte machine into victory lane at the end of the night.

Kuhn came on strong in the late going the finish second to Mechalides, while Cantara made the best of his debut to claim third at the checkers ahead of former Strictly Stock champ Murphy’s debut aboard the Ken Giles machine, and Jim Storace, who rounded out the top five.