Dylan Bodreau (45) and Jack McClay battle in Super Street action at Claremont Speedway last summer.
Dylan Bodreau (45) and Jack McClay battle in Super Street action at Claremont Speedway last summer. Credit: Gary Dutton photograph

Claremont — Sunapee’s Dana Smith grabbed the first win of the season in the headlining Modified action as Claremont Speedway opened its 70th consecutive season of asphalt auto racing on Friday night.

Smith started in the second spot on the grid after heats, eventually topping pole-sitter Mike Douglas for the win on opening night. Nick Salva, Bucky Demers and Todd Patnode closed out the top five.

Charlestown’s Hayden Scott charged forward from the No. 7 spot at the start to take the Super Streets feature. Sunapee’s Richard Bly got past Claremont’s Jack McClay for second, with two other Claremont drivers, Lenny Silver and Dylan Bodreau, filling out the top five. Defending track champ Aaron Fellows had an off night to start, ending up in 12th place out of a packed field of 20.

Scott Vien, of Ashland, N.H., got the win in the Limited Sportsmen, while Newport’s Greg Millette opened the year by claiming the first Wildcats feature of the new season.

Claremont Speedway’s schedule will include four weekly divisions along with appearances from the Granite State Pro Stock Series on June 2 and Valenti Modified Racing Series on July 7.

The 20-week schedule continues next Friday night, with Claremont’s Super Streets, Limited Sportsmen and Wildcats sharing the track with the North East Mini Stock Tour. Gates open and practice starts at 4:30 p.m., with the first green flag set for 7 p.m.