The start of the 2022 Granite State Pro Stock Series this Sunday afternoon at Claremont Motorsports Park, is seeing the return of one of New Hampshire’s busiest, but also youngest rising talents. Just weeks after celebrating his 19th birthday, Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. has already become a very visible driver in his home state since moving up to stock cars in 2018.
Winning in GSPSS in 2018 at Star Speedway, the expectations were high in 2019, but proceeding wins did not come. Coupled with the COVID-19 shutdown in early 2020, Renfrew put more of a focus on racing Late Models and enjoying further success in Street Stocks.
After a 2021 season that included checking off his first career American-Canadian Tour Late Model victory, Refrew Jr. is taking the No. 00 back to the GSPSS for a title run.
“I am excited, I’ve only run one Pro Stock race since the end of 2020. Basically, took a full year off last year after running select races two years ago. So, we’re getting back to it fulltime this year after running fulltime in ACT and White Mountain in the Late Models for the last year and a half. We did good, but I’m looking forward to getting back in a Pro Stock,” Renfrew Jr. told Racing America.
While the nine-race championship trail for GSPSS is a top priorty, Jimmy and Renfrew Motorsports are not backing off their overall schedule; which has been already been a busy one since January. Renfrew Jr’s latest success came just this past weekend, when he won the Open Street Stock feature during the Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
“Probably between 60 and 70 races, which is about what I’ve run the last few years. Only difference this year is that we’re doing more Pro Stock and Late Model races, with a little less Street Stock racing. But, we still got 10 or 12 Street Stock races planned, not counting the ones we’ve already done. We’ll be doing some Late Model Sportsman stuff too.”
For the past two years, Renfrew Jr. has had much of his Street Stock and Late Model Sportsman success at Claremont. Through all those races, he has gained confidence at a short track that many in New England consider to be one of the toughest to master.
“For sure, since the last time I raced a Pro Stock there in 2020, I’ve progressed at Claremont in every division I’ve raced in. We’ve won in Late Model Sportsman, won a handful in Street Stocks. I’ve got so much more confidence at that track. The way it’s designed you can never have your car run great at both ends, you can’t run well in 1 & 2 without giving something up in 3 & 4, and vice-versa. If you can get your car neutral on both ends, you can in the race.”
Not surprisingly, Renfrew Jr. believes that he has a very good chance of parking the No. 00 in victory lane after 100 laps around the 3/8-mile oval on Sunday afternoon.
“Yes I do, we built a brand-new car for Granite State with Dale Shaw Race Cars, and I think it’s going to be the best car I’ve had so far. It’s my first brand-new Pro Stock since I started. I’d like to leave Sunday with a win for sure, and get our season started off in the right direction. I believe we can do that.”