The No. 51 car at the Monadnock Motor Speedway in Winchester, New Hampshire contains an 11-year-old racing fanatic from Whately who’s been around racing almost her whole life.
Throughout the 2026 season at Monadnock, Maeve Barry’s resume contains 13 top five finishes. Barry drives in the Young Guns races every Saturday. Of the 13 top five finishes, Barry placed second in ten of them
Barry started driving early, and there was a strategy.
“There’s a saying for every new race car driver,” Barry said. “It’s low and slow. Just learning your way around the track. Let everyone work around you.”
This is not go-karts or something similar. Barry drives a four-cylinder automatic 2000 Dodge Neon.
“I love the excitement of it,” Barry said. “Being in a car at such a young age, it’s so exciting.”
When racing, Barry does not pay attention to the speedometer. Barry likes to find a certain groove and stick with it during competition.
“I don’t really pay attention to speed,” Barry said. “I am kind of scared about looking away from the track. “
Garrett Barry, Maeve’s father, is a race car driver himself. All through her childhood, Maeve and her brother were around racing. It wasn’t just watching the races.
“I would make them learn stuff,” Garrett Barry said. “Change tires, work in the garage with me…they had jobs to do.”
When Monadnock began the Young Guns category, Barry pounced on the opportunity to begin her own racing career. The Young Guns category includes racers up to age 16.
“I asked her if she wanted to do it,” said Garrett. “I had a car, and it was one of those deals — try it, if you like it, and if you don’t like it, that’s fine too.”
Race car drivers, at any age, are exempt from needing a driver’s license. Barry has a NASCAR license, which allows her to operate a motor vehicle within the confines of a racing event.
Barry is scheduled to compete again on Saturday at the Brousseau Memorial event back at Monadnock, with gates opening at 3 p.m.
Greenfield Tennis Association
In the Division B semifinals held at Highland Park on August 26, the Raqueteers (Jim Welch/Craig Cohen) defeated The Dirt Ballers (Andrew Varnon/Nick Nolta) 6-1, 6-4.
In the other semifinal match, The Pickleball Dropouts (Nate Smith/Colin Hamill) defeated The TBD (Mario Pareja/Noah Kolodziej) 6-4, 6-2. The finals will be played Friday at 5 p.m. at the Highland Clay Courts.
Soapbox racing
With the 2026 Montague Soapbox Races on the horizon, there is an event coming to spruce up the aesthetics or help the build of your speed-racing machine. The organization is holding a Build Party in front of Nova Motorcycles in Turners Falls on Sept. 12 starting at 10 a.m.
There will be a few cart experts on hand and possibly welding assistance. Bring spare bike parts, spare lumber, spare rods, poles, string, rope, bells and whistles. Tools and fasteners would be helpful as well.
The first race of the season is scheduled for Sept. 27.
Golf
Northfield Golf Course
Timmons-Messer League results (August 26) — Low Gross: Jeff Seymour & Tad Mosher (37); Second Gross: Andy Chartier & Pete Blake (38); Low Net (MOC): Rick Stempel & Don Churchill (29); Second Net: Dan Castine & Sunny Lucas (29); Closest to the Pin: Matt Sykes on the sixth (17 feet, 10 inches); Andy Harrison on the seventh (two feet, 11 inches): Medalist: Jeff Seymour (37).
