Loudon Notebook: Caisse getting noticed

LOUDON – The last time NASCAR came here in September, Pelham's Sean Caisse finished second to Joey Logano in the Camping World Series East.

The next week the two swapped positions and Caisse on and then ended up second to Logano in the standings.

This weekend, Caisse was in Memphis with Germain Racing, spotting for Todd Bodine in last night's Craftsman Truck Series race.

But Caisse, 22 and driving these days out of Mooresville, N.C., is not exactly forgotten around here.

He drove the last two years in the East series for Andy Santerre Motorsports. Santerre has been talking Caisse up as one of the hot young drivers out there.

"Sean Caisse is in the top three in the country right now in up-and-comers," Santerre said.

Mike Dillon of Richard Childress Racing is one of those who has noticed.

Dillon, the son-law of Childress, watched Caisse make an impressive run in an ARCA race two weeks ago in Michigan when the series ran there with NASCAR. Caisse was on his way to winning the race when he his left rear tire blew.

Caisse, Santerre said, saved the car at 190 miles an hour.

Dillon said he talked to Caisse after the Michigan race and has talked to him since about perhaps doing some testing for RCR, though nothing is solid yet.

"We're trying to get him in something and possibly make some laps," Dillon said. "I think he's a great talent. I think he could be in this garage pretty easily. He won his last race with Logano and could have won two more and had issues with cars. He led the most laps in that series for two years and had the most poles. I think he's deserving of a shot." Caisse is scheduled to do ARCA testing this week in Kentucky with an eye on the race there in three weeks. He is expected to run several more races in ARCA this season, and perhaps get a shot in the Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Series.

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and a few hundred fans walked a lap around New Hampshire Motor Speedway following the Camping World RV Sales 200 as part of the Speedway Children's Charity/NASCAR Foundation Track Walk. The walk raised $30,000 for Speedway Children's Charities, the Kenny Irwin Jr. Memorial Foundation, Victory Junction Gang Camp and the NASCAR Foundation. Each organization provides vital services to children in need. The Irwin foundation and Victory Junction Gang Camp also honor the memories of two NASCAR drivers, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Adam Petty, who were killed in crashes at NHMS in 2000.

Kevin Dawes and son Matthew, 7, of Middlebury, Conn., were among the walkers. "It's for a good cause, and it's not like a 7-year-old gets to walk on a [NASCAR] track every day," Dawes said.

Allen Lessels and Mike Cullity cover auto racing and other sports for the New Hampshire Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News.