Uhrig & Perry Visit Victory Lane for First Time at Seekonk

Anderson Hangs On to Win a Thriller

Seekonk, MA — The Fast Friday series returned to Friday night action, and when it was over, Warwick RI’s Nick Uhrig and Holbrook’s Bob Perry were clenching their first career checkered flag. Uhrig bested 14 other competitors in the popular Pure Stock division, becoming the second first time winner in the division this season.

The 25 lap main event started with Jeremy Lambert and Joe Carpenter bringing the field down for the green. Lambert got a great jump on the start and made it a three wide battle as they came out of turn two. Before lap one was complete, Lambert and Carpenter found themselves sliding back on the outside. John Robidoux was the next in line, and followed Nick on the inside, and assumed the runner-up position. When the field crossed at lap five, Scott Cestodio was up to third, with Randy Moretti and Bill Chouinard rounding out the top five.

The top 3 cars were running nose to tail, while the battle for fourth was heating up. Chouinard had moved his Capco Steel Monte Carlo to the inside of the Towncartravel.com Chevy of Cestodio. After racing side by side for a couple of laps, Cestodio fell into line in the fifth position. But that wouldn’t last long, as Scott spun off of turn 2 on lap 11, and the Swansea MA competitor was relegated to the tail end of the field, as the caution came out for the first time. Behind Uhrig and Robidoux were Moretti, Chouinard, and Amy Arsenault rounding out the top five.

As the field went back to green, the Ray Thibeault Home Improvements Chevy of Moretti had his hands full, as he tried to hold off the reigning Pure Stock champion, but it was to no avail, and Chouinard put his blue #8 into the third spot by lap 12, and has squeezed his way into the runner up spot, getting by the Sanford & Son’s Auto Parts Monte Carlo of Robidoux on lap fifteen. Mark Boisvert of Uxbridge MA had worked himself into the sixth position at this time, but fell victim to another competitor, and spun his Kar Kraft Ford down the frontstretch. He was able to continue on after a spectacular 360 and a smoke show, but lost several positions.

The second and final caution came out on lap 18, when Concord NC’s Amy Arsenault spun her red Monte Carlo as she was battling Moretti’s Buick. Uhrig, who had been able to keep Chouinard at bay thus far, now had the champ lined up on the outside. As they came down for the green, Chouinard tried in vain to overtake the rookie, but Uhrig was able to handle the champ, and hang onto the lead. While Chouinard was trying to hang onto second, Randy Moretti was using the inside lane to put his 2 Guys Landscaping Regal into the third position, wrestling it away from the Gaskells Towing Monte Carlo of Robidoux. Tom Blackwell, who had been lurking outside the top five for most of the night, rounded out the top five in his Bruce Lacey Cornwell Tools Chevy.

The Seekonk Youth Racing Association added another name into the winners’ log, as Bob Perry of Holbrook MA became the newest winner in the 600 class. By winning the event, he joins his brother Frank as one of three brother acts to win in the SYRA class, joining Dave and Bob Richardi, and Steven and Jason Heroux.

Jason Enos and Ashley Kuhn brought the field down for the green. As they came off of turn four to complete lap 1, the Hutchins & Sons Enterprises Chevy of Lil’ Hutch, Dave Hutchens spun and came to a halt just before the start finish line. This would be the only caution of the night.

As they got underway, Assonet’s Enos jumped out into the lead with Holbrook’s Bob Perry running right behind. Jake Spillers, who started scratch after mechanical problems forced him to miss his heat, was up to third right away, and sat on the rear bumper of Perry, while Hutch was already up to fourth by lap 5. By lap nine, Fairhaven’s Kyle DeSouza had worked himself into the top five. At lap nine, Perry worked his way underneath the AAJ Home Improvements Chevy and found himself out front. The GRC Steel Ford of Spillers was right behind, working his way into second, dropping Enos back to third with Hutch fourth.

As they crossed for the half-way mark at lap twelve, the top four cars had opened up over a straightaway lead over the Phil’s Propane Ford of DeSouza, while he enjoyed a similar cushion over the Nu-Way Auto Dodge of two time winner Carl Medeiros Jr. DeSouza was slowly closing in the gap, and by lap 23, he had closed in the gap to a couple of car lengths. While Hutch had moved past Enos for third by this point, he had run out of time for a battle with Spillers.

With the checkered flag waving, Bob Perry crossed the finish line with his fist in the air with over a one second advantage over the Ashburnham MA native Spillers. Lil Hutch wound up third, with Enos and DeSouza rounding out the top five.

Derek Anderson and Kyle Kuchta waged a battle that will go down into the history of great races at Seekonk Friday night. Both drivers started in the third row of the 9 car field. Chris Igo Jr of North Easton MA and Dylan Estrella of East Taunton brought the field down for the green.  The first yellow dropped on lap 1, when Casey Sanchez, who had spun several times in his qualifier, spun his Allegre Motorsports Monte Carlo in turn two. As they roared back to life, Igo and Estrella battled for the lead, with Igo setting the pace. Anderson was up to third by lap four, with Nick Ladyga and Kuchta rounding out the top five. As the leaders came off of turn 4, Chris Igo Jr spun his Cirelli Foods Chevy, sending him to the tail end of the field on the restart. Estrella would join him, as the ARC officials called him for the assist.

This put Anderson and Ladyga on the front row, with Kuchta, Stephen Gardiner, and Sanchez rounding out the top five. Anderson picked up the lead, and set the pace, while Kuchta settled right in behind him. Kuchta found and inside line and moved his Mystic Pizza Chevy into the inside lane, and at lap 8, he put his red and silver 0 into the lead. Barely. Anderson was not going to give up without a fight. Derryk Jr held onto the outside, and kept pace with the last winner of the 750 class.

Wheel to wheel they would fight for the lead, swapping it back and forth around the third-mile oval. The Niantic CT native would edge Anderson on each of the next several trips over the AMB transponder scoring loop, until lap 14, when Warwick’s Anderson was the leader by a hair. Kuchta would lead again on lap 17, but it would be the last time his number sat atop the leader board. Kuchta kept his Ultraflex Race Car Bodies machine in the fight, staying tight with Anderson until they went into the final turns. Anderson found just enough grip on that outside lane, and closed the door on Kyle and picked up his second win of the season. Kuchta finished second, with Sanchez rallying late for third. Ladyga and Estrella rounded out the top five.

Each week, Ultra Flex Racing Products of Warwick RI give a $50.00 savings bond to a S.Y.R.A. competitor on the basis of sportsmanship, overall improvement, hard luck, or best move of the race. This week’s winner of the savings bond goes to Jake Spillers of Ashburnham for his teams efforts to get him into the main. After missing qualifying due to mechanical issues, Jake started last in the 25 lap feature. He was able to work his way up through the field and finish second. Hats off to you guys. Other finalists were Bob Perry for his first career win, Dave Hutchins who spun early in his feature and recovered to finish third, Derryk Anderson and Kyle Kuchta for their great runs in the feature without touching once, and Chris Igo Jr, who spun from the lead while leading. Great job guys and girls.

The Fast Friday series takes a siesta this week, as the Pure Stocks joint our Sunday Thrill Show on August 2. The SYRA has the week off. Fast Fridays return on Friday, August 8, with a starting time of 7pm. 

 Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR

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