Annarummo Captures Miller Lite Gold Cup Classic At Seekonk Speedway

By admin August 12, 2007 Seekonk

Seekonk, MA — Second generation ace Todd Annarummo of Swansea, MA outgunned Rob Murphy on a lap 22 restart and survived a mid-race challenge from Mike Brightman to score his first victory of the season in the Miller Lite Gold Cup Classic 75-lap Pro Stock event at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night, August 11. Annarummo’s Francis Farm-Pond View Recycling #11 Ford started ninth in the 19-car field, and climbed to fourth within the first 10 laps.

Polesitter John Dabrowski led the initial 16-lap green flag run, with Rob Murphy, David Hutchins, Mike Brightman, Annarummo and Tom Scully Jr., who came from 11th to fifth in the first 10 laps, battling for second on back. Hutchins faded on the outside and spun to bring out the first of seven cautions on lap 17. Murphy outdueled Dabrowski to take over the lead when racing resumed, but only three laps could be completed before a multi-car pileup brought the night to an early conclusion for Rookie of the Year contender Matt Hudon and Scully, who slapped the concrete wall trying to avoid Hudon’s spun Chevrolet.

Annarummo snatched second on the restart, but another multi-car crash involving Scott Dion, Glenn Lawton, Steve O’Brien, and Kenny Spencer slowed the proceedings on lap 21. When the green was displayed once again, Annarummo roared past Murphy to the head of the class. Mike Brightman took second on lap 25 and got to start alongside Annarummo when the caution waved two circuits later. Brightman paced one lap via the outside, but Annarummo shot back in front the next time around. After several laps of side-by-side racing, Todd pulled away from the challenge.

Astle took over second on lap 44 and started alongside Annarummo during a lap 64 restart, but couldn’t mount an assault. Five-time winner and current point leader David Darling started 14th and methodically worked his way forward, passing Dean Pettey for fifth at lap 30, and overtaking Astle for second on lap 65. The final 10 laps ticked off without incident for Annarummo, however, who finished 0.442 seconds ahead of Darling for the win.

“I won one of these (Miller Lite Gold Cups) last year, and now I have a twin,” the 28 year-old victor announced after claiming the $2,000 first place paycheck. “We were a little tight on the outside, but out front the car was perfect. Any time you have guys like Fred Astle and David Darling behind you, you have to be worried, but I couldn’t have asked for a better car tonight.”

“We might have had something for him if we had another caution, but our car was just tight tonight,” Darling remarked after finishing second. Astle was third, ahead of Brightman, who claimed fourth despite a rapidly deflating right front tire. Spencer rebounded from early race crash damage to post fifth, ahead of early race leaders Dabrowski and Murphy. Dean Pettey was seventh, followed by Glenn Lawton, Dabrowski, and Scott Dion.

In the 25-lap Late Model affair, Jeramee “The Hammer” Lillie of West Warwick, RI carried the checkers for the second time this season, working his way around Mike Becker on the 18th go around. Ray Alexander led the first seven laps before 18 year-old rookie Matt Breault muscled his way to the front. A single car incident brought about the first of three cautions on lap 9 with Breault pacing Alexander, Becker, Gerry DeGasparre, and Jon Dickerman. Alexander and DeGasparre locked horns when racing resumed, eventually resulting in both drivers needing to pit for fresh rubber.

Breault didn’t come up to speed on a lap 12 restart and spun in turn two, moving Becker, Kyle Casper, Bryan Connors, and Lillie into the first two rows. Casper and Becker traded the lead during the ensuing laps while Lillie advanced to third. The 30 year-old moved around Casper for second on lap 17 and weaved past Becker when the leader got loose in turn 1 with seven laps to go. Kyle Casper and brother Kevin charged into second and third but couldn’t challenge the Houle Motorsports #3 Ford, which won by 0.825 seconds. Kyle and Kevin Casper were second and third, followed by Becker and Connors, who posted a solid fifth. Positions six through ten went to Robin Berghman, Breault, DeGasparre, Dickerman, and Bill Bernard.

For the second time this season, Charlie Rose, Jr. of Tiverton, RI sat in Victory Lane after the 20-lap Sport Truck feature. Seventy-five year old veteran Billy Clarke paced the first two laps before rookie front-runner Ted Berube took over the top spot. Ted was out front when four-time winner Adam Murphy and Hugh Bowser tangled to bring out the first caution on lap 6, collecting the trucks of Andy Jeffery, Darryl Church, and Clarke in the process.

When racing resumed, Rose took his Ford Ranger to the outside of Berube’s Ford, claiming the lead on lap 6. Five-time winner and point leader Mike Cavallaro came from 16th to fourth in the initial 6 laps and was up to third when a minor spin bunched up the pack on lap 17. Cavallaro took second from Berube on the restart and ran side-by-side with Rose inside the final mile. At the line, Rose nipped Cavallaro by 0.199 seconds for the victory while Cavallaro extended his lead atop the standings.

Berube finished a career-best third, ahead of fellow Rookie of the Year contender Zach Tucan, “Radical” Rick Martin, Hugh Bowser, Steve Dumas, Lenny Guy, Mike Ronhock, and Russ Borges.

The 20-lap Street Stock feature produced the 11th different winner in 13 races as Coventry, RI’s Ryan Lineham prevailed to post his second career win and first in just over two years. Chris Rioux and Joe Melberg controlled the top spot before Lineham’s fourth-place starting Camaro motored past via the inside lane on lap 8. Plenty of three-wide action could be found in the 26-car contest, with Melberg, Patrick Delaney, Wayne Silvia, and Sparky Arsenault running inside the top five through the first half of the race.

Arsenault took second from Delaney on a lap 14 restart but Lineham, turning laps in the 14.9 second bracket, scored the win in impressive fashion, besting Arsenault and Jim “Pepe” Silvia, who came from 17th to sixth in the first 11 laps, at the stripe.

Delaney finished a season-high fourth, followed by former track champ Scott Serydynski, Joe Melberg, Wayne Silvia, John Hanafin, who moved into a tie for the points lead, Scott Bruneau, and Dick Cavallaro.

This week’s Fast Friday Series events were rained out. Saturday night racing resumes at the Action Track of the East on August 18, with the True Value Modified Racing Series Airgas 100 and the final round of the 50-lap Narragansett Beer Late Model triple crown series. Somerset, MA’s Kevin Casper has won the first two events in the series, pocketing $1,700. Street Stocks and Sport Trucks will also be in action. The Northeastern Midget Association roars into town for the annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial, presented by Coors Light, on August 25. The weekly Pro Stocks, Late Models, Sport Trucks, and Street Stocks will also be in action.

Adult grandstand admission tickets for these two events are priced at $17. Senior citizen discounts are also available on general admission tickets for all Saturday night races. All guests 55 years of age and older will receive a $2 discount. Guests must present photo identification for proof of eligibility if requested. Children 12 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit online at www.seekonkspeedway.com or contact the track office directly at (508)-336-9959.

Miller Lite Pro Stock Gold Cup Classic (75 laps)

  1. #11-Todd Annarummo, Swansea, MA
  2. #52-David Darling, Rehoboth, MA
  3. #30-Fred Astle, Jr., Westport, MA
  4. #27-Mike Brightman, Acushnet, MA
  5. #03-Kenny Spencer, Taunton, MA
  6. #80-Rob Murphy, Rochester, MA
  7. #57-Dean Pettey, Assonet, MA
  8. #70-Glenn Lawton, Acushnet, MA
  9. #00-John Dabrowski, West Bridgewater, MA
  10. #4-Scott Dion, Taunton, MA

Late Model Feature (25 laps)

  1. #3-Jeramee Lillie, West Warwick, RI
  2. #28-Kyle Casper, Somerset, MA
  3. #88-Kevin Casper, Somerset, MA
  4. #00-Mike Becker, Avon, MA
  5. #23-Bryan Connors, Pawtucket, RI
  6. #81-Robin Berghman, East Providence, RI
  7. #20-Matt Breault, Acushnet, MA
  8. #71-Gerry DeGasparre, Jr., Pawtucket, RI
  9. #13-Jon Dickerman, Weymouth, MA
  10. #47-Bill Bernard, Holliston, MA

Sport Truck Feature (20 laps)

  1. #41-Charlie Rose, Jr., Tiverton, RI
  2. #80-Mike Cavallaro, Seekonk, MA
  3. #91-Teddy Berube, Somerset, MA
  4. #3-Zach Tucan, Taunton, MA
  5. #14-Rick Martin, Westport, MA
  6. #22-Hugh Bowser, Taunton, MA
  7. #04-Steve Dumas, Quincy, MA
  8. #77-Lenny Guy, New Bedford, MA
  9. #5-Michael Ronhock, Mashpee, MA
  10. #9-Russ Borges, Fall River, MA

Street Stock Feature (20 laps)

  1. #19-Ryan Lineham, Coventry, RI
  2. #96-Sparky Arsenault, Attleboro, MA
  3. #116-Jim Silvia, Middletown, RI
  4. #71-Patrick Delaney, Swansea, MA
  5. #1-Scott Serydynski, Exeter, RI
  6. #00-Joe Melberg, Attleboro, MA
  7. #16-Wayne Silvia, Bristol, RI
  8. #76-John Hanafin, Quincy, MA
  9. #74-Scott Bruneau, Tiverton, RI
  10. #6-Dick Cavallaro, Seekonk, MA
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