Ron Barboza Jr Picks Up First Street Stock Win of Season at Seekonk

Scully Jr, DeGasparre Jr, and Bowser Win as Seekonk Speedway Starts the Second Half of 2008

Seekonk, MA –Saunderstown RI’s Tom Scully Jr started off the second half of the season the same way he started off the season, in Victory Lane in the ARC Pro Stocks. Tom started seventh on the start, and used the outside lane to find himself picking up his third win of the season.

Scott Dion and John Dabrowski brought the field down for the green in the 40 lap ARC Pro Stock feature. While the pair raced wheel to wheel, Joey Cerullo spun his Flood Auto Group mount in turn 2 to bring out the first caution of the night.

As the field roared back to life, the pack spread out 4 wide down the backstretch as they fought for position early on. But up front, it was the Douglas A King Builders Chevy of Dion and the Tire Warehouse Chevy of Dabrowski who ran wheel to wheel for the lead, with Dion getting the edge across the start finish line. Mike Brightman sat in the lead pack in his Impact Collision Parts Fusion, and edged Dabrowski for the runner-up position at lap 6, as Dabrowski continued to work the second groove. Kid Scully was the next in line to drop Dabrowski out of a podium finish.

As the leaders raced off the second corner on lap 8, Dion washed up the racetrack enough to give Brightman a look to the inside. When they came across the stripe to complete lap 9, the Ashley Ford Fusion became the second leader of the race. Dion attempted to hang on, but Scully filled the hole, and took over the second spot the following lap. The Acushnet MA native could not open up a lead over Scully, as Tom Jr sat on his tail for several laps. Dabrowski was able to tuck in behind Scully, and worked himself backup to third, as Dion slid back on the outside.

Dave Darling sat fourth in his Johnson Landscaping Dodge and Fred Astle ran fifth. While the field started to string itself out around the third mile, Brightman was feeling the pressure from the Subway of Rt 6 Seekonk Chevy, as Scully tried to squeeze underneath the Acushnet Ma native. For several laps, the East Coast Collision Monte Carlo hounded the leader, but it wasn’t until the half way point when Scully decided to try the outside lane. At the same time, the Wood Frame Structures Chevy of Astle started attacking the Almeida Farms Dodge of Darling. Dabrowski had a comfortable cushion over the battle for fourth, but sat several car lengths behind the lead duo.

With 23 laps on the scoreboard, the Kid found himself edging out over the EMI Ford and led the event for the first time of the evening. Brightman settled into second, and kept pace with the Dr. Feelgood Limo machine of Scully. Several laps later, Astle used the outside lane to run past Dabrowski and put his Spring Break Tanning Monte Carlo into third.

The last ten laps ran without fanfare, as the field had strung themselves out for the final laps. With his fist high in the air, Tom Scully Jr picked up his third win of the season. Brightman finished second, with Astle, Dabrowski and Darling rounding out the top five. Hudon, Ryan Vanasse, Steve O’Brien, Scott Dion and Tom Scully Sr rounded out the top ten.

“The car was hooked up perfect tonight!” exclaimed Scully. “We had one week old tires on it this week, but it was a bullet. I’d like to thank Jo Wheelock. He’s in Indiana tonight, East Coast Collision, Dr Feelgood Limo, Subway Rt 6. Thanks to my mom and dad, my wife and everyone that came out tonight. This was pretty cool.”

In the 30 lap Late Model main, Gerry DeGasparre picked up his third win in a row, as he took the lead from a lap 7 restart and never looked back.

“Now I know what Freddy felt like a few weeks ago. This is the first time we’ve ever done this before,” said Gerry in Victory Lane.

As the field came down for the green, Wellfleet Ma’s Bob Hussey and Quincy’s John Hanafin raced for the lead for the first few laps, with the AirGas Chevy of Hanafin getting the advantage. As the Ferrell’s market machine of Hussey slid back. the Ashland Lumber Chevy of Bill Bernard had run into the runner-up position. By lap 5, the Breault Roofing Ford of Matt Breault and the Kidd Motorsports Chevy of Kyle Casper had worked their way into third and fourth. DeGasparre and Kevin Casper right behind. On lap 4, the WA Bernard Chevy picked the inside lane to make his move, and Bernard found himself setting the pace. Once on the outside, Hanafin started sliding back out of the top five.

On lap seven, the Somerset Federal Credit Union got into the back of the Gremlich Insurance Dodge, sending Matt around in turn one. As he came to a rest, the Local 7 District Ironworkers Chevy of Hanafin ran out of room, and ran over the left front of Breault, ending his night. Breault would be able to continue after a couple of pit stops during the lengthy caution. Casper was sent to the rear for rough riding.

With Bernard bringing the field down for the restart, he had reigning champ Gerry DeGasparre on the outside of the front row, and Kevin Casper sitting third in his Phil’s Propane Ford. After a false start, DeGasparre got the jump and set out for the lead. Casper squeezed by on the inside and sat on Gerry’s bumper for three laps, before the A-1 Custom Auto Body Chevy started to put distance between he and the rest of the world.

As the field strung itself out, the North American Amusements Chevy of Jon Dickerman worked himself into third, dropping Bernard back to fourth. Randy Burr ran in the top five for much of the race, before fading in the latter stages to finish sixth. Kyle Casper worked through the field, and was able to get his R&S Rentals machine back into the top five, settling for fourth in the final rundown.

“I was on the radio with the guys, telling them that this car has been awesome all night,” Gerry stated as he climbed out of the car. “We had a couple of guys not here tonight, but the rest of the crew stepped it up. The last few weeks have been great here with some great track supporters with Francis-Farm, Aubuchon Hardware, Candigit, but we haven’t been giving my sponsors enough mention. A-1 Custom Auto Body, Spumoni’s Restaurant, Achin’s Towing, I know Sarah is here tonight, Neolite Signs, Mike Smith Transmissions, he’s the reason this car is so good on the restarts. Of course, thanks to the fans. I say it all the time, but without the fans coming out, short track racing would be dying. Without them, and the Venditti’s, we wouldn’t have a place to come every Saturday night.”

The Street Stocks rolled out for their 20 lap feature with Scott Bruneau and Ron Barboza Jr bringing the field down for the 20 lap main event. Bruneau grabbed the early lead, as his State Line Tree Works Monte Carlo edged out Barboza for the first three laps. On lap four, Barboza found a groove and worked past, and found his MTG Disposal Camaro out front. Bruneau held on to second, as the Mega Truck Repair machine started to open a little distance on the field.

Sparky Arsenault, who missed the main event the week before due to mechanical problems, started in the second row, and it looked like he was going to make an early charge to the front, but found himself fighting an ill-handling McGloshing Construction Camaro, and settled into the top 5. Paul Lallier, who started seventeenth on the field, due to his Chaz’s Auto Body sitting atop the championship points chase, was using the top and bottom lane to work his way through the pack. By the halfway point he was just outside the top ten. Steve Axon and Ryan Lineham were also working their way up through the pack.

Lap ten came and went, and by this time, the Everett’s Auto Parts Chevy of Mark Henshaw Jr was up to second, with Bruneau, Arsenault, and Chris Rioux the top five. Justin Travis, Axon, Lineham, Dan Gamache Jr and Scott Serydynski rounded out the top ten.

The first and only caution came out on lap 15 when Scott Serydynski spun his Red Wing Shoes Chevy in turn two, and last weeks’ winner John Geremia III got involved, putting his Camille’s Restaurant Chevy out of contention. On the restart, Mark Henshaw tried to wrestle the lead away from Barboza, as they raced side by side for two laps. Scott Bruneau tried to squeeze under Henshaw, but the Raynham Ma native was quick to get back to the bottom, hanging onto second. This opened up the outside lane for Sparky, but he could not take advantage of the open lane. Axon was one driver who picked up a couple of positions, as the Southeastern Hardwood Floors Malibu worked his way up into fifth. Henshaw took one more look to the outside, but Ron Barboza Jr held on to pick up his first win of the season. Henshaw, Bruneau, Arsenault, and Axon rounded out the top five.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it this weekend after last weeks wreck,” Ron said in Victory Lane. “The guys worked real hard to get me back here. My heart goes out to them. Thanks to Mega Truck & Trailer repair, MTG Disposal, Cooper/Lewis, 202 Motorsports, Cocroft driveline, and all the fans. Thank you Seekonk Speedway.”

The Seekonk Sport Trucks were the first feature out for the night, and Lenny Guy and Zach Tucan sat on the front row. The LH Boulanger & Sons Ford of Guy got the jump on the start, and set the pace for the first few laps. Tucan started sliding back on the outside in his Reynolds Auto Wrecking Nissan, allowing Ed Gannon III move into second in his Arnel Vinyl & Siding Chevy. on Lap four, Gannon got a run to the inside of Guy, and wrestled the lead away, but a caution on that same lap for Tiverton’s Brian Murray, who spun off the second corner. As we go back to the last completed lap, Guy would assume the lead again, but a mechanical problem sent him pit side.

The green returned to find Hugh Bowser sitting on the outside of Gannon, as the two drag raced for the lead. As the field came off of turn two on lap four, the MD Cabinetry Ford of Bowser held the lead, when Gannon got loose. He was able to hang on, but the tight pack behind him is where the trouble happened. As the field came down the front stretch, several trucks spun and got together. The biggest impact came from Mike Cavallaro, who rear ended the Silver Key Inc Chevy of Jody Tripp, as Tripp had slowed. All were able to continue.

After a false restart with John Paiva on the outside of the front row, Bowser once again was able to hang onto the lead. Charlie Rose Jr had quietly worked himself into the top five by lap 5, and was trying to find the right groove to move up. The Sanford Tree Experts got by Gannon for third on lap seven, and set his sights on Fall River’s Paiva, but was unable to get a run on him.

While Cavallaro was trying to get his Firehouse Motors Chevy back into contention, Bowser put a little breathing room between he and Paiva. At the halfway point, Bowser had a 3 truck length advantage over Paiva, with Rose, Gannon and Bill Prisco rounding out the top five. Tucan, Mike Ronhock, Cavallaro, Jay Arsenault and Jody Tripp made up the rest of the top ten.

As the Checkered flag waved, Paiva made one more effort to unseat Bowser, but Hugh held on for his second win of the season over Paiva, Rose, Gannon and Prisco.

“We broke an axle clip last week, and no one that we asked had one. The one driver we didn’t ask told us he had several in his box,” recollected Hugh. “Now we have a few extra. The false restart was the 10 jumped and knocked the shifter out of my hand. I definitely need to thank my wife and my kids. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to spend the time to get this truck back here. Dave and Karen Lougee, the truck owners have been great. MD Cabinetry has been very supportive of us. We picked up a new sponsor this week, how often does that happen? E-Z Opening Doors called the track to get my information to call me and tell me they wanted to support our efforts. I appreciate John running me clean tonight.”

During the intermission, the speedway held their annual Fans On Parade, and many teams took part in this tradition. After the judging of all the costumes, signs, banners, wigs, balloons, t-shirts and everything else creative the fans came up with, it was the fans of Matt Breault who won the best overall, running a streak of six years they have won this award. The Pro Stock fan winner was Ryan Vanasse’s team. In the Late Models, our closest vote gave it to the fans of Kyle Casper. The Street Stock winning team had alot of pink and black, as Crystal Serydynski’s fans picked up top honors, and Bill Prisco’s fans were best of class. In the SYRA Kyle DeSouza’s fans were tops and Amy Arsenault’s Pure Stock fans took home top billing. Thank you to all of the fans and teams that took part in this fan favorite event. We look forward to returning this event to the 2009 schedule.

ARC Racing returns Saturday, as Phil’s Propane present the second 50 lap feature for the Late Models. A full card of racing will be on the schedule with the Pro Stocks, Street Stocks and the Seekonk Sport Trucks running a full compliment of action.

Be sure to check our website for ticket information and updates at www.seekonkspeedway.com.

Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR

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