Randy Cabral picks up 11th Annual “Boston” Louie Seymour NEMA Memorial

Shaun Gosselin for NEMA Lites, while Spencer, Casper, and Sparky get back to ARC Victory Lane

Seekonk, MA — Randy Cabral had a lot of help in winning the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial for the NEMA Midgets. A glove from his fallen friend Shane Hammond and a borrowed engine from Bobby Santos III carried him to Victory Lane.

Randy started eighth in the 27 car field, and quickly used the outside lane to work his way into the lead by lap 3. He took the lead from Paul Scalley, who started on the pole. Scalley and Mike Horn brought the field down for the green. The first caution came out on lap 3 when Brian Cleveland spun in turn two. The top five at this time were Cabral, Scalley, Horn, Mike Keeler and Nokie Fornoro.

While Cabral jumped back into the lead on the restart, it was Keeler who made the moves, as he slid from fourth to second by the time the next circuit was complete. Bobby Santos III was starting to flex some muscle as well, as he moved into third, moving Scalley and Horn to fourth and fifth. The second caution dropped on lap eight when several cars bunched up off of turn 1, and Nokie Fornoro spun his machine into the infield. The most recent NEMA winner Greg Stohr came to a halt on the backstretch, and was done for the evening. This would be the last time the race would be slowed. The top five at this time was Cabral, Keeler, Santos, Jeff Abold and Mike Horn.

Abold started 14^th on the grid, and used the inside ands outside lanes to work himself into the top five, but he wasn’t done there. By lap ten, he overtook Santos for third, and was in the runner up position by the next circuit. In almost a repeat of the Open Wheel Wednesday show, Cabral and Abold started to pull away from the rest of the field. Keeler started falling back, and Santos found himself trying to hunt down the leaders, but it was to no avail. Cabral, who at one time had a 3 second lead, had Abold closing quickly. In only a handful of laps, Abold was on Randy’s tail. By lap 18, the leaders were working heavy lapped traffic. “Liquid Lou” Cicconi moved into the top five by lap 15, and by lap 18, he moved by Keeler into fourth. At lap 20, Jeremy Frankoski was running fifth.

With seven laps remaining, Abold was working the Bertrand Motorsports mount high and low, trying to get by as they darted in and out of heavy traffic. Lap 25 was the end for Cicconi, as he spun off of turn four, but was able to limp his machine into the infield. As the laps wore down, the lead duo continued to fight for the lead. Abold made one final charge off of turn four, but was unable to get by the now four times NEMA winner. Abold was .158 seconds behind, while Santos was third, Frankoski fourth and Joey Payne rounded out the top five.

“I sure could have used another caution to cool the tires,” second place runner Jeff Abold stated as he climbed out. “It might have been enough to catch Randy. Thanks to Racedepot.com and the Seymour’s for this opportunity.”

“The glove that waved to the crowd on the wave lap, and carried the checkered flag was the glove that was worn by Shane Hammond at Thompson. We were going to change the numbers on the car tonight for him, but ran out of time. We’ve had a lot of problems the last couple of weeks. I can’t say enough for this crew. We had engine problems this afternoon, and I had given up. I was on my way for a bite to eat, and I got a call saying we were all set. Bobby Santos came over and offered us his spare engine. The guys replaced the engine in record time. Santos is such a great kid. When I saw that Abold was in second, I knew I needed to step it up a notch. I want to thank the fans that came out to support us here, my friends, the Venditti family and the whole crew.”

The NEMA Lites were part of their first “Boston Louie” Memorial, and 18 cars turned out for this event. In the end Shaun Gosselin found himself sitting in Victory Lane for his first Seekonk win.

The race would not get out of the second turn before the first caution came out. Paul Lugelle wound up on his side as the field headed into the first corner. Jake Stergios was also involved. The damage to Lugelle’s machine was minor, as once he was righted he drove away, but was unable to continue.

Once back under way, the event was non-stop. As they came down for the restart, the field spread out four wide into turn one. Stephanie Doty found herself setting the pace for the first couple of laps. As the front of the field came off of turn four for lap three, Doty found herself fighting off Gosselin and Anthony Marvuglio in a three-wide battle for the lead. Gosselin was the winner of that battle, and quickly pulled away from Marvuglio and the rest of the field. By lap ten, his lead was about a straightaway.

Nick Ribbie and Jesse State were trying to work their way toward the front, and by lap 15, they had both cracked the top ten. Ribbe, a former Seekonk Youth Racing Association champion was using his knowledge of the track, and used the outside lane to get by Bettencourt for third on lap 16. By lap 18, he was second, but was about half the speedway behind the leader. He started closing in the gap, but by the time the checkered flag flew, he was out of time, as Gosselin cruised to the win. Ribbie was second, with Jesse State, PJ Stergios and Marvuglio rounding out the top five.

“You never know how far ahead you are, and I knew Ribbe and State are fast, so I just kept running as hard as I could,” a tired winner stated in Victory Lane. “Thanks to the Seymour family for putting this event on for us. Thanks to my dad, my crew chief Ed Warren, and my girlfriend for being here tonight.”

After a lighting delay, the Street Stocks took to the speedway for their 20 lap main event. Dan Gamache Jr and Sparky Arsenault brought the field down for the green. As they raced wheel to wheel down the backstretch, the field spread out two and three wide behind the leaders. Arsenault got the jump and put his McGloshing Construction Chevy into the lead for the first time this season. Once out front, he never looked back. Brian Spillane ran third behind Sparky and Gamache, with Jay Steeley and Scott Serydynski rounding out the top five early on.

Ryan Lineham, who was doing double duty, found the outside lane to his liking early on, as he worked himself up from his fourteenth starting position into the top ten by lap five. Serydynski started putting pressure on Brian Spillane for third, and using an inside move, found himself working up through the field. In the battle for seventh, Bob Bettencourt and John Geremia fought hot and heavy, while Paul Lallier and Lineham were trying to get to the front, using the third groove around the third mile.

As the field crossed the line at the halfway point, Arsenault continued to set the pace, with Jay Steeley, Serydynski, Gamache and Mike Mitchell rounding out the top five. Serydynski, by lap 13 was second and started to close the gap to the leader. Mike Mitchell was following suit, and by lap fifteen had worked into third, dropping Steeley back to fourth. Gamache had heavy pressure from Spillane in the battle for fifth.

Over the last handful of laps, Serydynski was able to close in the gap, using heavy lapped traffic, but it was to no avail, as Sparky picked up his first win in several years. Serydynski held on for second, with Mitchell, Steeley and Spillane rounding out the top five.

“The last few weeks have been tough, missing the race and such,” sighed a happy Arsenault. “I need to thank my family and McGloshing Construction for helping out. We needed this!”

As the Late Models came down for the green, Quincy MA’s John Hanafin and Wellfleet’s Bob Hussey brought the field down for the green. A double spin in turn 2 slowed the field on the opening lap as Rey Lovelace and Mark Langlois got together. Both were able to continue, but it would be a complete restart.

On the restart, Hanafin got the jump in his Airgas Chevy and led the opening laps. Holliston’s Bill Bernard moved his Ashland Lumber machine into the runner up position, with the Breault Roofing Ford of Matt Breault into third. Kyle Casper and Kevin Casper rounded out the top five by lap five. Contact between Kyle Casper and Matt Breault forced Breault out of the racing groove and back to fifth. The second caution dropped on lap seven, when Matt Breault spun in turn three after racing hard with Paul Vanasse in the battle for fifth. No other cars were involved, and he was able to continue. The top five at this point were Hanafin, Bernard, Kyle Casper, Kevin Casper and Vanasse.

Wheel to wheel raced Hanafin and Bernard for the lead. Bernard started to backslide, and allowed Kyle Casper to fill in the hole and take over second. With the inside lane having the advantage, Vanasse moved his Team V Transportation Chevy into third, while the Airgas Chevy of Jon Dickerman tried to work his way into fourth. Gerry DeGasparre would follow and by lap 11, he put his A-1 Custom Auto Body Chevy into fifth.

Over the next couple of laps, the Kidd Motorsports Chevy showed he was back in top form, as Kyle Casper moved to the outside, and worked his way to the top of the leader board by lap 13. DeGasparre was up to fourth at the same time.

At the halfway point, Kyle Casper set the pace, with Hanafin, Vanasse, DeGasparre and Dickerman in the top five. Bernard, Kevin Casper, Randy Burr, Bob Hussey and Randy Clark rounded out the top ten. Paul Vanasse had a good car under him, and showed his muscle by using the outside lane to get by Hanafin into second. DeGasparre followed suit a couple of laps later, as Hanafin fell back to fourth. By lap 20, DeGasparre used the inside lane this time, and moved into second. The battle raging on was the one for fifth through seventh, as Jon Dickerman was doing all he could to keep Bill Bernard, Kevin Casper, and Randy Burr behind him. Bernard had to use some quick hands a couple of times as he fought the handles of his WA Bernard Chevy. Randy Burr made a great save, keeping his J Corp machine from spinning in the waning laps as he fought for position.

Things settled down over the last several laps as Kyle Casper cruised to his third win of the season in his Somerset Federal Credit Union Chevy. DeGasparre finished second, with Vanasse, Hanafin and Dickerman rounding out the top five.

“It’s great to be back in Victory Lane!” stated Kyle after climbing out of his winning machine. “I’d like to thank the guys for keeping this car under me all season. Thanks go out to Dick and Jackie Houle, Somerset Federal Credit Union, my car owners, and everyone else who got us back to the winner’s circle.”

Scott Dion and Steve O’Brien sat on the front row for the Pro Stock main event. Dion set the early pace as Jake Vanada moved into second on the opening laps. John Dabrowski sat in the third spot, with Tom Scully Sr and Mike Brightman sitting fifth at lap five. Fred Astle Jr and Kid Scully started to move their way toward the front, as they started back in the fifth row.

Rookie of the Year contender Vanada, back after a week off from damage sustained, put his Aubuchon Hardware Ford to the top of the racetrack, and worked his way into the lead at lap seven. Astle started using the outside lane, and moved past Brightman into fifth at lap ten and into fourth after another lap. The Wood Frame Structures Chevy of Astle was stout on the outside, as he worked past Dabrowski for third before the first caution dropped on lap 13, when reigning champion Dave Darling went around in his Johnson Landscaping Dodge in turn two. The top five at this point were Vanada, Dion, Astle, Dabrowski, and Brightman.

Once the field was set to go, Vanada once again set the pace in his Propane Plus Ford, with Astle moving into second. Some great driving was going on behind them as the Impact Collision Parts Ford of Mike Brightman and Scully Jr battled for position, with both of them needing some extra muscles to save squirrely machines. Coming off of turn two, the East Coast Collision Chevy of Kid Scully went around in turn 2, narrowly missing the outside wall.

By this time, Ken Spencer, who started scratch on the field, had worked himself into the seventh position, behind Vanada, Astle, Dion, Dabrowski, Brightman and Vanasse. Hudon Steve O’Brien and Darling rounded out the top ten.

On the restart, Vanada tried to hold of the current points leader, and did for a couple of laps, as Astle settled in behind the leader. Spencer was up to fifth by the next couple of laps. The top two cars ran nose to tail for the lead for the next several laps. At the halfway point, the top five were Vanada, Astle, Dion, Brightman and Spencer.

Astle squeezed to the inside of Vanada and picked up the lead on lap 22, and set the pace. Vanada settled in for second, while the battles raged on behind. Lap 22 saw the third caution when Ryan Lineham, running his first Pro Stock race, spun the East Coast Collision Chevy in turn four. The top five were Astle, Vanada, Brightman, Spencer and Dion.

After a couple of false starts, they were back under way, but only for a short period of time, as Lineham looped his machine for the second time at lap 25. Spencer had moved past Brightman into third by this time. Ryan Vanasse had just taken over the fifth spot.

Astle got a good run and picked up the lead, while Spencer used the inside lane to move into second after the restart. Vanada was back to third with Brightman trying to squeeze by into third. Lap 33 saw the fifth caution of the event fly as the Autopart International Chevy of Dan Obrien spun in turn two. Scott Dion and Matt Hudon got together after the caution had come out. Dan spun again on lap 33, bringing out the final caution.

After another false start, the ARC officials penalized Astle to the rear of the field for jumping the restart. One more time, and it was now Spencer and Brightman setting the pace. Once back underway, the field went green the rest of the way. The Pub 76 Chevy of Spencer got the run on the restart, and would nook back over the last seven laps. Dave Darling was working his Almeida Farms Dodge back through the field after an early spin. Astle and Scully Jr were now waged in a battle for seventh as the laps wore down, and coming down for the checked flag, Astle and Scully touched, but both were able to hang on, with Scully not losing a position.

Spencer hung on for the win, with Brightman in for second. Vanada held on for third, with Darling and Ryan Vanasse the top five. Sixth through tenth were Dion, Scully Jr, Dabrowski, Astle, and Tom Scully Sr.

“I’d rather be lucky than good!” exclaimed a jubilant Spencer in Victory Lane. “I Put my civvies on and was ready to go home. We thought about it, and decided to make a few changes. It just seemed to work. From worst to first. I think this is the first time I’ve done that. This is a huge sigh of relief for us. We’ve been fast, but haven’t been able to finish it. Everyone has been down and out. I’d like to thank R&F Transportation, Hadrose Well Drilling, J-Lo, Francis-Farm, Pub 76, Lawrence Air Systems, Costa Insurance, my crew, Janine my wife, and everyone.”

The Seekonk Sports Truck feature was scheduled to run last, was postponed due to time restraints. The event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 23, as part of the Miller Gold Cup Classic 75 lap main event for the Pro Stocks. Next Saturday, August 16 is the second annual Kraze Korlacki Speed Equipment 30 lap main event for the Seekonk Sport Trucks. With additional dollars up for grabs, the SSTs are sure to put on a great show. Fast Friday racing returns on Friday, August 15, as the Seekonk Youth Racing Association and the Pure Stocks headline the racing card. Kart racing will also be on hand.

Sources:Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR

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