Ryan Vanasse:All in the Family!
Ryan Vanasse came back to Seekonk Speedway in 2008, with a focus on the Pro Stock Rookie of the year and Championship. By the end of 2009, he accomplished both goals. Well, almost. Let’s take you back a few years to get the whole story.
Ryan grew up around Seekonk Speedway with his brother Mike, and they watched their father compete weekly in the Sportsman division, which is now the Late Models. Paul was a hard competitor. Not afraid to rub rails and use the front bumper. While he picked up several wins over his career, he never was able to put together the string needed for a title. But he was teaching his sons a lot about the sport in the process.
When Mike and Ryan were old enough to compete, they traveled to Hudson Speedway in NH to compete in their Roadrunner division, which was similar to Seekonk’s’ Formula Four class. They could compete there at the age of 14. Once old enough to race at The Konk, they became threats to win each week. After a season in the 4 cylinders, they made the move up to the Street Stocks. Ryan and Mike continued their winning ways behind the wheel, but they realized they would be a more potent team with Mike turning the wrenches and Ryan turning the wheel. “Mike was unselfish to step out and help advance my career,” Ryan beamed. “He is great at what he does. No matter what we do, we will do it together.”
After a season in the Streets, Ryan moved into the Sportsman division and continued his winning ways. For a couple of years, Ryan hooked up with Dick and Jackie Houle and piloted their #1 to victory lane several times over the next several seasons, competing for the championship each season.
In the middle of the decade, the Vanasse team decided to venture out and take what they learned on the road. They decided the American Canadian Tour (ACT) was the place to go. With the rules package Tom Curley put together, they thought they could compete with the top runners. But the success they had at Seekonk did not translate very well to the road. “Running with ACT was a reality check for us,” Ryan said. I was young and single, and with the success we had at Seekonk, we thought we could do better.” Learning new tracks throughout the northeast was a tough task for the seasoned team. Tracks such as Thunder Road, White Mountain, Oxford Plains, Airborne, and others in Canada and New England were hard to get a handle on. They would run well, but when they did, lady Luck didn’t shine. When the ACT came to Seekonk, Ryan was as close as he would come to winning, but still couldn’t grab onto that four leaf clover. “The financial part of it made it tough to go back again.”
In 2008, Ryan, Mike, Paul, Nick and the rest of the Team V decided it was time to come back home and run in the ever competitive Pro Stock division. Ryan proved that he learned a lot competing against some of the best in New England, and put that to use at one of the toughest racetracks in the country. Ryan picked up one win in his rookie campaign, and also picked up Rookie of the Year honors, and finished in the top five in the final season points tally. Ryan was coming into his own in front of the home crowd.
Over the 2008-2009 winter, Paul was getting ready to climb back behind the wheel of the family Late Model. When it was announced that Tom Curley had put together an ACT invitational event at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, every Late Model driver in New England was salivating. Tom announced that the points champion from Seekonk would earn an invitation to the open practice session to see if they could handle the Magic Mile. Without discussion, Mike and Paul decided they would put Ryan in both the Late Model and Pro Stock at the beginning of the season. They had nothing to lose. If Ryan was running only ok, Paul would get back behind the wheel.
Dear old dad never had a chance to turn the wheel. Ryan and Mike started off the season on a tear. Seven weeks out of the first nine events saw Ryan sitting in Victory Lane in the Team V Transportation Impala. Running both cars was tough on the team, but after suffering a hard wreck about halfway through the season, the focus became the Late Model crown, and the road to Loudon. Ryan was able to clinch the division crown with more than one race remaining on the schedule. That final race was never run, as Mother Nature took away his Championship celebration in front of the home crowd. The next time the Late Models ran, Ryan was in NH, competing in the ACT Invitational.
“Walking in the tunnel at NHMS, it finally sunk in,” Ryan stated. “We felt like we finally made it. All those years running with the American Canadian Tour were fun. We made a lot of friends, but not the impact that we wanted. Now we were coming back as Seekonk Speedway Champions.” Missing that last race at Seekonk was tough for them; they wanted to celebrate with their friends and families. But NHMS is something that may only come once in a lifetime.
“The car had to be changed over to ACT specs, which are different from Seekonk rules, so missing that last race allowed us to get the car ready for that event,” Ryan explained. “This is the highest we can ever get at this level. It’s not an opportunity to pass up.”
Coming back home to Seekonk also allowed Ryan and Mike to finally settle down. Ryan married his long time sweetheart Erica in March of 2008. In April of 2009, they were blessed with Guliana. Now with a steady job at Sovereign Bank, working as a branch manager, allows time to spend with his wife and daughter, and be able to enjoy the success he has reached behind the wheel.
There were no regrets coming back to Seekonk for Ryan, Mike, Paul and the rest of the Team V clan. With the Pro Stock coming back in 2010, their confidence is as high as it has ever been. As far as defending the LM Title, “It’s up in the air.” Ryan said with a smirk.
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR