Darilng Dominant in DAV Win
Seekonk, MA — Rehoboth’s Dave Darling took the lead of the D. Anthony Venditti Memorial Pro Stock race coming off turn 4 of the eighth lap and clung steadfastly to his position for the remainder of the hundred circuits of Seekonk Speedway’s one-third mile bullring. He had started third, behind polesitter Russ Hersey, visiting from New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway. Hersey nabbed the lead off the green flag from Warwick driver Ryan Vanasse (who started the outside pole) and led through the first eight revolutions. Hersey clung to Darling’s rear bumper for the remainder of the race, providing a difficult affair for the winner. Darling’s margin of victory was just a half-second over Hersey.
Tom Scully, Jr. of Saunderstown, RI, finished third with division champ Fred Astle out of Westport, MA, on his bumper. Acushnet, MA driver Mike Brightman finished fifth. Returning drivers featured prominently in the top ten. Somerset’s Dave Hutchins, Sr. followed Brightman across the stripe. Hutch began the season with the division, but had taken most of the season off. Dick Houlihan of Bridgewater, MA, returned from retirement to drive the Ellis Racing 41 over the last few races and came home seventh. Tom Scully, Sr. joined his son in the fray and spent early parts of the race in pursuit of Hussey. Scully, Sr. claimed eighth on the day. Likewise Tiverton, RI driver Ray Parent, who also began the season, dropped out of the running then returned with a couple weeks remaining with a new car. Parent’s ninth place on the day rounded out returnees in the top 10. Tenth overall went to Pro Stock regular Jake Vanada of Berkley.
Hersey, starting alongside Vanasse, jumped quickly to the lead at the green. Darling had started immediately behind him, and moved up under Vanasse and into second. Hutchins eased under Vanasse and Vanada from his spot outside the third row and Dean Pettey, making just his second start on the season, followed into fourth. Vanada nabbed fifth spot. Darling chased Hersey through the first seven laps, when they began to lap Steve Desmaris, who was struggling with his car and headed for the pits.
[Seekonk Fri. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
[Seekonk Sat. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
[Seekonk Sun. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
But Desmaris’ car stalled in the pit tunnel, blocking the exit and brought out the first caution of the race. Darling lined up outside Hersey at the front with Hutchins and Pettey behind them. Vanasse and West Warwick’s Jeramee Lillie were row 3. At the green, Hersey and Darling went at it, door-to-door. Darling powered into the lead through turn four and crossed the stripe in front, not to be headed again in the remaining 92 laps.
Lap 10 saw Parent smoking badly from his left rear wheel well, down the front stretch, coming to rest near the wall between turns 1 and 2. At the same time, Vanasse and Lillie were together in front of the turn 4 pit entrance.
The restart saw Darling go to the lead again. Back in the pack, Kevin Casper, Vanasse and Lillie got into a 3-wide situation with Casper on the bottom and Vanasse in the middle. As the latter attempted to back out, he nosed into Lillie, and the duo got loose, catching Casper, who spun to the infield in turn 4. Lillie was able to continue, but Vanasse headed for the pits. Casper had to be taken off on the hook. A lap had not been completed, so the restart was again on the 10th lap. Parent returned from the pits at this point, lucky to not be a lap down on the field.
As action resumed, Pettey tried to squeeze down to the groove, then backed off. Lillie caught him from behind and around he went. Pettey sat in turn 4 facing oncoming traffic, but all cars managed to get around him and he didn’t receive a single hit. Another restart had Darling leading Hersey. Hutchins tried to get his nose underneath for second, but had to fall back. Lap 11 found Tom Scully, Jr. rolling to a stop in front of the pit entrance, bringing out yet another caution.
Astle had improved his position from 12th to 6th in the early going.
Again, Darling went ahead with Hersey biting his back bumper. Hutchins made the underneath move stick, grabbing second away from Hersey. Houlihan began attempting the same move but was denied. By lap 15, the field was stringing out with Darling, Hutch, Hersey and Houlihan followed by Lillie, Mike Brightman, Astle, Vanasse and Ken Spencer. Houlihan continued to push at Hersey and finally took over third on the lap.
By lap 20, Rick Martin had come into fifth and was threatening Hersey.
The leaders came into lapped traffic on the 25th circuit with the top 4 intact. Martin was pressing from fifth, followed by Brightman, Astle, Lillie, Vanasse, Spencer and Ron Smith. The field strung out and followed a pace line until lap 32, when Vanada, running twelfth, spun in turn 4, bringing out the caution.
On the restart, Darling went back to the front. Hersey took third from Houlihan. Spencer spun on the thirty-fourth lap in turn 3, bringing out the caution. Hutchins and Hersey then spun on the backstretch as cars locked up their brakes for Spencer. Since the yellow flag had already flown, the pair was not considered accident cars and were able to continue in their second and third slots.
Hutchins and Darling battled door-to-door at the green for an entire lap, but going into turn one on the next go-around, Smith spun up to the wall between turns one and two, coming to rest with his driver’s side against the wall. His 95 car was taken off by wrecker, ending his day.
Again it was wheel-to-wheel between Darling and Hutchins, until Darling gained the front at the starting line a lap later. Brightman edged Hersey for third, but a wild, 3-wide run between the pair and Hutchins saw Hersey come out behind Darling. Hutch fell back to third, while Astle used the moment to jump past Brightman to third. Elmer Wing III then had his right rear tire go down, marooning him in turn 2.
The lap 40 saw Darling to the lead on the backstretch. Astle went to the high side on Hutchins and they battled, with Astle winning the battle on lap 46’s first turn. Brightman went under Hutchins for third and Scully, Sr. moved him back to fifth with another underneath move. Hutchins then spun on lap 49’s second turn and Lillie, avoiding, spun to the infield just past the curve with a flat left rear after a collision with Vanada. Both Vanada and Lillie went to the pits for repairs.
Darling again had the pole with Hersey on his outside. Astle and Brightman were on their bumpers and Scully, Sr. and Martin made up row 3. Scully, Jr. and Parent followed. Darling went to the lead over Hersey with Brightman and Astle battling for third. Martin tried under Scully, Sr., but had to fall back. On lap 54, Darling had a car on Hersey and there was a 4-car gap back to Brightman and Astle.
By lap 62, the lead duo had a straightaway lead over the field. Astle went to the outside of Brightman for the pass two laps later and Scully, Sr. pulled up to the latter’s bumper. A raging battle ensued, but Astle was unable to power past the stubborn Brightman. Scully held on, awaiting an opportunity. The duel slowed the chase trio down and by lap 70; Darling and Hersey were a half lap ahead with only each other to worry over. Brightman, Astle, Scully Sr. and Jr., Martin and Hutchins followed in a group.
Into lap 79, Astle stayed on Brightman’s shoulder, refusing to give up his attempt at the third spot. Scully, Jr. had moved in behind the duo.
As the leaders approached Houlihan to put him a lap down, Lillie spun in front of him. All three were able to avoid the spinning car as the yellow flag waved. It took three attempts to make the restart on lap 83. Vanada spun in turn three on the first attempt, and then the next restart was called back when Hersey jumped early at the line. Darling again took the lead when the green stuck. Astle tried to run under Hersey but was denied. Scully, Jr. followed into third with Brightman, Martin, Vanada, Houlihan and Scully, Sr. behind.
With Martin trying to run under Brightman on lap 95, the two got tied together, with Martin’s right front wheel climbing over Brightman’s right rear and stopping atop the rear quarter. The pair came out of turn 4 and down the front stretch trailing a fogbank of tire smoke until Martin’s car dropped back to the pavement in the first turn.
On the restart, Scully, Jr. finessed his way past Astle for third behind Darling and Hersey.
The final 6 laps unwound with no change between the leaders, and Darling claiming the trophy at the checkers.
MCKENNEDY GOES GREEN TO CHECKERS IN MODIFIED RACING SERIES AT DAV
East Chelmsford, MA driver Jon McKennedy snared the lead of the Modified Racing Series 100-lapper at Seekonk’s D. Anthony Venditti Memorial Race, Sunday, and was not headed, executing a green-flag-to-checkers win for his third series victory on the season. The win edges him closer to the division’s championship with just two events remaining.
McKennedy had two challengers through the long competition: Richard Savary of Canton, MA and Todd Annarummo of Swansea. Both drivers are eminently familiar with the 1/3-mile Southeastern Massachusetts asphalt and both are sons of drivers with long histories of numerous victories at the oval.
Savary pushed McKennedy for the first 70 laps with a very fast car and then Annarummo, who won the previous MRS event at the Cement Palace, took over to press a challenge. “Todd has a lot of laps here; he’s the last guy I wanted back there. Luckily, we were able to hold him off, “said McKennedy after the finish.
Stephen Masse, Bellingham, MA, Ken Barry, Preston, CT, Dave Berghman, Seekonk, MA, Les Hinckley III, Windsor Locks, CT, Ryan Preece, Berlin, CT, Max Zachem, Preston, CT, Jack Bateman, Canaan, NH, and Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, MA rounded out the top 10.
McKennedy started the pole and had Savary on his shoulder at the start. The eventual winner jumped to the lead and Savary locked himself in behind, and stayed there for 70 grinding laps. Entering the 71st lap, as the leaders came up to loop Pennsylvanian Rowan Pennink, he looped his car, coming out the fourth turn into the front stretch. McKennedy and Savary split to avoid and the rest of the lead pack, including Annarummo (third,) Vermonter Dwight Jarvis and Masse was able to avoid wrecking.
Series officials at this point called a red flag on the field as the sun was low over the stadium. Drivers, especially Bridgewater’s Jimmy Kuhn, had warned them that this time of the day created dangerous vision lapses on the course and they had planned in the event that drivers began to experience problems, to delay the race in progress until the situation abated. Approximately 10 minutes were required to wait until the sun dipped below the stadium wall.
The restart had McKennedy and Savary again on the front row with Annarummo low in the following pair. Jarvis was at his shoulder. Masse and Les Hinckley (a previous winner this year) made up row 3. McKennedy regained the lead, but Annarummo got under Savary, keeping him to the outside, and he began to fade back, finally able to settle into fourth behind Masse. Lap 76 saw Shelly Perry spin in turn one sending Rob Williams, Kuhn, Jim Dolan and Rob Goodenough into a stalled cluster up near the turn 2 wall. Dolan had to be towed from the track, ending his racing for the day.
McKennedy and Annarummo resumed their duel for another 2 laps, until another group got together in turn one. Kuhn, Jarvis, Ken Vogel, Jr. and Williams ground to a halt bringing out the caution. McKennedy was at the front in the restart once again, but Masse was trying to work his way under Annarummo. Todd held him off and went back to bother McKennedy’s rear bumper. Masse stayed on his quest and harried Annarummo for the rest of the race, working to get under again on lap 85.
The play between the pair gave McKennedy some small respite, but did not take away the challenge as he edged two cars on them. Annarummo briefly shook Masse and went back to finding a circuit around McKennedy.
With three laps remaining, McKennedy turned on a small reserve and moved a bit ahead of his challenger, but Annarummo pulled back in behind. The final two circuits were a catch-me-if-you-can proposition. But Annarummo was unable to generate a pass and they flashed under the checkers with McKennedy 2 tenths of a second ahead.
BERUBE LEADS TRUCKS FROM GREEN TO CHECKERS
Somerset’s Ted Berube went from the outside pole to victory lane with seeing a truck ahead for the entire 30 laps of the race. He had two harriers on the day: Sport Trucks divisional champ Radical Rick Martin, who had earned polesitter honors, and Ed Gannon. Gannon, from Fall River, got around Westporter Martin with two laps remaining to garner a second place on the event. Gannon had also led laps 7 through 14 up to the midpoint of the race.
Barry Shaw, making his second start in a new truck, finished a strong third on the field. The remainder of the top 10 were: Dan Leach N. Dighton, Ma, Mike Cavallaro, Seekonk, Russ Borges, Michael Ronhock, Mashpee, Ma, Lenny Guy, New Bedford, MA and Steve Dumas of Quincy.
The start had to be called back, as an aggressive Berube jumped and the yellow flew. Back for a second try, he leapt away from Martin into the lead.
With Berube having no problem moving away at the front, Gannon settled in to challenging Martin for second. But on lap 6, Dennisport driver Joseph Gardner spun off turn four and into the infield grass at the stripe. Berube went back to busying himself at the front while Gannon went low under Martin. Shaw was on their tails. Gannon went to second and Shaw dropped under Martin in a try to wrest third from him. He popped through and by lap 12 it was Berube, Gannon and Shaw, followed by Martin and Borges.
By the midway point, Berube was lapping Gardner. Dumas and Guy got together in the same lap, coming off turn 4, bringing out the caution.
Gannon was outside Berube on the restart, and as Berube went back to the lead, Martin nosed under to deprive Gannon of second. Shaw and Borges gave chase. With 10 to go, Martin began to close on Berube and as he neared, started for the outside for the pass. Martin seemed able to move closer on the corners, but Berube had the power to pull away on the straights. Gannon pulled up behind and the three were bunched with five laps remaining.
Lap 27 Martin once again on Berube’s back bumper, but Gannon got a nose under Martin, which pulled him away from the leader. Gannon pushed ahead and crossed the stripe just .056 in front to take second, relegating Martin to third.
ARSENAULT BRINGS HOME WIN IN STREET STOCKS
Mark Henshaw, Jr. of Raynham led off from the pole with Attleboro’s Sparky Arsenault on his shoulder. Scott Serydynski of W. Greenwich, RI started third. The trio shared the three places at the front throughout the race and Arsenault led the final 21 laps of the 30-lapper for the victory.
Henshaw went to the front and led the first nine laps. On lap 8 Crystal Serydynski of Johnston, RI, and Ryan Lineham, from Coventry, rubbed fenders at the stripe, with Lineham coming unglued from the surface, rotating 180 degrees and backing into the wall between turns 1 and 2, ending his day at the DAV. The wrecker had to lift the rear end clear of the track to tow it from the field.
On the restart, Arsenault and Henshaw (still on the pole) came out side-by-side. But Bob Bettencourt’s motor blew on the first circuit, earning him a black flag from the starter. Next time around, Henshaw got loose out of turn 4, going sideways and giving up the lead to Arsenault.
A lead he would not relinquish. Scott Serydynski was also able to get by Henshaw, who settled into third, ahead of Paul Lallier and Cumberland’s Mike Mitchell. Henshaw settled in and followed Serydynski for the next 9 laps.
On lap 16, Henshaw got his nose under Serydynski in an attempt to wrest second back. The two were wheel-to-wheel for a pair of laps before Henshaw could take advantage. Lapped traffic lay before them on the backstretch, and Henshaw was able to get underneath the lapped car, which peeled Serydynski off his outside, forcing him to drop in behind on lap 18.
With 10 to go, Arsenault had a 15-car lead over Henshaw and had upped the margin to a quarter-lap by lap 23. Henshaw held a 3-car margin over Serydynski with Woonsocket Rocket, Chris Beaulieu another 5 cars back.
At the finish, it was Arsenault with a 1.704 second lead over Henshaw, Serydynski and Beaulieu. Plymouth’s Paul Newcomb finished fifth. Mike Mitchell, Cumberland, RI, Justin Travis, E. Taunton, MA, Lallier, Chris DeMoura, N. Dighton, MA, and Westporter Bobby Trip rounded out the top 10.
LATE MODEL CHAMP VANASSE WINS LATE MODELS
Tiverton, RI driver Ray Parent went to the front on lap 9 of the 50-lap Late Model feature at the DAV Memorial race, then led the rest of the 50 laps to the finish, only to be disqualified during post race tech inspection. That left the rest of the story in Ryan Vanasse’s hands. The reigning divisional champ, from Warwick, RI, had chased Parent from the midpoint of the race to the finish and was waiting in the wings. Colbey Fournier from Berkley, MA, ran a strong second half to run home on Vanasse’s coattails, followed by Somerset’s Kyle Casper.
Gerry DeGasparre, Jr, Pawtucket, RI, Robert Pelland III, Cranston, RI, Matt Breault, Acushnet, MA, Mike Cavallaro, Seekonk, MA, Robert Hussey, Wellfleet, MA, John Paiva, Fall River, MA and Kevin Folan, Attleboro, MA, rounded out the top ten on the afternoon.
Folan started on the pole with Bridgewater’s Jimmy Rosenfield on his outside. DeGasparre and Parent were behind them and Middleboro’s Randy Burr and Vanasse made up the third row on the grid. Pelland and Cavallaro followed. Folan jumped off the pole but Pelland spun in turn one, collecting Dennis Stange, Paiva and Kyle DeSouza. Stange had extreme damage to his right front, and the right front wheel hung askew, and had to be towed to the pits. The wreck ended his participation. New to the division, Crystal Serydynski (moving up from Street Stocks) and Dylan Estrella (from Sport trucks) also retired at this point.
Without a lap complete, the race went back to a full restart. Rosenfield led lap one by a hair at the stripe, but Folan came back to take the lead on lap 2. DeGasparre came up to second as Rosenfield settled into third. Parent began working his way around Rosenfield on lap 5 and took control of third place on lap 6. On the next circuit, he aimed around DeGasparre, and then settled in behind Folan on the eighth revolution.
Lap nine saw him go to the front, settling in front of Folan at the stripe. As Parent pulled away from the field, Vanasse was moving forward. Suddenly, Folan, DeGasparre and Vanasse found themselves in a three-wide situation before Vanasse elected to back out. Parent was leading DeGasparre by 4 cars with Vanasse 3 behind DeGasparre in third.
On lap 15, Parent led DeGasparre and Vanasse, still; there was a long gap back to Rosenfield and Randy Burr. Rosenfield went around and collected Burr and Tyler Thompson. All three cars went to the pits. Burr and Thompson did not return.
From that point, Parent continued to pull away. Vanasse was able to get under DeGasparre for second on lap 16 and attempted to chase him down. At the midpoint on the race, Parent was 4 cars up on the rest of the field and 5 cars up to laps later.
Fournier made the pass under DeGasparre for third and Kyle Casper followed, dropping DeGasparre to fifth. With 10 laps remaining, Parent’s lead had slipped to 3 cars. Vanasse began to slowly close on Parent, but slipped back to 5 lengths. He put on another effort and cut the lead to 4 car lengths by lap 45. From there it was a dead heat with Parent crossing the line under the checkers.
Vanasse, however, brought home the win as Parent was disqualified in post race inspection.
BOTELHO NABS NEMA CROWN AT DAV
Attleboro driver Keith Botelho came back to the sport and midget racing after a long layoff, in a veteran car with a veteran motor and a veteran crew. The combination spelled victory for him as he took the lead away from John Zych, Jr. on lap 9 and lead the remaining 16 laps to the finish. “I was expecting somebody to come by me,” said Botelho of the surprising ease of his victory. “I knew Cicconi was back there and I was waiting for him or somebody else to come rolling by.” Nobody could do it, and Botelho found himself in Victory Lane at race’s end.
Greg Stoehr from Bridgewater, MA, took second and Zych finished third. Rounding out the top 10 were: Chris Leonard of Pelham, NH., Chris Deritis of Philadelphia, Anthony Nocella of Woburn, MA, Chris Abold of Pennellville, NY, Cicconi of Ashton, PA, Jim Miller of Weymouth, MA, and Russ Stoehr of Bridgewater. Russ Stoehr and Randy Cabral had come into the event with Cabral trailing the points leader by 22 points and Cabral had high hopes of gaining on Stoehr. But lap 4 trouble with a flat left front tire sidelined him from the race, dropping him to 21st overall with just one event remaining in the NEMA season: the World Series at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut next weekend.
Zych, from Liverpool, NY, leapt off the pole and led the first nine circuits on the 63-year-old racetrack, designed originally for midget racing.
Zych had a firm handle on the early stages of the race, running away from the field after the lap 4 restart for Cabral’s flat. With Botelho on his outside shoulder, he wasted no time in blasting away and back into the top spot. He was easily moving away when, going into lap 10, Barry Kittredge’s motor quit on the backstretch, bringing out the caution.
On the restart, Botelho stood on his throttle and held it down until he was into the lead. Zych held onto second, and Greg Stoehr passed Chris Deritis for third. Now it was Botelho’s turn to run out to a big lead. Stoehr, who had taken over second from Zych on lap 13, gave chase. Over the last 10 laps, Stoehr ate up the distance and was on Botelho’s rear bumper on the 22nd circuit. But Botelho reached down and pulled ahead a half car length, winning over Stoehr at the line by .155 seconds.
DAVE RICHARDI DAV VICTOR IN PRO-4 MODS
Dave Richardi Jr. of North Easton, MA took off from his pole position at the start to lead the Pro Four Modified Racing Series race from green to checkers. He had also taken the July Seekonk Pro 4 event. Phil Lausier of Hudson, NH, came off the outside pole to chase Richardi through the first part of the race. Norman Wrenn of Nashua worked his way from fifth to third by the third circuit. Adam Norton of Brookfield, MA, Brian Vincent of West Warwick and New Hampshire driver Tyler Anderson followed.
Richardi was into lapped traffic by lap 9 and Lausier joined him with Wrenn on his tail.
Robin Berghman went around off turn 4, bringing out a lap 12 restart. Richardi went to the lead. Wrenn followed him through underneath Lausier and claimed second. Wrenn remained hard on Richardi’s back bumper through lap 16, then nosed to the outside for a pass. Unable to get by, he pulled back in behind and was up on his back bumper again.
They began to encounter lapped traffic on lap 20, cutting chances for a good pass.
Richardi’s brother Dave looped off turn 4 and spun down in front of the starter to bring out the yellow flag. Rob Richardi pulled out to an edgy lead over Wrenn on the restart and took a full lap to get the door shut. Brewster, MA driver Dan Meservey, Jr. pulled into third behind Wrenn, just ahead of Brian Vincent of West Warwick.
Richardi built a car lead over Wrenn by lap 27, when Anderson spun in turn 2. He did a masterful job in saving, having gone almost to the wall.
Richardi had some share of relief as tour rules dictate single file restarts late in the race. Nonetheless, Wrenn stayed glued to his bumper with Meservey holding third. Richardi held on to the checkers with Wrenn second and Meservey third. Rounding out the top five were: Norton and Vincent, Lausier was sixth.
RUSS WOOD TAKES NEMA LITES
One week after a difficult time with the old Cement Palace and finishing 19th in his ISMA Supermodified race, Russ Wood returned to Seekonk for the D. Anthony Venditti Memorial, hopped into his son’s NEMA Lite car and went out to dominate the field of competitors. Russ Wood, Jr. was forced out of the event by a foot injury, so dad gladly filled the seat for him. It was a win-win situation for Russ, Sr. and the fans.
Wood, from Pelham, NH, started fifth, behind Paul Bigelow of Berlin, CT and Ryan Bigelow of East Hampton, CT. New Ipswich, NH’s Andy Barrows and East Hampton, CT driver Randy Bigelow made up the second row. Joe Krawiek was on Wood’s shoulder. Also swelling the ranks were NEMA regulars Randy Cabral and Lou Cicconi, Jr. – both starting from the back of the pack.
Wood jumped to third on the green and motored for 6 laps, while Paul Bigelow and Barrows battled over third. On lap 6, Wood erupted, going around and into the lead, sending Bigelow to second. Bigelow held the spot until Cabral came up to pass on lap 18.
Wood began to stretch his lead, and was ahead by the length of a straightaway on lap 12. Cabral and Cicconi were trading places back in the pack until Cabral began to move steadily to the front, going from eighth to second, moving up a place per lap until he had the second spot. Cicconi went to fifth on lap 16 and held that position for 5 laps, moving past Barrows into fourth.
Krawiek had been moved back to fourth on Cabral’s pass into third, but he eased Barrows out to secure third on lap 20.
Wood completed the 25 laps in the lead, 1.111 seconds ahead of Cabral with Krawiek, Cicconi and Barrows in the top 5.
Rounding out the top 10 were Dave Moniz from Fairhaven, MA, Jim Santa Maria, Burlington, CT, Lanson Fornoro, Stroudsburg, PA, Paul Bigelow and Ryan Bigelow.
UHRIG TAKES PURE STOCKS FROM GREEN TO CHECKERS
Pure Stock champion for 2010, Nick Uhrig of Warwick, RI, leapt off the pole and led the field from start to finish. Jamie Salley of Taunton, MA, gave chase from the outside pole to the checkers, but could not overhaul the champ on his way to the DAV win. Ed Flanagan Jr. from Warwick finished third. Rounding out the top ten were Mark Boisvert, Uxbridge, Ma, Amy Arsenault, Concord, NC, Earl Curtin III West Warwick, RI, Bill Chouinard Swansea, MA, Randy Moretti West Warwick, Doug Benoit, Swansea, MA, and Kent Hopkins, East Taunton, MA.
Uhrig went to the lead off the green with Salley on his shoulder, battling. Flanagan tried to get underneath, but Salley kept it side-by-side with Uhrig and Flanagan fell back. Bill Chouinard followed with Moretti and Curtin behind.
On lap 6, with Salley clinging to Uhrig’s back bumper, Joe Carpenter had the rim fly off his car in turn 2 and over the wall, putting the 51 car into a spin. He went off on the hook and was gone for the duration.
On the restart, Uhrig and Salley again were door-to-door at the front and they battled at the green. Uhrig claimed the lead in turn 4. Flanagan briefly held second, but Salley would not yield and reclaimed the spot. Brendan Lord spun to the grass on lap 12,
As Uhrig again grabbed the front on the backstretch after the restart, Moretti looped between turns 1 and 2, but wasn’t hit and he kept it going. Then Benoit spun, causing Vinny Pangelinan and Jamie Burch to collide. The lap13restart had Uhrig and Salley followed by Flanagan and Arsenault. Boisvert and Chouinard made up row 3.
Uhrig leapt to a big lead with Salley falling in behind. It was a straight run for Uhrig to the checkers with no further cautions. Salley kept pace as Boisvert and Arsenault dueled behind him. Chouinard was on their back bumper, looking for an opportunity. Kent Hopkins and Curtin followed. Curtin moved past on lap 17.
Uhrig had Salley locked to his rear bumper through the last 7 laps to the checkers, but all Salley could do at that point was hold on for second.
LASCUOLA ADDS DAV TO SYRA 600 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Nick Lascuola from Brockton led all but 4 laps of the 25-lap SYRA 600 race, giving him the Venditti Memorial trophy to add to his divisional championship. He finished with a whopping 7-second lead over runnerup Jason Enos II of Assonet, MA. Branden Dion of Taunton was third. Rounding out the field were Chase Belcher of West Wareham, MA, Shelby Donovan, Waterford, CT, Curtis Rolando, Newport, RI, Christine Cavallaro, Seekonk, Willy Sanchez, Providence, Tylar Nailor, Marstons Mills, MA, David Lougee, Taunton, MA, Kieran Carpenter and Tyler Boudreau.
Tylar Nailor and Chase Belcher started the front row; they battled out of the green for position. On turn two, Kiera Carpenter spun in turn two, but she was able to gather it in and the race proceeded. Coming out of 4, Nailor got sideways. Cars scrambled and Rolando and Sanchez were tagged in the melee. Without a lap complete, the field came back for a restart. Belcher and Lascuola led off at the front with Rolando and Branden Dion behind them.
Belcher went to the lead, but Carpenter spun between turns 1 and 2. Cars scattered around her, but Shelby Donovan struck a glancing blow on Carpenter’s driver’s side. The car was pushed to the pits and ended its night.
On the ensuing restart, Belcher and Lascuola again battled. Coming to the stripe, Belcher got loose and Lascuola moved ahead to lead lap one. Dion settled on Belcher’s bumper wile Enos went under Dion to take third. As they battled door-to-door, Belcher and Lascuola exchanged the lead until lap 7, when Dion lost power at the end of the backstretch, bringing out the caution.
On the restart, Lascuola went to the lead as Belcher fell back and Enos went under to take second. By lap 7, Lascuola had built a 3 car lead as Belcher and Enos scrapped over second. Rolando, Dion, Donovan and Nailor followed. Seven laps later, Lascuola had built a quarter- lap lead while Belcher and Enos continued to duel.
Dion came up to pass Belcher, then move on to scrap with Enos over second place. On lap 20, he moved alongside and the two rubbed paint through turn 4. The battle continued through the checkered flag. Lascuola claimed victory, 7 seconds ahead then Enos edged Dion by a bumper for second.
KUHN COMES BACK TO WIN SYRA 750
Ashley Kuhn of Plymouth, MA survived a crash fest that grounded half her competitors, then hung tough after falling to the back of the field of 3 cars remaining to come from behind, then win going away in SYRA 750 action at the DAV.
Somerset’s Dave Hutchins, Jr. led off from the pole with Kaitlyn Donovan of Waterford, CT on his outside. Fairhaven, MA driver Adam Swift and Nate Bubello of Holliston, MA were the second row, with Jacob Swift of Fairhaven and Kuhn behind them.
Coming off the start, Hutchins spun in the second turn and went to the rear of the field. Donovan had Adam Swift on the outside got the start and went to the lead. Bubello went underneath and created a three-wide situation with Donavan and Swift above him. Bubello gained the lead in turn four, while Hutchins was coming around the whole field. Adam Swift tapped Hutchins and he spun, with the entire field scattering to avoid. Donovan did well, navigating through a cavorting group of mini cup cars to emerge unscathed. She moved into the lead over Jacob Swift. Adam spun in turn 4 and then Jacob was around a half lap later, on the backstretch. Both left for the pits. Only Adam was able to return. On the restart, Donovan and Kuhn led Bubello and Swift out of the box. Donovan grabbed the lead, and Kuhn settled into second.
With Donovan moving away, Swift began to attempt an underneath pass on Kuhn in lap 3. They diced it up for two laps with Swift going to second. Bubello began falling back and went to the pits on the next lap.
Into lap 8, Donovan led Swift and Kuhn. But Kuhn gathered it up and on lap 18 moved under Swift for second. Donovan had a 30-yard lead on lap 17. But Kuhn bore down and began edging up on the leader. On lap 20, the lead had narrowed to 15 yards.
Kuhn got under Donovan and into the lead on lap 23. Donovan began to overtake, but was unable to make up her distance before the checkered flag, giving Kuhn a well-earned victory. Donovan was second with Swift gaining third. Of the off-track cars, Bubello came in fourth, with 5 laps of 25 complete. Jacob Swift was fifth and Hutchins sixth, both with but one lap completed.
SILVA TOPS SPORT FOURS
Ken Silva dominated the Sport Four division at the Venditti Memorial, taking over at the green and leading the entire distance to the finish. The division champ can add another to the five wins he had already claimed this season.
Ed Gould powered around the field from his last place start to gain runnerup honors.
Silva and Keith Anderson car faced off at the front of the field with East Taunton’s Dave Westgate and Robert Henry of Cranston Behind him. Vincent Arrenegado and Christopher Bissell of Coventry were the third row with Gould starting scratch.
At the start, Silva went to the front while Westgate dived underneath, coming out in second. Anderson got loose and Arrenegado almost wrecked, falling to third and Anderson to fourth. Meanwhile, Gould was coming up fast.
Westgate spun coming off turn 4, up near the wall, and Gould, coming around high, barely made it between Silva and the wall, but came out unscathed. The restart on lap 3 had Arrenegado outside Silva. Westgate restarted from the rear as an accident car.
Silva was able to jump away from Arrenegado, as Gould quickly came up from fourth on the grid into second. Keith Anderson got up into Westgate, and the latter spun and back to the wall, but did not make hard contact.
This time, Gould started outside Silva at the front with Arrenegado and Bissell on the second row. Westgate was at the rear again.
Silva again nabbed the lead with Gould second. Arrenegado followed and Westgate jumped to third. Gould was working high trying to generate a pass, but Silva began pulling away. By lap 7 the two leaders led the pack by a quarter-lap.
Silva edged out to a three car lead and Westgate edged into fourth. As Arrenegado got sideways, Westgate got underneath and into third. By the midpoint, Silva had a 6-lap bulge over Gould and Westgate was a half-lap behind in third.
As the laps wound down, neither Gould nor Westgate could close up. With Bob Henry trying to get off the track and getting stuck at the pit entrance, a lap 19 caution was called. On the restart, Westgate was unable to hold position and both Arrenegado and Anderson were able to get by for the finish.
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR