Scully Jr, Vanasse, DeMoura and Cavallaro all repeat at Seekonk Speedway
Seekonk, MA — Tom Scully, Jr. of Cranston, RI used a last minute pass on the backstretch of the final lap of the Pro Stock feature to gain his second wind of the season over Dave Hutchins Sr. of Somerset.
Hutchins was roaring, as he took off from his outside pole position and stationed a fast, good handling car at the front for 39 ½ laps. Jake Vanada chased him for the first part of the race, the Berkley driver bitterly yielding ground.
Acushnet’s Mike Brightman had been annoying both Scully and Hutchins from his position in third, trying to get under Scully each time he went to the outside for a pass, but unable to succeed. He finished third, protecting his points lead on the division as his primary antagonists, Westporter Fred Astle, Jr. and Dave Darling of Rehoboth finished behind him in fourth and fifth.
The leaders entered the backstretch on the final lap, and Scully suddenly burst around Hutchins and into the lead as they entered turn 3. Brightman closed on Hutchins, who had left some room down low, but Hutch closed the door; there was contact and he got loose in the rear. Brightman eased off and they crossed behind Scully, 1-2. Astle and Darling followed, with all four of the leaders on the same second.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
#2 – Tom Scully, Jr.
Ron Barboza and Bill Bernard made up the front row for the Late Model 30 lap main. Barboza had the lead to himself as lap one concluded and Estrella, who started low on the second row, stayed tight on Barboza’s bumper for second. Bernard, stuck on the outside, was shuttled back to eighth by lap 7. By this time, Vanasse had marched from sixth at the beginning of lap two to third behind Estrella. On the next lap, courtesy of a caution restart he was underneath and into second and Pelland had come up to fourth, knocking on Estrella’s back door.
Another restart lined Vanasse and Pelland at the front. They engaged in the first of several door-to-door duels on restarts, with Vanasse gaining the advantage. Barboza and DeGasparre had been the second row, and DeGasparre again took third, jumping onto Pelland’s bumper. Vanasse began to edge away.
#11 – Ryan Vanasse
Following the chase, Vanasse managed to get by Pelland on lap 24. Dave Hutchins, Jr. spun on the next lap, bringing a restart with 5 to go. Vanasse and DeGasparre faced off with Pelland and Estrella behind them. Vanasse took the front, and Pelland nosed underneath, trying to retrieve second. DeGasparre hung tough and was ahead at the stripe. Vanasse pulled away and DeGasparre put some space between him and Pelland. Bernard had deprived Estrella of fourth and began pressuring Pelland.
Chris DeMoura got loose on a late race restart and saw Chris Beaulieu shooting into the lead he had held for 13 laps; there was light contact between the pair and DeMoura gathered it back in to burst back to the lead. Beaulieu held on for second place, and points leader, Flyin’ Ryan Lineham from Coventry got under Rehoboth’s Chris Rioux for third. Crystal Serydynski claimed fourth place. A 3-wide finish between Mike Mitchell, Rioux and Sparky Arsenault saw Mitchell into fifth, with Rioux and then Sparky behind him.
Frank Duquette led off from the pole with Tim Eaton outside. The Duque grabbed the lead after a brief battle, and Rioux came under Eaton for second. Duquette ran at the front through lap 6, leading at times by a half-dozen cars.
#08 – Chris DeMoura
George Rego got loose on the front stretch, crossing the infield at speed, and popped back onto the racing surface on turn two before he could regain control. Steve Axon was unable to avoid and hit the back of Rego’s car. A mad scramble ensued; Axon’s fender began dragging sending him to the pits; Eaton picked up debris which cut his tire down, sending him into a spin where he was hammered by Vincent Arrenegado, Jr, Craig Pianka and Ron Shears. Shears was done for the evening.
Rioux and Duquette restarted at the front and went side-by-side with Rioux holding him tightly in the low groove. Duquette pulled ahead but there was contact between his rear and Rioux’ front, loosening him up and sending him high. DeMoura, restarting third, seized the moment and dived under into the lead. Back in the pack, Lineham motored through a three-wide move; the low groove was closed, so he elected to go three-wide again, outside Mitchell and Duquette with Frank as the meat in the sandwich. Duquette fell back and Mitchell moved ahead with Lineham settling between them.
Beaulieu shadowed them, seeking opportunity. But Lallier began falling off and was forced to retire after 20 of the 25 laps were completed. When Joe Kohler spun in turn 1, Lallier took it to the pits on the caution.
The final five laps were a donnybrook, with DeMoura and Beaulieu going at it from the green on the restart all the way to the checkers.
Sport Truck feature polesitter Ron Cornell had taken the lead at the start of the 25 lap race, with Rob Andreozzi of Portsmouth behind with Ed Gannon, Danny Thibeault and Leach behind. Cornell got wide and Andreozzi got underneath. At the same time, Gannon went to the high side, making it three wide for the lead. Andreozzi squeezed into the lead with Gannon on his right shoulder in second in lap four. Two laps later, Leach was under Cornell for third, then Cavallaro and Berube.
Lap ten saw Gannon dive under Andreozzi, taking the lead. Leach tried to follow for second, but he and Andreozzi made contact; the latter spun out and Leach took the rear for his assist.
Now, Gannon had Cavallaro on his shoulder for the restart and Berube and Cornell behind them. Gannon pulled ahead and Berube got under Cavallaro. Tiverton’s Greg Boone looped between turns one and two, and now Gannon had Berube on his outside for the restart. Berube ran off to the lead with Gannon on his tail, Cavallaro, Cornell, Thibeault and Andreozzi. But on lap 13, Gannon got into Berube’s tailgate, sending him around. With both drivers going to the rear, Cavallaro inherited the lead.
Berube charged back to the front to pester Cavallaro by lap 17 when Hyannis’ Anna Gregoire spun. He had a half truck on Cavallaro’s outside on the restart, but Cavallaro charged back. Gannon glued himself to the latter and went under Berube for second and Leach came through the same route to third. By lap 20, the cars were in a pace line behind Cavallaro: Gannon, Leach, Berube, Cornell, Thibeault, Andreozzi and Gregoire. The line held firm to yield the Seekonk native his fifth win on the season.
A.R.C. racing continues on July 16, with a full night of Pro Stock, Late Model, Street Stocks and Sport Truck action, presented by the Shriners of RI. We also continue our Hometown Heroes Celebration, featuring the drivers from the following towns: Pawtucket, Attleboro, North Attleboro, North Smithfield RI, Smithfield, and Cumberland. Fans from these towns will be allowed to catch the action at no charge. All you need is a photo ID, showing what city you are from. For more information, check out seekonkspeedway.com. or find us on Facebook at Seekonk Speedway.
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR