Dave Darling, Bill Bernard, Craig Pianka and Darryl Church are Bald Hill Dodge night winners at Seekonk Speedway
Seekonk, MA — Dave Darling rolled to his fourth Pro Stock win of the season, extending his championship lead in his quest for his third title. Ryan Vanasse took the lead on the opening lap after squeezing in between Phil Meany and Kevin Folan. Once out front, Vanasse seemed to pull away from the pack with ease, opening up a ¾ straightaway lead at one point.
Tom Scully Jr sat in the runner up position, and tried to hang onto the A&A Auto Parts Chevy, but had heavy pressure from Mike Brightman for a dozen laps, then from Darling once he started to put pressure in the Wheelock’s NAPA Auto Group Ford. But there was no stopping the Bristol Toyota Scion Camry, and Darling used up only 5 laps to go around Scully Jr. Once up to second, he had his work cut out for him, and Vanasse had already checked out. Little by little, Vanasse’s lead started shrinking. With the lapped traffic around him, he started to run a little more cautiously, allowing things to straighten out ahead of him before making his moved. With 10 laps to go, Darling was within 3 car lengths behind. On lap 32, the first caution of the night came out when Tom Scully Sr. stalled in turn two.
Once back green, Darling jumped out front and led the final 7 laps to his fourth win of the season. Vanasse held on for second, with Scully Jr third, Dick Houlihan and Fred Astle crossing the line fourth and fifth.
Bill Bernard picked up the lead on the opening laps of the 30 lap Late Model event, and never looked back as he picked up his first win since opening day. Over the past several weeks, just about anything that could have happened to the Holliston native has happened. On this night, however, he was not to be denied and held on through a couple of restarts to hold off new championship chase point leader Bobby Pelland III.
While Bernard was having his way with Pelland and the rest of the pack, the racing for third on back was hot and heavy, including one incident that involved Dylan Estrella, Gerry DeGasparre Jr, Ron Barboza Jr and Scott Dion. All would be able to return, but Estrella lost one lap in the pits trying to get back out onto the speedway. As the laps were winding down, Jeramee Lillie and Dave Hutchins were swapping the third spot back and forth, with Lillie getting the spot at the stripe. Dion came back through the field for fifth in the final rundown.
The Sam’s Club Street Stocks had a 30 lap feature on the schedule, and once again, they did not fail to entertain. Smithfield’s Craig Pianka picked up his second win of the season in almost dominating fashion, beating point leader Paul Lallier by over two and one half seconds. Justin Travis led the first several laps before Pianka took over the lead.
Travis held on to second before spinning after contact with Chris DeMoura. Pat Delaney took over second on the restart, and tried to hang on to the Spring Villa Assisted Living Chevy, but had his own hands full with Paul Lallier who took over the runner up position just shy of the one-third point of the 30 lap feature. Scott Serydynski worked his way through the pack and moved into third by lap 10.
As the laps wore down, Pianka pulled away from the battle between Lallier and Serydynski, who were in an all-out dogfight. Lallier did everything he could to keep Scottie behind him, and was able to beat him across the line by .2 seconds. Charles Beal crossed the line in fourth with Rey Lovelace fifth. Serydynski failed post-race tech, moving Sparky Arsenault into the top five.
In the 25 lap Sport Truck main, Darryl Church of Brockton finally had everything go his way and led all 25 laps to pick up his first career win at Seekonk. In a race that went green-to-checkered, Church was not challenged until less than 4 laps remaining. Rookie contender Nick Uhrig rode behind the Tiny & Son’s Auto Glass Ford until deciding it was time to see if there was anything he could do with the leader, but was only able to close up to the back bumper. Rick Martin finished third, with John Paiva and Mike Cavallaro rounding out the top five.
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR