Al Wisialko Picks Up First Career Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Win; Melberg, Pelletier, Bowser & Morsehead Celebrate Wins
SEEKONK, MA — Albert Wisialko took his first career win in Legends, working the right choice while approaching lapped traffic. Wisialko and TJ Thompson were dueling over the lead on lap 18 of the 25-lap feature, when they encountered John Bellucci as they entered lap four. As they pulled along behind, entering turn four, Thompson wavered in his decision on how to go around the lapped vehicle. Wisialko decided and dived for the bottom of the track. Thompson seemed to make a move to go around on the high side, then saw the room that Wisialko had left and turned down. He nearly collided with Bellucci and wavered getting underneath. This was all Wisialko needed to hammer down and pull into the lead on his own. Thompson pursued, with the field of Chris Robbins, Andrew Carpenter and Jesse Jakubajtys following.
1) Al Wisialko 2) TJ Thompson 3) Chris Robbins 4) Andy Carpenter 5) Jesse Jakubajtys 6) Curt Snow 7) John Bellucci 8) Nick Lascoula 9) Joe Putnam 10) Joey Parker 11) Matt Carpenter
Jesse Melberg’s early path to the front was slow, but once past midrace, he was in fourth and challenging, coming around the outside to take on the leaders. He had passed points leader John Robidoux on lap ten for fourth, then spent three laps dueling with David Desrosiers for third. In lap 13, he passed both Desrosiers and Ed Flanagan, Jr. to take over second behind leader Daniel Massa, Jr. Melberg went after Massa who was a quarter-lap ahead. But Melberg began to rapidly close the gap. Behind them, Flanagan and Desrosiers preceded the battle for fifth being waged by Earl Curtin III and Robidoux. On lap 18 they were 4 cars apart. Massa’s lead was down to one car by lap 19.
Melberg made his traditional move to the outside then tried to surprise Massa with a cross under move, as Massa went up to block. But Melberg had the door slammed in his face. But lap 21 saw Melberg push ahead again and this time the bottom was open: he broke into the lead, clear just before they encountered lapped traffic in lap 22. Daniel Johnson and Amy Arsenault got together in turn one, bringing out a lap 21 restart.
Melberg and Massa were the front with Flanagan and Desrosiers behind them. Melberg made one of his patented leaps to the front as Flanagan came in under Massa to steal second. Curtin got under Desrosiers and Jamie Salley got under Robidoux to steal position.
Melberg’s flight to the checkers was made easier when Flanagan engaged Massa and then Curtin followed suit on lap 24.
At the finish, Melberg had a .450 second win over Flanagan, who was .173 ahead of Curtin. Massa and Robidoux rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were: Desrosiers, Jamie Salley, Arsenault, Melissa Charette and Daniel Johnson.
1) Jesse Melberg 2) Ed Flanagan Jr 3) Earl Curtin III 4) Dan Massa 5) John Robidoux 6) Dave Desrosiers 7) Jamie Salley 8) Amy Arsenault 9) Missy Charette 10) Dan Johnson 11) Mike Murphy 12) Keri Lyn Manfredo 13) Ed Gould
Eric Pelletier came off a lap eight restart pulling away from Gil Bradstreet into the lead and Chuck MacDonald came around Bradstreet for second as caution flew again for debris in turn one. One lap had passed but now Pelletier and MacDonald were lined up on the front. They came off the green wheel-to-wheel and MacDonald ran very had down the backstretch and into turns three and four. But his speed had him high and wide out of turn four and
Pelletier got a way to the front. Shawn DeMello was coming fast in third with Devin Miranda on his tail. Pelletier worked to hold off
MacDonald as Miranda began to wind his way around DeMello. McDonald was disqualified during post-race tech, moving Dave Westgate into fifth.
1) Eric Pelletier 2) Devin Miranda 3) Tyler Boudreau 4) Shawn DeMello 5) Dave Westgate 6) Gil Bradstreet 7) David Gargara Jr 8) Kim Bickford 9) Jason Enos II 10) Bob Henry 11) Chris Testa 12) Chris Bissell 13) Nick Mattera 14) Glen Leduc 15) Ken Sousa 16) Henry Lavallee 17) Mike Glad DQ) Chuck McDonald
Taylor Bowser was loose coming out of turn four on the first lap of the SYRA 750 feature as just ahead, the outside polesitter, Christine Cavallaro spun in front of the starter stand. Shelby Donavan spun up near the wall between the turn and the strip and Kaitlyn Donovan ground to a stop just short of her sister. Cavallaro’s car had to be lifted from the track by the wrecker, as she took a ride to be checked at the pit care center.
The full race restart had Ashley Kuhn lined up with Lougee; Bowser and Curtis Rolando followed with Kaitlyn Donovan in the third row. Lougee and Bowser came battling side-by-side as Kuhn’s car was loose out of turn four, leading to a three-wide with Kuhn in the middle. Lougee took the lead into lap two, but Bowser came back to take the spot on lap three. Rolando suffered mechanical problems and limped to the pits trailing sparks – which had been evident since the caution — on the same circuit.
By lap five, the field was set for the finish of the twenty-lap feature with Bowser, Lougee, Kuhn and Kaitlyn engaging in a furious parade to the finish. Points leader, Rolando, finished fifth, 17 laps down. Cavallaro and Shelby Donovan finished off the board.
1) Taylor Bowser 2) Dave Lougee 3) Ashley Kuhn 4) Kaitlyn Donovan 5) Curtis Rolando 6) Christine Cavallaro 7)
Thomas Morsehead, Jr. reclaimed his lead in the SYRA 600 championship race while hauling down another feature win on the season. Morsehead took over the lead from Shea Kulpa on lap three, then held the lead over a host of challengers in the 20-lap feature. Jessica O’Leary stayed in his rear window, longest, from lap six through lap 14. She in turn had taken second from Kulpa. Derrick Debbis came on late in the feature to move her out of the position and pursue Morsehead for the final six circuits, cutting down a substantial lead to a .269-second differential at the stripe. O’Leary finished third; Joey Lembo and Kulpa rounded out the top five.
1) Tom Morsehead Jr 2) Derrick Debbis 3) Jessica O’Leary 4) Joey Lembo 5) Shea Kulpa 6) Doug Meservey 7) Cassie Meservey 8) Eric Lebrun9) Sarah DeMello 10) Madison Birchall 11) Evan Taylor 12) Dave White 13) Scott Serydynski Jr 14) Brandon Lillie 15) Matt Barboza 16) Kendra Levesque
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR