Melberg, Lascoula, DeMello, Lougee & Kulpa Win Fast Friday Mains
SEEKONK, MA — Jesse Melberg continued to show why he is the reigning champion for 2012 by coming from the back of the pack for a convincing win, edging race leader Amy Arsenault with six laps remaining in the 25-lap feature. He clambered from tenth on a field of twelve to fourth over the first eight laps, then settled in behind points leader John Robidoux for six laps, worked on Dave Desrosiers for three laps and then another three in second before he could get around Arsenault. Melberg made it happen the hard way, going around the outside each time. Earl Curtin III, who made a late climb from fifth, moved Arsenault back just two laps later to claim third, just three tenths of a second behind. Arsenault was third in a new car, .834 back. Ed Flanagan, Jr. and Robidoux rounded out the top five.
1) Jesse Melberg 2) Earl Curtin III 3) Amy Arsenault 4) Ed Flanagan Jr 5) John Robidoux 6) Jamie Salley 7) Dave Desrosiers 8) Mark Murphy 9) Dan Massa Jr 10) Dan Johnson 11) Keri-Lyn Manfredo 12) Ed Gould
Nick Lascuola relieved Chris Robbins of the lead on lap three, and then went time-trialing by himself for the remainder of the race. Lascuola comfortably leads the points competition and most nights has little problem storming to the front. Last week was different as he suffered crashes, bangs and ills which took him away from his accustomed place. This week, the Brockton Speedster stormed home a full half-lap ahead of his nearest competition. Andrew Carpenter finished second, 4.835 seconds back and just .237 ahead of last week’s winner, Al Wisialko. Joey Parker finished fourth and Matt Carpenter rounded out the top five.
1) Nick Lascoula 2) Andrew Carpenter 3) Al Wisialko 4) Joey Parker 5) Matt Carpenter 6) Ricky White 7) John O’Sullivan 8) Jesse Jakubajtys 9) Joe Putnam 10) Chris Robbins 11) TJ Thompson
Sean DeMello fought his way up from a twelfth place start to grab the lead on a lap 11 restart, then held off the man he had overtaken over the final 9 laps to the finish. Gil Bradstreet had taken the lead off the pole and dueled with David Gargaro until DeMello moved Gargaro back to third on lap eight.
Gargaro’s car had suffered engine failure in practice, but Chuck MacDonald had stepped up to offer the competitive rookie his vehicle for the remained of the season so he could remain in the points consideration. Gargaro was
able to make the sudden transition in a competent fashion, holding second for eight laps and finishing eighth overall.
DeMello, meanwhile, was gobbling up positions rapidly from the twelfth place start: he was past Chris Bissell on the first lap, then Henry Lavallee and Lenny Souza on the next lap. Bob Henry and Nick Mattera fell behind him on the next circuit, then David Westgate. He was past Chris Testa on the next time around and then Jason Enos. DeMello was now in third with fifteen laps remaining. He began a duel with Gargaro and they swapped positions before DeMello could finally settle into second on lap nine. Bradstreet was now cruising fifteen cars ahead but DeMello settled into chasing him down.
Bradstreet jumped ahead, but DeMello surged back alongside and battled the outside. He had his nose past Bradstreet at the line and took the lead for himself down the backstretch on lap 13. He had a two-lap lead on the next trip, which he enlarged enroute to a 1.410 second lead at the finish.
Henry Lavallee had been coming through the pack behind DeMello and was able to move past Bradstreet for second. Bradstreet claimed third with Devin Miranda and Tyler Boudreau finishing the top five. They had fought their ways up from fourteenth and thirteenth respectively. Boudreau keeps his points lead for the championship and Miranda gained two points on the leader from second.
Michael Glad, Lenny Sousa, Gargaro, Bissell and Henry completed the top ten.
1) Shawn DeMello 2) Henry Lavallee 3) Gil Bradstreet 4) Devin Miranda 5) Tyler Boudreau 6) Michael Glad 7) Lenny Sousa 8) Dave Gargaro Jr 9) Chris Bissell 10) Bob Henry 11) Dave Westgate 12) Chris Testa 13) Kim Bickford 14) Nick Mattera 15) Jason Enos 16) Glen Leduc
David Lougee surged to the front of the SYRA 750 feature on lap 3 and walked away to a substantial lead, then held off all comers following a lap 18 restart. Ashley Kuhn and Shelby Donovan had lead early, but Kuhn was loose on the first lap and fell to sixth before she could gather it back in. Donovan took over with sister Kaitlyn at her back. But Lougee came past on the next lap as Kaitlyn came loose, to challenge from second. Two circuits more and he had taken the lead with Shelby in pursuit.
Taylor Bowser had moved into third, but now she was high and very wide out of turn four, allowing Kaitlyn and then Curtis Rolando past. Shelby now fell victim to this duo and she fell to fourth. Bowser then moved her back to fifth.
By lap ten, Lougee was leading by half a straightaway, with Kaitlyn, Rolando, Bowser and Shelby behind. Christine Cavallaro and Kuhn were debating position behind them.
The field was stringing out over the following laps until the eighteenth circuit when Rolando got into the back of Kaitlyn’s car and she spun. They both retired to the back.
Lougee had Bowser on his outside for the restart, while Shelby and Kuhn followed. He was away at the green with Bowser on his bumper. Shelby, then Kuhn pursued, ahead of Kaitlyn, Cavallaro and Rolando.
The field had a wild melee to the finish line with Bowser coming over the line a half second off the pace. Shelby, Kuhn, Kaitlyn, Cavallaro and Rolando completed the field.
1) David Lougee 2) Taylor Bowser 3) Shelby Donovan 4) Ashley Kuhn 5) Kaitlyn Donovan 6) Christine Cavallaro 7) Curtis Rolando
Shea Kulpa leapt off the pole right out of the starting box and ran unheeded through a caution-free race to the checkers for a memorable first win. She quickly outdistanced Kendra Levesque enroute to Victory Lane and at times had half a straightaway lead over the rest of the field in a real show of force. Madison Birchall got past Levesque on the first lap and settled in to chase down the fleeing Kulpa. But none could. Birchall Fought off Jessica O’Leary, who dogged her path for the rest of the feature to run in for third, making the podium finish all women drivers. Levesque was hard on her bumper in fourth until lap 12, but was shuttled to the outside and fell back afterward. Joey
Lembo nabbed fourth but did not have an easy run over the final eight laps, with Derrick Debbis in close pursuit, trying every way possible to get around and steal the spot. They finished fourth and fifth.
1) Shea Kulpa 2) Madison Birchall 3) Jessica O’Leary 4) Joey Lembo 5) Derrick Debbis 6) Kendra Levesque 7) Brandon Lille 8) David White 9) Brett Meservey 10) Tom Morsehead 11) Doug Meservey 12) Matt Barboza 13) Cassie Meservey 14) Eric Lebrun 15) Scott Serydynski Jr 16) Hans Deguzman 17) Evan Taylor
Sources: Kevin Boucher/Seekonk Speedway PR