Feature to Fast Freddy…Scully Hauls Down Championship
Fred Astle, Jr. and Tom Scully, Jr. came into the feature with the mathematical chance of winning the championship. Scully was decidedly ahead in points – 35 points to be exact. Fred has enough championships under his belt to understand that the only thing he could do was produce a feature win and then let the chips fall as they may. He set out to do just that and succeeded. Bobby After heat points had been counted and owing to a small field of competitors, Scully only had to drive under the green flag at the beginning of the race to secure the championship.
In the way, however, was Jake Vanada, who leapt off the pole and headed for the checkers, 40 laps away. Outside polesitter Mike Brightman gave chase but Bobby Pelland III got underneath Brightman into second. Into lap two, it was Vanada, Pelland, Brightman, Astle and Angelo Belsito.
Vanada rushed out to a two car lead while Astle pulled ahead of Brightman and Scully then began nosing underneath. Dave Darling was charging forward, getting under Belsito as Rick Martin followed.
The field quickly strung out by lap five and Scully got under Brightman for fourth. Darling nosed under Belsito as well. But Vanada was almost out of sight of his competitors with a fifteen car lead on lap seven. Lap eight saw Brightman stuck on the outside, taking the freight train back as at this point, Darling was working under to the front. The next lap, Belsito was administering the same indignity to him and then Martin. But Darling spun going into the backstretch and last week’s winner, Ryan Lineham, found himself spun high in turn two. Bob Hussey and Dick Houlihan used the opportunity to pit for repairs and returned.
Vanada nosed out on the restart, but Pelland hung tough on the outside. But Astle was on a mission and surged in under Pelland and nosed into second in turn four. Next time around he was on Vanada’s bumper, pushing with impatience. Lap 14 saw Freddy nosing under on the backstretch. He got there on turn four and into the lead on turn two of lap 15.
Vanada gave chase as Martin ran third with Belsito and Pelland giving chase. Scully was coming, running under Ryan Vanasse. But Brightman spun on the backstretch coming out of turn two, bringing caution.
Fred nosed away from Vanada then had the lead again in turn two as Martin got under Vanada. On the next lap, Vanada was around, leaving such quantities of smoke that drivers could not see. Kyle Casper and Phil Meany were caught up in it and spun.
Now Astle nosed away from Radical Rick, who held on outside. Pelland followed with Belsito on the outside. But Martin was hanging tough on the outside and they ran side-by-side. Pelland
followed with Belsito in pursuit. Vanasse was next and Darling was on his way back up with Scully behind him and Houlihan as a chaser.
Next lap, Belsito came around Pelland into third, tightened up on Martin and the three leaders were going at it, nose-to-tail. Pelland, Darling, and Vanasse gave chase.
By lap 24, Astle had a five car advantage on Martin, who led Belsito, Pelland, and Darling. Belsito made the pass on Martin. He got alongside and continued to inch his way forward. Darling made his way past Pelland to harry Martin while Astle applied the pressure and worked his way out to a fifteen-car lead over Belsito, who was eight cars up on Martin and Darling.
Dave got under Martin for some wheel-to-wheel then made his way to third in turn four. Belsito was beginning to make up ground on Astle. By lap 35 of the forty total, it was down to four cars. Each lap, Angelo seemed to shave another car length until with three to go he was on Fred’s bumper.
Belsito went to the outside and began to charge forward. They were moving up on Bob Hussey to lap and Fred maneuvered Belsito so that Hussey became a pick to hold the challenger off the leader. They rushed toward the checkers after passing Hussey in turn four. They drag raced to the line with Astle crossing under first. Belsito gave him a nudge in the quarter panel to let him know his opinion of the pick. But Astle had claimed the win. Belsito collected second, ahead of Darling, Rick Martin, and Pelland. Scully crossed sixth to claim his championship, followed by Vanasse, Casper, Houlihan, and Vanada, to round out the top ten.
Sources: SeekonkSpeedway.com