Griffith Grabs the DAV Pro Stock Open 150 Win at Seekonk Speedway
Young N.H. native puts a cap on a breakout 2016 New England campaign
Seekonk, MA — Derek Griffith and the No. 12 Hitman Industries/FEP Insurance/LCM Racing team rolled into Seekonk Speedway for the final race in the New England region looking for a great finish, to what has been a breakout season for the 19-year-old Hudson, New Hampshire native.
The 150-lap main event was part of the prestigious DAV. The annual event that showcases the top drivers from around New England; “DAV” honors D. Anthony Venditti, the pioneer who built Seekonk Speedway in 1946 and the Venditti family continues to operate the track to this day. This event has become one of the most sought after victories for any race car driver.
Griffith was fast right out of the hauler and with Crew Chief Louie Mechalides at the helm of the set-up, Derek is always in good hands. Griffith narrowly missed a $10,000 payday earlier in the year at Seekonk by finishing on the podium for the 200-lap U.S. Pro Stock Championship race, so the team had very good notes to start their weekend with.
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Rolling off in the 6th starting spot in his qualifying heat race, Derek quickly moved through the field and finished in the 3rd position. This would translate to an 8th place starting spot in the 150-lap feature event.
Griffith brought the No. 12 to the starting grid and upon the green flag, Derek started his assault toward the top spot and was in front of the field within the first 20 laps. Derek talks about the pace he was setting in the early going, “It didn’t take long for me to get through traffic; I was able to make some moves that I knew I had the car to make. Louie just makes it so easy, he always gives me a car I can work with. Some of the guys were wrecking out early and we knew we had to clear that, so we didn’t become involved. This is a huge win for our team and it was a total team effort.”
The event saw multiple cautions but Griffith stayed out front and fought off a charge from fellow New Hampshire race No. 60 DJ Shaw to bring the No. 12 Toyota Camry to victory lane.
While the racing in New England for Derek in 2016 has come to an end and has seen the young driver capture his first Pro All Stars Series victory, along with eight top-10 finishes and an overall seventh-place in the season long points battle. The month of October has seen Griffith capture both the Lee USA Speedway’s Oktoberfest Pro Stock win and now with the DAV Pro 150 win. Griffith may head to the Southern United States for some of their big events. The team has not finalized any plans as of this press release.
You can follow Derek on his Social Media on Facebook at Facebbok.com/derekgriffth18 or Twitter at Twitter.com/derekgriffith12 and by going to his website at derekgriffith.com
Sources: Eric LaFleche/Derek Griffith PR
Derek Griffith Team Photo