Belsito Grabs Granite State Pro Stock Feature at DAV Fall Classic
Angelo Belsito hasn’t forgotten his way around the Bull Ring at the Cement Palace in his time with the Granite State Pro Stocks. Despite a sudden, heroic charge at the finish by Ryan Vanasse which threatened to unseat him, Belsito picked up the grand prize at the season’s ender. Vanasse took second and early leader Reid Lanpher completed the podium finish. Joey Doiron and Dave Darling rounded out the top five.
Belsito was outside the third row, behind Darling for the start. Lanpher had pole with Craig Weinstein. On the green, they ran side-by-side until Lanpher nosed ahead. Joey Doiron grabbed Lanpher’s bumper and began to slide under Weinstein. But Craig held on and Doiron settled into third. Darling had grabbed fourth. Behind him, Mike Mitchell was underneath Belsito.
Lanpher quickly generated a five-car lead and began to increase it. Weinstein was seven cars up as Darling took third but a spin in turn four brought the field back for a restart.
Lanpher and Weinstein led Doiron and Darling into the starting box. Lanpher took the lead after some side-by-side racing with Weinstein. Doiron got under Craig but fell back and Darling held fourth. Darling overtook Doiron, who then debated fourth with Belsito for three laps before Angelo could take the position. By lap 12, Lanpher was leading a strung-out field by ten cars. As Belsito completed the pass on Doiron three laps later, the lead had swelled to fifteen.
Darling ducked under Weinstein in turn three in a sudden move and the field settled in for three laps of high speed pursuit. Now, David Farrington was in the picture and nosing under Doiron for some wheel-to-wheel running. Belsito had moved in on Darling’s bumper as Farrington got by Doiron, who was now seeing Vanasse getting in underneath. John Lowinski-Loh went pitside for the day on lap 20. Belsito settled on Darling’s bumper.
Several laps ran in succession without passing although there were many looks underneath by different drivers. Farrington was shadowing Belsito, followed by Weinstein and Vanasse.
Lanpher stretched his lead to a half-straightaway and Belsito was eight slots up on Darling. Farrington was a half-straight back at the halfway point in the feature.
Belsito began closing on Lanpher. He shaved it down to five cars and another lap later was two cars back as they navigated lapped traffic. With Belsito on his bumper, Lanpher was having a hard time getting past the lapped car of Mike Brightman. Just then, Mitchell spun at the stripe, bringing out the caution. Officials announced that Brightman would be given the Lucky Dog award which would keep him on the lead lap.
Belsito and Lanper lined up with Darling and Farrington in row two; Weinstein and Vanasse followed, in front of Doiron and Austin Blais.
It took two attempts to restart and after Weinstein spun down the backstretch out of turn two, officials announced that Jimmy Renfro would receive the Lucky Dog as well.
Second try at the restart had Belsito and Lanpher running door-to-door across the stripe. Belsito edged out and took the lead in turn four. Darling followed Lanpher and Vanasse jumped onto Dave’s tail with Doiron giving chase. Darling then moved in under Lanpher while Vanasse went below Doiron.
The debates continued with Vanasse nosing slowly ahead while Doiron was getting under Farrington and Eddie MacDonald was moving into the picture. Belsito now had a ten-car lead. But Kevin Casper and Ray Christian III got together, leaving Casper badly damaged in the turn four infield. Casper was out after 63 laps. Christian was able to continue.
Now two Seekonk Pro Stock champions sat side-by-side for the restart: Belsito and Darling. They came out of the box dead even and it took until turn two for Belsito to push forward into the lead. But Blais and Christian got together after two laps and they lined up again.
Belsito pulled away as Darling drifted up track. Lanpher pounced on the opportunity and grabbed second while MacDonald dueled Doiron, looking for fourth. He succeeded as Belsito pulled out to an eight-car lead. Darling was looking under Lanpher to get the position back and they went side-by-side through turn four. Belsito pushed his margin to 12 lengths and then to a half-straightaway before Renfrew spun in turn four, bringing everyone back together for a restart. Weinstein was called for the assist and joined Renfrew at the rear.
Belsito and Darling went at it again, doing some door-to-door before Belsito moved out and Darling dropped in. MacDonald was now running on Lanpher’s high side. The battled wheel-to-wheel for three laps before Lanpher had control and then Vanasse slid in underneath. They battled for another couple laps before Vanasse moved ahead of MacDonald into fifth. Belsito was again nursing a five-car lead. David Farrington edged in under MacDonald, looking for sixth.
Two laps later, Renfrew spun again, in turn four. Nick Lascuola headed for the pits and Weinstein was black-flagged for his second incident with Renfrew.
Belsito and Darling lined again, ahead of Lanpher and Doiron. Vanasse and Farrington made up row three, with MacDonald and Ryan Kuhn behind them. Belsito had the lead in turn four and next lap saw Lanpher looking under Darling. As they dueled, Vanasse put on a burst of speed and shot into second from fifth. MacDonald got underneath for a three-wide as Lanpher took third and Darling dropped to fifth. Eight laps remained as Farrington spun in turn three.
Now Belsito had Vanasse on his high side for the restart with Lanpher and MacDonald behind them. Darling was outside Doiron in the third row. Vanasse got a great jump on Belsito but the start was called back as Ryan had left prematurely. Second try and Belsito got the lead and Lanpher looked underneath Vanasse. They ran side-by-side but Belsito took the lead. MacDonald had gone to Doiron’s high side, but Doiron pulled ahead. Darling took the opportunity to duck underneath and ease MacDonald out of fifth.
Lanpher was not ready to concede with four laps remaining. Vanasse was looking to Belsito’s high side and Lanpher was sizing up an underneath move. On the final circuit, he pushed in but Vanasse fought back. At the checkers, it was a matter of mere inches between them, but Vanasse had the runnerup spot by .093 of a second.
Belsito, of course, had the win and Lanpher appeared on the podium for his third. Farrington and Darling rounded out the top five.
MacDonald claimed sixth, followed by Kuhn, Joe Squeglia, Mike Brightman and Bobby Pelland III to complete the top ten. Farrington, Renfrew, and Devin O’Connell were just outside to top ten.
KUHN COMES HOME TO CAPTURE LATE MODELS
Late Model champ from 2018, Bridgewater’s Ryan Kuhn – took time off from his busy American Canadian Tour schedule to take down the win at the DAV Memorial race to end the Seekonk season. Kuhn dominantly leads the rookie-of-the-year standings and is running fourth, overall, on the tour. Kuhn and Gerry DeGasparre, Jr., exchanged fusillades from first and second place for the latter two-thirds of the race with Ryan edging Gerry D out of the pocket 24 laps in. Gerry had taken over after Jeramme “The Hammer” Lillie led from the start into lap 13.
It was a two-caution feature covering 50 laps and action was intense throughout.
At the outset, Lillie had come off the pole with Tyler Tomassi and after a brief wheel-to-wheel challenge had the lead in turn two by a nose. He was clear of Tomassi in turn four and Nick Uhrig took his turn to get underneath while it went three-wide for fourth place between DeGasparre, Paul Newcomb and Ryan Lineham. The three wide lasted into lap two and then lap three before Newcomb backed out of the middle. But Tomassi loomed and he became a new member of the trio with Gerry and Ryan wrapping around him.
Kuhn vaulted forward from seventh, but after some bumper tag and a check-up, caution reigned and newly-crowned Late-Model champ Tom The Bomb Adams went pitside.
The restart had Lillie and Uhrig at the front, DeGasparre and Lineham and then Kuhn and Tomassi. As Lillie took the lead, Degasparre got under Uhrig and Kuhn ducked under Lineham. Tomassi followed and Mark Hudson escaped Ryan Morgan to run seventh.
Kuhn moved up under Uhrkig and into third behind DeGasparre. Uhrig and Lineham followed. DeGasparre began to bother Lillie incessantly while Kuhn looked to Gerry’s outside. Uhrig followed while Vinnie Arrenegado looked under Morgan for seventh but was rebuffed. Degasparre then climbed to Lillie’s high side and got his nose past in turn two. It was a fender down the backstretch and finally a full lead going through turn two. Lillie now had Kuhn at his back.
Adams, who had suffered a crushed nose in the earlier caution, now went pitside as Chase Belcher, attempting to also leave the track had his motor fall silent high in turn four and required a push from the wrecker.
The front row for the restart was now DeGasparre and Kuhn. Gerry took a nose crossing the stripe and a full lead in turn one. Kuhn stayed close and Lillie argued third with Uhrig. The Hammer suddenly checked up and Uhrig shot into third. Newcomb came up alongside Lillie.
DeGasparre and Kuhn put four car lengths on Uhrig as Lille gave chase with Lineham on his tail and Charlie Rose coming on, digging in under Morgan. Kuhn was able to turn the tables and came back to take the lead at the midpoint of the fifth-lapper. It began an extended chase between the Sophomore and the veteran, which lasted all the way to the checkered flag.
The field quickly strung out. As Rose pulled ahead, Arrenegado ducked underneath Morgan. Newcomb found his way under Uhrig into third with Lillie holding fifth. Vinnie now ducked under Lineham to chase Rose. Arrenegado looked under Rose and there was contact. Morgan was getting under Lineahm and Josh Hedges looked under the both, creating a three-wide. As it broke down, Morgan was under Lineham and Mark Jenison had edged in under Hedges.
The field had gone single file once again, and it became a high-speed chase. Jennison got under Lineham and took over the position. Hedges then did the same. Arrenegado was working on Uhrig for fourth with five circuits remaining. He got onto his bumper then underneath for some door-to-door. Vinnie inched out then finally got the position to himself in turn three, heading for the twin sticks with two laps remaining.
At the finish, it was Kuhn and DeGasparre 1-2 for the event, with Newcomb grabbing third and a podium spot. Arrenegado and Urhig rounded out the top five.
Completing the top ten were Charlie Rose, Lillie, Morgan, Hedges, and Lineham. Just off the pace came Jenison, Hudson, Colby Lambert, and Dane Saritelli, with Tomassi in fifteenth.
LALLIER OUTRUNS ARSENAULT IN SPORTSMAN 35-LAPPER
Tyler Lallier came back after narrowly missing the Sportsman Division championship the previous week to gather up all the marbles for the D. Anthony Venditti Memorial in the division. Lallier took the lead from Chris Gomes on lap 12 and Sparky Arsenault jumped into second after another trip around. From there, the wily veteran pursued Lallier with a vengance, took many shots at stealing the win, but in the end run, was unable to unseat the second-generation racer from the win. 2019 champ, Kid Chaos (Corey Fanning) chased both leaders intently for a third place finish, while Al Clements IV made his yearly visit to gather up fourth, just ahead of Paul Williams.
Manny Dias and Austin “Porkchop” Erickson kicked things off and Manny grabbed the lead, but second time around, the Diasmobile lost power and went to the pits, leaving Gomes in charge. Fanning grabbed second shuttling Erickson to third. As the field strung out, Arsenault started making moves to get under Porkchop. Next time around, however, David Smith spun on the front stretch.
Gomes and Fanning took the front with Erickson and Arsenault in row two. Lallier and Chad Baxter made up row three. The lap six restart went door-to-door through turn two until Gomes nosed out on the back stretch. Erickson grabbed his back bumper as he came under Fanning. When Gomes got loose in turn two, Erickson took a nose and Fanning came around outside. But Gomes recovered and went back to the front. Ericson followed and Lallier was ducking under Fanning. Perry and Sparky were wheel-to-wheel behind them. Williams, Clements and Adam Pettey followed.
With Lallier following on his bumper, Erickson went under Gomes and then Lallier ducked under Erickson for the lead after they cleared. But Gomes was not quite done and climbed onto the outside to make it three-wide. He couldn’t hold the outside and went around collecting Perry. They were able to correct and continue, so caution did not fly. Lallier, however, had taken a long lead. Erickson was second followed by Arsenault. Fanning looked under Arsenault but Sparky escaped by taking on Erickson on the outside.
Arsenault went to second and Erickson took third, followed by Fanning, Clements and Williams. Fanning looked underneath Erickson, but was denied. He tried again and succeeded with Clements following him through the gap.
Lallier now had a half-lap on the field. The next six cars – Fanning, Clements, Erickson, Williams, Pettey and Gomes were running hard, nose-to-tail. Williams came along side and there was contact. Erickson spun and went immediately to the pits. He returned and lined a t the rear as Lallier and Arsenault lined up with Fanning and Clements at their backs.
They ran side-by-side into turn one and Lallier took a nose in turn two. Arsenault spent the final eleven laps after the restart looking for any way he could find around Lallier. But Tyler kept closing the door. The field strung out. Clements began trying his bag of tricks on Fanning. Neither Arsenault nor Clements could make their way past their adversaries.
The twin sticks loomed and then the white flag: still the combat continued – all the way to the finish line. At the checkers, it was Lallier, Arsenault and Fanning headed for the podium.
Sixth on the afternoon went to Gomes, followed by Pettey, Erickson and Tom Watson.
MARTIN CAPTURES VENDITTI IN TRUCKS
Former Sport Trucks champion Radical Rick Martin couldn’t run his Pro Stock for the Venditti Memorial but he made up for it by coming back to the Sport Trucks division and carrying home the DAV trophy. First, however, he had to get past Mikey Cooper, as the rookie led the first third of the feature. Then, four laps after, he had another rookie – the Rookie of the Year AND the new Trucks champ, Richie Murray was on his tail and stayed there to the checkers. Jake Vanada came up as well to harass Murray and Martin all the way to the finish line. At the podium post-race, it was Martin, Murray, and Vanada as the top trio. Brittany Campbell and Mike Duarte rounded out the top five on the
Cooper came off the pole, nosing ahead of Campbell, who held onto the outside spot as Mike Cavallaro came looking underneath for second. They ran side-by-side as Duarte Martin came in behind them, looking for a way toward the front. Duarte and Charlie Rose followed.
Campbell got stuck on the outside and took the freight train trip toward the back, looking for a spot to settle in. Duarte slid by underneath, then came Vanada. Two more laps and Murray was doing the same. As Richie moved into sixth, Rose was working past below as the field strung out single file. Murray poked his nose in under Vanada
At the front, Cavallaro was letting Cooper have everything in the way of passing attempts, but Coop remained resolutely entrenched at the front. Martin and Duarte moved in and the lead four were running nose-to-tail. Murray had completed the pass of Vanada and was beginning to bridge up to the lead group. Rose followed with Mike Belanger at his tailgate; Connor Souza and Campbell were now door-to-door.
Cavallaro took a look under Cooper and The Radical One seized the moment to go around Cavallaro to the outside. He took it into second. This continued until Martin had gone all the way into the lead despite Cooper’s stubborn reticence. Cooper settled in with Cavallaro on his tailgate while Murray was now on Duarte’s high side to challenge for fifth. Rose was closing up on the lead group.
But fifteen laps in on the thirty-five lapper, Johnny Silva III was around coming out of turn four for the first caution. Jordan Lopes, one of a group of Sport Fours competing among the trucks, headed for the pits. (Others included Sport Four champ Mikey Lefort and former Formula Four division hotshoe Bill Schoeler.)
Martin came out of the box with Cooper on his shoulder and went into the lead crossing the stripe. Cavallaro ducked under Cooper before he could drop with Murray sliding under as Mike pulled ahead. Rose was suddenly up to the wall in turn four and a full restart ensued as the field had not completed a lap. Second try and Martin was away again and Cavallaro followed under Cooper. Murray, Souza, and Campbell followed but it was a bad start.
Another try brought the same strategies. Cooper fastened onto Cavallaro’s bumper after the pass. There was a brief three-wide and Duarte ended it in fourth as Cooper regained second. Vanada poked his way past Cavallaro onto Duarte’s rear. Now, Lenny Souza and Silva were around between turns three and four. Connor was collected and black-flagged to visit the pits for his rear bumper hanging loose. He made repairs and returned to the feature.
Martin and Cooper faced off again with Murray and Duarte behind them. Martin was away again, right out of the box and Murray ducked under Cooper and into second. Cooper dropped in while Vanada was under Cavallaro behind them. Duarte followed, but Campbell ducked under She moved ahead and looked under Cavallaro and nosed into fifth place. Murray was now working over Martin’s bumper as Vanada was coming up to them, trailing Cooper, Campbell, and Duarte. Duarte looked under and they dueled and then Belanger moved under as Duarte pulled away.
Murray applied a liberal amount of harassment to Martin. They were 13 cars up on Vanada, who held third. Martin eased a car length between himself and Murray and they had most of a straightaway on Vanada when Jake’s prayers were answered by a Lenny Souza spin at the end of the backstretch.
Vanada was now on Martin’s bumper for the restart. Murray had Duarte behind him. Campbell and Cooper were row three, ahead of Ed Perry and Cavallaro. Martin was not do be denied this day and was gone at the stripe. Vanada ducked under Murray for some door-to-door. Vanada had the lead the next time across the stripe, but Murray dropped under to steal it back.
At the white flag, Murray scooted ahead and Vanada dropped. The expected cross under did not materialize and the ran under the checkers with Martin collecting the win, Murray second and Vanada third. Campbell had come back from her earlier demotion to the rear by the freight train effect to solidly collect fourth, just ahead of Duarte. Belanger gained sixth, followed by Rose, Cavallaro, Perry, and Cooper. Darryl Church was just off the top ten in eleventh place and Schoeler was the first of the four-cylinder Sport Fours, finishing twelfth, just ahead of Lefort.
Sources: SeekonkSpeedway.com