Casey Sanchez Back to Back in SYRA 750 Action; Bill Chouinard & Carl Medeiros, Jr. Capture Wins at Seekonk
Seekonk, MA — Friday night, June 13th featured the second round of the Fast Friday Series at Seekonk Speedway. The Seekonk Youth Racing Association and the Pure Stocks were on hand for their 25-lap features. The first feature of the night saw Carl Medeiros, Jr. pick up his first win of the young season in dominant fashion. Medeiros, of Westport, MA went the distance, leading the entire race with his green #50 Dodge. Kyle DeSouza and his Phil’s Propane #88 ran strong throughout the race, running as high as second during the initial laps. He soon would have to fend off the challenges of Jason Enos, II, who started at the rear of the field. In only three laps, Enos was up into third place. By lap 11, Enos was up to second but there was plenty of action in his rear view mirror. DeSouza, Kaitlyn Donovan and Adam Swift were in a tight three car battle, rounding out the top-5.
With seventeen circuits in the books, the first caution flag flew for Donovan when her car came to a stop in the turn 4 infield. Just two circuits later, another caution flew to bunch up the field when Glenn Deming, Jr.’s #24 stalled in turn 3. Off the final restart, Enos challenged for the lead, looking for a way around Medeiros. On the final circuit, Enos got his AAJ Home Improvements machine inside of Medeiros down the frontstretch and into turn 1. Medeiros was able to keep the lead, while Enos’ car got into the grass, thwarting the Assonet, MA 11-year-old’s chances of a victory.
Medeiros captured the victory by holding off a hard-charging Enos down to the final lap. Kyle DeSouza brought home a consistent second-place run, where his car ran among the top-5 for the entire race. Opening night victor Jake Spillers of Ashburnham, MA was third, while Adam Swift and Branden Dion completed the top-5 finishers.
The Pure Stocks were second in the race order and put on an exceptional race. In the caution-free 25-lap feature, defending champion Bill Chouinard of Swansea, MA won his first race of the season, besting a fourteen car field. Russell Lambert of Westport, MA was the early leader in his orange and black #92. Bill Chouinard was already up to second place with his Capco Steel Co.-Highland #8. Mark Boisvert, Nicholas Uhrig and Tommy Blackwell rounded out the top-5 at that juncture. Chouinard was closing the gap between himself and Lambert, putting his black #8 into the lead on the ninth circuit.
Just three circuits later, Uhrig emerged from the battle in second-place. Uhrig battled for the lead for most of last week’s feature and was primed for another chance at victory with his #11 mount. Mark Boisvert and Memorial Day weekend winner Scott Cestodio were locked in a battle for position behind Uhrig as well. Cestodio’s TownCarTravel.com machine pursued Boisvert through the closing laps as the leaders encountered slower traffic.
The caution-free feature saw Chouinard set the fastest lap and lead Uhrig to the finish line by 0.3 seconds. Scott Cestodio improved from his starting position towards the back of the field with a third-place performance. Mark Boisvert came home fourth with Tommy Blackwell in fifth spot.
In the night capper SYRA 750 division feature, rookie competitor Casey Sanchez showed that his La Sonrisa Restaurant #5 team would be a force to be reckoned with this season. A veteran of the SYRA 600 class, Sanchez made it two in a row on the season, despite the rookie stripes adorning his black #5 Chevrolet. Chris Igo, Jr. and Stephen Gardiner, Jr., led the field to the green but a multi-car accident on the initial circuit changed the lineup. Kyle Kuchta, Brian Mondeau, Casey Sanchez, and Dylan Estrella all involved in the mishap. Estrella received the most damage as his #46 Lamar and Sons Ford got into the wall off turn 4. Estrella would return to the race in time for the restart, with the front nose piece on his car missing.
Stephen Gardiner of Plymouth, MA spun in turn 4 on the second lap of the race to bring out the second caution. In the early going, Chris Igo showed the way with Nick Ladyga running in second. Close action was among the top-5, featuring two-wide action. Lap 11 saw a change at the front of the pack as Derryck Anderson, Jr. of Warwick, RI brought his #65 to the point. Two circuits later, it was Anderson out in front with Casey Sanchez in second, after coming back from an early crash. Nick Ladyga, Brian Mondeau and Chris Igo rounded out the top-5.
The draft continued to weave its magic among the leaders. Anderson, who used teamwork with other cars to get to the leader, was now on the other side of the coin. Sanchez made the winning pass on lap 19. Kyle Kuchta of Niantic, CT was now up to second, passing Anderson as well. At the conclusion, it was Casey Sanchez making a return trip to victory lane. Kyle Kuchta of Niantic was second with Nick Ladyga of Voluntown, CT in third. Derryck Anderson and Brian Mondeau rounded out the top-5.
The Fast Friday series racing at Seekonk runs every Friday through September. For $5.00 admission, Go-Kart racing is included as well. The stars of the future at Seekonk Speedway are competing each Friday and it’s your chance to see them every week.
SYRA 600
25 Lap Feature
50 – Carl Medeiros, Jr., Westport, MA
88 – Kyle DeSouza, Fairhaven, MA
6 – Jake Spillers, Ashburnham, MA
75 – Adam Swift, Fairhaven, MA
04 – Branden Dion, Taunton, MA
96 – David Hutchins, Jr. , Somerset, MA
3- Jason Enos, II, Assonet, MA
95 – Kaitlyn Donovan, Waterford, CT
18 – Ashley Kuhn, Plymouth, MA
24 – Glenn Deming, Jr., N. Scituate, RI
SYRA 750
25 Lap Feature
5 – Casey Sanchez, Providence, RI
0 – Kyle Kuchta, Niantic, CT
38 – Nick Ladyga, Voluntown, CT
65 – Derryck Anderson, Jr., Warwick, RI
22 – Brian Mondeau, Bridgewater, MA
46 – Dylan Estrella, N. Attleboro, MA
12 – Stephen Gardiner, Jr., Plymouth, MA
8 – Christopher Igo, Jr., N. Easton, MA
56 – Jacob Swift, Fairhaven, MA
Pure Stocks
25 Lap Feature
8 – Bill Chouinard, Swansea, MA
11 – Nick Uhrig, Warwick, RI
01 – Scott Cestodio, Swansea, MA
47 – Mark Boisvert, Uxbridge, MA
0 – Tommy Blackwell, Taunton, MA
9 – Amy Arsenault, Concord, NC
99 – C.J. Mello, Cranston, RI
36 – John Frias, Fairhaven, MA
93 – John Robidoux, Fall River, MA
51 – Joe Carpenter, Seekonk, MA
10 – Melissa Charette, Taunton, MA
15 – Jeremy Lambert, Westport, MA
92 – Russell Lambert, Westport, MA
13 – Bob Hinckley, Jr., Acushnet, MA
2 – Jim Valentine, Pawtucket, RI (DNS)
Go-Kart Winners (25-lap features)
Jr. Champ Karts: #5 Bethany Stoehr, Bridgewater, MA
Sr. Champ Karts: #2G – Tony Silvia, Portsmouth, RI
Medium Karts: #2G – Tony Silvia, Portsmouth, RI
Kids Karts: #24X – Steven Love, Fall River, MA
Sources: Nicholas Teto/Seekonk Speedway PR