By Sam Tully SEEKONK, Mass. -- NASCAR Saturday roared to life for the penultimate round of the 2022 season, and the task at hand was slimming down the six remaining playoff drivers in each division down to just four final championship contenders. Let’s dive into Turn 1 of this week’s update, and take a look at who’s in and who’s out of the Sunoco Drive for the Cup. CHAZ’S AUTO BODY SPORT TRUCKS The Sport Trucks filed into the track for their second round of the Sunoco Drive for the Cup playoffs, and it did not take long at all for trouble to find one of the playoff drivers. Diving into Turn 1 for the first time, Jake Vanada and Amy Arsenault got crossed up, sending Vanada around, making contact with Ken Lavallee as well, and blowing a tire in the process. Things were already off to a rough start for Vanada. He headed pit side for a new tire and with it a new chance at life in the playoffs. At the front of the field, you had Barry Shaw, Mike Duarte, Rick Martin, and Brittany Campbell all battling each other for position as they made their way through the front of the field. Seven more laps were completed, with three cautions sprinkled throughout for spins and stalls. The third was caused by a spinning Arsenault, who joined Vanada towards the rear of the field - both drivers on the outside looking in by a wide margin. Off the next restart, Shaw made haste toward the lead, passing Tom Scully III for the top spot by Lap 10. Martin followed through closely behind. Meanwhile, a couple cars back, Campbell and Duarte raced with each other, desperate to move by a stout Ethan Heilborn to keep distance from a charging Vanada. Duarte led the way on the outside, and Campbell looked to follow, but the field was given reprieve when none other than Vanada and Rick Albernaz tangled into Turn 1. Vanada was not sent to the rear with Albernaz, but his No.29 truck did not need the contact. The field lined up to restart for the final time with 14 to go, and Shaw and Martin sped off to continue exchanging blows for the lead. Further back, Duarte showed the way early for Campbell, but by Lap 22, Campbell made the pass on Duarte, and no better time to do it as Arsenault had crept back into the mix and was now bearing down on Duarte for the final transfer spot! Laps ticked down and Arsenault pulled up on the inside of Duarte - the final transfer spot was her’s for the taking! But with a lap and a half to go, Arsenault let slip the reins of her No. 9 machine and scrubbed speed, allowing Campbell and Duarte to run off with the final two transfer spots. Arsenault now sat in the drop zone with Vanada, and with next to no time to recoup their losses, remained their at the checkered. Half a lap ahead, Shaw and Martin were clear locks for the Final Four, but this didn’t stop the pair from putting on a show. Coming to the checkered off Turn 4, Martin pulled around the outside, passing Shaw at the line in stunning fashion, making it his seventh Sport Truck win of the season. HELGER’S SOUTH COAST POWER EQUIPMENT SPORTSMAN DIVISION The Sportsmans set out for their 30-lap feature, and six playoff drivers would become four in the process. The drivers clicked off many laps early on with just one interruption coming at the hand of playoff driver Doug Benoit, who spun on Lap 4. Benoit began driving his way back through the field, but faced mechanical issues that forced an early exit, extinguishing his playoff hopes after just nine laps. Chad Baxter led the way for the playoff drivers during the 18-lap green-flag run, working up to as high as fifth position. Just behind him, Ed Perry, Craig Pianka and Colbey Lambert all traded punches to keep themselves as far from the drop zone as possible. Tyler Almeida was the early inheritor of the chopping block and drove urgently to keep his playoff challengers within reach. Yellow flag waved on Lap 22 for a turned-around Caleb Marcou, giving the field a chance to catch their breath for the final eight-lap sprint. With the field crossed over, the battle resumed, and Baxter, Perry, Pianka, Lambert, and Almeida all shuffled in order down to the bottom lane, each driver doing whatever it took to not be the last driver in that line. Baxter worked his way up to second place, distancing himself from his playoff foes. Yellow flag unfurled for the last time on Lap 28 for a spinning Sam Lincoln setting up for a Green White Checkered finish. Baxter lined up outside of the front row alongside Adam Pettey, who had led every lap of the race up to this point. The rest of the playoff drivers sat a couple rows back, with Perry in sixth, and Pianka, Lambert, and Almeida all in succession. Green flag soared and Baxter applied the pressure to Pettey, but came up short, as Pettey claimed his first win of the season. Behind them, Perry showed off the moves of a true wheelman with a three-wide dive down the middle of Scott Serydynski Jr. and Chris Rioux, and one lap later, a clutch save avoiding a spin - and ultimately saving his playoff run - by going full opposite lock and matting the throttle off Turn 2. Perry and Lambert claimed transfer spots crossing the line in fifth and sixth overall, and Craig Pianka crossed ninth, owning the fourth and final transfer spot. Almeida tailed Pianka but just under .3 seconds at the checkered, but the difference was enough to bring his playoff run to an end. LATE MODELS The Late Models gridded up for the second feature of the night, ahead of what was sure to be a fierce battle between six playoff drivers vying for the Final Four. Mark Jenison started furthest forward out of the six playoff hopefuls in fifth, and spooled to life early as he diced his way to the point, challenging and overtaking Josh Hedges for the lead by Lap 10. Jenison’s car was hooked up perfectly and cruised on to lead the next 25 laps, clinching both the win and the firth berth into Round Three of the Drive for the Cup. Deeper in the pack however, things were a bit trickier for the rest of the playoff drivers. Vinnie Arrenegado came under fire early from the likes of Gerry DeGasparre Jr., Reese Bogue, and Richie Murray. DeGasparre worked his way through first, as Murray took Arrenegado and Bogue three wide. Murray pulled off the two-for-one cleanly and continued on to chase down DeGasparre for the number two transfer spot. Arrenegado got stuck on the outside, causing him to fade further and further back. In one turn, Arrenegado went from the last car into the second car out of the playoffs due to Chase Belcher and Jacob Burns flashing by on the inside. As the lap counter climbed higher, the field began to spread thin. Murray worked his way past DeGasparre after several laps of hot pursuit. DeGasparre struggled to march forward, allowing Belcher and Burns to loom large in his rear view mirror. Belcher sized up the No. 71 off his front bumper, and managed his way on the inside by Lap 26. DeGasparre now sat on the threshold of elimination with Burns now bearing down. The door looked wide open for Burns to sneak through as Belcher worked on by, but Gerry shut the door decisively, denying Rowdy the final transfer spot! That moment would be the last real shot Burns had at stealing his way into Round Three, as DeGasparre managed to outpace Burn by about a carlength gap for the next eight laps to the checkered. Burns joined Arrenegado in the drop zone, putting an end to both their championship hopes. Gerry D will join Belcher, Murray, and Jenison in the final showdown for the championship in Round Three. PRO STOCKS The Pro Stocks rolled out on stage for their 45-lapper to wrap up the night of action, and for the second week in a row, the deciding factor on who made the cutoff to continue their playoff journey came right down to the wire. The cars strung out single-file quickly, and before long, Colbey Fournier and Tom Scully Jr. had their horns locked for the final transfer spot. Scully played the patience game, waiting for the perfect time to strike, which he decided was on Lap 14 down the inside into Turn 1, and completed the pass on the next lap. Despite the battling, Scully and Fournier were both able to catch up to Mike Brightman and Bobby Pelland III, who held the next two transfer spots. Meanwhile, Mark Jenison was busy chasing down leader Dave Darling all night, but had the top transfer spot to himself all night long. Scully’s No. 2 machine seemed to get faster and faster, and on Lap 29 made a pass on Pelland for a little breathing room from the bubble, and Fournier was right in line to shuffle Pelland right out of the transfer spots all together momentarily! Pelland didn’t give up that easy however, attempting a strong crossover move which drew him alongside Fournier’s No. 16. After a couple laps of door-to-door racing between the two, Pelland lost the handles on his pro stock and was sent spinning down the back straight! Caution was deployed, and now Pelland had to start at the tail of the field. Meanwhile, Rick Martin, who had been fading back and out of the running, welcomed the opportunity to bunch back up to the pack of playoff challengers. With 12 laps remaining at the restart, the playoff drivers scrambled to stay out of the drop zone, and Brightman got booted to the outside and began fading back into the jaws of Martin. Within a couple of laps, Brightman and Martin got locked together going into Turn 3, and pretty much stayed fused together all the way into Turn 1, with Brightman eventually sliding out. Caution again, Brightman to the rear with just four laps remaining, joining Pelland on the outside looking in. The next caution came almost immediately, brought on by Scully and Fournier getting crossed up, with Fournier smacking the wall on the front stretch, damaging his rig enough to simultaneously end his race and his playoff run. That one lap however was all Brightman needed to pass his way past Pelland. That move, combined with Fournier’s exit, had now put Brightman back in line for a shot at the Final Four. With just three to go, Pelland had three more circuits to save his shot at the Cup. He gave it his all unwinding from Turn 4, pulling right up alongside Brightman… and at the line….. Brightman! By a margin of .05 seconds, Mike Brightman had secured the fourth and final playoff spot, joining Jenison, Scully, and Martin in the final Round of the Drive for the Cup. IN CONCLUSION After five months of racing, it all comes down to just one night. Saturday, September 24 will be a night to remember as four drivers in each division square off for the last time in 2022 with just one goal in mind: hoisting the Cup. Call the babysitter, reschedule your dinner plans, do whatever you must to make sure you get down to the Action Track of the East when we go green for the final time at 6:00PM, Saturday, September 24. You definitely don’t want to miss this. For tickets and more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit seekonkspeedway.com.
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By Sam Tully SEEKONK, Mass. -- Round Two of Fast Friday’s Drive for the Cup presented by Sunoco Race Fuels got underway this past Friday, September 16. At long last, the final four drivers in each division who will be going forward to compete for the championship have been decided. Let’s take a look at how Round Two panned out, which playoff drivers are out, and which ones will be driving for the cup next weekend. SEEKONK GRAND PRIX BANDOLERO BANDITS The Bandolero Bandits came into the week with five playoff drivers remaining, but only four would advance to the final round. After a couple of early spins and cautions right off the bat, calamity unfolded in the field, involving a couple of playoff drivers. Coming off Turn 2 on the second restart, Darren Krantz Jr. applied the pressure to Nick Uhrig Jr. early, and it was just a little bit more that Uhrig could handle. Trying desperately to save his ride, Uhrig slid up just enough to collect Bryson Robidoux, causing the entire field to stack up. Milania Shilosky sat fourth in line on the inside behind Krantz as the moment unfolded, and as drivers swerved to the high side to avoid spinning cars, Shilosky was caught out, becoming sandwiched between Krantz on Collin Vanasse to her outside. Shilosky’s No. 99 machine spun and stood still on Turn 3 as the yellow flew. In a highly unfortunate fashion, the incident would bring an end to Shilosky’s championship hopes. Uhrig limped his No. 11RI Bandit around the third-mile through another couple of restarts to complete one more lap, scoring him ahead of Shilosky, and sending him to the Final Four, ultimately retiring on Lap 3. Collin Vanasse would go on to clinch the third transfer spot, but he too would make an early exit after a Lap 8 incident involving contact with a spinning Brody Wakefield off of Turn 4. Ryan Vanasse Jr. and Sam Macedo were the only two playoff drivers to see the checkered on Friday night, and after some hearty battling with Ben Morabito at the point, Ryan Vanasse Jr. picked up the feature win, with Sam Macedo coming in third, both moving on to drive for the cup on championship weekend. SEEKONK GRAND PRIX BANDOLERO OUTLAWS The Bandolero Outlaws took to the grid with playoff drivers rolling off in spots two through six, and quickly comprising the entire top five in the early running. The first slip up would come between Brent Robidoux and Adam Harrison, who were racing for third when Harrison barely clipped Robidoux in the left rear coming off Turn 4. Both drivers were sent to the rear, and from there, the race was on for the final transfer spot. Robidoux restarted behind Harrison, but went to work early passing his way through the field with a three-wide pass on Harrison and Dylan Calabro down the backstretch. Robidoux continued on his torrid pace, distancing himself from Harrison with every lap and eventually passing Joey LeMay for fourth. This move put LeMay in the position to have to fend off a charging Harrison for the final transfer spot! Meanwhile, Bradley Strickland was at the point, chasing down his second win in as many weeks, with a spot in the Final Four in his grasp. Andrew Gomes was in third with the second transfer spot all to himself. As the laps wound down, Strickland successfully held off Chase Silvia for the win, transferring himself into the Final Four in the process. Gomes also transferred in with his third-place finish overall. Robidoux didn’t look back after the Lap 5 restart and cruised through to the Final Four with his fourth place finish. The last man in, by .4 seconds, was Joey Lemay, leaving Harrison on the outside looking in for the Drive for the Cup. EVERETT’S AUTO PARTS SPORT 4’S The Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s started the night with six championship hopefuls, all well aware that after 25 laps, only four drivers would go on to compete for the cup in Round Three. One driver was dropped from the running in devastating fashion early in the going. As the field rounded Turns 3 and 4 for the first time, Stephanie Bruneau’s No. 74 car hooked a sharp right turn, making contact with the wall in violent fashion. In a flash, the Bruneau’s playoff run was over. Following the ensuing restart, the five playoff drivers tailed leader Matt Pion through 16 laps. Crystal Murray had the first transfer spot to herself after passing Jarrod Freitas, but wanted more as she challenged Pion for the lead. Freitas and Tyler Duhancik squabbled over third for several laps, while Henry Lavallee rode around in fifth overall holding onto the fourth and final transfer spot. Meanwhile, Taylor Bowser battled to get by DJ Thibeault so that she could set her sights on her playoff counterparts. Bowser caught a huge break when the caution flag waved for a stalled out Sam Mattera on Lap 16. This moment afforded Bowser the chance to restart right alongside Lavallee, setting up a nine-lap shootout for the final playoff transfer spot. At the drop of the green, Lavallee hit his marks early, speeding through on the inside and eventually putting Duhancik behind him, forcing Bowser to recalibrate her target for the final transfer spot. As the lap counter on top of the pylon climbed higher, the gap to Duhanick grew larger for Bowser, and when the checkered flag waved, it was Bowser on the outside looking in. Crystal Murray went on to take down the win as she cruised on to the Final Four, followed by Freitas, Duhancik, and Lavallee in that order. All four drivers will square off for one more week and only one will take home the cup. HELGER’S SOUTH COAST POWER EQUIPMENT PURE STOCKS For the second week in a row, the Pure Stock playoff anxiety began long before the field even took to the asphalt. Playoff driver Sam Lincoln was faced with engine troubles early in the afternoon, and it was questionable whether his No. 34 machine would be able to make it to the starting grid, let alone best two of his five fellow Drive for the Cup challengers. The six playoff drivers lined up in succession starting in the sixth spot: Jeremey Lambert, Ethan Souza, Lincoln, Greg Perry, Danny Massa, and Mike Henriques. Lincoln faded back early as the rest of the playoff drivers continued on to battle nose-to-tail and side-by-side. Souza was first in the line when he found himself on the bumper of Nick Brightman. Brightman proved hard to pass for several laps, putting Souza in a tough spot as Perry, Henriques, Lambert and Massa were chomping at the bit to work their way forward. The pressure continued to mount off the rear bumper of Brightman, and finally, Souza got to the inside down the front stretch. Perry swung his No. 0 machine up high. Diving into Turn 1, Brightman shut the door on Souza, causing both cars to scrub speed, giving Perry a big-time run on the outside. Brightman worked to get his hot rod pointing straight and slid up the track about a half a groove in the process. As the pack rounded Turn 2, Perry came around the highside to meet the rear bumper of the slightly slower Brightman, sending Brightman spinning to the left, and collecting Souza in the process. Souza and Brightman were called to the rear for the spin, as well as Greg Perry who was ruled responsible for causing the spin! A major development with just 10 laps to go. By some miracle, Lincoln had found himself in a transfer spot, and only needed to outpace Perry for 10 more circuits to clinch a Final Four berth. Lincoln and Lambert went on to spar for breathing room from the drop zone, as initially Lincoln gained the position, but Lambert stormed back with a bold three-wide move to the inside. Henriques and Massa had all the breathing room in the world as they cruised on to claim the top two transfer spots. Lambert followed through in the third transfer spot, and defying all odds, Lincoln held his own and ran just strong enough to claim the fourth and final seat at the table for Round Three of the Drive for the Cup. Perry and Souza will have to look forward to 2023 for a run at a championship. NICK’S PIT STOP LEGENDS The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends were the fifth and final division to determine their final four playoff drivers on Friday night. Reese Bogue did a nice job getting towards the front early and leaving the playoff brawl in his rear view mirror. Just behind him, Jake Silvia, Josh Parsons and Brenden Hammann tussled for position amidst numerous non-playoff drivers. Rounding Turn 4 for the fifth time, the fighting ring reached capacity, and PJ Evans and Hammann got together, collecting Devin Deshaies in the process. Just like that, Hammann and Deshaies found themselves on the chopping block. Bogue fired off again strongly from the restart, quickly working his way toward the lead, while Jake Silvia followed suit and drove up to second. Isaiah Newcomb and Parsons worked feverishly to distance themselves from the drop zone. On Lap 12, Newcomb committed to the low groove approaching Turn 3 as Nick Bulkeley simultaneously shuffled from the top to the bottom on corner entry. The two drivers got crossed up, sending just Bulkeley spinning, collecting Mason Tessier as well. The field would rerack again, and fortunately for Newcomb, he was allowed to maintain his spot in the running order. Newcomb and Parsons lined up door-to-door in the final two transfer spots, but now Devin Deshaies was just off Parsons’ rear bumper ready to climb his way into a transfer spot. The field fired off and the high line got moving first, allowing Deshaies to move by Newcomb for the final transfer spot, quickly followed by another caution. Hammann was still in danger of elimination towards the rear of the field. The field restarted again and time was running out for Hammann to mount his charge to the front of the pack. With laps winding down, Hammann found himself as the unfortunate victim of circumstance when Richie Helger Jr. and Dustin Gagne collided into Turn 1, leaving Hammann with nowhere to go. Hammann was collected in the conflict, and the resulting damage forced him to park his No. 7 Legend for the remainder of the feature. At that moment, Hammann’s playoff run had come to an end. The field bunched up and crossed over for the final time with three to go following a Tessier spin. Parsons and Newcomb lined up alongside each other with the final transfer spot hanging in limbo. The two drivers battled it out down to the wire, both doing an impressive job dodging a spinning Jacob Burns on the last lap all the while, but it was Parsons with the edge at the checkered, transferring into the Final Four on the last spot. Newcomb would join Hammann as the second driver to be ousted from the Drive for the Cup. Jake Sivlia went on to win his first ever Legends feature, and also earned himself a spot in the Final Four, alongside Bogue, Deshaies, and Parsons. IN CONCLUSION After 14 weeks of racing, it all comes down to this. Four drivers in each division have fought all season long for a shot at one race to claim a season’s worth of spoils. Just one question remains: WHO will emerge victorious in each division’s final stint of the Sunoco Drive for the Cup. No matter who you think will lift this trophy on Friday night, make sure you are there to see it in person. Join us as Fast Friday goes green for the final time this Friday, September 23 at 7:00 PM. You are not going to want to miss this. For tickets and more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit seekonkspeedway.com. SEEKONK, Mass. — It all comes down to this. On Friday, September 23, and Saturday, September 24, Seekonk Speedway will crown nine champions in the finals of the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. As Fast Friday and NASCAR Saturday teams get ready to compete in the Final Four events, the championships are anyone’s game. Once you are in, you have a chance. And in the final race of the season, every lap will matter more and more down the stretch run. Nine champions will be crowned, beginning with five on Fast Friday and four on NASCAR Saturday. On Fast Friday, the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits will roll out for their final race of the season. Ryan Vanasse Jr., Sam Macedo, Collin Vanasse and Nick Uhrig Jr. will all race for the title. Whichever of the four of them finishes ahead of the others will earn the crown — with Vanasse Jr. entering the race as the favorite. As the highest remaining seed, he’s coming off a victory in round two of the playoffs, with tons of momentum on his side. Macedo and Collin Vanasse, along with Uhrig, have been rather quiet this season. But they made their way into the finals, and they have a shot at winning it all. In the Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s, Crystal Murray, Tyler Duhancik, Jarrod Freitas and Henry Lavallee will race for the championship. Murray won in the second round of the playoffs last week for the fourth time this season, and enters the race as the top seed. Duhancik survived some trouble in round one of the playoffs to make it to this point, and with multiple season wins to his credit, he’s a major threat. Lavallee has returned to victory lane twice this season for the first time in many years, while Freitas grabbed his first career win earlier in the year. Who will become Sport 4 champion after 30 laps of racing? The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaw Final Four might run through Bradley Strickland. After winning the first two races in the playoffs, he’s showed that he is the clear favorite. But Andrew Gomes, Brent Robidoux and Joey LeMay aren’t going to let him run away with it. As one of the cleanest and most exiting Seekonk divisions, the Bandolero Outlaws will put on a show for the title again Friday night. Sam Lincoln, Danny Massa, Mike Henriques and Jeremy Lambert are the final four drivers in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks. Each of them has earned their chance to race for the title, and each deserves it in their own way. Lincoln’s first win late in the summer and multiple top-five finishes got him to this point. Massa has been the class of the field at times this year, and even when he wasn’t, he’s still up front. Mike Henriques has multiple wins for the first time in many years, while Lambert slid his way into the finals with consistency. Who will it be after 30 laps in the season-finale holding the trophy? Your Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars Final Four is a toss-up. Devin Deshaies enters the finale as the number one seed, and with multiple wins, certainly has the speed and the driving ability to become champion. But look out for Jake Silvia, who just picked up his first career win in the second round of the playoffs. Josh Parsons has been quiet all season, with only one win, but as the final seed to enter the playoffs, he made his way into the finals. Reese Bogue, who split his time this season between the Legends Cars and the Late Model (NASCAR Saturday), has a chance to end his Legends Cars career on top at Seekonk. Fast Friday racing will begin at 7 p.m. for the final round of 2022 action. On NASCAR Saturday, the Pro Stock field looks to be running through Mike Brightman and Tom Scully Jr. Both drivers advanced to the Final Four (Brightman by the skin of his teeth), but out of the four involved, they have the most success this season. With four wins, Brightman could be considered the favorite. And even though Scully only has one win, the emotional summer that included the passing of his dad, Tom Sr., might be just enough to boost him to the title. The two dark horses in the Pro Stock title chase? Radical Rick Martin and Mark Jenison. The Late Model Final Four battle might be one of the most wide open of all Seekonk Speedway divisions. Mark Jenison won in the second round of the playoffs last week to lock himself into the finals, and might be coming on right at the right time. Richie Murray was the next finisher in the lineup last week, and his consistency around the top-five all year got him to this point. Could he score his first Late Model title and second overall track championship? How about Gerry DeGasparre Jr.? Arguably the dominant driver in this division all year, Gerry has seven track titles, and would love to tie Dave Darling as the only driver with eight. Chase Belcher is the fourth driver in the mix, and with two wins this season, he can definitely get the job done. Chad Baxter might be the dominant force in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks, but he’s going to have to bust his way through three tough challengers in order to win a second track title in a row. Craig Pianka, Ed Perry and Colby Lambert will join him in the Final Four, and all three have shown speed this year. Pianka won the first three out of four races of the year, while Perry also was in the mix in Victory Lane. Lambert might have quietly raced his way to this point, but look out for him to pounce in the season-finale. Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck racing in the Final Four will certainly run through Radical Rick Martin. Chasing another title, Martin has victories in the first two races of the playoffs, adding to his total for the season, which now sits at seven. It’s going to be tough task for Barry Shaw (defending champion), Brittany Campbell and Mike Duarte to defeat the Radical one, but all three are worthy, and have a shot at it. Tickets for championship weekend are available online today at SeekonkSpeedway.com. The website will also allow fans to purchase tickets for the final two events remaining on the Seekonk Speedway 2022 calendar — the Pumpkin Smash Thrill Show on October 8 and the upcoming Haunted Hundred on October 22. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information. As we approach the final night of competition for the 2022 season, we look upon a new format for the championship in all 9 divisions. I will be honest, when this format was announced over the off season, I was apprehensive on what this would bring. I have a lot of friends in the pit area, and there were a few who did not like it from the get go. That is no secret, and quite understandable. This was something that was new at the local level. It has been done for a while now on the national level. Drivers and teams have been preparing their cars over the winter for a championship chase, and now, there was uncertainty in the outcome. There always was, even in the old format. One or two bad nights can take you out of contention with no chance at the big prize. At the end of the day, Seekonk Speedway and the racing itself is designed for entertainment. That’s the bottom line. When the fans are entertained, they will return and become a part of the Seekonk family. When there is no entertainment, the stands will be empty, the pit area will be barren, and the track itself will become a housing development, shopping center, or something else that will bring in money for the property owners or buyers. With what I have seen this year, I don’t see a lack of entertainment. I have seen some great racing, and now, with this new format, I see a lot of excitement brewing for what can be one of the most exciting championship battles we have ever seen. With this new Sunoco Drive for the Cup format, you could still have a bad night or two, and still have a legitimate chance at the championship. Look at a couple of the competitors who missed a week and find themselves in the Final Four. Rick Martin, who has been competing at Seekonk for over 40 years, missed a week in the Pro Stocks due to funding issues. He finds himself going for his fifth Pro Stock title. Gerry DeGasparre missed a week of action for his daughters’ softball tournament in Pennsylvania. He is looking for his record tying eighth Late Model championship. The format has it’s good and the potential for heartbreak for a front running team. Let’s take a look at some of the story lines that have kind of slipped by, shall we? There are two pairs of siblings, and a pair of cousins, that will be going for championships this week. The Lambert Brothers have both made the Final Four in their classes. Jeremy will be battling for the Pure Stock title this year, while his brother Colby will be going after the Sportsman championship. That has not been done before. In addition to this, a brother and sister will be battling for titles as well. Richie Murray is fighting for the Late Model Championship, while his sister Crystal will be going after the Sport4 crown this year, trying to become the third lady to be crowned champion at Seekonk. Ryan Vanasse Jr and his cousin Colin Vanasse will be battling each other for the Bandelero Bandit championship. Ryan Sr and Mike Vanasse have been racing together for over 25 years, and now their sons will be fighting for a title together. There are also two drivers going for two titles in separate classes. Mark Jenison has won in both the Late Models and Pro Stocks this season, and finds himself locked into the Final Four of both classes. Rick Martin will also be going for two titles, in the Pro Stocks, as we’ve already mentioned, and in the Sport Trucks, where he has won 7 times this season. There has been some great racing this year in all of our classes, and there is a case for all of the finalists to be crowned. In the Pro Stocks. Tom Scully Jr is looking for his second title, and if he can complete this task, what an emotional tribute this would be. Tom is another driver that missed a week earlier this season, due to the passing of his dad, who competed here for many years. This would be a perfect tribute to Big Tom. Mike Brightman has been a perennial underdog for many years in the Pro Stocks, even contemplating retiring a few years ago. Over the last couple of years, he has started winning again, including four this year alone. What a story this would be for the former Late Model Champion. Gerry D is going for his record tying 8th LM title. Barry Shaw is retiring after this season, and a championship would be a great way to go out. Brittany Campbell can join Shelby Donovan and Ava Chouinard (and maybe Crystal Murray) as female champions. Ryan Vanasse Jr can join his dad as a champion. These are just a few of the storylines, among the many, for this weeks’ championship weekend. There are a lot more when you look a little deeper. SEEKONK, Mass. — Mark Jenison wasted little time getting to the front in the Late Models on Saturday night. The driver of the No. 22 started fourth, but quickly raced to second and passed Josh Hedges on the outside for the lead. From there, Jenison drove away into the sunset in a race that didn’t see any caution flags in the final laps. While Jenison drove away, Hedges settled for the runner-up spot, his second straight effort inside the podium to wrap the season. Richie Murray joined Jenison in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup Final Four, as the No. 08 rolled off in eighth, worked the bottom, and finished third to advance. Luke Lebrun finished in fourth, just ahead of Chase Belcher and Gerry DeGasparre Jr. — the final two drivers who will join Jenison and Murray to race for the championship next week. Jacob Burns and Vinnie Arrenegado were the two eliminated from the playoffs, finishing in seventh and ninth in the 35-lap race. The final race of the Late Model season will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. SEEKONK, Mass. — Dave Darling dominated again in the Pro Stock division on Saturday night. Darling quickly jumped out to the lead from the outside pole position, passing Kenny Spencer, and he never looked back in the 45-lap feature race in round two of the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. Although Darling was eliminated from title contention, he still was able to hold the checkered flag again. Mark Jenison and Tom Scully Jr. worked their way up through the field to score second and third place finishes, both advancing into the playoff Final Four. Rick Martin was fourth, also advancing, while Dick Benoit returned to the Pro Stock top-five with a strong run. Kenny Spencer finished sixth, just ahead of a close battle for the final playoff spot. Slight contact in turn three sent Mike Brightman up the track and Bobby Pelland III did everything he could to try and slide his way around. However, Brightman would finish in seventh, the final locked in playoff car. Pelland was eighth at the finish of the race, followed by Darryl Stampfl and Colbey Fournier. Fournier and Pelland were the two eliminated from the playoffs. The final race of the Pro Stock season will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates.DARLING WINS PRO STOCK FEATURE IN CLOSE BATTLE FOR FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT SEEKONK, Mass. — Dave Darling dominated again in the Pro Stock division on Saturday night. Darling quickly jumped out to the lead from the outside pole position, passing Kenny Spencer, and he never looked back in the 45-lap feature race in round two of the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. Although Darling was eliminated from title contention, he still was able to hold the checkered flag again. Mark Jenison and Tom Scully Jr. worked their way up through the field to score second and third place finishes, both advancing into the playoff Final Four. Rick Martin was fourth, also advancing, while Dick Benoit returned to the Pro Stock top-five with a strong run. Kenny Spencer finished sixth, just ahead of a close battle for the final playoff spot. Slight contact in turn three sent Mike Brightman up the track and Bobby Pelland III did everything he could to try and slide his way around. However, Brightman would finish in seventh, the final locked in playoff car. Pelland was eighth at the finish of the race, followed by Darryl Stampfl and Colbey Fournier. Fournier and Pelland were the two eliminated from the playoffs. The final race of the Pro Stock season will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. SEEKONK, Mass. — Adam Pettey, a non-playoff driver in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup, returned to victory lane on Saturday night in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman. Pettey rocketed to the top spot early in the 30-lap race, then held off division dominator Chad Baxter in the final laps on a green-white-checkered restart to score another feature win. Baxter wasn’t far behind at the checkered flag, finishing in the runner-up spot, and making his presence felt, guaranteeing a Final Four spot. Scott Serydynski Jr. and Chris Rioux followed in third and fourth in the race, while Ed Perry joins Baxter in the Final Four, scoring a fifth-place finish. Colby Lambert finished sixth, good enough to give him a shot at the title next week. Steve Axon was followed by Jimmy Silvia across the line, with Craig Pianka right behind them — Craig will be the final of the four to race for the championship next week. The final race of the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman season will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. SEEKONK, Mass. — All is right in the world for Radical Rick Martin. The multiple-time Seekonk Speedway champion captured his second straight win in the second round of the Drive For The Cup presented by Sunoco Race Fuels on Saturday night, using a last-lap pass of Barry Shaw to lock himself into the Final Four in style. Martin’s seventh Truck win cemented his chances of adding to his track championship tally next week. And if he has to win the race to do it, all eyes will be on the Radical one in the 35-lap finale. Shaw’s second-place finish also earned him a spot in the finals, with Ethan Heilborn grabbing his first career podium finish in the feature, a third-place effort. Tom Scully III grabbed a fourth-place finish with Danny Thibeault rounding out the top-five. Joining the top two in the Final Four next week will be Brittany Campbell and Mike Duarte, who finished sixth and seventh in the race. Tyler Tomassi was eighth, followed by Jake Vanada and Darryl Church. The final race of the Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck season will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. SEEKONK, Mass. — Ryan Vanasse Jr. returned to Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit Victory Lane on Friday night and he couldn’t have picked a better time to do it. The driver of the No. 11 locked himself into the Final Four with the victory, set to chase his first championship on final points night. After rocketing out front early, he held off some of the best in the division to return to the top of the class. Ben Morabito returned to Seekonk from the New York area and challenged for the win, but settled for second after 15 laps. Sam Macedo was the next playoff driver to finish, scoring a third, also locking himself into the Final Four. Non-playoff drivers RJ Murphy and Allyha DeSomma finished the top-five. Zacarias Kelley was sixth, followed by Parker Davis, Zachary Keith, Bryson Robidoux and Brody Wakefield. Not finishing the race, but advancing to join Vanasse and Macedo in the final four, was Collin Vanasse and Nick Uhrig Jr. The final race of the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit season will take place on Friday, September 23, where the 2022 champion will be crowned. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. SEEKONK, Mass. — The Silvia name was back on top Friday night at Seekonk Speedway. For much of the season it was Chase Silvia winning in the Bandolero division, but this time, his brother Jake found his way to the top of the field, right at the perfect time. Silvia’s pass inside the final few laps put him in Victory Lane for the first time in his Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars career, locking himself into the Final Four in the process with a shot at the championship. Silvia ran inside the top-five for much of the race, but after a flurry of late-race cautions, he picked the perfect time to pounce and take the lead, then held off PJ Evans to score the win. Evans would cross the line second after 25 laps, following up a victory the week before with another strong run, while Reese Bogue joined Silvia in the Final Four with a third-place finish. Devin Deshaies joined the other two in the finals with a fourth-place finish, while Richie Helger Jr. grabbed his first career Seekonk top-five. Branden LaBelle was sixth, followed by Ben Amado, Josh Parsons, Isaiah Newcomb and Andrew Carpenter. With his finish, Parsons will also race for the title in the final race. The final race of the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars season will take place on Friday, September 23, where the 2022 champion will be crowned. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. |
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