SEEKONK, Mass. – Seekonk Speedway announced today that Sunoco Race Fuels will return as the sponsor of the Sunoco Drive For The Cup in 2023. The Drive For The Cup, ready to move to a four-race series in the new season, will help to crown all nine of Seekonk Speedway’s 2023 champions, spanning across both Fast Friday and NASCAR Saturday. The Drive For The Cup produced some of the most thrilling moments in recent Seekonk history during the 2022 season – including Mark Jenison winning both the Late Model and Pro Stock titles – including a wild final corner that saw Jenison on his side up against the wall coming across the finish line. It also produced polished champions on both nights for all nine of Seekonk’s divisions. All drivers who made it to become champion lived up to the pressure of the moment – something the fans loved, and the new year will be even more exciting. Additional changes surrounding the 2023 Sunoco Drive For The Cup will be announced at a later date. “Last year was the ground floor for the playoff series at Seekonk and the inaugural year was awesome,” John Holland from Sunoco Race Fuels said. “The enhancements that are being made to the playoff system are only going to make it even more exciting. It’s great to see the first year in the books and we are looking forward to another exciting Sunoco Drive For The Cup in 2023.” Sunoco Race Fuels have been associated with racing excellence for decades. Since the mid 1960s, when Sunoco and Roger Penske Racing forged what would be a long and successful alliance, the company has grown into an industry powerhouse. Today, Suncoo has expanded their reach of racing fuels around the world to include all types of professional motorsports and more. For more information on Sunoco, visit SunocoRaceFuels.com. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates.
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The Pure Stocks lined up for their 30-laps, with championship contenders Jeremey Lambert, Danny Massa, Sam Lincoln, and Mike Henriques all primed to drive their hearts out for the championship. Mike Rotundo and Nick Birightman battled at the point early, while Henriques jumped out in front of the line of playoff drivers by Lap Four. Brightman eventually got swallowed up by the playoff pack as Henriques made his move for second overall, with Lambert, Lincoln and Massa right on his tail. A Lap 22 caution meant the field would need to restart double-wide one more time, setting up a a high stakes dash to the finish. Rotundo led from the jump, and cruised on to victory eight laps later. Behind him, the playoff driver’s sparred for the advantage, with Henriques and Lambert leading the charge. With three laps to go, Lambert put his No. 15 machine on the inside of Henriques, ultimately pulling off the championship-winning move. Jeremy Lambert is crowned your 2022 Pure Stock champion, finishing second overall behind Rotundo. Massa, Jared Corderia, and Mike Henriques rounded out the top five, with Greg perry and Lincoln coming home sixth and seventh. The Legends were last in line on Friday night to crown their season champion, and the ensuing battle between Devin Deshaies, Reese Bogue, Jake Silvia, and Josh Parsons did not disappoint. Trouble found Bogue early as he became tangled with a handful of drivers in a Lap 1 incident, but fortunately was able to rejoin competition after heading pit side for repairs under yellow. Jacob Burns and PJ Evans showed the way for most of the 30-lap feature, with Deshaies, Parsons, and Silvia all riding in line just behind. Deshaies No. 88 machine was strong throughout, moving by Nick Bulkeley and Evans as the laps wore on, distancing himself from his playoff challengers. On Lap 22, Deshaies and Burns got together as they battled for the lead, sending Deshaies into a spin. Burns’ day was done, and Deshaies was put to the rear as an incident car. With minimal laps remaining, Deshaies would need the drive of his life to have a hope of grabbing the championship. The field regrouped and got underway for a few more laps, allowing Deshaies to make up significant ground on Silvia, Parsons, and Bogue. One last time, the yellow flag flew, forcing a mad dash to the finish with three laps remaining. Silvia, Bogue and Parsons lined up grouped together one last time, led by Evans and Bulkely. Deshaies still sat a few rows deep. Coming off Turn 4 to take the checkered flag, Silvia and Bogue became crossed up as they drag raced for the championship, sending both cars off course and taking Parsons with them. Like a phoenix from the ashes, Devin Deshaies drove to the outside, avoiding the wreckage involving his playoff challengers, and soared across the line to claim the 2022 Legends Championship in heroic fashion. At the line, Evans crossed first to take down the feature win, followed by Bulkeley and Deshaies. Isaiah Newcomb and Mason Tessier followed, finishing fourth and fifth. After the dust settled on the final lap. Reese Bogue was scored 10th, Parsons 12th, and Silvia 13th. The Everett’s Auto Parts Sport Four division was the first of three races to be afforded an extra five laps to decide their champion between Crystal Murray, Tyler Duhancik, Henry LeVallee, and Jarrod Freitas. Duhancik started deep in the pack after failing to turn a lap in qualifying. Green flag waved to start the 30-lapper, and Murray, LeVallee, and Freitas made haste towards the front from their mid pack starting points. On Lap 4, Freitas suffered mechanical issues and was forced to turn pit side, ending his hopes for the title. Before long, Murray was glued to the rear bumper of leader Matt Pion, and the two raced nose-to-tail almost the entire length of the race with LeVallee close in tow. Duhancik was working his way steadily through the field and back into the picture. A late-race caution gave Duhancik one last chance at getting into the mix, But with Murray and Levallee in the front two rows, he would need to make ground quick. With three laps to go, Murray fired off strong and pulled a big lead on Pion and Levallee. Duhancik drove hard to crack the top three, but it was Crystal Murray to cross the line first to take down the win, and with it, the 2022 Sport Four Championship. Henry LeVallee crossed the line second, followed by Tyler Duhancik in third, and Justin Leduc and Matt Pion rounded out the top-five following post-race inspection. The Bandolero Outlaws followed their Bandit counterparts on track for their 15 lap feature, and the third and final round of the Drive for the Cup yielded Bradley Strickland, Andrew Gomes, Brent Robidoux, and Joey Lemay. Chase Silvia jumped out to the early lead, leaving Strickland, Gomes, Robidoux and LeMay all scrambling to climb forward to the front of the line. The playoff drivers began working their way around Adam Harrison on the inside, and before long, Striland and Gomes had broken away from the pack, shaping up to be a two-horse race for the championship. Silvia wad leadng all the while. A late-race caution involving Robidoux forced the field to bunch back up again with just three laps to go, setting up for a late race sprint to decide the champion. Green flag waved and Silvia immediately got shuffled from the lead, giving way to a drag race between Strickland and Gomes. Gomes has inside position on Strickland and went for a championship-winning move on the inside and made it stick! With one lap left, Strickland did not give up, and perfectly pulled off a crossover maneuver that would give him the edge to win the championship. Bradley Strickland took down the race win, making it three in a row to sweep the Drive for the Cup. Following post race inspection, Gomes and Harrison were scored second and third. Harrison, Roubidoux, Leo Rossi, and Lemay rounded out the top seven. Bandolero Bandits The Nick’s Pit Stop Bandolero Bandits took to the track for the final time in 2022, and after 15 laps, a new king of the division would be decided between Ryan Vanasse Jr. Collin Vanasse, Sam Macedo, and Nick Uhrig Jr. Green flag dropped and Vanasse, Macedo, and Vanassa Jr all raced forward, trying to catch leader Ben Morabito. Playoff driver Nick Uhrig Jr. slid back toward the rear early on. A couple of early spins would cause the field to bunch back up, but by Lap 3, it was a dead heat through to the checkered. Morabito set sail on the field, and never looked back. Just behind him was the three car battle that would define the division championship. Macedo worked his way by Vanasse following the restart, and Vanasse Jr. began to apply the pressure as well. As the laps wound down, the Vanasse cousins jostled back and forth or third overall. While doing so, Macedo was able to outpace the two in his rearview. This edge was enough for Macedo to cross the line ahead of his playoff challengers, claiming for himself the 2022 Bandolero Bandit Championship. Ben Morabito took down the win, making it his second of the season. Macedo crossed second, followed by Collin Vannasse for third and Ryan Vanasse Jr. for fourth. Milania Shilosky rounded out the top five, followed by Bryson RObidoux, Zack Kelley, RJ Murphy, Nick Uhrig Jr. and Luka DIb to complete the top 10. By Sam Tully Those familiar with the sport of racing know all too well how common it is for entire families to gear up and commit to the lifestyle to find success on track. Their efforts culminate to give one driver - the chosen one out of the family - the opportunity to carry the torch as the wheelman or wheelwoman week in and week out. In the Seekonk Speedway community, it’s not uncommon for multiple family members to take to the track over the course of a race weekend. What is uncommon is something that is unfolding right before our eyes as we head into Championship Weekend: three sets of family members all vying for championships in the first ever Sunoco Drive for the Cup Championship Weekend. Let’s take a look at the drivers who clearly have speed running in the family tree, and are one step away from being crowned champion in 2022. LAMBERT BROS RACING Colby and Jeremey Lambert take to the track every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the summer, supporting each other on their respective race days, and all the hard work has paid off. Colby Lambert, the eldest of the two, has been racing for several years at Seekonk, and knows what it takes to win a championship, having scored a title in Friday’s Pure Stock division back in 2017. Colby has stepped up in recent seasons to Saturday’s Sportsman Division. This year, he currently sits fourth in the overall points, and will be laying it all on the line to be crowned champion this Saturday night. Jeremey is taking a similar path as his brother, getting his feet wet in Friday night’s Pure Stock division. Proving that both brother’s have the speed gene, Jeremey has clinched a spot in the Third round, where he’ll attempt to get the Lambert family name back into the hall of Pure Stock champions yet again in 2022. Should Colby and Jeremey both best their fellow championship challengers this weekend, it would be the first time in history that two brothers would be crowned champion in two separate divisions in the same season at Seekonk Speedway. For Colby to have success, he needs to beat out reigning champion and seven-time feature winner Chad Baxter, as well as other multi-race winner Craig Pianka and Ed Perry. This matchup paints Colby as a bit of a dark horse in the final round, but look for him to break through and double his championship count when the Sportmans hit the track on Saturday. For Jeremey to take the championship, he’ll need to top Danny Massa, Sam Lincoln and Mike Henriques - all of which have never won a championship before. The Pure Stock Championship is very much up for grabs this Friday, and look for Jeremey to join his brother in the ranks of Pure Stock greatness. THE MURRAYS The Murray family name has been known for decades around the third-mile oval. In recent years, it’s been sister-brother duo Crystal and Richie Murray carrying the family torch. Crystal has been a fixture in the last couple of seasons in Saturday’s Sport 4 division. In 2021, the season title was arguably hers for the taking, yet stepped aside prioritize her education once the school year started back up in September. This year, no school, no problem for Crystal. She leads her division in both points and wins (4). Fresh off a win last week, Crystal is showing no sign of letting up, and will prove tough to catch for challengers Tyler Duhancik, Jarrod Freitas and Henry LeVallee on Friday evening. Richie has shown great speed and toughness over the course of his sophomore season in Saturday’s Late Model division. The year started off with a bang, taking down the win on opening day back on May 1. Since then, Richie has been biding his time until the playoffs, showcasing some incredible multi-wide racing numerous times, contributing significantly to what has been a truly dazzling season for the Late Models. Richie will need to stay tough and quick if he’s to claim the season title Saturday night, as the competition he’s up against are no small potatoes. Standing in Richie’s way are six-time Late Model champ Gerry DeGasparre Jr., seasoned veteran and two-time 2022 feature winner, Mark Jenison, and 2015 Sport Truck champion Chase Belcher. Look for Richie to outperform the tsunami of success experience he’s up against as the 18-year old straps in on Saturday night. Should Crystal and Richie both emerge victorious, they would mark the first sibling pair ever to win championship in the same season in the history of the speedway. ALL IN THE FAMILY - THE COUSINS VANASSE The Vanasse name is known to many speedway goers, perhaps in reference to current Pro Stock driver Ryan Vanasse, who won back-to-back Late Model championships in 2009 and 2010. Now, Ryan and his brother Mike Vanasse are letting their sons get in on the Seekonk action. Ryan Jr. and Collin Vanasse square off against each other on Friday nights in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits Division. Ryan and Collin have been driving bandits for a couple years now, but this year is different. With the new Drive for the Cup format, the two have been competing with each other all season long for a playoff berth, and now battle against each other week after week in an ever-narrowing playoff field. Ryan and Collin have both managed to stave off elimination through two rounds, and make up half of the playoff field going into championship weekend. Their competition: Sam Macedo and Nick Uhrig Jr. Out of the four drivers, Ryan is the only one to claim a feature win, scoring three of them this summer, fresh off his most recent one last week. Collin will have to pull out all the stops this week if he wants to top the Final Four including his cousin. As for Ryan, he has the momentum on his side, and needs to hit his marks one more time to be named champion. As far as odds go, it’s a coinflip that the 2022 Bandolero Bandit Champion will be a Vanasse. ALL IN THE FAMILY - THE COUSINS VANASSE The Vanasse name is known to many speedway goers, perhaps in reference to current Pro Stock driver Ryan Vanasse, who won back-to-back Late Model championships in 2009 and 2010. Now, Ryan and his brother Mike Vanasse are letting their sons get in on the Seekonk action. Ryan Jr. and Collin Vanasse square off against each other on Friday nights in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits Division. Ryan and Collin have been driving bandits for a couple years now, but this year is different. With the new Drive for the Cup format, the two have been competing with each other all season long for a playoff berth, and now battle against each other week after week in an ever-narrowing playoff field. Ryan and Collin have both managed to stave off elimination through two rounds, and make up half of the playoff field going into championship weekend. Their competition: Sam Macedo and Nick Uhrig Jr. Out of the four drivers, Ryan is the only one to claim a feature win, scoring three of them this summer, fresh off his most recent one last week. Collin will have to pull out all the stops this week if he wants to top the Final Four including his cousin. As for Ryan, he has the momentum on his side, and needs to hit his marks one more time to be named champion. As far as odds go, it’s a coinflip that the 2022 Bandolero Bandit Champion will be a Vanasse. 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. |
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