SEEKONK, Mass. — After a summer filled with veteran success, first-time winners and everything in between, Seekonk Speedway is ready for the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. This Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9, the championship rounds begin with a four-week playoff to crown the 2023 track champions.
Friday night, the five Fast Friday divisions are on track for their first race of the playoffs. On Saturday, the NASCAR Saturday divisions hit the third-mile. This weekend includes regular lap counts for all nine of Seekonk’s divisions - headlined by Saturday’s 40-lap Pro Stock main event. On Fast Friday, the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws, the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks, Sport 4’s and Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars are ready for battle. Youth racing is alive and well in the Bandolero divisions, with Sam Macedo looking to go back-to-back for titles in the Bandits, but he has a tough field ready to challenge him. In the Outlaws, Ryan Vanasse Jr. has been the dominant force all year, but will the playoffs kick-off on a high-note for the driver of the No. 11? In the Sport 4 class, Crystal Murray only has one victory this season, but her championship defense begins Friday night. Jarrod Freitas and Mikey LeFort have been the winningest drivers in 2023 - are they in prime spot to take the crown? Or is someone else? In the Helger’s Pure Stocks, Scott Cestodio cooled off a bit in the summer after a dominant start. Will former champion Greg Perry be his top challenger to contend with to win the 2023 track title? Or will someone like Sam Lincoln shake off some mid-season struggles and come on strong at the right time? The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars title chase might be the toughest one to predict going into it. Names like Jacob Burns, Isaiah Newcomb, Nicholaus Bulkeley, Richie Helger Jr., Brendan LaBelle and Josh Parsons have won races and are in the playoffs. But they are joined by Mason Tessier and Chase Silvia, two who have shown speed, but haven’t won yet. Will you need to win a race to win the title? Only time will tell. NASCAR Saturday’s Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck division is also tough to predict going into Saturday’s 25-lap playoff opener. Jake Vanada had a strong start to the year and has been consistent throughout, along with Brittany Campbell. But, is defending champion Rick Martin still the favorite going into the Sunoco Drive For The Cup? Or is someone else going to contend with them like recent winners Mike Duarte or Bobby Tripp? In the Helger’s Sportsman, former champion Chad Baxter might be coming on at just the right time. After winning the last two races, Baxter rolls into round one the favorite. But, he was the favorite last year, and Craig Pianka made a last-lap pass in the championship race to score the title. Pianka has dreams of winning back-to-back titles in his final season of racing, but names like Adam Pettey, Steve Axon and more will be looking to knock them off and hold the crown themselves. The 2023 Late Model division rolls into the playoffs with multiple drivers feeling the momentum. Vinnie Arrenegado, Jacob Burns and Luke LeBrun have been the three most consistent, fastest cars this season. But, defending champion Mark Jenison and Chase Belcher shouldn’t be overlooked. They are joined in the playoffs by Charlie Rose, Tyler Tomassi and Connor Souza, who is coming off his first career win last time on the track. And in the Pro Stocks, Jenison looks to repeat in this division as well. But, Dylan Estrella, Mike Brightman and Bobby Pelland III have been among the fastest cars all year, and will be threats when it comes time to decide the champion, along with a few others. It all begins Friday and Saturday — the next four weeks will crown Seekonk Speedway’s 2023 champions. Fast Friday racing begins at 7 p.m. and Saturday action goes green at 6 p.m. Tickets for all playoff racing at Seekonk Speedway, including round one for both nights this weekend, are available now by visiting SeekonkSpeedway.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates surrounding the 2023 Sunoco Drive For The Cup and upcoming events.
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Breaking Down The Sunoco Drive For The Cup: Format, Rules For Playoff Time at Seekonk Speedway9/5/2023 This weekend, September 8-9, Seekonk Speedway kicks-off the second annual Sunoco Drive For The Cup. The playoff format will crown champions in all nine Seekonk divisions during championship weekend on September 29-30, after a four-week battle to find the title holder. With the playoffs moving up to four weeks instead of three this season, let’s break down the format and rules leading into the excitement. The first round of the playoffs is set for September 8-9, with the second round set for September 15-16. No one will be eliminated from any division until the conclusion of the September 15-16 weekend of racing. Unlike last year, eliminations in the first round will be done based on a points format. Both Bandolero divisions will trim from six drivers to five, while all others will go from eight to six after round one going into round two. Playoff drivers will be given points with 10 going to the highest finishing playoff car, 9 to the second, 8 to the third, all the way down to the final playoff car. The highest five amounts of points after two weeks in the Bandolero divisions will advance to round two, while the highest six amounts in all other divisions will advance. On NASCAR Saturday, heat points of 5-4-3-2-1 will also be given and used in the final totals. If a race is rained out in round one, only points that are counted for the other event will determine who moves on. If both races were to rain out, then the regular season points would be used to determine who advances and who is eliminated. In the second round of the playoffs (September 22-23), eliminations are based off where drivers finish in a feature race. In all nine Seekonk divisions, the top four playoff finishers in the race during round two will go to the Final Four. The championship weekend, September 29-30, will have the Final Four race each other to determine the champion. The driver who beats the other three in that feature event will be crowned the 2023 track champion. For all events in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup, Seekonk Speedway’s General and Technical rules are in effect. For all playoff rounds, the qualifying and feature lineups will follow the same format as they did in 2022. The first in the lineup will be those who qualified through heat races but are not playoff cars. The qualified playoff cars will line up next based on a blind draw. The highest of the points drivers going into the race will draw first for the starting spot, followed by second, etc. Nothing from previous rounds/races in the playoffs matters when it comes to lineups. On Fast Friday, normal lap counts will be used for each round except the final, where the Pure Stocks, Legends Cars and Sport 4’s will run 30 laps. The Bandolero divisions will remain at 15 laps for all rounds. On NASCAR Saturday, round one will be normal lap counts. Round two will see each division run five extra laps - for example, the Pro Stocks will run 45. In the final NASCAR Saturday championship races, each division will run 10 extra laps. For example, the Sport Trucks will run 35 laps in the final race of the season. In the event the final race cannot be completed due to unforeseen circumstances on scheduled date and rain dates, the champion will be decided by highest points total of remaining championship cars. Seekonk Speedway will honor the winner of the Drive For The Cup as the 2023 track champion in their respective division. Seekonk Speedway will continue a points grid, recognizing drivers from both Fast Friday and NASCAR Saturday all year. The points grid started on opening day and will end on September 29-30, just like the playoffs will. The driver that wins the championship will be placed as the leader in the division for the season. However, from second on back, the final points will be calculated with the driver who earned the most points in the overall season highest, in second. For example, if Johnny Smith was eliminated in round one of the playoffs, but scored the most points among playoff cars for the season, he would finish second in points. It all begins Friday and Saturday — the next four weeks will crown Seekonk Speedway’s 2023 champions. Fast Friday racing begins at 7 p.m. and Saturday action goes green at 6 p.m. Tickets for all playoff racing at Seekonk Speedway, including round one for both nights this weekend, are available now by visiting SeekonkSpeedway.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates surrounding the 2023 Sunoco Drive For The Cup and upcoming events. SEEKONK, Mass. — With the rainout of the final Fast Friday of the 2023 regular season, Seekonk Speedway’s playoff fields are now set for Friday night divisions. During a four-week Sunoco Drive For The Cup in September, Seekonk’s champions will be crowned in the playoff system. The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws, the Sport 4’s, Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks and Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars will all do battle. Playoff events for Fast Friday divisions will take place on September 8, 15, 22 and 29. Championship night for all five divisions will take place on the 29th, where all five champions will be crowned. For tickets for all of the Fast Friday playoff events and the NASCAR Saturday playoff events, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. The first round of the playoffs will take place on September 8 and 15. The first two weeks of the playoffs will include a points format to determine who moves to the next round. The number of cars in the playoffs is six in both Bandolero divisions and eight in all other classes. After the first round, the Bandolero fields will be trimmed to five and the rest of the divisions will be trimmed to six. On Fast Friday, feature points will be given to playoff cars with 10 going to the highest finishing playoff car, 9 to the second highest playoff car, 8 to the third, etc., down through the playoff field. At the end of the two weeks in round one, the lowest totals will be eliminated (one in the Bandolero divisions eliminated, two in all other divisions eliminated). Then, the fields will be set for round two on September 22. The Bandolero divisions will eliminate one more driver to make the final four. The other divisions will eliminate two drivers to make their final four. The top-four playoff drivers in the finishing order of the race at the end of September 22 will advance to the finals. On September 29, the Final Four will crown the champion with the highest finishing of the four winning the title in their respective divisions. In the event the final race cannot be completed due to unforeseen circumstances on scheduled dates and rain dates, Seekonk Speedway’s champions will be decided by the highest points total of remaining championship contenders. Throughout the entire playoffs, regular points will be calculated for each race and a tally will remain kept. At the end of the championship night, only the champion will keep their position in the final points (first) and all other drivers in the playoffs will be aligned based on their overall season points. For example, someone who finishes second in the final race of the season in the Final Four may be the second highest finishing playoff car, but have the fifth greatest point total for the season. They will be aligned to fifth in the final standings. For tickets for all of the Fast Friday playoff events and the NASCAR Saturday playoff events, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. PLAYOFF FIELDS BANDOLERO BANDITS Nicholaus Uhrig Jr. Sam Macedo Parker Davis Mike Hanafin Mason Silva Ryder Aguiar BANDOLERO OUTLAWS Ryan Vanasse Jr. Bryson Robidoux Andrew Gomes Brent Robidoux Collin Vanasse Zachary Keith SPORT 4S Jarrod Freitas Henry Lavallee Crystal Murray Richie Johnson Taylor Bowser Mikey LeFort Christine Cavallaro Daniel Hayes PURE STOCKS Scott Cestodio Ethan Souza Danny Massa Jr. Mike Henriques Sam Lincoln Jared Cordeira Tim Ouellette *Greg Perry LEGENDS CARS Jacob Burns Isaiah Newcomb Richie Helger Jr Nicholaus Bulkeley Mason Tessier Brendan LaBelle Joshua Parsons Chase Silvia When the final race of the regular season is complete on Friday, August 25 at Seekonk Speedway for the Fast Friday divisions, the fields for the Sunoco Drive For The Cup will be set. Entering Friday’s racing, there are a few battles that show tight racing at the cutline. Both Bandolero divisions will advance six drivers to the playoffs, while the rest of the Seekonk classes will advance eight.
There is also a chance for drivers who are outside the playoff bubble to advance. If a driver has competed in all of the races in their respective division this season, and they win on Friday night, they will advance and add a car to the playoffs. Let’s take a look at where each division stands, and which drivers are eligible for the win and you’re in policy, heading to Friday. BANDOLERO BANDITS The battle for the final spot in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits appears done. Ryder Aguiar leads Luka Dib by 32 points heading to the final race of the regular season. With only 10 or so Bandolero Bandits on the track every week, unless the car count drastically increases this week, the chances for Dib to advance will be eliminated. However, he is the only driver in the Bandits who would advance if they grab a feature win. Right now, it looks like Nick Uhrig Jr., Sam Macedo, Parker Davis, Mike Hanafin, Mason Silva and Ryder Aguiar will decide the 2023 track championship in September's Sunoco Drive For The Cup. BANDOLERO OUTLAWS Unlike the Bandolero Bandits, the Outlaws will go down to the final laps to decide the final playoff spot. The top-five drivers are all but locked in: Ryan Vanasse Jr., Bryson Robidoux, Andrew Gomes, Brent Robidoux and Collin Vanasse. Zachary Keith holds the sixth and final spot entering this week by 16 points over Dylan Calabro. That’s a total of eight positions on the track - a gap Calabaro could certainly overcome in a field that is in the double-digits weekly. If he can’t get in on points, Calabaro is on the list of drivers who can win and get in. He is joined on that list by Mikey LeFort III, Jordan Duquette, Zacarias Kelley and Abbie Badejo. Is this one division we could see someone sneak in with a seventh entry in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup by winning the final regular season race? SPORT 4’s The battle for the Sport 4 playoffs is going right down to the final lap of the regular season. Right now, Daniel Hayes holds the final spot - but is just four points ahead of Justin Leduc for it. Leduc has been coming on strong in the second half of the season, winning during the summer. He will need to beat Hayes by two spots on the track to advance. Christine Cavallaro is ahead of them in seventh spot, and 22 points ahead of the cutline, 11 positions on the track. She feels comfortable going into the regular season finale. In this division, Andrew Rittman-McLaughlin and James Sullivan would advance to the playoffs if they win Friday's 25-lap feature. 7 Christine Cavallaro - 392 points 8 Daniel Hayes - 370 points 9 Justin Leduc - 366 points PURE STOCKS The only way for a driver currently outside the top-eight in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stock points is to win and get in, if they are eligible. Greg Perry holds the final spot by 50 points over Don Courtemanche, which is the maximum amount you can gain in one night. Even if Perry didn’t race and Don won, Perry would win the tiebreaker with two feature wins on the season and would advance. For Courtemanche, his only shot to advance is to score his first career win in Friday’s 25-lap feature. Otherwise, the field is set: Scott Cestodio, Ethan Souza, Danny Massa, Mike Henriques, Sam Lincoln, Jared Cordeira, Timmy Ouellette and Greg Perry. LEGENDS CARS The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars top-seven drivers entering Friday night are locked in. Jacob Burns, Isaiah Newcomb, Richie Helger Jr., Nicholaus Bulkeley, Mason Tessier, Brendan LaBelle and Josh Parsons are racing for the championship next month. In the final spot right now is Chase Silvia. He leads over Kevin Davis by 24 points, which is 12 positions on the track. With the car count over 15 weekly, it’s certainly possible for Davis to advance. However, with the consistency Silvia has shown during his rookie season, another solid run this Friday will help him clinch his spot to battle for the title in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. In the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars, Stephen Bowden and Jaden Hamilton enter Friday in a situation where if they win the race, they are in the playoffs as a ninth-car. The finale of the Fast Friday regular season is set for Friday, August 25 at 7 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the playoff fields are locked in based on current points. Fans can purchase tickets at SeekonkSpeedway.com, cheaper than the gates on race day and can also skip the lines with online tickets. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit the track website and social media channels. SEEKONK, Mass. — The final weekend of the regular season is here at Seekonk Speedway, and the fans are not going to want to miss two days of excitement on August 25 and 26. Friday, the Fast Friday divisions will return to the track for the final racing of their regular season, as the fields will be set for September’s Sunoco Drive For The Cup. On NASCAR Saturday, the four divisions will also set their playoff fields in their own final regular season races. Saturday’s program also includes the Pit Party in the pit area from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and the return of Fans on Parade during intermission after the heat races. Both events are fan favorites and will be back for fans to celebrate the end of the summer, Seekonk Speedway style. Fans are encouraged to attend the pit party and also walk around the track during intermission to support their favorite drivers. Fast Friday will once again include the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws, Sport 4s, Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman and Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars. Both Bandolero divisions will leave Friday with six drivers in each division set to advance to the playoffs, while the other three divisions will advance eight. In the Bandits, the field is rather set, with Luka Dib 32 points behind and unlikely to be able to mount a charge to advance. In the Outlaws, Zachary Keith holds the final spot by 16 points over Dylan Calabro, just 8 positions on the track. Bryson Robidoux, Zachary Keith and Andrew Gomes, the three current drivers inside the Outlaw playoff battle without a feature win this season, will be looking to get some momentum rolling with a win on Friday night. The Pure Stock title battle field is set on points, with Greg Perry leading Don Courtemanche by a full 50 points for the final spot. However, Courtemanche, who has run all the races this season, is eligible to advance to the playoffs on Friday if he can score his first career win. The Sport 4 regular season looks like it will also come down to the final laps to decide who will advance. Right now, Daniel Hayes leads Justin Leduc by just four points for the final spot. Leduc has shown more speed than Hayes so far this summer, but it will come down to the final laps. Can Jarrod Freitas grab his fourth win of the season and advance with a ton of momentum? Can Crystal Murray win the final regular season race and continue to prepare for her title defense? Will Henry Lavallee win his first of the year? Or will someone else be on top after 25 laps? The Legends Cars battle is also nearly settled. Chase Silvia is in the final spot entering Friday and leads by 24 points over Kevin Davis. It’s definitely going to be interesting going down to the wire, as it's only 12 positions on the track between them in points. Can Davis close the ground and make it in? NASCAR Saturday’s playoff battles are a bit tighter than Friday in most divisions. With Dave Darling not returning in the Pro Stocks in 2023, ninth-place Mike Rotondo will jump into the playoff field over Darling by just starting the feature on Saturday in the No. 48. Although no one else could likely bust their way into the playoffs on points, Bobby Pelland will be looking to bust back into Victory Lane for the third straight week. The driver of the No. 12 is coming off a rocket ship week of winning and also an Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown championship and a win the week prior in the Pro Stocks. The Late Model championship battle to make the Sunoco Drive For The Cup field of eight cars is definitely going to go right down to the final laps. Entering Saturday, Connor Souza holds a lead of just seven points over Richie Murray. However, Tyler Tomassi in sixth is just seven points ahead of Souza himself. Behind Murray, in 10th, is Bill Goodrow, just eight points out of the playoffs. Scott Serydynski Jr. also isn’t far behind in 11th, just 19 back of the cutline. The Late Models will be racing for the checkered flag in their 30-lap Saturday race, but also racing for glory in the playoff battle to advance to the first round. After a wild Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman battle last week that ended with Chad Baxter winning, this week, their playoff field will be set. Don Perry holds the final spot by 29 points over Tyler Almeida and Jimmy Silvia by 42 points. Perry will likely advance to the playoffs as long as he finishes on Saturday. Baxter, Steve Axon, Adam Pettey, Colby Lambert, Randy Moretti and Ryan Lineham are essentially already locked into the playoffs and will be looking to win on Saturday to provide additional momentum. The Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck playoff battle finds Mike Cavallaro leading Tom Scully III by 35 points. Scully’s best shot to advance to the playoffs will be to win the 25-lap race on Saturday - drivers who have run all the races in their respective division so far - and are not in the top-eight - can win on Saturday and advance. In the Trucks, Scully and 10th place Ethan Heilborn are in position to do that this week. Fans who wish to join the pit party should make sure they are at the track by 4:30 p.m. Once the pit party clears and heat races are complete, the Fans on Parade will take place, estimated to begin around 7 p.m. Judging will take place and winners will be announced right there in each division, as well as an overall winner for the night. The track will also announce the winners of the Most Popular Driver contest on Saturday night. Tickets for Fast Friday are just $10 online now at SeekonkSpeedway.com or $13 at the gates on race day. NASCAR Saturday tickets are $15 online in advance or $18 at the track on race day. Parking is always free for both days at Seekonk Speedway. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online to save money and skip the lines on race day. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates. ![]() The field for the second annual Sunoco Drive For The Cup at Seekonk Speedway is almost set on Fast Friday. With just two Fast Friday races remaining on the calendar, August 18 and 25, the field of six drivers in both Bandolero divisions and eight in all other classes will be set. The championships will be decided during the four-week playoff stretch in September. With the cutline battles getting closer and closer, and time running out for drivers to find their way into the playoffs, let’s take a look at how the battles shape up across all five Fast Friday divisions. BANDOLERO BANDITS The field for the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits, at least five of them, is pretty well set with two weeks left. Nick Uhrig Jr. picked up his second win of the season last Friday and leads defending champion Sam Macedo, Parker Davis, Mike Hanafin and Mason Silva in the top-five in the current standings. Silva is ahead of the final playoff spot, sixth, by 40 points. In that sixth and final spot right now is Ryder Aguiar, who leads over Luka Dib by 38 points. With just two races left, and car counts hovering around 10 each week, if Aguiar simply finishes the next two races, he’s going to lock himself in. The champion will likely be one of the following six: Uhrig-Macedo-Davis-Hanafin-Silva-Aguiar. ——————-- BANDOLERO OUTLAWS Ryan Vanasse Jr. has seven feature wins in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaws and will advance to the playoffs. He’s likely to be joined by his cousin, Collin Vanasse, Bryson Robidoux, Andrew Gomes and Brent Robidoux. Right now, Brent holds a lead of 46 points back to sixth, currently held by Zachary Keith. After a rough start to the 15-lap feature last week, Keith came back strong late and opened his gap ahead of Dylan Calabro, who is currently the first car out. With two weeks left, Calabro is 14 points back. That’s seven positions on the track - so he is more than in striking distance. Mikey LeFort III is creeping up into the picture in eighth, but he’s 42 points back and will likely need some help if he wants to advance. ——————-- SPORT 4’s Just like we suspected in last week’s playoff outlook, the race for the final spot in the Sport 4 division is even tighter now heading into the final two weeks. Jarrod Freitas, Henry Lavallee, Richie Johnson and Crystal Murray are all feeling more than comfortable and will advance to the playoffs. Murray will be looking to repeat as champion. Freitas, Johnson and Murray have all won so far this season as well and Lavallee has been very consistent. Behind them, it’s a bit tighter. Taylor Bowser is fifth but opened her gap over the final spot and is now 46 points ahead. That’s nearly one race of points, so she’s feeling confident about advancing. Mikey LeFort gained ground this past week and is now 18 points up in sixth, while Christine Cavallaro lost a bit of ground and is now seventh, just 10 points up. Daniel Hayes holds the eighth and final spot. He’s now just eight points ahead of Justin Leduc, who has one feature win and has been coming on strong lately. As it looks right now, it’s likely going to be tough for Hayes to hold off Leduc to advance. But, can Hayes get ahead of Cavallaro or LeFort and leave them on the bubble? This one is going to be close! 6 Mikey LeFort - 360 points 7 Christine Cavallaro - 352 points 8 Daniel Hayes - 342 points 9 Justin Leduc - 334 points ——————-- HELGER’S PURE STOCKS Ethan Souza, Scott Cestodio, Danny Massa, Mike Henriques and Sam Lincoln are all feeling confident in the top-five in the current points standings for the Helger’s Pure Stocks with two weeks left. Lincoln’s gap from fifth back to the final playoff spot, eighth, is 46 points. It also looks like there is some more clarity around the bubble. Jared Cordeira won last week and is sixth, up by 34 points, with Timmy Ouellette also comfortably in seventh, 14 points ahead of the final spot. Greg Perry, who won for the first time this season two weeks ago, is currently in the final spot. He opened his gap over Don Courtemanche to 30 points with two races left. Barring any issues for Perry or someone close ahead of him, it looks like the Pure Stock field might be all but set to go for the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. 7 Timmy Ouellette - 368 points 8 Greg Perry - 354 points 9 Don Courtemanche - 324 points ——————-- NICK’S PIT STOP LEGENDS CARS With the wildness we have seen in the last few months in the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars, picking a champion in this division is going to be hard. But, with two weeks left in the regular season, it looks like the field of eight here is also all but set. Jacob Burns leads Isaiah Newcomb, Nicholaus Bulkeley, Richie Helger Jr. and Mason Tessier in the top-five in the points. All of these drivers are essentially locked in if they start both remaining regular season races, with Tessier currently 70 points ahead of the cutline. Brendan LaBelle is only eight behind Tessier, and 62 up on the rest of the field in sixth, while Josh Parsons had a tough week last week in seventh, but is still ahead by 30 points. Chase Silvia holds the final spot and opened his gap over his father, Jimmy Silvia. Actually, Kevin Davis jumped ahead of Jimmy and is now in ninth, the first car out. Chase Silvia leads Davis by 26 points. Can Davis close that gap in the final two? It's possible. Watch for this battle down to the final laps! ——————-- Seekonk Speedway’s regular season concludes for Fast Friday divisions on Friday, August 18 and Friday, August 25. The events on August 18 will include the Triple Crown finale events for all five Friday divisions. To purchase tickets to all remaining 2023 events and find out more information, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. Don’t forget to also follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates. ACT RETURNING TO SEEKONK, FAST FRIDAY & NASCAR SATURDAY TO CROWN REMAINING TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONS8/15/2023 ![]() SEEKONK, Mass. — Talk about a massive weekend of crowning winners and some special event champions coming up this Friday and Saturday at Seekonk Speedway. Friday night, August 18, the Fast Friday divisions will compete in the finale of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series for all five divisions, with extra laps for the Sport 4’s, Pure Stocks and Legends Cars. Saturday, the American-Canadian Tour returns to Seekonk Speedway for their one and only race of the 2023 season, rescheduled from June 3 due to rain. Their Spring Green 123-lap event will pin weekly Late Model regulars, who have the week off, against the stars and cars of a premiere Late Model Touring Series. Saturday’s program also includes the finale of the Everett’s Triple Crown for the Sportsman and Sport Trucks, while the Pro Stocks will also be back on track for another 40-lap race. Just like every week, Fast Friday action begins at 7 p.m. and NASCAR Saturday racing kicks-off at 6 p.m. All of the racing action can be seen from the track by purchasing tickets in advance at SeekonkSpeedway.com or at the gates on race day. In all Triple Crown finale events this weekend, four drivers are chasing the title, and the one who beats the other three in each race, wins. Last weekend, Luke LeBrun and Bobby Pelland won Triple Crown titles in the Late Models and Pro Stocks. Friday’s Triple Crown finale races for the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws will pin season winners against each other for the crown. Parker Davis, Mike Hanafin, Sam Macedo and Nick Uhrig Jr. have arguably been the four best cars in the Bandits this season and will battle for the Triple Crown title. All four of them have won and all will be tough to beat. This may be one of Seekonk’s most competitive divisions when it comes to crowning the Triple Crown champion. In the Bandolero Outlaws, Ryan Vanasse Jr. is the clear favorite, with seven feature wins so far in 2023. But, Andrew Gomes is part of the final four Triple Crown contenders and has been really strong the last few weeks specifically, on the podium, and seems to be making ground at the right time. They will be joined in the finale by Brent Robidoux and Collin Vanasse, two season winners, who are also going to be tough to beat. In the Legends Cars, Brenden LaBelle, Isaiah Newcomb, Josh Parsons and Nicholaus Bulkeley will battle for the Triple Crown. Like the Bandoero’s, all four of these drivers are season winners. Newcomb has been to Victory Lane in three of the last four races and was second in the other one last week. With his recent run of success, he’s the favorite, but all of the other three have shown tons of speed. This one is going to go down to the final few laps before it’s decided. In the Sport 4’s, Crystal Murray, Mikey LeFort, Jarrod Freitas and Henry Lavallee have made the Triple Crown final four. It looks like this one is going to be hard to pick a favorite as well. All of them have won this season, except Lavallee, who has been consistent in the top-five most of the year. The Sport 4 field might be chasing Freitas and LeFort with three wins each, but don’t count Murray and Lavallee out. It will be Scott Cestodio, Mike Henriques, Sam Lincoln and Ethan Souza battling for the Triple Crown title in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks. The only one of the four who hasn’t won this season is Lincoln, but he’s been coming on stronger as the summer rolls on. Cestodio leads the entire division with four feature wins — will a fifth be in store to get him the Triple Crown title? With what we have seen in the Pure Stocks, you may need to win to lock this one up in the 30-lap race on Friday. Saturday’s two Triple Crown finale races are for the Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks and Helger’s Sportsman. In the Trucks, 35 laps will be on tap for Jake Vanada, Mike Duarte, Brittany Campbell and Darryl Church to battle for the crown. All four of them have been to Victory Lane this season and are inside the top-eight in the overall point standings looking to advance to the playoffs. This one is going to be tough to pick, but with the massive consistency we’ve seen from Vanada, Duarte and Campbell, it’s going to be hard to beat one of them. The 35-lap Sportsman Triple Crown finale pins Steve Axon, Randy Moretti, Chad Baxter and Colby Lambert against each other. Three of these drivers have won this year, and you’d be surprised to know Baxter isn’t one of them. With this division having so many cars and drivers having to race their way to the front, anything could happen. The Sportsman field will be sliding around the track, but only one of these four will win the Triple Crown. The American-Canadian Tour Spring Green 123 comes in the midst of their championship battle with just five races remaining. Coming off their big Midsummer 250 at White Mountain Motorsports Park, DJ Shaw leads Gabe Brown and Jimmy Renfrew in the standings. Shaw went to Victory lane in the most recent ACT race at Seekonk last October, but will have to go up against a stout field of ACT challengers like Jonathan Bourvrette, Joey Pole and others. The Seekonk local contingent will also be on the track, with names like Vinnie Arrenegado, Jacob Burns, Richie Murray, Connor Souza, Ryan Vanasse, Mark Jenison, Chase Belcher and others. The Pro Stocks will also be back on track Saturday for 40 laps, one week after Bobby Pelland held off Dick Benoit in the final laps. There were also a mirage of others battling for the win and losing the top spots during the race that will be back looking to win this week. Tickets for Fast Friday are available online for just $10 per person or will be available at the gates for $13 per person. On NASCAR Saturday ACT Tour night, tickets are available for $25 in advance online for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 and kids five and under and parking will be free. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, including to purchase tickets and see full schedules for the weekend, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. For the latest news and updates, follow the track on social media. ![]() SEEKONK, Mass. — Former Seekonk Speedway Bandolero champion Richie Helger Jr. parked his Legend Car in Victory Lane for the first time on Friday night. Helger passed Isaiah Newcomb, who had won the last three races, for the lead in the final few laps then beat him back to the line to take down his first career win in the Helger’s No. 99. After a few years of trying, Helger was on top during Fast Friday’s premiere division. Newcomb wasn’t far behind after working his way up through the field once again, finishing second. Behind them, Kevin Davis worked his way to the third spot after 25 laps, his best career Legends Cars finish at Seekonk. Cole Robie and Brendan LaBelle followed them in fourth and fifth. In sixth, it was Jacob Burns, with Mason Tessier, Chase Silvia, Nicholaus Bulkeley and Jimmy “Pepe” Silvia finishing off the top-10. The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars will return to the track on Friday, August 18, for the finale of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series, set for 30 laps. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates. ![]() SEEKONK, Mass. — Adding to what had already been a great night of Fast Friday racing, Jared Cordeira parked his Pure Stock in Victory Lane on August 11 at Seekonk Speedway. In the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks, Cordeira got to the lead just before halfway, but then had to hold off a hard charge in the final laps to seal his first win of the season. Mike Henriques raced his way up to second and hounded the back bumper of Cordeira for the lead for many of the final laps. When the leaders came off turn four for the white flag, Cordeira got a little bit loose and Henriques was right there at the bottom. They raced side-by-side for the final lap and Cordeira had the edge from the outside when they found the checkered flag. Henriques was second, just .035 back at the finish. Nick Brightman finished third on the track but was penalized post-race for a technical violation. The official finish saw Greg Perry third, Sam Lincoln fourth and Ethan Souza in fifth. Brightman was aligned sixth, followed by Scott Cestodio, Timmy Ouellette, Matt Talbot and Don Courtemanche. The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks will return to the track on Friday, August 18, for the finale of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series, set for 30 laps. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates. ![]() SEEKONK, Mass. — Richie Johnson is no stranger to Victory Lane at Seekonk Speedway, but he’s been doing it during Thrill Shows. On Friday night, he found himself back there in a different form, winning his first career race in the Sport 4 division at the third-mile. Johnson has come close at times during the 2023 season, showing consistent speed. But Friday, it was his time. Johnson passed Henry Lavallee for the lead and then never looked back to pick up the win in the 25-lap feature. Jarrod Freitas, a three-time season winner, finished in second, with Lavallee holding on to grab the third spot at the finish. Taylor Bowser and Mikey LeFort followed in fourth and fifth. Crystal Murray, Justin Leduc, Sam Mattera, Jacob Budznya and Christine Cavallaro finished out the top-10. The Sport 4’s will return to the track on Friday, August 18, for the finale of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series, set for 30 laps. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates. |
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