n honor of the end of the 2021 season, and as we look on the horizon to 2022, Seekonk Speedway will look back at the top-10 moments of the year, as voted on by the fans!
NUMBER 9: Darling and Spencer Tangle For the Lead; Martin Rolls By To Score Career Win 98 It was a night to remember for a few different reasons on June 26, 2021. It was a historic night, as Seekonk Speedway completed “double” feature races for the Sportsman division for the first time in many years. After rain a week earlier in the middle of their race, the Sportsman finished their Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series event to start the night, then ran their normal feature to close the night. After the opener, the Pro Stocks hit the track for a rained-out race from the week before — and it was in the running for the top race of the season by the time it ended. Former champion Kenny Spencer led the field to the green for the 40-lap race in the sunshine, and he would be in contention right down to the wire. Near halfway, Tom Scully Jr. gave him a run for his money for the lead, but wasn’t able to get around. Before long, it was down to the final five laps, and Dave Darling was up inside the top-five. Darling looked to the outside of Spencer, allowing Scully to sneak a peak underneath. However, as the field came to the white flag, Darling slid from the top to the bottom, behind Spencer. But, as they exited turn four, contact between Darling and Spencer sent both dramatically spinning down the frontstretch, and Scully was caught up in it. That left Martin to inherit the lead, and the veteran took advantage — scoring what was his 98th career Seekonk Speedway win at the time. It was a hectic night on Wall of Fame night for 2021, but it was one of the top Pro Stock races of the year, and had social media buzzing for the following week. The contact between Darling and Spencer while racing for the lead will itself go down as one of the most memorable moments of the 75th year of racing at Seekonk Speedway, but the win helped Martin catapult to his 100th win later in the year.
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Helger & Robidoux Both Celebrate On Final Night of Seekonk Bandolero Action For 2021 The final night of the Fast Friday season on Friday, September 24, 2021 was one to remember for a variety of reasons. Five drivers were officially crowned track champions, as names like Luke LeBrun, Greg Perry and Mikey LeFort added to their Seekonk championship totals, and Darren Krantz Jr. and Richie Helger Jr. grabbed their first career track titles. But, the moment in Victory Lane after the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaw race was one of those we will remember for years to come. While Richie Helger Jr. finally captured championship glory after two years of hard work, and countless wins, Brent Robidoux climbed from the car at the start-finish line in celebration following his second career Seekonk Speedway win. It was a moment that truly showcased the emotion, excitement and energy that is involved with the Youth Racing at Seekonk Speedway. For many years, Seekonk Speedway’s youth program has showcased the rising talent at the track, with many of those drivers becoming winners in our NASCAR Saturday divisions. On this night, while Richie Helger and his entire family were drawn to tears after etching his name in track history as champion, Helger was just as excited to go over to Robidoux at the end of the race and share a hug and a photo to celebrate the victory by Robidoux. It was a truly memorable moment. One that showed us that the racing family is truly formed as one, especially in youth racing — where above all else, the young rising stars are friends with each other, on and off the track. SEEKONK, Mass. — Seekonk Speedway will celebrate champions from the 2021 season from both Fast Friday and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Saturday next January. Two different banquets will be held to appropriately honor all of the champions, top-10 finishers and special award winners from all nine of Seekonk’s racing divisions. Rookie of the Year awards will also be handed out during these banquets for those divisions who are eligible.
New for this year, the banquets will move away from the Venus De Milo and will now take place at White’s of Westport, located at 66 State Road in Westport, Massachusetts. Tickets are now on sale to the general public by visiting www.seekonkspeedway.com and clicking on the banquet of their choice at top of the main page. Each ticket is $38 per person plus online fees. Tickets can also be purchased with assistance from our Office staff Monday thru Friday between 10 am and 4 pm by calling Dawn or Gail at 508-336-9959 Also new for this year, fans, teams and sponsors can pick the seat they would like to sit in at the awards ceremony by purchasing their tickets online. Dinner will be a traditional dinner buffet with a mix of different meats, a fish option, sides, and more. On Saturday, January 22, NASCAR divisions will celebrate accomplishments with Dave Darling hoisting his eighth championship in the Pro Stocks. Vinnie Arrenegado will earn his accolades from his first Everett’s Auto Parts Late Model title, while Chad Baxter and his team will celebrate winning the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman championship. Baxter’s NASCAR National Division III championship will also be recognized. And in the Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks, Barry Shaw Jr. will officially collect his trophy after a dominant year en route to his first track title. On Saturday, January 29, Fast Friday champions, top-10 points finishers and special award winners will be honored at White’s. Richie Helger Jr. will celebrate his first career championship in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaw division, joined by fellow rising star Darren Krantz Jr., the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit champion. In the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars, Luke LeBrun will be crowned the title holder after a dominant year with double-digit wins, while Mikey LeFort will celebrate another championship in the Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4 division. For the second time in his career, Greg Perry will also be crowned the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stock champion. Seekonk Speedway is actively working on the 2022 schedule and will be released once available. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. This hallowed ground will sit quiet for the remainder of 2021 — and into the start of 2022 — but it just finished seeing some of the best racing in 75 years of short-track action in Massachusetts. There were some incredible car counts, record crowds and historic performances during this quite impressive season. Seekonk Speedway thanks each driver, team, fan and staff member for making the 2021 race campaign one to remember.
Picking a top moment from the 75th season is a difficult task. Looking back, it opened with a ton of unknowns. When the first green flag dropped, NASCAR racing returned to the track for the first time in over 18 months, with the track essentially shuttered during 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. But, what few of you remember is that we started the year with only 25% total capacity and the pit area separated from the grandstands. Families couldn’t even sit together at the track due to restrictions put in place by the state to keep everyone safe. Months later, we look back at the year that was filled with some of the most historic moments the track has ever seen. It was truly a 75th year we will never forget. With no question, the most memorable moment of the year came on Saturday, August 7. It wasn’t just the most memorable of this year — but for many — may have been the one they will remember for decades to come. Chasing 100 wins was something Rick Martin fought hard for all year, scoring his 98th career win in a dramatic Pro Stock finish where Kenny Spencer and Dave Darling got together racing for the lead late, and Martin sneaked by. He captured his 99th career checkered flag in the Sport Trucks, but on August 7, he made sure the big number came in the Pro Stocks. Martin used the outside lane to race his way to the front, and held off Tom Scully Jr. in the most dramatic fashion, by a mere few inches, to win his 100th race. The scene that night was surreal — with fans sticking around more than 30 minutes after the checkered flag, and raising their hands in the air in excitement and thanks to Martin, who had worked so hard to accomplish the goal. Mark it down as a night to remember in Seekonk Speedway history. Dave Darling clinched his eighth track championship in Seekonk’s top division, the Pro Stocks, built by D. Anthony Venditti himself more than 30 years before. Darling’s title gave him the right to become the first driver in Seekonk history to win eight crowns, beating out Gerry DeGasparre Jr. as the only drivers to have won seven. Darling’s run included eight victories in dominant fashion — and there was no question he was going to accomplish the feat. Possibly overshadowed by Darling’s historic run, Chad Baxter smashed the Sportsman field, winning over a handful of races, and the track title. More importantly, Baxter became the first NASCAR National Champion to come out of Seekonk Speedway, scoring the Division III National crown. The honor for Baxter, and car owners Richard and Emily Sprague, is one to keep close for the Seekonk family. Who would have thought a Sportsman regular chasing wins on a weekly basis would turn into country-wide glory. In the middle of the year, history was on tap on Fast Friday, with the Green Hornet, Sam Macedo, winning seven straight races in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit division. Memorable itself, it was a moment we will never forget, for a young rising star with green hair — to match the color of his car — smashing his competition in style with seven trophies in a row. Racing returned in a big way on both Fast Friday and NASCAR Saturday, along with the return of historic Thrill Shows, special events and mid-week showdowns. Three Wednesday shows were part of the schedule — including the inaugural Bay State Classic $10,000 to win PASS Pro Stock race won by Johnny Clark and the $10,000 to win Open Wheel Wednesday with the Tri Track Mods, won by Matt Hirschman. The ISMA Big Block SuperModifieds also returned, joined by the NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites for their Boston Louie Classic, spearheading a winged warrior Wednesday to remember. The July 4th Thrill Show packed Seekonk Speedway with some of the biggest crowds ever, while other holiday spectaculars returned, and the Monster Trucks packed the track in style. First time winners were all over the place. On Fast Friday, the Bandolero division saw popular first-time wins for Stephen Bowden, Brent Robidoux and Milania Slihosky, while Richie Helger Jr. and Darren Krantz Jr. captured championship glory. In the Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s, Mikey LeFort may have won his third straight title, but first time victories for Tyler Duhancik and Dave Simpson Jr. helped to steal the show. Perhaps the top moment of the Sport 4 season was Crystal Murray opening her year with two straight wins in the first three races, and looking like she was in prime form to win the title for the first time. However, she elected to pursue her education — a smart, but tough decision to make — and give up the chance to win the title. She still ended seventh in points, and will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks saw Joey Morrissette, Curtis Rolondo, Ethan Souza and Jim Reilly become first time winners, while Greg Perry found title glory again. The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars division ran through Luke LeBrun, as the former Mini Cup Seekonk champ returned to partner with Nick Lascuola and win double-digit races and the impressive championship. Mason Tessier (first-time winner) and Josh Parsons were the only two drivers to win points races other than LeBrun. On NASCAR Saturday, while Barry Shaw rolled to the Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck title, Amy Arsenault stole the show — scoring her first career win in her move from Fast Friday to Saturday, and capturing the Rookie of the Year in the division. Baxter rolled to the Helger’s Sportsman title, while Scott Serydynski Jr. was the only new winner of the year, also scoring the Rookie of the Year honors, following in the footsteps of his father. King Vinnie Arrenegado started his reign at the top of the Everett’s Auto Parts Late Models, winning five times en route to the title. In the Pro Stocks, Darling was the dominant force. The Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series returned, a three-race series for all divisions with a special champion crowned, while Seekonk also introduced the Everett’s Auto Parts Diamond Dash races. Special event races included the Helger’s Sportsman 50, American Racer Pro Stock 75, and more. Dylan Estrella and Ryan Vanasse got their doors blown off by clowns in a trike race, the Senior Tour Auto Racers honored their founder, Mary Lima, with a memorable three-wide parade lap and victory by her husband in her memorial race, and the Haunted Hundred ended the year with over 100 cars in the pit area and one of the most packed crowds for a short-track race in recent Seekonk memory. All year, attendance was up in record numbers, and fans flocked to Seekonk to watch some of the best drivers in the area race for trophies, checks and bragging rights. And in the end, outside of racing on the track, the Seekonk Speedway faithful came together in a big way to support one of our own. Rich Helger, owner of Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment, found out at the beginning of the year he needed help from all of us in his chase to donate life. With his kidney health dropping, Helger reached out to us for help in a chase to find someone to donate a kidney to help him take his next laps. The response was incredible — with thousands of people coming behind him to help keep him on his feet. Not only did some offer support with their own kidney, but the feeling of family and love pushed Helger to help his son, Richie Helger Jr., become a Seekonk champion for the first time in the Bandolero division. It was a special moment, to say the least, and one we will never forget. Seekonk Speedway’s entire staff thanks everyone for their support during what started out to be a challenging year, but ended as one of the best ever. Thanks to the sponsors that helped make it all possible, and all of the hard work by the staff to keep the track going. Enjoy your offseason, and we are looking forward to seeing you in May of 2022. Sincerely, The Seekonk Speedway staff Two drivers with one common goal: winning championships.
David Darling and Gerry DeGaspere Jr. will both be chasing history when Seekonk Speedway’s 75th season of racing begins on Sunday, May 3. Both have seven track championships to their credit, and are the only two in history to accomplish that feat. They have secured their spot as future Seekonk Wall of Fame members, but now, it’s time to battle for the next accomplishment in 2020. Darling has won all seven in the Division I Pro Stocks, while DeGaspere has earned his in the Division II Late Models. Two divisions that have seen change throughout the last decade and a half, but one common name sitting at the top. Darling started his title in ’06-’07, winning two competitive battles, before taking a few years off the top and finding his way back with two more in ’12-’13. Since 2017, he’s done things in dominant fashion. Darling has won three straight titles in a competitive class by running through the field on a weekly basis. He’s won more than half of the Pro Stock races over the last three years and walked to the championship table. DeGaspere’s path isn’t quite as apparent of late. His claim to fame will bring you back to the end of 2003, when he scored his first Late Model title, officially cementing his place on the map. Three years later, the real winning started. DeGaspere would earn three consecutive titles in the division from ’06-’08, securing his spot in history. After a quick two years off the top, he would return for another three straight from ’11-’13. Since then, he’s been silent when it comes winning titles. But he’s not done winning races and not done title hunting. Neither of them are. “As a team, we had Ronnie Pond (as crew chief) for four of those titles, and he’s been instrumental in the last three,” Darling said. “Ronnie has seen a lot of different things happen and so have I over the last few years. I’ve had a car back in ’05 or ’06 that handled almost the same as my car did last year. The track gets older, but the lap times get a little bit quicker — to be able to take cars that are essentially the same and go the same speed or quicker than we did 10 years ago on a track that is older is pretty outstanding. The competition has gotten better and better, which keeps us working to get better.” “I never in a million years thought it,” DeGaspere said when asked what it means to win seven titles. “When I won my first title, it was Dick Houlihan’s second — and he told me at the head table that winning one was hard, but winning two was even harder. It took me two years to get back there. It was weird the way our seven championships fell in place." Darling is fourth on the all-times wins list, while DeGaspere sits tied for ninth. They are two of five active drivers inside the top 10 — joined by former Pro Stock champions Rick Martin and Fred Astle Jr., former Late Model champion Ryan Vanasse, and Sport Truck standout Mike Cavallaro. Last year was a sense of rejuvenation for DeGaspere, who earned another Late Model win, and brought his team back to the top with a new car. He will be one to tell you that the team behind him plays just as a big, or a bigger role, than he does himself as the driver. “We finished fourth in points but only 22 out of the lead, that’s really close,” DeGaspere said of 2019. “The competition is better than it has ever been before. The overall group now is almost at a stronger level than it has been. A few years ago we went from winning five races a year to winning one race a year and that’s very bothering to me. I am so fortunate and overly joyed every time we win a race, because they are hard to come by. I know there are people that go forever without winning a race. But when you go from winning five races a year and championships to winning just one race a year without the championship, it’s not where you want to be. As a driver, a team, we are determined to get back there.” It’s also clear their competitive nature on the track spills over too far more than just competing for trophies and bragging rights. They spend time off the track talking with each other and watching the others races on a typical Saturday night. The respect they have for each other is evident. “I was glad to see him run better last year, he had a tough couple of years, and he was rejuvenated with a new car, able to run a bit better. Gerry and I have talked a lot, we’ve talked in racing season, chatting, even outside of race season,” Darling said. "He’s been congratulatory of our titles and he likes to watch our races, I like to watch this. I’m happy to see him as fast as he was." “It’s a really good friendship between us. I go way back with their family, and I have spotted a bunch for David before. We go to dinner, each other’s family functions, birthday parties… at the track, he’s one of few people that I will talk with for an opinion,” DeGaspere said. "As far as driving, I think he’s the smoothest driver to ever run a lap around the place. It’s the guy that’s behind the wheel and he knows what he wants.” For 2020, both of them have plans to start winning as soon as they can — and both will tell you that winning the championship runs through winning as many races as possible. “There is confidence knowing that the rules are almost the same, but there aren’t as many unknowns going into the season, but everyone gets quicker and everyone figures it out,” Darling said. “It’s not easy. I’ve been talking to a few people about it, and I keep telling them to put a GoPro in my car. Is it horrible? No. Do I get good cars and I can drive them? Absolutely. A lot of it has to do with driving for a long time, and every year is different. You never know what it’s going to bring. It could come down to one week from a championship standpoint.” “I think last year we put ourselves back in the positions where we needed to be but the cards didn’t fall in our favor with a few wrecks and DNF’s,” DeGaspere said. “The car is good week in and week out. It’s prepared — the guys spend a ton of time at the shop. They are there every night of the week. There are just a ton of people that can win in our division." Chasing eight is on both of their minds. "I don’t care if he wins the championship or I win the championship as long as one of us does — I’d rather do it — but if he gets the eighth before I do, I like him as a person and a racer and I would be just as happy seeing him win it. It would be awesome if we both won it this year,” Darling said. "To say it’s a honor or anything like that is an understatement,” DeGaspere said. "We started off not even being able to qualify for races. To go from that, to what we have accomplished, I couldn’t be more fortunate or more proud of the team. If and when we do get the eighth, it’s just another piece of history." Seekonk’s 75th season of racing begins on Sunday, May 3, with NASCAR Weekly Racing Series opening day, which includes the Pro Stocks, Late Models, Sportsman and Sport Trucks. |
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