![]() SEEKONK, Mass. -- Derek Gluchacki continued a hot start to his 2022 Late Model season across New England at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night. Gluchacki wheeled the No. 03 to the front, picking up the win in the second round of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series, a 45-lap main event. Gluchacki took the lead from Mark Jenison and Richie Murray in the middle of the race and never looked back. While Gluchacki won, the race between himself, Jenison and Murray was one of the best in recent memory. The three drivers ran three-wide for at least two full laps, with Murray rim riding around the top, Jenison in the middle and Gluchacki on the bottom. They barely touched — if at all — and everyone made it though to finish on the podium. Gluchacki won, followed by Murray and Jenison at the finish. Gerry DeGasparre Jr. rebounded from a rough race to finish fourth, followed by Paul Lallier in fifth. Vinnie Arrenegado was sixth, while Chase Belcher, Luke Lebrun, Kevin Bowe and Josh Hedges rounded out the top-10. The Late Models will return to the track on Saturday, July 9. The NASCAR Saturday divisions will be off on July 2. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media.
0 Comments
SEEKONK, Mass. -- Get ready for a Saturday night showdown at Seekonk Speedway.
For the first of two times in 2022, the Pro All Star Series (PASS) Pro Stocks will invade the third-mile this Saturday, June 25, with a 150-lap race, worth $3,500 to win. The race will pin Seekonk Speedway track regulars — who will have this week off — against the likes of former PASS champions and some of the best in touring series racing from around New England. The race will serve as a tune-up for the upcoming $10,000 to win Bay State Classic at Seekonk on Wednesday, July 27, which is also a PASS race. On the PASS front, Eddie MacDonald leads the championship standings over DJ Shaw, Joey Pole and Ryan Kuhn through the opening portion of their season, and all four contenders are expected to compete Saturday. If past history says anything, all four of them could pick up the checkered flag. Many of them are former Seekonk winners, and Kuhn, a former track Late Model champion, certainly knows his way around the third-mile. Kuhn is one of at least 10 former Seekonk Speedway champions entered to race Saturday. He’s joined by eight-time Pro Stock champion Dave Darling, who is the current Pro Stock points leader as part of NASCAR Saturday, chasing a record ninth title in 2022. Darling leads Mike Brightman by three points in his quest for the Seekonk title, but will look to fend-off the best of PASS this weekend. Former two-time track Late Model champion Dylan Estrella will also make his first appearance of the season in the field, driving the Everett’s Auto Parts No. 46. Estrella has been touring this season and the hometown experience may help him get to the front of the field at his home track. Tom Scully Jr., coming off the most emotional win of his career last week, is also entered for the 150-lap event. Scully is a former PASS winner at Seekonk and has proven he can defend the home turf. Angelo Belsito, a former Seekonk Pro Stock champion himself, is coming off a PASS podium at Seekonk last October. Look out for names like Jake Johnson — a former two-time Seekonk Legends Cars champion and current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regular — Jake Matheson, Kevin Casper and Bobby Pelland will also be in the field. Matheson is a former Seekonk Legends Cars champion, while Casper (Sport Trucks) and Pelland (Late Models) also have track titles in their history of accolades. On the PASS front, names like Johnny Clark, who won the $10,000 Bay State Classic and Haunted Hundred at Seekonk last year, will have to fight-off Ben Rowe, Brian Whalley, Wayne Helliwell Jr and others. Defending Seekonk Late Model champion Vinnie Arrenegado will also make his Pro Stock debut in the PASS race, stepping up and competing in double-duty with a total of almost 200 laps planned. “It should be an action-packed race,” Ed St. Germain, Director of Business Development at Seekonk Speedway, said. “PASS, the top Pro Stock touring series in the Northeast, continues to showcase some of the best racing in the country, and here at Seekonk, we have a strong contingent of drivers ready to battle them for the gold." Saturday night racing will also include the second round of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series for the Late Models, 45 laps, a 25-lap feature for the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman and 25 laps for the Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks. The order for the night will run with the Late Models first, followed by the Sportsman, PASS Pro Stocks and Sport Trucks as part of a full night of action. Tickets for NASCAR Saturday are available today at SeekonkSpeedway.com and are just $25 for adults to watch this special event. All pit passes can also be purchased in advance online. For more information on the Pro All Star Series, visit ProAllStarSeries.com. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, including tickets for all 2022 events, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on Facebook for the latest updates and news. PRO ALL STAR SERIES, EVERETT’S TRIPLE CROWN RACES TO HEADLINE BUSY WEEKEND AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY6/21/2022 By Souza Media
SEEKONK, Mass. -- Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series events and the first of two visits by the Pro All Star Series (PASS) Pro Stocks will headline a full card of racing this weekend at Seekonk Speedway, June 24 and 25. Both Fast Friday and NASCAR Saturday will be back on the track — with eight of Seekonk’s weekly divisions — excluding the Pro Stocks — set to battle in qualifying and feature racing. On Fast Friday, the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series hits round two for the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws and the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks. They will be joined by the Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s and Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars on Friday. On Saturday, NASCAR divisions hit the track, including round two of the Everett’s Triple Crown for the Late Models, set for 45 laps, and the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman and Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks. The 150-lap PASS Pro Stock special will pin invading contenders against the Seekonk Speedway weekly competitors for a special event. Saturday’s PASS feature will mix names like Dave Darling, Tom Scully Jr., Bobby Pelland and others against the likes of Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, Joey Pole, Angelo Belsito and others. PASS will also be back at Seekonk Speedway for a $10,000 to win mid-week event at the end of July as part of the Bay State Classic -meaning this event will be a major test and tune for some of the competitors. Through the early portion of the PASS season, Eddie MacDonald and DJ Shaw lead the championship standings, while Pole and Ryan Kuhn are close behind. As of publication of this story, there are at least 10 former Seekonk Speedway champions scheduled to compete in the race — including Kuhn, Darling, Scully, Dylan Estrella, Belsito, Jake Johnson, Vinnie Arrenegado, Jake Matheson, Kevin Casper, Pelland and more. Fans will not want to miss this extra-distance event as the headliner of Saturday. The Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Series second round for the Late Models, set for 45 laps, may end up with the first two-time winner of the season for the competition division. Through six races, six different drivers have been to victory lane — including Richie Murray, Gerry DeGasparre Jr., Jacob “Rowdy” Burns, Vinnie Arrenegado, Chase Belcher and Paul Lallier. In round one of the Triple Crown Series back on May 21, Arrenegado went to the winner’s circle, locking himself into the Triple Crown finals for August. Look for one of these six drivers to win Saturday — but don’t count out Jeramme Lillie, Ryan Flood, Mark Jenison and Josh Hedges from making their own run to the front. Last week, with his championship car back on the track for the first time in 2022, Chad Baxter ran away with the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman race win in their second round of the Everett’s Triple Crown. This week, Baxter will have to come from the back of the pack in the stout field — racing against names like Craig Pianka, Ed Perry, Doug Benoit and Steve Axon with hopes of getting to Victory Lane. Benoit and Tyler Almeida have been two of the early-season surprises in the Sportsman, both looking for their first career wins. For the first time this year on Saturday, a lineup shake-up will see the Late Models run the first feature, followed by the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman, PASS and the Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks, who will wrap the night with their 25-lap feature. Through six weeks, former track champion Mike Cavallaro holds a small three point lead over recent winner Barry Shaw, who became just the second driver to grab two wins last week. Brittany Campbell, Rick Martin and Mike Duarte finish the top-five in the current point standings. Campbell, Jake Vanada and Amy Arsenault are the only three drivers who have run consistently at the front of the field and not been to Victory Lane so far this season. Friday’s second round of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown for the Pure Stocks could see Danny Massa celebrate in Victory Lane for the first time in 2022. It’s clear Massa has the speed to get the job done under the hood of the No. 41, just hasn’t quite been able to get there in the first four weeks. Defending and two-time champion Greg Perry may have two wins, but it’s Jeremy Lambert and Massa leading the standings over Jordan Threlfall. The top-five in the current Pure Stock points standings only has one winner inside it -- Lambert — who went to Victory Lane two weeks ago. Both Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero divisions are chasing one dominant force. In the Bandits, it’s Darren Krantz Jr., who won the first three races, and finished second last week, who is off to an impressive start. Behind him, Milania Shiloskly, last weeks winner, isn’t far behind, along with Ryan Vanasse Jr. Those three drivers have been on the podium at the end of three of the four races together, with Vanasse being the only of the three to finish off the podium, once, in week one. In the Bandolero Outlaw division, Chase Silvia has three victories in four weeks, while Brent Robdioux was able to sneak one out in week three. Look for Andrew Gomes, Joey LeMay and Bradley Strickland to be major contenders to get their first checkered flag of the season this week. The Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4 division seems to run through Crystal Murray. She has two victories on the season, but podium finishes in every single race so far. Henry Lavallee may be in contention for his first win of the season in their 25-lap feature on Friday, after multiple weeks in a row of finishing on the podium. Karlin Levesque is coming off his first win of the season, but will be challenged by Tyler Duhancik, Jarrod Freitas and Taylor Bowser, who are seeking their own checkered flag. Devin Deshaies and Brendon Hammann have split the first four races of the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars season, but names like Reese Bogue, Brendan LaBelle, Isaiah Newcomb, Mason Tessier and others haven’t been far behind. Look for Josh Parsons and Rookie of the Year contender Richie Helger Jr. to try and turn their seasons around this week and get to the front of the field. Fast Friday grandstand admission opens at 5:30PM, while racing begins at 7PM. On NASCAR Saturday, grandstands open at 4PM and racing will take the green flag at 6PM. Tickets for all Seekonk Speedway events are now available online at SeekonkSpeedway.com. Tickets can be purchased in advance for both general admission in the grandstands and pit passes for all races, including major upcoming races. Seekonk Speedway will host Open Wheel Wednesday, a $10,000 race for the Open Wheel Modifieds, on Wednesday, June 29. On Saturday, July 2, Seekonk hits the middle of the summer with the Independence Day Thrill Show. Fans can purchase tickets for all of these events and more today. For more information about Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. ![]() Prior to Saturday’s Chaz Auto Body Sport Truck feature, Barry Shaw said he was having trouble catching the right break on the track. In the 25-lap feature this time around, Shaw got all the breaks he needed. The driver of the Everett’s Auto Parts No. 85 passed for the lead on lap 10 after coming from his 7th place starting position and led the remainder of the distance, picking up his second victory of the season. Shaw, who won the second race out, has been consistent this season inside and around the top-five, attempting to defend his championship from last year. Behind Shaw, Darryl Church scored his second straight second-place effort, showing speed under the hood of the No. 4 once again. Jake Vanada worked his way through the field to grab a podium finish in third spot, while Mike Cavallaro and Danny Thibeault finished the top-five. Lenny Guy finished sixth, followed by Mike Duarte, Tom Scully III, Rick Albernaz and Amy Arsenault. The Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks will return to the track on Saturday, June 25, for another 25-lap main event. Tickets for next Saturday and all 2022 Seekonk Speedway events are available online now at SeekonkSpeedway.com. Chase Belcher had been struggling for much of the 2022 season with an ill-handling race car in the Late Model division. But Saturday, in a 30-lap feature that didn’t see any caution flags, Belcher made it clear he wasn’t going to be denied. Belcher took the lead from Jeramee Lillie early in the race and essentially coasted to victory over the final half of the main event. It was the first win of the season for Belcher, who became the sixth different winner in six Late Model races in 2022. Behind him, Lillie earned his second straight second-place finish, as the veteran continues to show improvement over past seasons. Josh Hedges rebounded from a few tough weeks to grab a podium finish behind Lillie in the No. 29, while Jacob “Rowdy” Burns and Gerry DeGasparre Jr. finished out the top-five. Ryan Flood finished sixth, followed by Luke Lebrun, Richie Murray, Paul Lallier and Vinnie Arrenegado. The Late Models will return to the track on Saturday, June 25, for round two of their Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series, set for 45 laps. Tickets for next Saturday and all 2022 Seekonk Speedway events are available online now at SeekonkSpeedway.com. ![]() Chad Baxter may not have started the season the way he wanted in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman, but Saturday’s second round of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series went just fine for the driver of the No. 0. Baxter jumped out to the early lead from the drop of the green and wasn’t going to be denied — rolling to Victory Lane for the first time this season. Oddly enough, Baxter had been running a different car for the first five races of this season, as the car he won the championship with in dominating fashion last year wasn’t quite ready to roll yet. This week, the return of old faithful proved to be enough to put him out front when it mattered most, as Baxter rolled to victory. While he did, former champion Steve Axon ran second for most of the race, where he would finish after 35 laps. Craig Pianka, who has three wins on the season, finished the podium in third, while Adam Petty and Ryan Lineham rounded out the top-five. Doug Benoit finished sixth, followed by Randy Moretti, Colby Lambert, Ed Perry and Scott Serydysnki Jr. The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman will return to the track on Saturday, June 25, for another 25-lap feature. Tickets for next Saturday and all 2022 Seekonk Speedway events are available online now at SeekonkSpeedway.com. ![]() Emotional is about the best way to describe the scene in victory lane after Saturday’s 40-lap Pro Stock feature at Seekonk Speedway. Just over 24 hours following his dad’s final laps at the track after his sudden passing last week, Tom Scully Jr. took down the victory in the main event in honor of his father, Tom Scully Sr. With three fingers up in victory lane, there weren’t many words Scully Jr. could say after the race concluded. But with the emotion felt throughout the entire crowd, there was nothing he needed to say. It was truly a remarkable, and fitting, conclusion to a tough week for the entire Scully family. Dave Darling crossed the line second after 40 laps, his third straight podium run, while Tommy Adams spun early and drove back through the field to finish third. Mark Jenison, who won the week before, and a returning Rick Martin, finished the top-five. Colbey Fournier finished sixth, followed by Bobby Pelland, Mike Brightman, Ryan Lineham and Ryan Vanasse. The Seekonk Speedway Pro Stocks will be off from racing until Saturday, July 9. Next Saturday, June 25, many of the Pro Stock regulars will be competing with the stars of the Pro All Star Series, who will invade Seekonk for a 150-lap main event. Tickets for next Saturday and all 2022 Seekonk Speedway events are available online now at SeekonkSpeedway.com. By Souza Media SEEKONK, Mass. -- For the first time in 2022, Seekonk Speedway will hold a tripleheader weekend from June 17-19, with three exciting days of racing at the Massachusetts third-mile. On Friday, the Fast Friday Series continues with five divisions, while NASCAR Saturday includes one Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series race and the New England Antique Auto Racers, along with three other classes. Sunday, it’s time for the first of two Monster Truck shows of the season, as the Monster Truck Spring Bash will include freestyle jumps, plus a special Troy City Tactical Spectator Drag Showdown. Fast Friday action includes the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits and Outlaws, Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s, Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks and Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars. Although there are storylines across all Fast Friday divisions, a few standout going into the weekend. The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit field is chasing defending champion Darren Krantz Jr. through the first three races, as he’s been to Victory Lane in all three. In the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaws, Chase Silvia looked like he had three straight wins sealed up last week — but a late penalty gave Brent Robidoux — who struggled in the first two weeks — redemption, as the driver of the No. 25 visited the winner’s circle. Murray’s garage is three-for-three in the Everett’s Auto Parts Sport 4’s — with Crystal Murray winning the first two events and her teammate AJ Manuel returning last time out and capturing the flag in his first race back. Names like Henry Lavallee and Karlin Levesque haven’t been far behind. The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stock drivers have been trying to shake off Jeremy Lambert, who has three podium runs in three weeks, including a victory last time out. Names like Danny Massa and Jordan Threlfall are also off to strong starts. The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars division is chasing Brendon Hammann, as the driver of the No. 7 has two wins in three weeks. Devin Deshaies is the only other winner so far — but look for Mason Tessier, Josh Parsons, Reese Bogue, Brendan LaBelle and others to be major contenders on Friday night. NASCAR Saturday will start with a throwback in time, as the New England Auto Racers come into town for their first and only visit of the season. NEAR provides fans a look back at the cars that ran in the past decades, with some of the most iconic rides set to visit Seekonk this Saturday. The Pro Stock division is chasing someone other than Dave Darling for the first time in many years in the middle of June. Mike Brightman has two victories in four races and one second-place finish this year, as the former Late Model champion looks to distance himself from the pack early in the season. Darling is still second in points, while Tommy Adams, Colbey Fournier and Bobby Pelland finish the top-five. Brightman, Adams and Mark Jenison, who picked up his first career win last week, are the only drivers to visit Victory Lane so far. The Late Model division has been a toss-up, but a few drivers seem to have the consistent speed to run at the front each week. Former seven-time champion Gerry DeGasparre Jr. and defending champion Vinnie Arrenegado lead the points, with sophomore contender Jacob “Rowdy” Burns in third. All three have won so far — joining Richie Murray and last weeks winner Paul Lallier to make it five winners in five events. Could week six mark another new winner? The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman are set for round two of their Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series on Saturday — 35 laps in distance. Craig Pianka has three victories in five events, but a wreck last week gave Ed Perry, who has the other two season wins, the points lead. It’s clear those two competitors have been the class of the field — but can defending champion Chad Baxter turn it around this week? Will Doug Benoit or Tyler Almeida grab their first career wins in the extra-distance event? And in the Chaz Auto Body Sport Trucks, last week’s heartbreak for Jake Vanada could turn into glory this week. After missing a week, Vanada returned and dominated the race, prior to a late caution, which propelled Rick Martin to his 102nd career Seekonk Speedway win. Brittany Campbell has podium finishes in just about every single event and sits second in the early season standings, while names like Mike Cavallaro, Barry Shaw Jr., and Mike Duarte are also early season winners. Sunday’s Monster Truck showdown includes freestyle and races and top trucks struting their stuff. You can feel the power of Monster Trucks up close and personal at the Action Track of the East this weekend. Trucks like Stinger, Virginia Giant, Crushstation, Lumberjack, Shockwave and Be Aware all take on the track. There will also be a Troy City Tactical Spectator Drags Spring Showdown as part of the show. Fast Friday racing begins at 7 p.m., while NASCAR Saturday begins at 6 p.m., and Monster Truck Sunday will go green at 2 p.m. Tickets for all three events will be available at the track, but tickets for all Seekonk Speedway events are also now available online at SeekonkSpeedway.com. Tickets can be purchased in advance for both general admission in the grandstands and pit passes for all races, including major upcoming races. Seekonk Speedway will have the first of two Monster Truck events on June 19, followed by Open Wheel Wednesday, a $10,000 race for the Open Wheel Modifieds, on Wednesday, June 29. On Saturday, July 2, Seekonk hits the middle of the summer with the Independence Day Thrill Show. Fans can purchase tickets for all of these events and more today. For more information about Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates. By Sam Tully
Seekonk Speedway’s NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Series has put on five thrilling weeks of action so far. With the May 7 scheduled program being lost entirely due to inclement weather, all divisions have filed away five weeks worth of feature racing, except for the Pro Stock division, who missed out on their feature due to rain at the end of the May 21 program. And just like that, the regular season of racing for the Saturday night divisions is officially one-third of the way complete, hurdling quickly towards Seekonk Speedway’s first ever edition of playoff racing in the Drive 4 The Cup presented by Sunoco Race Fuel. That said, it’s time to pause and look back at the first part of our season so far. In this first installment of “Comers and Goers”, we’ll reflect on some of the highlights from all the exceptional on-track action, and underscore just a a few the the notable drivers worth keeping an eye on going forward. Some have surged to the top of the points standings, while others float on either side of the eight place points playoff bubble, weighing the fate of championship hopes. This edition of Comers and Goers discusses our NASCAR Saturday classes only, as Fast Friday is only three weeks into their season. Playoff Format Rules: A Quick Overview For those who are still unfamiliar with Seekonk Speedway’s new playoff format, here’s a quick high-level overview on how this year’s season-long points races are structured, and how each division’s champion will be determined.
Now.. let’s get to it! Chaz’s Auto Body Sport Trucks The Chaz’s Auto Body Sport Truck Division has provided fans with fantastic racing to kick off our Saturday night program each week. Through five weeks, we’ve seen four unique winners, and two drivers with four top-three finishes. Mike Cavallaro won the season opener, followed by Barry Shaw in week two, Rick Martin in week three, Mike Duarte in week four, and Martin again in week five. POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIVE WEEKS Comers: #14 Rick Martin Rick Martin comes as no surprise as one to watch given his decade’s long pedigree of success at the third-mile. Last year, Martin notched his 100th career win at the track and has showed no sign of slowing down as he hit the 102-win watermark this past Saturday. Keep your eye on the #14 of “Radical” Rick as he looks to build on his early success. #8 Brittany Campbell Brittany Campbell has arguably been the most consistent driver of all the Sport Trucks through 5 weeks, finishing second three times already. A regular in victory lane already this season, keep a look out for Campbell as she tries to break through for her first 2022 feature win. Goers: #85 Barry Shaw It may surprise a few that Barry Shaw is the first to make our “Goers” list. Objectively, the defending Sport Truck Champ has put together a solid start to the season. With three fifth-place finishes to date, and add to that a feature win in Week Two, what more could you want? Well, back up to this time last year, Shaw had already waved the checkered flag in victory lane four times through the first five weeks! This is a driver who is used to winning early and often. After falling out of the top five for the first time this season in the June 11 feature, look for Shaw to rebound as he sets his sights on getting back to his winning ways. #80 Mike Cavallaro Mike Cavallaro, as with Shaw, has run an objectively strong campaign through five weeks of Sport Truck racing. With a win and two fourth-place finishes to his name this season, the six-time Sport Truck Champion sits comfortably in the points standings. It’s the cooling off trend that has landed the #80 truck on the “Goers”s list, considering he opened the season with that win, and has finished fourth, fourth, seventh, and sixth in the weeks following. Look for this proven champ to find his way up the running order and catch another interview in victory lane any Saturday now. Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Sportsman The Sportsman division has not disappointed one bit through the first portion of the season. We’ve seen some hard licks into the wall, Green/White/Checkered finishes, and a two-horse battle in the win column. Craig Pianka got off to a blistering start, winning three of four features to launch his 2022 campaign. Ed Perry so far has been the only other driver to bag a win (two of them). POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIVE WEEKS Comers: #4 Craig Pianka It should come as no surprise that Craig Pianka tops our “Comers” list. The #4 car has shown speed week in and week out, charging his way through the field to the front even when least expected. Pianka has consistently put himself in the right spots to make the most of late race restarts and turn what would otherwise be solid top-five finishes into outstanding wins. Market correction struck for Pianka during the June 11 feature when he was involved in a Lap Two incident that would take his car out of the running early, ultimately finishing 20th out of 21 on the night. Watch for the #4 car to stay out of harm’s way next week and continue his tear through the Sportsman Division. #1 Ed Perry Ed Perry has been as relentless of a mover and a shaker in the Sportsman field as anyone so far this season. No stranger to burning up his right rear off Turn 4, nor sending it three-wide up the inside to pull of two-for-one passes for position, Perry’s boom or bust driving style has certainly landed himself in the thick of several race-defining situations, for better or worse. But as of late, the gutsiness has paid off, picking up two feature wins in four weeks. Will Perry’s tenacity continue to pave the way to victory lane, or will his luck run out? Only time will tell. Goers: #0 Chad Baxter Currently, Chad Baxter sits 7th in the points, just 11 points to the good of ninth place. If the season ended today, he would find himself locked into the final eight and qualified to make a run for the championship. That being said, his current standing is a far cry from the success he found this time last year, already having won four of five races to start the season. Look for Baxter to find the spark and further insulate himself in the top of the points standings. Late Models Through five weeks, the Late Model division remains a wide-open points race. With five different winners so far, the variety up front perfectly represents the mix of strong drivers and hard chargers this division offers week in and week out. Weeks Four and Five particularly showcased dazzling displays of nose-to-tail racing for the lead lap after lap. POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIVE WEEKS Comers: #29 Josh Hedges Hedges has maintained a bit of a background character status through the early stage of the 2022 season – he’s the only driver in the top five in points without a feature win this season and has come home outside the top three each week since the season opener. That said, the #29 has finished inside the top six each week, except week three, where he finished eighth (edged out at the line by Reese Bogue and Chase Belcher, respectively). Hedges is showing that consistency is key in a season where points are at a premium in the first ever playoff format. Look for the #29 to keep beating the consistency drum towards more top-six finishes and hopefully a feature win. #70 Paul Lallier Weeks One though Four objectively did not result in much to write home about for the #70 car of Lallier. Sure, he’d been caught up in the twists and tangles that are customary of the Late Model Division, stunting his performances from Weeks Two through Four. In Week Five however, like a beachball held underwater, Lallier exploded to the top of the running order, holding off a fierce Jeramee Lillie for several laps, earning his first win of the season. Despite the early season tumult, the win puts Lallier ninth in points, 20 back of Chase Belcher. Look for Lallier’s fresh taste of victory to fuel his driving as he looks to crack the top eight in points in the coming weeks. Goers: #08 Richie Murray A quick glance at the Late Model points standings warrants no cause for concern for the #08 camp, who at the time of writing sits fifth with a 28-point cushion over the bubble. A deeper look into the numbers shows that Murray has earned fewer points week-over-week since his opening weekend win, earning 50, 46, 42, 36, 26 points from features, respectively. Of course, the numbers only show so much, as Murray has been dealt his fair share of on-track adversity the last couple of weeks, which has certainly aided his recent less-than-optimal finishes with tons of bad luck. Look for this exceedingly capable driver to steer clear of trouble on track and start cashing out with high point totals in the weeks to come, and likely visit Victory Lane for the second time soon. #35 Chase Belcher Tough to put this name on this list, especially after this driver posted a third place finish in the Week 4 feature. But if we had to cherry pick a trend to try and define a “goer”, Chase Belcher’s 16th place-finish in Week Five is the lowest finish posted by any driver in the top eight of the points so far this season. Likely a blip on the radar due to on-track adversity, look for Chase Belcher to turn things around next week and continue to pad his lead to the good of the bubble. Pro Stocks The Pro Stock Division has generated a steady stream of fireworks through only four weeks worth of features. From Opening Day’s script-flipping incident between Dave Darling, Ryan Vanasse and Rick Martin, to Week Three’s Lap 2 multi-car wreck involving Vanasse, Daryl Stampfl, Mark Jenison, and Bobby Pelland, among others, the 2022 Pro Stock campaign has been off to a chippy start, but has yielded some awe-striking racing and finishes to boot. POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIVE WEEKS Comers: #27 Mike Brightman It might seem like a layup putting Mike Brightman on the "Comers” list, given he has already notched two wins this season. It’s worth noting, however, that Brightman has not finished outside the top three this season, and is the only driver to lay claim to that feat in our Pro Stock Division and across all four of our Saturday night divisions! Look for the strong performances to keep on coming and coming for the #27 of “Mighty” Mike Brightman. #52 Dave Darling Placing the four-time defending and eight-time Pro Stock champion on a “comers” list may seem out of pocket to some, considering that as of late, there’s really been no where for him to come from. He’s been there, and stayed there… for the better part of 16 years. The early running of the 2022 season however teases a bucking of that trend. Through four races, Darling has yet to wave the checkered flag in victory lane. Despite the budding winless streak, Darling has finished consistently stronger than any of his competitors, save Brightman, putting together fourth, second, and third place finishes in the last three weeks, respectively. The season is young, and with the top-three finishes mounting, it would be a fool’s errand to bet against the #52 on any given Saturday. Goers #11 Ryan Vanasse As the age old saying goes: it’s better to be lucky than good. Well Ryan Vanasse may know all to well the tired adage, because as sure as he’s been good this season, boy has he been unlucky. Whether you want to discuss the Martin and Darling sandwich Vanasse found himself in on Opening Weekend or being stuck between Darling and a hard place high up on Turn Three in Week Three, or just plain having a failure in the car last week, the #11 has been unable to catch a break. That one week where disaster didn’t totally strike? A late race caution in Week 2 wiped away his six-second lead, and ultimately cost him the feature win to Tommy Adams. Look for this unlucky streak to subside to finally let the #11 strut its stuff all the way to victory lane. #0 Kenny Spencer The former Pro Stock champion’s 2022 march could have hardly started off on a stronger foot, bringing home his #0 machine in second on Opening Weekend. Unfortunately, that would be the last time the #0 would come close to posting a top-five finish, posting finishes of ninth, 11th, and eighth in the weeks since. The rough and tumbled nature of the Pro Stocks this season has surely not been kind to Spencer, and what seemed to be a bad loose car on June 11 did not help matters either. Look for this two-time champion of “The Konk” to get things figured out stat, and start eroding the slim three-point margin keeping him below the playoff bubble. In Conclusion While only 16 of our more than 80 weekly Saturday drivers have been highlighted above, it goes without saying that there are countless storylines to be followed as the season unfolds. With only five weeks of the regular season in the books, plenty of time remains for driver to emerge and fade and for points races to shake up. If you made it this far, thank you for your time! We hope you enjoyed this fun little exercise in early season analysis, and hope you join us at the track to watch what the rest of the season has in store. For tickets and more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit seekonkspeedway.com SEEKONK, Mass. -- Seekonk Speedway is pleased to announce that MTTI — MotoRing Technical Training Institute — has joined the track sponsorship program for the 2022 season. Based in Seekonk, Massachusetts, MTTI lives on the motto of Education for Employment. They offer programs in automotive and motorcycle technician training, medical fields, computer tech, as well as building and property trades, HVAC and electrician programs. Founded in 1985 as a workforce development program, MTTI is a bridge between employers with jobs to fill due to a skills shortage and the underemployed individual. Many of those who choose MTTI do it because they have the opportunity for short term training, which encourages a quicker path to potential employment. The goal after MTTI is to find immediate employment, and with smaller classes and a close-knit, family-like environment at the school, students are successful. With the success MTTI has in the automotive space, Seekonk Speedway and MTTI partnering seems perfect. "MTTI is extremely excited to partner with Seekonk Speedway, it's long overdue,” Andrew Boyce, Marketing Director with MTTI, said. "With tens of thousands of automotive enthusiasts coming to Seekonk Speedway every year, we expect it to be a great source of promotion for our Automotive and Motorcycle Technician Training facilities right down the road from the speedway. We're thrilled to support such an iconic venue through our sponsorship and we look forward to a great partnership." “We’re definitely excited to partner with MTTI and feel like this is a win-win for everyone involved,” Ed St. Germain, Director of Business Development at Seekonk Speedway, said. “MTTI is a proven ground for those looking to find employment in the field they want quickly, which is exactly what we need on a local level in town. They’ve been established for a while and it’s the right time to bring them into the Seekonk Speedway family." For more information on Seekonk Speedway’s 2022 season, including the full schedule of events in the midst of another season of side-by-side racing, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. Tickets for all events are now available by visiting the website, where fans can skip the lines on race day with their tickets in advance. Fans may also visit the track on social media for the latest updates. |
AuthorSeekonk Speedway Features stories on the Stars and Cars that race at Seekonk Speedway Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|