THE HAMMER TAKES LATE MODELS, GREEN TO CHECKERS
Nobody could touch Jeramee Lillie. The Hammer had the horses to pull away from anybody and everybody over four restarts and though Austin Blais made a determined run over the closing laps, Lillie had built a significant cushion to hold on to his victory. Blais finished a second off the pace for second. Mark Hudson had another good feature run for third while Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. and Dylan Estrella concluded the top five.
In fact, Hudson and Blais divided the time in second, Hudson taking the first ten laps before giving way to Blais for the finale. He had been outside Lillie for the green, and dropped in front of TJ Moreshead as Roland Wheeler lost spped on the start. Lillie had held off to the very end of the starting box and cars at the rear were already charging forward when Wheeler lost speed and Vinny Arrenegado took all the abuse, finding himself around in turn one. It was an instant replay on the lap 0 restart. Wheeler then went below Moreshead and took a tap from Blais and went loose momentarily, but held on. On the second circuit, Lillie manufactured a five-car lead while Wheeler and Moreshead debated third, ahead of Blais and Bobby Pelland III who were contesting fifth.
Pelland leapt forward on the ensuing lap, looking between Wheeler and Moreshead, who backed out while Wheeler shot forward, outside Blaise and Charlie Rose moved in under Pelland, who began dropping back. Lillie now led Hudson by eight cars as Rose moved ahead and Pelland worked underneath Wheeler. Nick Johnson fastened himself to Pelland’s back bumper.
Estrella navigated past Wheeler and DeGasparre wedged in underneath with Arrenegado giving chase. But all was not well with Johnson, whose rear end snapped out only to have DeGasparre drive across his nose ending his night. DeGasparre was able to rejoin the field.
The Hammer again escaped Hudson and Blais glommed onto his bumper to pull ahead of Hudson, who was locked on the outside. Pelland dived under Rose as Lillie grabbed a two-car lead. DeGasparre followed Pelland but Rose heated up and bolted up outside Pelland again. Arrenegado, Estrella and Curtis Rolando pursued. Lillie continued to move away at the front.
Pelland slowed and Rose got into his bumper, putting Pelland into a slow spin on the backstretch. He immediately made for the pits. Rose went to the rear on the assist and Pelland returned to join him. The restart on lap 14 had Blais outside Lillie, who pulled out to a ¾-car lead as Hudson glided in under Blais, who again moved to second, but couldn’t settle into the groove.
Lap 19 saw Lillie eight cars to the good with Blais finally able to settle into the groove. Hudson held third, ahead of DeGasparre, while Estrella and Arrenegado sparred behind them. Rose began to move forward again, coming around Nick Uhrig for eighth. Pelland and Wheeler were at it again,
contesting tenth. Pelland looked under, making contact with Wheeler’s corner, loosening him up and taking the position. Lillie now had a 12-car lead with 7 laps remaining, but Blais began to close the gap. Hudson continued in third with DeGasparre, Estrella and Arrenegado giving chase.
At the white flag, Rose was in a dogfight with Rolando. Lillie flashed under the checkers for the win as Rose won the contest at the line.
Rounding out the top ten were: Arrenegado, Rose, Rolando, Uhrig and Pelland. Wheeler finished eleventh.
CAVALLARO CLAIMS TRUCKS FEATURE
Mike Cavallaro came on in the sec ond half of the race to pull away from the field to a well-earned Sport Trucks victory over rival Rob Murphy. Cavallaro had worked gradually from sixth to fourth when race leader Chase Belcher spun out while leading. He joined David Lougee, who was tagged for the assist at the rear, putting Rob Rainville on the pole with Cavallaro on his shoulder. Eric LeBrun and Murphy lined up behind them. First try saw Belcher together with John Robidoux and spinning in turn three. Robidoux made for the pits to end his evening. Second try saw Rainville and Cavallaro running door-to-door with Murphy, outside LeBrun, closing on Cavallaro’s bumper.
Cavallaro moved out by a half-length and Rainville powered up, but Mike was able to pull ahead once more and drop in in turn three. Murphy came alongside Rainville with LeBrun, Mike Duarte, Lenny Guy and David Lougee following up.
Cavallaro pulled away while Rainville and Murphy debated, ahead of LeBrun. Mike had the front and did not relinquish it over the last twelve laps. He led Murphy, Rainville, LeBrun and Lougee across the stripe for the win.
At the outset, LeBrun nosed ahead from the outside pole, but Rainville overhauled him on lap one. Murphy jumped between LeBrun and Rainville for a three-wide situation at the front. LeBrun backed out and Rainville powered up to hold the lead as Murphy battled from second. Behind them, Lougee was under Paiva, who was on Murphy’s bumper.
Murphy then grabbed the lead on the outside, but Rainville continued to contest him on the low side. Murphy finally cleared Rainville on turn three of lap five. Paiva got under Rainville and Belcher followed him through to third. But on lap 7, Murphy slowed on the backstretch and Paiva piled into his rear, spinning him into turn three. Paiva received the black flag and angrily protested by refusing to leave for several laps.
Belcher had the front with Rainville outside for the restart. Lougee and Cavallaro were row two, followed by LeBrun and Lenny Guy. Belcher went to the lead with Lougee nabbing second. Cavallaro
looked outside but got nowhere then battled Rainville as Lougee took second and closed on Belcher, who was two cars up. Lap 12 saw Lougee still in hot pursuit of Belcher while Cavallaro and Lebrun were followed by Mike Duarte and a resurgent Murphy. As Murphy passed Duarte, Belcher spun down the backstretch and Lougee was assessed an assist. They headed for the rear as Rainville and Cavallaro lined up for the restart. Rainville jumped out with LeBrun on his bumper and Cavallaro battling on the outside. Murphy went outside on Cavallaro’s rear but John Robidoux and Belcher got together going into turn three. Robidoux retired to the pits.
Second try at the lap 13 restart saw Cavallaro and Rainville door-to-door with Murphy on Cavallaro’s bumper. Mike pulled a half-car ahead on Rainville and dropped into the lead on lap 15. Rainville was under Murphy followed by LeBrun, Duarte, Guy, Lougee and Belcher.
Cavallaro was cruising eight cars ahead as Murphy dropped under, rushed up into turn one, getting loose. Rainville pulled ahead and Murphy found LeBrun underneath. But Murphy heated back up and went after Rainville and the ran side-by-side, swapping the lead to the checkers.
Cavallaro rushed home, two seconds ahead while Rainville and Murphy ran to a photo finish. The timing equipment revealed Murphy edging Rainville by .067 seconds.
Sixth through tenth went to Belcher, Duarte, Dan Johnson, Guy and Shawn DeMello.
SCULLY SURVIVES ARDUOUS BRAD SCOTT MEMORIAL PRO FEATURE
Tom Scully, Jr. took home a big win in the Brad Scott Memorial/Phil’s Propane Triple Crown race over 75 long laps. It was a caution-laden event which saw half of the 24 starters in the pits by the time the checkers flew. Scully had perhaps the only undamaged car in the ranks as he outran Ryan Vanasse down the stretch to the finish. Kyle Casper followed Vanasse, chased over the line by Craig Weinstein and Rick Martin.
It took two tries to get the race started as Dick Houlihan, Ryan Lineham, Kevin Casper and Bob Hussey found themselves against the frontstretch wall. Polesitter Fred Astle had delayed until the very end of the starting box and many behind him rushed the start causing a backup in the field and scrambling competitors down the frontstretch. Fred held until the last moment on the restart thenran to the front but Joe Kohler spun on lap two in turn two.
At last the race was running after the lap 1 restart, with Astle zooming to the front as Weinstein got under Jake Vanada and into second. Mike Brightman and Vanada debated fourth ahead of Vanasse.
The field strung out by lap six. Astle had Weinstein locked to his bumper and Brightman, in third, had a tight group on his rear, including Vanasse, Kenny Spencer, Scully and Martin. Behind them another nose-to-tail pack included Vanada, Nick Lascuola, Dave Darling and Kevin Casper. Martin nosed
under Scully and the dueled over sixth. Brightman escaped and went to a four-car lead on Vanasse, who had Spencer on his bumper. Brightman began to close on the leaders while Darling had cleared his group and was bridging up to Scully.
By lap 22, Brightman was fifteen cars up on Spencer and Vanasse. Houlihan had picked up speed and was flying with Mike Mitchell on his bumper.
Lap 26 saw Freddy and Weinstein bumper-to-bumper with Craig looking to pass and Fred slamming the door each time. They had a 20-car lead on Brightman in third, who had Spencer closing in, four cars back. But Alex Melnicki spun in turn two.
The race became plagued with cautions as it took two tries to get going again on lap 31. A single lap saw another caution on lap 31. Another followed on lap 32 and again on lap 33. In the interim, Scully had moved past Weinstein into second. Row two displayed Weinstein and Vanasse with Ryan Lineham and Kevin Casper followed by Kyle Casper and Kevin Folan. Kohler, Darling, Lascuola, Melnicki and John Berchem had already been eliminated by wrecks.
Astle led Scully from the box with Weinstein in pursuit, fighting Lineham, who went underneath and into third. Lineham pushed in under Scully, who came loose but executed a save and continued in second. Mitchell got sideways on the front stretch and careened sideways across the grass toward turn two.
The lap 40 restart saw Astle nose out on Scully, who forced the issue on the outside while Lineham grabbed Astle’s bumper. Scully slid back, outside Lineham. Vanasse was under Weinstein, followed by Kevin, Kyle and Folan. Kevin Casper muscled past Weinstein and Vanasse on Lap 46 and Kyle followed. They ran third and fourth, but Weinstein pushed past Kyle after Brightman had edged Vanasse out of seventh.
Lineham was trying to get under Astle and Fred shut the door on lap 51, catching Lineham’s nose and loosening up and wavering out of turn one, then spinning in turn two. Lineham was called for the assist.
Restarts on laps 51 and 52 saw Scully in the lead with Vanasse on his bumper. Kyle, Mitchell and Folan followed. Scully went to a four-car lead
Lap 55 saw Angelo Belsito and Astle together and both found the frontstretch wall. Astle’s entire rear body was broken and loose and he made for the pits, not to return. Belsito, likewise, was taken off on the hook.
Scully outran Vanasse and Kyle looked underneath to steal second, pushing through for position. He went to Scully’s bumper while Vanasse, Folan, Vanada and Mitchell gave chase. By lap 61, Scully held a five car lead. Martin had moved to sixth, ahead of Brightman. Scully continued to move away while Vanasse dlooked under Casper. But contact was made and Martin was around, while Brightman was black flagged for his second assist.
Scully again popped out while Vanasse got under Kyle over second. Folan led Vanada, who had Mitchell on the outside. Kyle powered up outside Vanasse in the battle for second. Weinstein went by Mitchell for fifth. Houlihan shot under Vanada, who went around out of turn three.
Scully led out of the lap 71 restart and Vanasse stayed outside to challenge while Kyle edged Folan for third. While Scully crept ahead, Weinstein nosed underneath for fourth, but had the door shut on him.
As Scully cruised to the win, Casper and Vanasse battled to the line with Vanasse claiming second.
Sixth went to Folan, followed by Houlihan, Lineham, Mitchell, Casper and Vanada.
Source: Seekonk Speedway PR
