SEEKONK, Mass. — After a few years of coming close to Victory Lane, Brendan LaBelle made it clear Friday night was going to be his night in the opener of the 2023 Seekonk Fast Friday season in the Nick's Pit Stop Legends Cars. LaBelle quickly made his way to the front of the race, passing for the lead on lap nine in a tight battle with Josh Parsons.



Before long, the two were racing hard for the lead in a clean battle that thrilled a strong crowd on opening night. During a caution late, LaBelle would jump back to control on the restart and never look back, winning the race by a comfortable margin.


After a wreck at the finish line, Nicholaus Bulkelely finished in second spot, with Ty LeClerc rebounding for some mid-race trouble to finish in third. Kevin Davis rounded out the 25-lap feature in fourth and Zachary Martinez, who wrecked across the line, finished in fifth. 


The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars will return to the track on Friday, June 2 for another feature. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information.

SEEKONK, Mass. — When Scott Cestodio registered to compete in a full-time season in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks in 2023, everyone knew he was going to be a contender. The former Pure Stock frontrunner took many years off from racing full-time in the division, but returned in a big way Friday night, driving the championship car from last season in the Lambert Racing stable into Victory Lane.


Cestodio restarted to the outside of Greg Perry on lap 20, after Perry had paced the field from the beginning. However, at the green, Perry had an issue with the car and it wouldn’t turn. The caution would come out, Perry would go into the pits, and Cestodio would end up in the lead. On the final restart, he drove away from a tight battle for second between Ethan Souza and Mike Henriques, with Souza coming out on top and Henriques following in third after 25 laps.


Jared Cordeira opened the season with a strong fourth-place finish and Josh Badach scored a career best fifth. Sam Lincoln was sixth, followed by Matt Talbot, Danny Massa, Tim Ouellette and Don Courtemanche.


The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks will return to the track on Friday, June 2 for another feature. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information.
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SEEKONK, Mass. — Last year, Jarrod Freitas blasted onto the scene in the Sport 4 division, becoming a frontrunner and scoring his first career win. In the opener of the 2023 Fast Friday season for the division on Friday night, he made it clear he isn’t going anywhere. Freitas passed Henry Lavallee for the top spot just after halfway, then held on to score his second career Sport 4 win.


Lavallee took the lead from polesitter Taylor Bowser using the outside lane on lap 3, and led the field for the next 11 laps, until Freitas took control on lap 15. As the laps counted down, Mikey LeFort, driving the Richie Helger Racing entry, worked his way from the back of the field and finished in second spot, passing for the position on the final lap. Lavallee would finish third, with Bowser and Richie Johnson finishing the top-five spots.


Daniel Hayes was sixth, followed by Christine Cavallaro, Sam Mattera, Andrew Rittman and Garrett Kuhn.


The Sport 4’s will return to the track on Friday, June 2 for another feature. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information.

SEEKONK, Mass. — The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits took to the track for the first feature of the 2023 Fast Friday season, and after 15 laps of racing, Parker Davis was celebrating in Victory Lane. Driving the No. 14, Davis ran second early in the race, while Sam Macedo paced the field.


However, close to the halfway point, Macedo had problems with the No. 16, sidelining him from the action while in the lead. Davis inherited the top spot and never looked back to the finish. He held off Mike Hanafin, who scored a career best second-place finish, and Luka Dib, who also posted his best career effort, a third-place finish. 


Nick Uhrig Jr. finished in the fourth spot, while Carl Satterlund Jr. made his Seekonk Speedway debut and finished fifth. Ryder Aguiar, Mason Silva and Macedo rounded out the opening night field for Seekonk’s youngest competitors.

The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits will return to the track on Friday, June 2 for another 15-lap feature. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information.

​SEEKONK, Mass. — Ryan Vanasse Jr. came close to winning the championship in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits last season. New for 2023, the driver of the No. 11 has moved up to the Outlaw division, and is off to quite a strong start. Vanasse took the lead and dominated the second half of the season-opening 15-lap feature on Friday night, taking the car to Victory Lane.


While he did that, fellow Vanasse family member (his cousin), Collin Vanasse, tried to chase him down in the final laps, looking for his first career win. It was Ryan who crossed the finish line first, with Collin second and Brent Robidoux coming home a strong third.


The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaws will return to the track on Friday, June 2 for another feature. For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest information.

SEEKONK, Mass. — Seekonk Speedway helps officially kick-off the summer with a full weekend doubleheader this Friday and Saturday as part of Memorial Day celebrations. On Friday, Fast Friday hits the track for the first time in 2023 with their season-opener, while Saturday, the Memorial Day Thrill Show hits the track with the spills and thrills of summer fun at the Action Track of the East. Friday’s season-opener begins with the first green flag at 7 p.m., while Saturday, the Memorial Day Thrill Show begins at 5 p.m.



Fast Friday includes 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. In nearly all of the divisions, Seekonk is almost guaranteed a different champion for 2023.


Defending Bandit champion Sam Macedo and Sport 4 champion Crystal Murray are the only two on Fast Friday who will attempt to defend their crown. Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaw champion Bradley Strickland, Pure Stock champion Jeremy Lambert and Legend Cars champion Devin Deshaies, all from 2022, have all moved in directions for the new season. 


Macedo and Murray will have their work cut out for them as the top challengers in their divisions look to knock them off the top in the second annual Sunoco Drive For The Cup. Their seasons begin Friday with 15 laps in the Bandits and 25 laps in the Sport 4's.


The Pure Stocks and Legends Cars, both set for 25 lap races weekly, will have a mix of veteran challengers looking to get back to Victory Lane with rising stars looking to make a name for themselves. In the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero divisions, the youth of Seekonk Speedway will be showcased. Fast Friday championship racing begins this week and rolls through championship night in the Drive For The Cup on September 29. All of the action begins weekly at 7 p.m. 


The Memorial Day Thrill Show will include the first races of the season for the East Coast Towing Spectator Drag Series, after their opener was rained out last week. The Thrill Show will also include the Insane Chain Race, Crazy Figure 8 Races, Car & Truck Enduro Races, Car & Truck Enduro Drags and the Powder Puff Races.


Tickets for Saturday are $25 online now as part of a pre-sale. At the gate, tickets will be $28 for adults. Youth are $12 online now (6-12), and will be $15 at the gates. Kids five and under and parking are free at Seekonk Speedway. Front grandstand gates will open at 2:30PM for advanced ticket holders and 3PM for those who purchase on race day. The rain date for this show if needed is Sunday, May 28.


Tickets for all events are available today at SeekonkSpeedway.com — including Fast Friday, NASCAR Saturday, Thrill Shows and major events. Fans are encouraged to purchase ahead and save not only time, but money, as tickets online are a bit cheaper than they will be at the gates, and online ticket holders may enter the grandstands before those who buy at the track on race day.


For more information on Seekonk Speedway, fans are encouraged to visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates.

SEEKONK, Mass. – Picking a champion in the Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks for 2023 is going to be a tough task. In fact, even picking a race winner for this division is going to be difficult. As of the season preview, over 30 drivers have filed their registration to compete in this exciting class, which runs at least 25 laps weekly, sometimes 30.



The defending Pure Stock champion is Jeremy Lambert, but he isn’t planning on defending the crown. Instead, he’s tabbed a veteran and champion of the division from many years ago – Scott Cestodio – to drive the No. 15 with a shot at the title in 2023. Cestodio may not have run in the division for years, but he’s expected to be fast right out of the gate and contend for wins weekly.


He’s joined as title contenders with names like Greg Perry, Mike Henriques, Ethan Souza, Sam Lincoln, Danny Massa and others. Perry is a former division champion and wins at least one or two races a year, while Henriques had arguably his best season in 2022 and will look to build on that in 2023. Souza and Lincoln are some of the youngest, but fastest drivers in the division. Souza is a former winner with a new body and paint scheme for this season, while Lincoln is the defending champion of the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series and looks to add the overall track title to his resume this year. Danny Massa was the clear favorite for much of last year, and even though it didn’t work out his way in the playoffs, look out for Massa to be on a revenge tour during the 2023 campaign and win often.


Additional names to watch in this division include Nick Brightman, Ed Gould, Billy Chouinard, Jared Cordeia, Matthew Talbot, Rob Hendrickson, Emily Brightman, Timmy Ouellette and more. Each of them have their own unique story behind them. Nick Brightman picked up his first career win last season and ran strong, while Gould and Chouinard are division regulars for years. Cordeira had what was definitely his best season in 2022, while Talbot, Hendrickson and Emily Brightman enter the new season looking for their first career victories. Ouellette, a graduate of Seekonk’s Youth Racing Association, looks to make a name for himself in a big way in the Pure Stocks this year after a few years of getting some experience. 


Fans can also look out for Justin Rioux, Michael Marcou, Bobby Bettencourt III, Donald Courtemanche and many others during the season. Additional registrations continued to pour in for this growing division, now running on race tires.


The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks will hit the track for the first time in 2023 on Friday, May 26 for opening night and will roll through Friday, September 29 for championship night in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. The only Fast Friday off will be June 30. 


For more information on Seekonk Speedway, fans are encouraged to visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates, including from the track on race day.

SEEKONK, Mass. – Much like every other year, the 2023 field for the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars at Seekonk Speedway is filled with talent. The division includes rookies moving up from the Seekonk Youth Racing Association, mixed with some drivers who have been racing a few years, and some polished veterans. The combination usually provides some of the best side-by-side racing the third-mile has to offer, and will do so again in 2023. 



With defending champion Devin Deshaies not registered to compete, the new season should bring a new champion once again. Luke Lebrun won the title in 2021, and will not be racing himself. The list of drivers who have a chance to overtake and win the championship is a long one.


The first few names that come to mind include Josh Parsons, Brenden LaBelle, Jacob Burns, Isaiah Newcomb, Nicholaus Bulkeley, Mason Tessier, Jake Silvia and Richie Helger Jr. 


Even with this group of eight drivers, there is quite the mix of experience levels. Parsons, Burns and Tessier would be among the most experienced, all winning multiple races in their history – Tessier the Everett’s Triple Crown last year. Although LaBelle hasn’t won, he seemed to be on his game for a good portion of last season. Newcomb won a championship in Connecticut and has always run well in whatever he drives at Seekonk. 


Bulkeley may be a dark horse, but was a consistent top-five contender for much of 2022, along with Jake Silvia, who polished off his first career win last year. Richie Helger Jr., a former Seekonk Bandolero champion, will step back into the Legends Cars looking to strike in his second full-time season after a strong start to 2023 touring around New England.


Outside of these names, there are many others to watch. Consider Chase Silvia, who dominated in the Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Outlaws last year, making the move to the Legends Cars for the first time in his career. Will he catch on quick? Jase Mongeon may or may not run a full schedule, but always has speed. Adam Harrison is another graduate of the Bandolero’s, ready to try and strike in the Legends Cars. Curtis Rolando graduated from the Seekonk Youth Racing Association many years ago, left Seekonk then came back in a Pure Stock the last few years – now moving to the Legends Cars hoping for success. 


Stephen Bowden is a former Bandolero winner ready for his Legends Cars debut, while names like Jimmy “Pepe” Silvia, Kevin Davis, Jaden Hamilton, Nick Chaber Jr., Zach Martinez, Ben Amado, Corey Martin, Jonathan Deshaies, Mike Floyd and many others are also registered. 


And, don’t forget: sometimes the Legends Cars have a few surprise entries along the way, mostly racing in 25-lap events, with a few 30 lappers sprinkled in during Triple Crown action.


The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars will hit the track for the first time in 2023 on Friday, May 26 for opening night and will roll through Friday, September 29 for championship night in the Sunoco Drive For The Cup. The only Fast Friday off will be June 30. 


For more information on Seekonk Speedway, fans are encouraged to visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest updates, including from the track on race day.