June Rules  Update for the 2022 Pro Stock Division 

by Sam Tully


After three straight second-place finishes to start her season, Milania Shilosky finally outpaced the Bandolero Bandit field through 15 laps and secured her first win of 2022. 


Shilosky, who rolled off seventh to begin the night, managed to just squeak through a Lap 2 incident which involved Collin Vanasse and Bryson Robidoux, among others. Once the field went back green, Shilosky had her hands full with Darren Krantz Jr. for the remainder of the race. Krantz was able to edge out Shilosky shortly to lead Lap 3, but Shilosky surged back immediately to command the point, leading all remaining laps, despite another caution and restart on Lap 7, brought out by a spinning #29 of Zacharias Kelley. 


Krantz, who fought tooth and nail to the checkered flag to keep his three-win streak alive, had to settle for second place on the night. Ryan Vanasse Jr. ran strong and clean all night and finished third, making that three-straight third place finishes for the #11 Bandit. 


Sam Macedo finished fourth, followed by Parker Davis, Brody Wakefield, Zachary Keith, and Zacarias Kelley, respectively. Luka Dib came home ninth, one lap down from the leaders.
The Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandit division will return to the track on Friday, June 24 for another 15-lap feature. For tickets, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on all social media for the latest updates.

By Sam Tully
After a late race hiccup which cost him the feature win one week ago, Chase Silvia found his stride and drove his #17 Bandolero Outlaw to Victory Lane, earning his third feature win in four weeks of racing.


The 15-lap feature began with 12 entries, but after multiple cautions, only six drivers took the checkered flag when all was said and done. Joey Lemay and Adam Harrison battled early, until Harrison lost momentum off Turn 2 on Lap 5, giving way for Silvia, Brent Robidoux, and Nathan Rioux to challenge for the lead. 


A Lap 5 incident involving the Rioux and Harrison would ultimately end both of their races early, whittling down the number of potential challengers for Silvia at the restart. 


With 10 to go, Silvia and Lemay restarted alongside each other and battled back and forth for the lead until a Lap Nine caution would bring the field back together for one final restart. 


When Chase Silvia took the green flag on the final restart, he didn’t look back, leading Andrew Gomes by one second at the finish line. Gomes and Lemay fought heavily for second place, with Gomes prevailing for the position, and Lemay settling for third. 

SEEKONK, Mass. -- Through four Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment races, three different drivers have been to Victory Lane, but only one of them has been there twice. Greg Perry, the defending and two-time track champion, captured his second checkered flag of the season on Friday, moving past Jeremy Lambert and Jim Reilly in the second half of the race to take the victory.

While Perry got to the front using the outside lane, Reilly, who led early, was involved in a scary wreck in turn three, where it appeared like his throttle stuck down and he went hard into the wall, with flames coming out. He was able to escape from the car quickly without injury. 

Upon the green after a red flag, Perry got out front, while Jeremy Lambert and Danny Massa battled to the finish for second. Lambert, who had won the week prior, did everything he could to hold Massa off and was able to accomplish the goal. Massa would finish third in the 25-lap feature. Coming from the back of the pack, Mike Rotondo rounded out the top-five.

The Helger’s South Coast Power Equipment Pure Stocks will return to the track on Friday, June 24, for another main event.

For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.comand follow the track on social media for the latest updates.

SEEKONK, Mass. -- For the first time in 2022, Karlin Levesque was celebrating in Victory Lane on Friday night at Seekonk Speedway. Levesque, who originally passed Henry Lavallee for the lead just after halfway, had to pass him again in the final laps, but wasn’t going to be denied en route to the win.

Behind the wheel of the No. 44, Levesque started inside the top-five and quickly made his way to the front. Lavallee got to the lead quickly from the pole position and seemed to be the dominant force early. But, it wasn’t long before Levesque got to the front and challenged for the lead. He passed to the top spot on lap 10, then Lavallee was able to get back around on a restart at lap 18. 

Levesque would get back to the bumper and pass for the lead with four laps to go, never being challenged over the final few laps. Lavallee settled for second — another podium run for the veteran — who is coming close to returning to Victory Lane. 

Crystal Murray finished third, making it four podium runs in four races, while Tyler Duhancik and Matt Pion finished the top-five. Taylor Bowser was sixth, followed by Jarrod Freitas, Christine Cavallaro and Jacob Budznya.

The Everett's Auto Parts Sport 4 division will return to the track on Friday, June 24, for another 25-lap feature.

For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.comand follow the track on social media for the latest updates.

SEEKONK, Mass. -- Through four Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars races, two different drivers have been to Victory Lane. Friday, Devin Deshaies found himself there for the second time, driving the Nick Lascuola Racing entry to the front of the field and putting on quite the show with Isaiah Newcomb over the second half of the race en route to the win. 

Deshaies and Newcomb battled for the final 15 laps of the 25 lap event, and it looked like it was anyone’s race to win, or lose. Deshaies used the outside lane for most of the battle, and was able to clear and set sail in the final laps.

A caution with just two circuits to go gave Newcomb one more chance, but he wasn’t able to get the job done for Victory Lane. However, Newcomb, who is a former Seekonk Bandolero champion, put together quite the impressive run in the Legends Cars, and is inching closer to his first Legends win.

Mason Tessier shook off some early season bad luck to finish third, while Reese Bogue and Nicholaus Bulkeley rounded out the top-five. Josh Parsons finished sixth, followed by Matt Carpenter, PJ Evans, Brendon Hammann and Ty LeClerc.

The Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars will return to the track on Friday, June 24, for another main event.

For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.comand follow the track on social media for the latest updates.

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.

• Drivers race to earn points by participating in heats and features, with the goal of being in the top-eight in their points standings following the conclusion of the August 27 program
• Only the top eight drivers in each division will be eligible to compete for the championship in the remaining three weeks of the season, but there will still be normal qualifying and feature racing for everyone each week
• Drivers outside the top eight after August 27 can still race for wins and purse money , they just will not be in the running for the division championship
• After each week of playoff racing, the two lowest-finishing drivers will be dropped from playoff contention, until only four drivers are remaining on Championship Weekend
• The highest-placing driver of the four remaining playoff drivers from the feature race on Championship Weekend will be crowned division champion

 
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.