FAST FRIDAY PLAYOFF UPDATE: Wrapping Up July at Seekonk

As the month of July comes to a close this weekend at Seekonk Speedway, the second annual Sunoco Drive For The Cup is coming up in September. Most divisions at the track have either four or five races remaining before their fields will be set with who will be eligible for the championship heading into September.

This week and every week leading into the playoffs, we will profile the playoff battles in all divisions as the racing gets set to roll.


Let’s start with Fast Friday heading into their show on July 28th at 7PM.

BANDOLERO BANDITS


In the Bandolero divisions, six drivers will qualify for the playoffs. And right now, it looks like seven drivers in the Bandit division are going to settle the battle, with one on the outside looking in when it starts.


Nick Uhrig Jr., Sam Macedo, Mike Hanafin and Parker Davis — all season winners — are at the top of the standings and barring a miracle of something really going wrong, they will be in the playoffs. Mason Silva and Ryder Aguiar and fifth and sixth right now, with Silva ahead of Aguiar by 12 points.


With Aguiar on the cut line, Luka Dib is the first driver out, 14 points behind. Points are earned with 50 going to the winner of each race, 48 to second, 46 to third, etc., down through the field. As of right now, it’s a seven-spot gap Dib needs to make up in the final five races. 


It’s possible — and this battle looks like it is going down to the wire. Carl Satterlund Jr. is in eighth, but is 44 points from the cutline and would need someone to have a problem to have a chance to advance into the playoffs.

---

BANDOLERO OUTLAWS


Sixth is the magic spot in the Outlaws as well, right now held by Dylan Calabro. Of the two Bandolero divisions, this one is going to be the toughest to determine who gets in at this point.


Ryan Vanasse Jr., with five wins, is comfortable at the top with Brent Robidoux, Collin Vanasse and Bryson Robidoux also feeling good in second, third and fourth. Andrew Gomes is fifth, but is 24 points ahead of Calabro, who sits in the final spot.


The driver of the No. 71 holds eight points ahead of Zachary Keith, the first driver out of the playoffs as they run. Mikey LeFort III is 34 points back in eighth, with RJ Murphy back in ninth, 44 points behind. It looks like right now, without major change, Keith and Calabro may battle for the sixth and final spot. But, with still five races to go and the Outlaw division showcasing more than 15 cars each week, anything could happen.

---

SPORT 4’S


It may be a bit of a surprise to some, but Jarrod Freitas leads the Sport 4 standings heading into the end of July. He’s ahead of Henry Lavallee, defending champion Crystal Murray, Richie Johnson and Taylor Bowser for the top-five spots. Daniel Hayes and Christine Cavallaro are sixth and seventh, but Cavallaro holds a 26-point lead over the cut spot.


Remember, in all divisions except Bandolero’s, the top-eight will advance. Right now, after missing the race last week due to mechanical troubles, former champion Mikey LeFort holds the eighth and final spot by 2 points over Tyler Duhancik.


This is significant because leading into the season, LeFort and Duhancik would have been two drivers that many would have had on their bingo card to race for the the title. Like LeFort, Duhancik had troubles and wasn’t able to run the race last week.


So, as it sits right now with five races still to go, the two drivers in trouble could be Hayes and Cavallaro, with LeFort and Duhancik going to be going full force trying to cement their spot.
​

---

PURE STOCKS


The Pure Stock division is also set to go down to the wire with their own big name outside the cutoff spot.


Ethan Souza and Danny Massa are at the top of the standings, followed by Scott Cestodio, Sam Lincoln and Mike Henriques. With Henriques sitting 66 points ahead of the final spot, looks like these five will advance comfortably.


Tim Ouellette won a few weeks ago and is sixth, 36 points up on the cut. Jared Cordeira is behind him, 26 points ahead. The final spot right now belongs to Don Courtemanche. Don leads Matt Talbot by just two points, but it’s Greg Perry outside looking in, 14 points behind.


A former champion outside going down the final stretch? This one could get exciting! Can Perry get his way in? If he does, who ends up out? 


The Pure Stock division has at least 10 drivers battling for the eight spots, and who knows who else may sneak their way into the battle before it’s settled.

---

LEGENDS CARS


The story of the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars division has been consistency for Jacob “Rowdy” Burns. Although he has one victory, he’s been up front just about every week and leads their points over Isaiah Newcomb by over 30 points.


Nicholaus Bulkeley is third, with Richie Helger Jr and Mason Tessier rounding out the top-five. Tessier’s gap over eight is 32 points, with rookie Chase Silvia in sixth, just 16 points ahead. Brenden LaBelle does have three wins, but missed two races, and is seventh, six points to the good.


Josh Parsons missed one race and holds the final spot as of now, with Jimmy “Pepe” Silvia in ninth, 36 points out. As of right now, if everything keeps going in the direction it has been going, it looks like the eight drivers who are in position right now are the eight who will race for the title in the Legends Cars.


————— 


You are not going to want to miss the final five Fast Friday’s before the Sunoco Drive For The Cup begins in September. And if Mother Nature steps in at any point, the number of races will dwindle even more. Drivers will be up on the wheel!


Buy tickets for all Seekonk Speedway events today at SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media for the latest news and updates.

---