Charlie Rose Breaks Into Victory Lane At Seekonk : Raceway Media

A total of 135 race teams and trucks packed the Seekonk Speedway pit area on 3M Night, Saturday, June 19, at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval. The four-hour race program ended on a high note for Tiverton, RI’s Charlie Rose, Jr., who scored his first career Seekonk win in the 35-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock feature.

Contact between Billy Manchester and Billy Flint coming off turn four on the very first lap set off a chain reaction crash that involved 10 of the 24 starters. Six were eliminated in the wreck including previous event winner David Darling. Two-time track champ Lenny Ellis, Jr. led from the pole in the early going while Rose moved from his seventh starting berth to third.

A flat right front tire on a lap 5 restart cost rookie Tom Scully, Jr. the second spot, allowing Rose’s Able Motorsports-JRM Equipment #91 Chevrolet to move up behind Ellis. On the eighth go-around, Charlie made his move to the outside of the leader, powering his way to the head of the class. A total of six cautions slowed the event, with the final one waving for a spin involving Dave Hutchins’ fourth place machine on lap 12.

At halfway, Rose led veteran Wayne Dion, who had taken second on the restart, Dean Pettey, Rob Murray, Ellis, Tom Furtado, Vinnie Annarummo and previous race winner Kenny Spencer.

Dion’s J. D. Byrider #99 Chevy remained within striking distance of Rose through the final 23-lap green flag run, but was never able to mount a serious challenge for the lead. In the end, Rose, 35, a three-time Pro Stock champion at Star Speedway, sat in Victory Lane for the first time at Seekonk, the track where he began his career at age 16. “It was fun, but it was nerve-wracking,” Rose admitted. “Missing that wreck on the first lap was the key to the whole race. I could see where Lenny was good and where he wasn’t, and I caught him in (turns) 3 and 4. He got high, and I got underneath him. The rest of the race seemed like it took forever. I knew Wayne was behind me. He’s a class act. He had about the same car we did. I gave him plenty of room, but I didn’t want to give anything away. I’ve been fast here before, but never won one. Seekonk is a place that always beat me, but tonight we did it.”

“We had a bad set of tires in the heat race,” Dion explained after his second place effort. “We were tight, so we took some wedge out and loosened the car up. But when we put on stickers for the feature, the car was a little too loose. If it wasn’t for that, I think our car was capable of winning the show. Still, I’m very happy.”

Second place point man Dean Pettey finished a solid third, followed by Rob Murray and Vinnie Annarummo, who earned his fifth top five finish in six starts. Jimmy Rosenfield and Ray Parent bounced back from the lap one crash to take sixth and seventh, followed by Matt Dewey, Todd Annarummo, and Kenny Spencer.

Acushnet, MA rookie Mike Brightman survived eight cautions to post his second feature win of the season in the 25-lap Late Model feature. Polesitter Kevin Folan led the first three laps until being spun, moving John Dumas to the top spot. Billy Goodrow took over on the next go-around, and was first when the yellow waved on lap 10. On the restart, Brightman, who had climbed from tenth to second, pulled alongside to challenge for the lead. The pair ran door-to-door for several laps until Brightman took the position on the 15th circuit.

Once out front, the former Sport Truck ace had to withstand four additional restarts and the relentless challenges of veterans Glenn Lawton and Ryan Vanasse. Lawton made a last lap dash to the outside, but was unable to overtake Brightman’s Kings Inn-Ashley Ford #27. The point-leading Lawton settled for second, followed by Vanasse, Goodrow, and defending track champ Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. Kevin Folan roared back to finish sixth, while rookies Chris Robbins, Bobby Grigas, Nick Macedonio, and Robin Sloane comprised the remainder of the top ten.

In the 20-lap Sport Truck feature, 2003 Rookie of the Year Lee Hayes of Fall River, MA captured his second checkered flag of the season in the Francis Farm #10 Chevy. Rob Murphy led the first four circuits until Ken Morrissette powered into the top spot. Five caution flags slowed the event, the final one setting up a single file restart with Morrissette ahead of Hayes. After a brief side-by-side battle, Hayes used the low groove to power ahead for good with two laps remaining. Morrissette finished second, followed by Stan Sherman, Ray Souliere, and Lance Cambra.

Defending Street Stock champion David Ratcliffe of Lincoln, RI earned his first trip to Victory Lane in 2004, passing rookie Ryan Lineham 15 laps into the division’s 20-lap main. Lineham muscled past early race leader Chris Rioux on a lap 7 restart, with Ratcliffe following in second. Ratcliffe shook off the advances of rookie Matt Dusenberry in the second half of the event before moving by the leader on the outside. At the line, it was Ratcliffe finishing ahead of Lineham, and Dusenberry. Jeff Sutcliffe finished fourth, but was disqualified in the post-race tech inspection, moving Elmer Wing III and Tony Oliveira to fourth and fifth.

In the Seekonk Youth Racing Association 700-restrictor plate Journeymen division, Justin Perry, 16, of Somerset, MA outdueled Matt Breault to win his second 15-lapper of the season. Breault was second, followed by Nick Ribbe. In the 600-restrictor plate Apprentice class, 15-year old Dianna Murphy of Coventry, RI won her first career feature, besting Chris Robinson and point leader Tommy McVay.

Seekonk’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series program continues this Saturday, June 26, with Craftsman Night, featuring the return of the All-Star Race Trucks Series and the conclusion of the rain-delayed Opening Day race program for the Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck, Street Stock, and twin SYRA divisions. Pit admission wristbands sold for the May 2 Opening Day Celebration will be honored on that night.

Tickets for the regular Saturday night shows are priced at just $12 for adults and $4 for children 6 to 12. A family four-pack for two adults and two children up to age 12 is available for just $25, a savings of $7. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Grandstand admission tickets that were purchased for the May 2 show can be used on June 26, or at any of the regularly priced Saturday night shows for the remainder of this season. For additional information, to order tickets or gift certificates, visit online at www.seekonkspeedway.com or call the speedway office at (508)-336-9959 Monday through Friday.

Pro Stock Feature (35 laps)
1. #91-Charlie Rose, Jr., Tiverton, RI
2. #99-Wayne Dion, Warwick, RI
3. #57-Dean Pettey, Assonet, MA
4. #08-Rob Murray, Tiverton, RI
5. #11-Vinnie Annarummo, Swansea, MA
6. #44-Jimmy Rosenfield, Middleboro, MA
7. #17-Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI
8. #02-Matt Dewey, Seekonk, MA
9. #10-Todd Annarummo, Swansea, MA
10. #03-Kenny Spencer, Taunton, MA

Late Model Feature (25 laps)
1. #27-Mike Brightman, Acushnet, MA
2. #70-Glenn Lawton, Westport, MA
3. #1-Ryan Vanasse, Warwick, RI
4. #32-Bill Goodrow, Pembroke, MA
5. #71-Gerry DeGasparre, Jr., Pawtucket, RI
6. #17-Kevin Folan, Attleboro, MA
7. #0-Chris Robbins, Norton, MA
8. #9-Bob Grigas, Marshfield, MA
9. #92-Nick Macedonio, Swansea, MA
10. #81-Robin Sloane, East Providence, RI

Sport Truck Feature (20 laps)
1. #10-Lee Hayes, Fall River, MA
2. #35-Ken Morrissette, Warwick, RI
3. #20-Stanley Sherman, Lakeville, MA
4. #24-Ray Souliere, Swansea, MA
5. #42-Lance Cambra, Acushnet, MA
6. #78-Bobby Ambroceo, Needham, MA
7. #1-Billy Clarke, Seekonk, MA
8. #94-Bill Prisco, Cranston, RI
9. #6-Chad Hancock, Woonsocket, RI
10. #98-Rob Murphy, Rochester, MA

Street Stock Feature (20 laps)
1. #84-David Ratcliffe, Lincoln, RI
2. #19-Ryan Lineham, Coventry, RI
3. #81-Matt Dusenberry, Marblehead, MA
4. #29-Elmer Wing III, Lakeville, MA
5. #41-Tony Oliveira, Taunton, MA
6. #6-Dick Cavallaro, Seekonk, MA
7. #98-Sparky Arsenault, Attleboro, MA
8. #17-Pete Simpson, Warwick, RI
9. #76-John Hanafin, Mashpee, MA
10. #99-Al Clements IV, Oak Bluffs, MA

SYRA-Journeymen Feature (15 laps)
1. #14-Justin Perry, Somerset, MA
2. #00-Matt Breault, Acushnet, MA
3. #85-Nick Ribbe, Kingston, MA
4. #7-John Geremia III, Johnston, RI
5. #2-Justin Travis, East Taunton, MA
6. #78-Danny Thibeault, Fall River, MA
7. #1-Dale Thomas, Fall River, MA
8. #4-Samantha Dimond, East Bridgewater, MA
9. #25-Louie DeChello, North Haven, CT
10. #48-Billy Brady, Marstons Mills, MA

SYRA- Apprentice Feature (15 laps)
1. #01-Dianna Murphy, Coventry, RI
2. #9-Chris Robinson, West Warwick, RI
3. #80-Thomas McVay, Riverside, RI
4. #24-Michael Panciocco, Johnston, RI
5. #11-Dan Nickless, Halifax, MA
6. #77-Emily Santor, Norwood, MA
7. #32-Robert Alberti, Carver, MA
8. #5-Christian Brown, Chatham, MA
9. #6-Mike Crawford, Plymouth, MA
10. #3-Zach Tucan, Taunton, MA

Classified Ad Sites