OUTLASTS LILLIE TO LATE MODELS WIN
Dylan Estrella was back in victory lane again following a wild race that ran with just one early caution on lap two. The rest of the way was a free-wheeling favorite for all speed merchants.
Jeramee Lillie had been on his bumper heading toward the finish, but over the last nine laps, couldn’t put his hands on the combination to get by. He claimed second overall. Charlie Rose had led early and stayed near the front to collect third place, while Last week’s winner Austin Blais and Vinny Arrenegado filled out the top five.
At the outset, Bill Bernard and TJ Moreshead went door-to-door after Bill suffered a bit of wheelspin on the start. They brawled along but on lap 2, Fred Bonawelicz and John Paiva spun in turns three and four, bringing the only caution.
The lap two restart had Bernard and Morsehead leading off with Rose and Lillie on their heels. Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. and Arrenegado were row three. Estrella lurked in the next row back. On the green the leaders went door-to-door and Moreshead fired back. The duo hacksawed the lead for four laps as Rose tried to nose under them for a three-wide but the door wasn’t quite open. He tried again and they ran through turns three and four wheel-to-wheel-to-wheel. Finally Moreshead backed out. Lillie, who had been battling with deGasparre, now found his way into third behind Estrella, who was besieging Rose, who had taken over the lead. Lap nine saw Lillie surge ahead and take the lead on the backstretch and Blais ran up to his bumper, only to find Arrenegado encamped on his.
This was short-lived as Estrella then claimed the front, where he would remain through the checkers. Rose grabbed second, now, and tried to wear him down, but Estrella was in command. Lillie Blais and Arrenegado followed and challenged each other for position continuouisly. At midrace, the field was strung out into a single-file and Estrella had a five-car lead.
Lap 20 saw The Hammer testing Rose again. He went underneath to steal second while Charlie settled into third. By now, Estrella had a 15-car lead.
Bernard took his stodgy car to the pits with five laps remaining. Estrella was now 20 cars up on the competition. Lillie found a few more revs and began to whittle down the lead but it seemed to be just not soon enough. And it was Estrella coming under the checkers with the win.
DeGasparre finished sixth, followed by Moreshead, Paiva, Crystal Serydynski and Randy Moretti.
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