COBY DOMINATES TRI-TRACK OPEN MODS
Doug Coby came away from a powerful win in the Boston Louie Memorial, NEMA midget race and the Tri-Track Open Modified Race had to wait a few moments while he climbed from the midget into his modified to join the field. He then went on to lead the final 60 laps of the $10,000 Tri-Track Wednesday spectacular, capturing the win in both events. Coby was an insistent leader, not only holding off the estimable Randy Cabral to end the Boston Louie race, but then had nerves of steel to fight off a charging Ron Silk over the final eight circuits of the modified hundred-lapper.
Coby’s run to the front started when he picked up a slot on the outside of the second row when the top ten cars redrew for opening positions. Coming away from the green wasn’t perfect as Richard Savary edged him back to fifth at the outset. Three laps later, Savary set Jon McKennedy back to fourth and Coby settled in behind him. The race went 39 laps before the first caution, and McKennedy and Coby patiently maintained their positions in the top five most of that distance.
Rowan Pennink, meanwhile, leapt off the pole into the lead. Todd Annarummo, starting behind him in the second row, got under outside polesitter McKennedy and into second on the first lap and set out after Pennink. Richard Savary, frequent flier and no stranger to winning modified races at Seekonk, ran to third behind Annarummo. McKennedy and Coby followed while Silk went to seventh behind Todd Szegety. The field strung out and ran single file, but stayed close and combative with Pennink continuing to lead the way.
Annarummo tested his knowledge of his home speedway, looking high and low in his favorite spots and as many other as he could find, but Pennink was resolute in denying him. Until lap 33. Coby had been seeking a way past McKennedy and went underneat him on lap 27. After some bitter dispute, between them, Coby had the spot on lap 31. Another two circuits and he had moved Savary back to fourth after a brief three-wide between him, Savary and McKennedy. On the same lap, Annarummo’s many attempts finally met with success and he squirted into the lead on turn two, going around Pennink’s outside. Annarummo now led Coby and Savary; Pennink had McKennedy on his outside as they dueled for fourth. Just as McKennedy took claim on fourth, Carl Medeiros, Jr. took a spin at the end of the backstretch, bringing out the first caution on lap 39.
Front row on the restart had Annarummo in his new role as leader, with Coby hunkered down on his outside. Savary and McKennedy were behind them. A huge parade to the pits ensued as teams sought to improve their lot for the 60 laps to the checkers.
It took a pair of attempts to get going. Annarummo lost speed coming down the front as the green flew and Coby grabbed the front, but Dan Meservey, Jr. spun in turn two. Annarummo had the pole again, and a chance to make it good. He pulled ahead as the field completed a lap before Coby leveraged Annarummou out of first.
A big change after the restart came over Justin Bonsignore, and he was able to move through the rearranged traffic rapidly. He moved up two spots on the green, then followed Silk, who was also moving forward easily. McKennedy moved Annarummo out of second on lap 40, Silk edged him out of third on the following circuit and Bonsignore took fourth a lap later. Annarummo gathered it up and continued in fifth.
At mid-pack, Les Hinckley and Matt Hirschman came to life and began moving forward. The field had again strung out and was snaking around the third-mile, making it easier for drivers to get into passing positions.
Lap 55 saw a spin by Alvin Campbell bring the field back together. Woody Pitkat used the occasion to move up three spots into sixth behind Pennink. Silk moved up and backed McKennedy out of second. The field again strung out until caution flew on lap 63 for a Calvin Carroll spin. On the restart, Silk had Bonsignore move him out of position to give chase to Coby. Silk hung on Bonsignore’s bumper and eleven laps later, on a lap 73 restart, was able to reclaim his position.
Coby held on to the lead, despite constant pressure from Bonsignore and Silk. Behind them, Pennink contunued to pursue, followed by Pitkat and Tommy Barrett. Hirschman followed.
Barrett ran to the outside and stayed there for eight laps, looking for a better way to the front. But he was eliminated in a lap-eighty-five crash.
Final caution of the event came on lap 89. Pennink nosed past Silk momentarily, but Silk reclaimed his position and overtook Bonsignore for second. What followed was an intense pursuit for the lead that had both Coby and Silk emptying their bags of tricks in a brawl all the way to the checkers. Coby maintained his composure under Silk’s assault, however, and was able to keep him at bay.
Pennink crossed third followed by Hinkley and Hirschman. Pitkat followed in sixth and Savary, Eric Berndt, McKennedy, and Dwight Jarvis completed the top ten.