Opening Day, Angelo Belsito had the entire nose of his Pro Stock stripped away and some major work to get it back to the track. This week, he had it all together, but so did Tom Scully, Jr. The duo loaded up the drama in the division; Belsito relieved Ryan Vanasse of the leadership on lap 12, while Scully took him out of second one lap later. And that was they way they stayed: their bumpers just centimeters apart, running lap after lap toward the checkers.
Bobby Pelland won the lead from polesitter Dick Houlihan onlap two while Vanasse took second on lap five. But Houlihan got around on five and caught in turn two. The field avoided but Manny Dias came around and punched him solidly in the passenger’s door. The went to the pits. Houli returned with a deep dent in the passenger’s side, while The Flyin’ Portagee was gone for the evening. Pelland had the pole and Vanasse his outside. Belsito was already third, under Jake Vanada, and Scully was on Belsito’s bumper with Radical Rick Martin on the outside. They went door-to-door and Belsito ran to Pelland’s bumper; Scully pursued while Vanada fought it out under a fading Pelland.
Belsito went under Vanasse and edged into the lead as Scully trailered along, while Pelland was resurgent, pulling past Vanada and into fourth. Fred Astle, Jr. spun in turn three, bringing out a lap 13 caution. The reset to the previous lap had Vanasse in front with Belsito while Scully and Vanada manned row two. Pelland and Kevin Folan followed.
Belsito was away and Scully went underneath on his bumper. Vanasse and Pelland dropped in third and fourth. By lap 16, Martin had overtaken Vanada for fitfth. Mike Brightman came up on the outside to challenge Folan, followed by Kyle Casper and Dave Darling.
At the halfway mark, Pelland nosed under Vanasse, taking away third. Martin came in underneath, seeking to set him back yet another spot, while behind them, Brightman was working under Folan.
By lap 26, Belsito and Scully were scuffling in their own world, as the field fell father astern, strung out, single-file.
Kevin Casper made for the pits on lap 30, not to return, just as Bob Hussey spun to the grass out of turn three. On the restart, Belsito rocketed away, Scully dropped to the groove and roared after him. Martin dropped under and tried to go for second, slewing a bit and Pelland slowed. Vanasse spun to avoid and a second lap 30 restart had to be lined up.
This time, Belsito, Scully and Pelland were away in that order with Martin working outside Pelland. Behind them, Vanada and Brightman contested fifth place. Martin dropped into fourth on lap 32, followed by Vanasse, Brightman and Folan. But Folan dropped under Mighty Mike, who pushed ahead.
It was a dead heat for the final five laps, Belsito flashing under the checkers with Scully on his tail and Pelland in third, just ahead of Martin and Vanada. Brightman was sixth, just ahead of Kevin Folan and Kyle Casper. Astle, Dave Darling, Houlihan and rookie Rey Lovelace followed across the stripe.
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PRO STOCKS
THE BEAST ROARS BACK INTO VICTORY LANE
BELSITO OUTLASTS SCULLY JR IN DRAMATIC PRO STOCK WIN