ROSE TOPS LATE MODEL FIELD
ROSE PICKS UP EARLY SEASON WIN
Veteran Charlie Rose came away with another in a long skein of wins to his name, taking the lead after a tough battle with Vinny Arrenegado, ending the dogfight as Vinny took a bump, rotated his vehicle in turn four and went nose-first into a hard crash with the wall at the beginning of the front stretch. Vinny quickly dropped his window net to let everybody know he was all right and climbed unassisted from his vehicle, which had a severely crumpled nose.
Rose lined up for the restart on the pole, and continued to the checkers at the front. He was pursued relentlessly to the finish by 2016 champ and opening day winner, Dylan Estrella, who claimed second. TJ Moreshead, Dan Johnson and Jeramme Lillie completed the top five.
Arrenegado came off the pole with Ron Barboza, Jr. on his shoulder, going quickly to the front while Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. ran under Barboza into second. Johnson nabbed third and Rose followed Barboza; Bill Bernard was riding Charlie’s bumper.
Three laps later, as Vinny was moving away from the field, Bernard spun down to the infield out of turn four bringing everyone back to a lap 2 restart. Lillie was called on the assist and joined Bill at the back.
Vinny was away again followed by DeGasparre while Johnson was underneath Barboza for third and Rose was door-to-door with Estrella. Estrella spun down the incline toward the infield after contact with Jariah Roderick, who also received the call to the rear.
Arrenegado and DeGasparre lined up with Johnson and Rose behind them. Barboza and Moreshead were the third row, ahead of Crystal Serydynski and Austin Blais. Blais was competing after breaking his left front spindle in practice and missed the heats to have it welded and reinstalled.
Arrenegado pulled away again and DeGasparre dropped in. Rose went to the outside and passed DeGasparre to contend with the leader. Vinny was hard pressed with Charlie and Gerry all over him. Johnson held fourth and Moreshead was working outside Barboza for fifth and Serydynski and Blais battled for position behind them.
Rose began to work around Vinny again and the latter hung tough through lap nine on the low side. They continued into lap eleven, with DeGasparre, Johnson, Barboza and Moreshead giving chase. Serydynski got crossed up and slowed, losing ground.
On lap 13, Johnson dropped under Arrenegado as Rose moved ahead and the two battled, as Vinny got loose, coming into contact which propelled him into the wall.
Now it was Rose and DeGasparre leading the field out of the caution and Charlie quickly had the front. Johnson followed Gerry with Moreshead and Estrella in order behind him. Barboza held fifth while Bernard and Lillie dueled behind him.
Lap 17 saw Fred Bonalewicz in a solo spin, bringing another caution.
Rose pulled away again and Moreshead stepped away from Johnson onto DeGasparre’s bumper and into second. Estrella pulled in underneath DeGasparre and ran in behind Moreshead. Moreshead was on Rose’s bumper, now, and pressuring him. Estrella then came around to latch onto Moreshead, pursued by Lillie and Johnson.
Sparks began to issue from underneath DeGasparre’s chassis and shortly he spun in turn two. Ten laps remained. Rose and Moreshead were side-by-side at the front ahead of Estella and Lillie. Estrella tried to make it three wide but fell back sticking Moreshead on his outside. Moreshead hung tough and kept his nose even with Rose’s door. Johnson began nosing under Lillie for fourth, then pushed through to claim the position.
Moreshead began to fade and Estrella latched onto Rose’s bumper, holding him outside. They were all over Rose’s bumper, looking for a shot at the lead. Bernard got by Lillie and was looking to steal fourth from Johnson while Blais was looking to come after Lillie.
As the laps unwound, neither could make the move. On the final turn, Moreshead outdid his traction and came loose, banging Estrella, then going into a full rotation. Estrella hung onto his car and second place at the stripe as well.
Moreshead spun wildly across the stripe for third while Johnson avoided wrecking and garnered fourth. Bernard and Lillie battled to the line with Jerammee claiming fifth and Bill sixth. They were followed by Blais, Roderick, Barboza, Serydynski and Eric LeBrun.
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