BELCHER BACK ON TOP
BELCHER COMES ON LATE TO NAB
T MORESHEAD LANDSCAPING 30-LAPPER
Chase Belcher showed his 2016 championship colors with a win in the season’s second event, coming up with the lead with 12 laps to go and powering home with a comfortable 1-second win over hard-running Darryl Church. The win came after Mike Lopes, having his best run since his Formula Four Division days, had led the initial 16 circuits handily. John Paiva, making his first start since 2015, worked his way from his ninth place start to challenge Lopes and had poked his nose ahead on lap 16. In the competition for the lead, both exceeded their tires’ grip and spun out. Belcher, running third before the caution, inherited the lead and was unyielding to the checkers. Church earned second, followed by opening day winner, Mike Cavallaro, Lenny Guy and Mike Duarte.
Lopes came off the outside on the green, going door-to-door briefly with polesitter Bob Rainville, then got his nose past on turn two. He was able to drop into the groove on turn three and set to work generating a good lead. In the pack, Paiva got under Eddy Perry and was engaged with Mike Duarte when there was contact. Duarte came away squirrelly but was able to recover. Duarte and Belcher scuffled over fifth for several laps with the wily Paiva on their tails seeking any opportunity.
Church got under Rainville on lap 8 and into second to pursue Lopes, who was four cars ahead. Meanwhile, Paiva dropped under Belcher and onto Duarte’s tailgate to contest for third. Belcher also dropped under Duarte before he could settle into the groove and followed through.
Guy and Cavallaro were mired deep in the pack behind Rainville and biding their time, seeking opportunity. Lopes continued his command at the front, while Church maintained contact, but at the moment could not close the gap, worried by Paiva at his back. John went to the outside after Darryl showed him no space to pass underneath and began to grind his way ahead. By the twelfth circuit, he was nosing steadily ahead alongside. He had shed Church by lap 13 and was closing on Lopes, who continued to push his truck to its limits. By lap 14, all Lopes could see in his mirror was Paiva’s windshield rising above Mike’s rear deck. Belcher was fourth, behind Church with Duarte on his tail, followed Guy and Perry (who had just edged past Cavallaro.)
As Piava dropped his nose to go under Lopes, Josh Hedges spun at the back of the patch, bringing first caution on lap 15. Sean DeMello dodged into the pits for tire work and returned.
Lopes and Paiva led Belcher and Church into the restart. Lopes began to edge ahead with Belcher on his bumper underneath Paiva. John heated back up and Lopes led him by a nose. Lopes was squirrely out of turn four on lap 17 and Paiva edged past on the outside. In turn two, Lopes’ tires lost their grip and was sideways. Paiva was likewise involved. What looked like massive wreckage was averted by quick action in the pack and everyone survided. Lopes retired with damage.
Now Belcher and Duarte were the front, followed by Church and Rainville. Duarte missed a shift and Rainville darted through the middle. He held third but Perry went to his outside for the pass. Cavallaro followed and moved Rainville back to fifth. Perry came loose and Cavallaro took advantage, nabbing third. Guy followed suit, getting under Perry to go door-to-door, then edging him back.
Paiva was starting to have problems with his truck, and DeMello took advantage, going underneath. John then took his exit to the pits with 3 laps remaining.
With the white flag out, Belcher led Church, Cavallaro, Guy and Duarte. Duarte looked underneath, but Lenny denied the pass and the field flashed under the checkers in that order. Rounding the top ten were Rainville, Perry, Demello, Hedges and Paiva.
SPORT TRUCKS
BIG SECOND PLACE FOR ROOKIE PERRY