Craig Pianka took a year off to get his son going in Seekonk Youth Racing. He returned with a new car and a big, feature win in his second race of the season. It wasn’t easy, as he had to dispose of fast Ryan Flood to grab the front then old off a hard-charging Rob Murphy and former champ Paul Lallier over the final ten laps, an unenviable position to be in. But with a prayer and a foot to the floor, he hung tough and held Murphy at bay and then Lallier. At the finish, Pianka was coming home and Murphy and Lallier were in a dogfight for the runner up spot. They came out of turn four neck and neck, unleashing all the horses to the stripe and Murphy somehow found .024 of a second to put between himself and Lallier to grab second. Current champ, Scott Bruneau grabbed fourth and Flood took fifth.
Flood made his bid from the pole with Smokin’ Joe Kohler on the outside. Flood was caught in the pincers as Ant Kohler started on his bumper with Pianka on the outside of the second row. Vinny Pangelinan and Jesse Melberg played two hungry pretenders to the throne in row 3.
Steven “the Cyclone” Potter spun out after lap one and Smokin’ Joe got the pole switching Flood to the outside. Pianka and Ant switched places in row two.
Ten laps were to elapse before another caution was called and Smokin’ Joe rocketed ahead of Flood, while Pianka ducked under the latter and into second. Pangelinan then nosed under Flood, who was hung up on the outside. Danny Cabral retreated to the pits.
Kohler continued to hold the lead while Flood worked outside on Pianka. Pangelinan, Kyle Casper and Ant Kohler followed. But Flood forged past Joe Kohler into the lead on lap six. Kohler continued to battle him for position as Pianka looked for an option. One came on lap 11, as Ant spun into the backstretch grass and a restart resulted. After pausing for a few words with Murphy, Ant took to the pits for repairs and returned.
Flood and Joe were wheel-to-wheel out of the starting box but Flood regained the lead. Pianka went to work on Smokin’ Joe and followed through into second and went to work on Flood. But lap 16 saw Potter take his second spin on the event, lining Pianka and Flood for the restart with Murphy and Bruneau in the seoncd row. Pianka nosed out on the green and Flood dropped in on his bumper. Lallier went under Flood and into third. Murphy issued a bumper tag to Pianka and nosed under, going to the front. Lallier tried to follow, but Pianka slammed the door. A flat tire brought Ed Flanagan, Jr. to a stop in turn four and another restart to the race.
Coming through the box, Pianka leaned into Murphy then ran for the stripe. He had a nose ahead on the backstretch while Lallier and Bruneau debated third with Bruneau deciding to drop in behind Lallier. With four to go, Lallier pushed under Murphy with four to go and the slugfest began. Lallier also looked under Pianka but came a bit loose in turn four as Pianka escaped with the lead and the win.
Sixth went to Tom “The Bomb” Adams and rounding out the top ten were “Kid Chaos” Corey Fanning, Pangelinan, Joseph Arena and Scott Serydynski, Sr.