The draw had #11 Randy Tucker and #45 Damon Tinio starting up front and Tinio was a just a little faster from the green flag.#15 Smith was hungry for another win and touched Tinio's rear bumper to say hello.Caution comes out from a 6 car pileup in turn two on lap two and when the sparks and fluids were cleaned up, #3 Glenn Boss was in the wrong place to hurt his championship run. The race car was on pit road and the flagger gave him some courtesy time with a few extra caution laps to try to get the race car back on the track to no avail. The front clip was to severely damaged and the car was retired for the night after just two laps.
#70 Gentes, 5 time weekly track champion with 73 wins who came up tonight from Oakland, R.I. with two race cars, the #70 and the #78 which he said in a post race interview with me was much faster, but the #70 handled a little better. Seekonk Speedway legend ,L/M driver Gerry DeGasparre is his top pit crew right hand and really enjoys the change of pace. The race team really puts in what it takes to win every event.
The restart saw #15 Smith take the low groove to charge to the front. Tinio gasped and dropped back by three car lengths and very soon was told by his spotter that Gentes was dialed in and coming fast.
Tinio used every trick he could to keep Gentes at bay and on lap 10 Gentes would not be denied. The backstretch battle was closer than the thickness of a peanut butter sandwich on white bread. I was in the tower and we all stood for the action coming up in turn one and two. Gentes had something left and emerged with the lead and now set his sights on Smith.At this time of the race, Smith had a half a straightaway lead and had shown closer capabilities many times in his stellar career.
Gentes kept hitting his marks and closed to within ten race car positions by lap 15, On lap 19 ,Gentes introduced himself to Smith and did not stay long. The next lap, #20 the white ghost rocketship #70 smelled the roses and like a race horse going for a carrot turned on the after burners.
Caution came out on lap 22 and gave everyone one last shot at Gentes Smith gave him every thing he had and so did Tinio to no avail and Respect was shown by all involved with Gentes capturing his 74th career win. He told me last year in the tower that he would like to finish his career with a hundred. I waited at the side of his car in victory lane and could not believe how hot he got in the race car and was light headed an soaked in wringing sweat simular to #48 Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup race. We handed him some water and then the shy man lit up like a christmas tree when his devoted crew and sponsors came in for the celebration.
Now he is in the drivers seat with 74 career wins and a slim 14 point lead over #3 Glenn Boss for the season point counting world series event left on the 2014 racing season. #91 Larry Gelinas is in striking distance at 20 points back and if he can pull it off has a chance at a Late Model championship at Thompson and his commanding lead in Granite State Pro Stocks for his 2014 short track racing season in New England
Late Model Results 1 #70 Rick Gentes 25 laps
2 #45 Damon Tinio 25 laps
3 #15 Jeff Smith 25 laps
4 #27 Mark Curtis 25 laps
5 #22 James Barfield 25 laps
6 #14 Eddie Leclerc 25 laps
7 #91 Larry Gelinas 25 laps
8 #26 Chris Curtis 25 laps
9 #44 Chad Labastie 25 laps
10 #73 John Materas 25 laps
11 #78 Jariah Roderick 25 laps
12 #13 Jared Materas 25 laps
13 #40 Robert O'Connell 24 laps
14 #75 Louis Ramiza 24 laps
15 #11 Randy Tucker 2 laps
16 #3 Glenn Boss 2 laps
17 #36 Nick Ladyga 2 laps
Rick Gentes and Seekonk Legend, #71 Gerry DeGasparre
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| Dehydrated and soaked in sweat |
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| Early Library photo by W.Gauvin Barber |
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| All the photos to here by W.Gauvin Barber |
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| Facebook Share Photo |
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| Facebook share photo |
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| This Shoe, Larry Gelinas, can drive anything ! Facebook share photo |
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