Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photos by Wayne G. Barber
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Seekonk, Mass (June 26, 2019): It was quite a week for Ellington, CT,
driver Ronnie Williams. Riding high after a big win at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway on Sunday, Williams rolled into Seekonk Speedway with momentum and a
strong Roscoe Racing team on his side. A short-pit strategy during the
Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS) Open Wheel Wednesday and a potent race
car paid off in a big way for Williams.
Tommy Barrett, Jr. of Millis, MA and Matt Swanson of Acton, MA, also
scored podium finishes.
Williams short-pitted on lap 43 while other contenders pitted after
halfway, thus avoiding some tense moments in the closing stages to make a late
race pass for the win and the $10,000.
Race favorite Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, had to settle for a
fourth-place finish. Todd Patnode of Swanzey, NH, quietly came home in fifth
over early race leader Woody Pitkat of Bellingham, MA. TTOMS newcomer Austin
Kochenash of Danielsville, PA, had a strong run all night to come home seventh.
Calvin Carroll, of Andover, NJ, Ron Silk of Norwalk, CT, and Jon Keivman of
Deerfield Beach, FL, completed the top-ten.
After a redraw following qualifying, Pitkat led the 27-car field into 100
green flag laps of racing. After a quick side-by-side battle with Kochenash for
the top spot, Pitkat edged ahead for the lead. Anthony Sesely of Matwah, NJ,
jumped into the fray getting alongside Kochenash while Matt Swanson and Silk
were locked in a great battle for fourth.
Swanson began to fade slightly on the outside groove losing spots to
Patnode and Mike Holdridge of Madison, CT. By lap 12, Silk had moved into
second taking chase of Pitkat. Silk was
the new leader at lap 16. Just outside
of the top ten was Hirschman, Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, NY, Keith Rocco of
Berlin, CT, and Williams.
Silk continued to lead a freight train that included Pitkat, Sesely, Kochenash
and Patnode. Stafford SK rivals Williams
and Rocco were locked in a battle for ninth position. Leader Silk never missed
a beat as he entered lapped traffic at lap 30. Holdridge continued to have a
strong run in sixth position.
Silk and Pitkat had started to get some distance over third-running
Sesely when the caution flew on lap 31 for a single car spin by Geoff Rollins
of Groton, MA. Kochenash gave up the fourth spot to head pit side for early
service; as did Carroll, Hossfeld, Brian Robie of Sunapee, NH, and Kirk
Alexander of W. Swanzey, NH.
.
Back under green once again it was all Silk. Patnode and Swanson looked
for running room in the high groove. With the bottom proving to be the preferred
line each lost ground to Holdridge and Hirschman.
On lap 37, Hirschman moved past Holdridge and into fourth. Rocco continued
to move to the front; breaking into the
top -five on lap 38. The second caution of the event flew on lap 43 for a
single-car spin by Carl Medeiros, Jr. of Westport, MA. Under the caution Rob
Murphy of Rochester, MA, Williams, Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks, CT, Anthony Nocella
of Woburn, MA, Dana DiMatteo, of Farmington, CT and Patnode pitted under the
caution period.
After only a single lap of green flag racing with Silk again at the
point, the caution flew again for a solo spinner. The lap 44 restart looked
much the same for leader Silk. Hirschman was looking to the outside of Sesely
for third with Swanson in tow. Hirschman was able to complete the pass on the
outside on lap 47. Hossfeld and Kochenash, who pitted early, were making their
way back into contention.
At halfway, Silk continued to show the way over Pitkat, Hirschman,
Sesely, Swanson, Rocco, Russ Hersey of Swanzey, NH, Holdridge, Andy Jankowiak
of Tonawanda, NY, and Hossfeld inside the top-ten. The running order and the entire complexion
of the race would change shortly after with the event’s fourth caution on lap
55 for an incident involving Alexander and DiMatteo.
Under the caution most of the frontrunners headed to the pits including
Silk, Pitkat, Hirschman, Sesely, Rocco, Hersey and others. The ensuing restart pitted
Swanson against Rob Murphy with Jankowiak and Kochenash in the front two rows.
Swanson was the new leader on lap 55. Kochenash was dogged in his pursuit
of Murphy for second. Williams and Barrett headed several rows of side-by-side
racing deeper in the pack. Earlier front-runners were not making headway back
toward the front. Mired in traffic, at lap 65, Silk, Sesely, Hirschman and
Rocco were outside of the top-ten in the running order.
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While Swanson could not shake Murphy, Williams broke into the top-five
before the completion of lap 70. With 25
laps remaining Swanson led Murphy, Kochenash, Jankowiak, Williams, Barrett,
Holdridge, Carroll, Robie and Patnode.
The fifth caution of the event lap at lap 77 when the #50 of Ronnie Silk
spun in turn two. The early leader would take the opportunity under the caution
period to pit. A great restart on lap 77
gave Swanson the lead free and clear quickly. Kochenash took over second with
Murphy hung up on the outside. Williams moved into third.
William dove to the inside of Kochenash looking for second when the sixth
caution flew on lap 80 for an uncharacteristic second spin by Silk with reports
of a tire going down. The now 20-lap
shootout was set with Swanson holding the top spot over Kochenash and a
charging Williams.
With heavy pressure coming from Williams Kochenash bobbled on the
restart; stacking up the field. Sparks were flying inside the top-five and resulted
in an accordion effect spin by Hinckley; bringing out the seventh caution.
In the second attempt at the lap 80 restart, Swanson rocketed out to the
lead. Williams took advantage of the bottom groove to get by Kochenash for
second. Williams stalked Swanson for the
top spot. Kochenash had a small gap in third followed by Murphy and Barrett.
The eighth caution flew when Robie came to rest on the front stretch on
lap 85. With 15 laps remaining it was Swanson followed by Williams, Kochenash,
Murphy, Barrett, Holdridge, Carroll, Patnode, Hirschman, and Rocco inside the
top ten. Sesely, Jankowiak, Hersey, Silk, Pitkat, were next in line.
Swanson was able to gain a slight advantage over Williams on the restart.
Over the next five laps, Williams applied heavy pressure to leader Swanson.
Lap-after-lap, Williams looked low on Swanson. Barrett was able to get by Kochenash and into
third. Williams had gotten alongside
Swanson in a bid for the lead when a multi-car incident on the backstretch
slowed the strong battle for the top spot on lap 90. Through the scuffle
Hirschman had made this way into eighth.
The front two rows on the restart were Swanson and Williams, Barrett and Kochenash.
Williams laid back on the restart and then immediately ducked low on Swanson in
turn one. The two went wheel-to-wheel for a single lap before Williams took over
the lead on lap 93. Barret was comfortably in third with Kochenash in fourth.
Hirschman was coming after the restart; picking off cars. He was fifth when the
tenth and final caution flew on lap 96 for a spin by Rolllins.
Williams was to set the pace for the restart with Barrett to his outside.
Barrett stayed alongside Williams for a single lap before ducking behind and settling
into second. Over the closing laps, Swanson had his hands full with Hirschman. Williams flew under the checkers for the win
and the $10k payday followed by Barrett. Swanson held on for third over
Hirschman. Patnode quietly came home in fifth over early leader Pitkat.
Kochenash had a strong run all night to come home seventh. Carroll, Silk and
Jon Keivman of Deerfield Beach, FL, completed the top-ten.
Heat Race wins went to Silk, Swanson and Hirschman. The consolation event
went to DiMatteo.
Tri-Track Open Modified Series –
OPEN WHEEL WEDNESDAY OFFICIAL RESULTS – June 26, 2019 - Seekonk Speedway (Laps
Comp): 1. Ronnie Williams, Ellington, CT (100);
2. Tommy Barrett, Millis, MA (100); 3. Matt
Swanson, Acton, MA (100); 4. Matt
Hirschman, Northampton, PA (100); 5. Todd Patnode Swanzey, NH (100); 6. Woody
Pitkat, Bellingham, MA (100); 7. Austin Kochenash, Danielsville, PA (100); 8. Calvin
Carroll Andover, NJ(100); 9. Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT (100); 10. Jon Keivman,
Deerfield Beach, FL (100); 11. Rob Murphy, Rochester, MA (100); 12. Anthony
Sesely, Matwah, NJ (100); 13. Russ Hersey, Swanzey, NH (100); 14. Keith Rocco,
Berlin, CT (100); 15. Mike Holdridge, Madison, CT (100); 16. Les Hinckley,
Windsor Locks, CT (100); 17. Colbey Fournier, Berkley, MA (100); 18. Geoff
Rollins, Groton, MA (100); 19. Andrew Charron, E. Greenwich, RI (100); 20. Andy
Jankowiak, Tonawanda, NY (90); 21. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA (90); 22. Chuck
Hossfeld, Ransomville, NY (89); 23. Brian Robie, Sunapee, NH (85); 24. Anthony
Nocella, Woburn, MA (60); 25. Kirk Alexander, W. Swanzey, NH (55); 26. Dana DiMatteo, Farmington, CT (54); 27.
50 Carl Medeiros, Westport, MA (43). DNQ:
Matt Galko, Meriden, CT, Donny Hartzel, Hunlock Creek, NJ; Richard Savary,
Canton, CT. Source: Media Contact: Dale Wolbrink,
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