HANAFIN ACES SIMS STREET STOCKS ON TRIPLE CROWN RACE

Takes First Win at Seekonk in BFR Chassis Car

HANAFIN ACES SIMS STREET STOCKS ON TRIPLE CROWN RACE
John Hanafin took his first win in Sims Metals Street Stocks, and chose to make his mark on a good night: he won the second round of the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown for Streeters. The State Trooper put all his pursuit training into the first ten laps, chasing down Ed Gannon, Vinny Pangelinan, Bob Bettencourt and Tyler Lallier. After a good duel with Pangelinan for eight laps, all he could see from the front was clear track. Any trouble was in his mirror.
Hanafin started fifth as Lallier led off, with Bettencourt chasing the polesitter from outside the second row by diving three wide between Pangelinan and AJ Solomon, the outside pole. But Pangelinan recovered, held off Bettencourt and then looked to nose under Lallier. Hanafin was already at his bumper with Bettencourt outside. Reigning champ, Scott Bruneau was busy under Eddie Gannon III while another three-wide developed between Austin Blais, division leader Ray Lovelace and Solomon in the middle of a swirling pack of cars.
By lap 4, Pangelinan had a car on Hanafin with Bruneau third. Lallier was in fourth but lost speed and went backwards. Blais was under Gannon looking for position. Bruneau tried to go below Hanafin on lap six while Solomon and Gannon dueled. Lap seven saw Gannon suddenly lose speed and he went immediately to the pits on the next circuit.
Lap ten saw a long skein of cars bumper to bumper: Pangelinan led Hanafin, Bruneau, Betencourt, Blais, Steve Axon, Gerard Berthelette and Lovelace were all nose-to-tail at top speed. Hanafin went to the outside on the next lap and into the lead on turn three, while Gannon flew in from the pits after quick service. It had only been about a minute, but he had lost four laps.
The line remained tight through lap 12, but Berthelette found himself sideways in turn two and into the infield grass. He kept it going, but had kicked a good deal of sand into the racing groove in the turn, necessitating caution for a cleanup.
Hanafin and Pangelinan, Bruneau and Bettencourat and Blais and Axon lined for the restart. They went door-to-door out of the box and across the stripe, but Hanafin secured the front out of turn two. Bruneau got under Vinny as Blais moved up to take Bruneau’s place, and Bettenourt followed, locking Pangelinan on the freight train back. Again there was a wild mob in the pack behind with a line three-wide and another four-wide just as Tony Oliviera spun out of the mess setting up a mad scramble to avoid him. Berthelette had no where to go and piled in hard, ending his night with a trip on the hook. Corey Fanning went immediately for repairs.
Hanafin escaped Bruneau out of the box, with Blais grabbing third. Lovelace, Fanning and Stephen Potter went three wide, with Fanning backing out as Axon was around in turn four to the grass. Dane Saritelli and Mike Mitchell went to the pits.
Hanafin and Bruneau were door to door at the green. Blais went under Bruenau as he eased back but Bruneau quickly shut the door.
Into lap 20, Hanafin pulled away but Axon rolled to a stop in front of the wrecker ramp in turn two. He went on the hook to the pits with a broken driveshaft.
Hanafin went to the front on turn two out of the restart. Blais was outside Bruneau with Potter at their bumpers. Ray Lovelace was loose and Justin Travis jumped underneath, going to sixth behind Bettencourt. Craig Pianka then looked under Travis and they got together: Pianka went around.
Hanafin again had the front on the restart after jockeying with Bruneau, who dropped to Hanafin’s bumper. John was loose out of turn four but held on. Potter went outside Bettencourt to nab fourth, as Lovelace looked underneath. But Bettencourt ran ahead and took the spot again. Potter pushed by once more and held on for two laps before Bettencourt pulled ahead for good. Lovelace then engaged potter and was able to push his nose past on laps 30 and 31 before Potter turned the tables. Potter continued to run outside Bettencourt, denying Lovelace the pass.
Hanafin had a four car lead on lap 29. Bruneau followed with Blais on his bumper. Bruneau began to close and with four laps remaining, the margin was down to a car-and-a-half. Over the final laps, Bruneau was unable to challenge the lead and Hanafin crossed under the checkers with him and Blais in close. Bettencourt was fourth followed by Potter and Lovelace. Travis was seventh followed by Chris Demoura, Ray Negley, Fanning and Paul Lallier.

See full story at http://seekonkspeedway.com/archives/7088

 

Posted: to Racing News on Mon, Jul 28, 2014
Updated: Mon, Jul 28, 2014