From Must See Racing
SOUTH AMHERST, Ohio (June 16, 2023) – A late-race caution afforded Bobby Santos III the chance to strike in Friday night’s Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series feature at Lorain Raceway Park, and the Massachusetts veteran resoundingly seized the moment.
Santos powered around the outside of a dominant Davey Hamilton Jr. when the green flag waved with 10 laps left, then drove away into the night en route to victory during the opening act of the Super Crown Nationals at the three-eighths-mile oval.
The past NASCAR modified champion captured the checkered flag by .958 seconds over Hamilton, winning for the seventh time in his Must See Racing career in a race that appeared to be Hamilton’s for the taking.
Hamilton, a third-generation driver from Tampa, Fla., roared to the top spot on lap five of the 40-lapper and appeared to be in control for the majority of the night. He opened up a lead of more than a half track on Santos, who started 10th after the inversion die was rolled, by the midway point of the race.
However, what Hamilton couldn’t have foreseen was the mechanical issue that befell 2020 series champion Anthony McCune with 10 to go, forcing the only caution flag of the night and setting up a double-file restart with Santos on the high side and motivated to make something happen.
He did just that, ultimately collecting the king’s crown in victory lane for his first victory at Lorain.
“When the caution came out, I knew that was my only shot,” noted Santos in victory lane. “Davey and his boys did an awesome job; they were the car to beat. We just got a good restart and got the clean air at the end when it mattered.
“Coop and Tony worked their butts off … because we weren’t always where we needed to be today, but we got the job done when we needed to,” he added. “The track was tough all night and it was hard to pass, but we proved there were two lanes because we started 10th and won, so that’s pretty cool.”
Though Hamilton was disappointed at falling short of the win after leading a race-high 26 laps, he was quick to give credit to Santos and circled the one aspect of his performance that he knows needs work.
“I need to get better on my restarts; I’m the one that’s responsible for this second-place finish,” Hamilton admitted. “The guys did a great job with this piece; it was capable of winning tonight, for sure. Bobby’s the man to beat, though, no matter where he goes.
“To run second to him is good, but I think we deserve one spot better and can get there soon enough.”
Five-time series champion Jimmy McCune completed the podium finishers ahead of point leader Jason Blonde and Mike McVetta, who finished fifth after winning the ISMA/MSS supermodified feature earlier in the night.
Defending series titlist Charlie Schultz crossed the line sixth, the final car on the lead lap Friday night.
Two-time Must See Racing Driver of the Year Joe Liguori kicked off the program by shattering the sprint car track record at Lorain Raceway Park, ripping around the three-eighths-mile oval in 12.171 seconds (110.919 mph) with his No. 13 Sunshine Trailer Park-backed Brand-X.
The effort marked Liguori’s first fast time of the season and the seventh of his Must See Racing career. Unfortunately, Liguori broke an engine during his heat race and was forced to end the night early.
Joe Speakman, Todd McQuillen and McVetta split the trio of eight-lap heat race wins before the main.
McQuillen passed polesitter J.J. Henes on the initial start and led the first four circuits of the feature before giving way to Hamilton’s blue No. 14.
The Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season continues June 24 at Michigan’s Owosso Speedway for the first of two visits to the recently-repaved oval this season.
For more information on Must See Racing, visit the sanctioning body’s website at www.mustseeracing.com.
Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Joe Liguori, 13, Liguori-12.171 (NTR); 2. Bobby Santos III, 22a, Fieler-12.593; 3. Mike McVetta, 50m, Myers-12.621; 4. Anthony McCune, 8, McCune-12.699; 5. Charlie Schultz, 9s, IBT-12.715; 6. Jimmy McCune, 88, McCune-12.727; 7. Davey Hamilton Jr., 14, Morgan-12.734; 8. Jason Blonde, 42, Nosal-12.916; 9. Todd McQuillen, 2k, Koyan-13.074; 10. Tom Geren, 11g, Geren-13.242; 11. J.J. Henes, 36jr, Henes-13.432; 12. Sawyer Stout, 40, ACME-13.576; 13. Joshua Sexton, 51s, Sexton-13.618; 14. Kevin Mingus, Z10, Mingus-13.652; 15. Jeff Bloom, 28, Bloom-13.658; 16. Joe Speakman, 72, Speakman-13.824; 17. Bobby Komisarski, 7, Fogle-14.136; 18. Tommy Nichols, 55, Nichols-NT; 19. Rick Holley, 85, Holley-NT.
Heat #1 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Joe Speakman [1], 2. Joshua Sexton [4], 3. Kevin Mingus [3], 4. Bobby Komisarski [5], 5. Jeff Bloom [2].
Heat #2 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Todd McQuillen [2], 2. Davey Hamilton Jr. [4], 3. Tom Geren [1], 4. Jason Blonde [3], 5. Sawyer Stout [6], 6. J.J. Henes [5].
Heat #3 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Mike McVetta [2], 2. Bobby Santos III [3], 3. Anthony McCune [1], 4. Charlie Schultz [5], 5. Jimmy McCune [6], 6. Joe Liguori [4].
American Racer A-Feature (40 laps): 1. 22a-Bobby Santos III [10], 2. 14-Davey Hamilton Jr. [5], 3. 88-Jimmy McCune [6], 4. 42-Jason Blonde [4], 5. 50m-Mike McVetta [9], 6. 9s-Charlie Schultz [7], 7. 2k-Todd McQuillen [3], 8. 7-Bobby Komisarski [16], 9. 72s-Joe Speakman [15], 10. Z10-Kevin Mingus [13], 11. 51s-Joshua Sexton [12], 12. 8-Anthony McCune [8], 13. 36jr-J.J. Henes [1], 14. 40-Sawyer Stout [11], 15. 11g-Tom Geren [2], 16. 28-Jeff Bloom [14].
Lap Leader(s): J.J. Henes Grid, Todd McQuillen 1-4, Davey Hamilton Jr. 5-30, Bobby Santos III 31-40.
Hard Charger: #22a – Bobby Santos III (+9)