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Smooth Sailing: Perrego & Lathroum Top Delaware International Championship Weekend
Written by Chris Moore
DELMAR, DE – Smooth sailing.
Anthony Perrego and Jamie Lathroum led all 40 laps of their respective features to each claim $7,000 in the Delaware State Dirt Track Championship at Delaware International Speedway.
Both drivers posted the $100 “Gambler’s Fee” pre-race, boosting their winner’s share from $5,000 to $7,000.
Perrego, who fired from the pole following the pre-race redraw, went relatively unchallenged over the course of the race and through multiple restarts to claim the impressive victory in the Millman’s NAPA Modified finale for 2023.
“We almost won this race a few years ago when I was driving for Gary Simpson,” Perrego smiled. “We cut a tire with a few laps to go, so to get this one feels really good.”
After some early green flag racing in the 40-lap affair, cautions began to plague the middle portion of the race, which did disappoint the Walden, N.Y. native.
“The track started to latch pretty good there… there wasn’t much of a top left,” Perrego explained. “I was happy to see the yellows and keep the track in front of us clear.”
The win for Perrego was second of the late season in Southern Delaware, claiming the Friday night portion of the ‘Mid-Atlantic Championship’ at neighboring Georgetown Speedway with his Vinnie Salerno No. 4* team.
Oley, Pa.’s Louden Reimert came home with the runner-up spot, starting alongside Perrego from the beginning of the race in the Don Grebe owned No. 33.
Milford, Del.’s H.J. Bunting charged from the 16th starting position to round out the podium in the Blue Hen Racing No. 30.
Montgomery, N.J.’s Justin Grosso was scheduled to start from the third position, but a pre-race problem sent him to the pits before the green flag flew.
From there, Grosso charged from last to finish fourth and claimed the $250 Ad-Art Sign Co. bonus as the highest finishing PA/NJ Spec Small-Block Modified.
Milford, Del.’s Jordan Watson rounded out the top five, good enough for him to clinch his seventh career Millman’s NAPA Modified Championship at Delaware International Speedway.
“We are truly honored to etch our name into the Delaware International history books earning seven track championships,” Watson explained. “Tying with local greats, Bobby Wilkins and H.J. Bunting is a great honor for us.”
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Fonda, N.Y.’s Danny Varin in his first-ever feature at DIS in the BDR Speed No. 16s; Montgomery, N.J.’s Brandon Grosso who started in 11th in his family-owned No. 32; Wurtsboro, N.Y.’s Danny Creeden who was making his first appearance in the ‘Champ Show’ at DIS; Pipersville, Pa.’s Danny Bouc who rebounded from a flat left-front tire for a top 10; and Laurel, Del.’s James Hill.
Lathroum followed up Perrego’s dominance with a wire-to-wire win of his own with the Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Models and his own $7,000 victory.
After a couple attempts to get the 40-lap battle underway, once the race went green, the first 36 laps of the affair clicked off without issue, and Lathroum appeared well on his way to the win.
“I didn’t really want to see it (the yellow) because I was in a rhythm,” Lathroum proclaimed. “Anytime you let everybody get to you on a restart, anything can happen.”
Lathroum withstood the late race restart however due to a change his crew made prior to the feature.
“We were watching the times on the Modifieds and saw they got faster,” Lathroum explained of his team’s adjustments. “We made a last-minute tire change, and it paid off.”
Georgetown, Del.’s Ross Robinson came home second and York, Pa.’s Rick Eckert rounded out the podium.
Stephens City, Va.’s Kyle Hardy and Shermansdale, Pa.’s Shaun Jones rounded out the top five.
Seaford, Del.’s Trevor Collins – who finished eighth – was crowned as the Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Model Champion.
“I didn’t feel like we had too much luck with the Super,” Collins laughed. “But I’m just grateful for Ross (Robinson) and Kenny (Adams) for this series and hopefully it helps grow the class in this area.”
Harrington, Del.’s Brandon Watkins took home the Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman victory and the $2,500 payday to go with it.
Watkins posted the $50 Gambler’s Fee, raising his take home prize from $1,500 to $2,500. Watkins raced by Luke Bunting just passed the halfway mark of the race to take home the win.
Laurel, Del.’s Jordn Justice was the runner-up, which was good enough for him to clinch the 2023 Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman Championship.
Bunting, Adam White, and Jason Musser rounded out the top five.
Kyle Hardy used a late race pass to pick up the $1,000 Crate Late Models victory. Hardy completed a high-to-low move to race by Joe Warren and take the lead and ultimately the win.
Warren settled for second with Trevor Collins, Derek Magee, and Matt Hill rounding out the top five.
The third-place finish for Collins secured his championship of the night, claiming the Crate Late Model Championship.
Jordan Herbert won an exciting Little Lincoln feature, passing Dylan Betts and Melvin Joseph Jr. coming to the white flag to take the victory.
David Smith returned to victory lane with the Delaware Super Trucks, finishing off the Smith Brothers sweep of the weekend after Robert Smith won on Friday night.
John Healy won the non-stop Delmarva Charger feature, claiming an extra $500 courtesy of Feebs Distilling.
That concludes the 2023 season at Delaware International Speedway under the BD Motorsports Media helm. Stay tuned for updates for the 2024 season.
A new-for-2023 website is live at www.delawareinternationalspeedway.com.
Like “Delaware International Speedway” on Facebook to learn more.
Delaware International Speedway is located at 37854 Sussex Highway Delmar, DE 19940.
DELAWARE STATE DIRT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS SUMMARY – DELAWARE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023
Millman’s NAPA Modified Feature Finish (40 laps): 1. 4-ANTHONY PERREGO[1]; 2. 33-Louden Reimert[2]; 3. 30W-HJ Bunting[16]; 4. J24-Justin Grosso[3]; 5. 1J-Jordan Watson[10]; 6. 16X-Danny Varin[4]; 7. 32G-Brandon Grosso[11]; 8. 16-Danny Creeden[7]; 9. 6B-Danny Bouc[8]; 10. 71-James Hill[6]; 11. 91-Carson Wright[14]; 12. 24H-DJ Hunt[9]; 13. 01-Tanner Van Doren[18]; 14. 48-Drew Simmons[19]; 15. 6S-Matt Stangle[5]; 16. R2W-Logan Watt[12]; 17. 51M-Wade Hendrickson[13]; 18. 8-Norman Short Jr[17]
Did Not Start: 14S-Ryan Watt; 410-Tim Millman; R2-Rusty Smith
Ad-Art Sign Company Top Spec Small-Block Bonus ($250): Justin Grosso
“Gambler’s Challenge” ($2,000): Anthony Perrego
Delaware International Speedway Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts Modified Champion: JORDAN WATSON
Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Model Feature Finish (40 laps): 1. 6-JAMIE LATHROUM[1]; 2. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 3. 0-Rick Eckert[4]; 4. 00-Kyle Hardy[8]; 5. 32J-Shaun Jones[9]; 6. 9E-Robbie Emory[10]; 7. 4-Amanda Robinson[5]; 8. 11-Trevor Collins[7]; 9. 47-David Smith[13]; 10. 73-Big Al Cheney[12]; 11. 14C-Chuck Bowie[15]; 12. 01-Matt Glanden[16]; 13. K&B-Kerry King[6]; 14. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[2]; 15. 1K-Cory Lawler[11]; 16. 72D-Dale Murphy[14]; 17. 14AJ-AJ Miller[17]
“Gambler’s Challenge” ($2,000): Jamie Lathroum
Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Model Champion: TREVOR COLLINS
Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. 4W-BRANDON WATKINS[4]; 2. 94-Jordn Justice[3]; 3. 91-Luke Bunting[1]; 4. 10-Adam White[6]; 5. 52-Jason Musser[2]; 6. 43-Michael White[5]; 7. 21R-Greg Reed[10]; 8. 917-Joe Toth[11]; 9. 97-Matt Smith[7]; 10. 74-Jax Yohn[12]; 11. 7J-Ryan Mckinney[18]; 12. 25-Ashley Metz[8]; 13. 17T-Kris Thompson[19]; 14. 2B-Christopher Buffalino[27]; 15. 18-Jeff Marker[26]; 16. 57-Mia Guy[21]; 17. 302-Art Workman[17]; 18. 15H-Scott Hitchens[9]; 19. 1*-Zac Weller[13]; 20. 86-Trey Hicks[20]; 21. 94J-Jacob King[16]; 22. 02-Greg Humlhanz[15]; 23. 21W-Nathan Austin[14]; 24. 88-Brayden Benson[23]; 25. 7M-Jarod Millman[22]; 26. 9-Greg Nailor[25]; 27. 89-Mike Toth[24]
“Gambler’s Challenge” ($1,000): Brandon Watkins
Delaware International Speedway Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman Champion: JORDN JUSTICE
Crate Late Model Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 14C-KYLE HARDY[2]; 2. 11-Joe Warren[1]; 3. 72-Trevor Collins[3]; 4. 96-Derek Magee[4]; 5. 84-Matt Hill[8]; 6. 92-Nick Davis[5]; 7. 80-Ben Scott[6]; 8. 14AJ-AJ Miller[10]; 9. 11P-Ed Pope III[11]; 10. 49-Ray Ciccarelli[12]; 11. 90-Matt Tepper[16]; 12. 52-Mike Walls[7]; 13. 47-David Smith[13]; 14. 81-Steven Axtell[14]; 15. 24-David Dill Jr[9]; 16. (DNS) 51-Jerry Barker; 17. (DNS) KB-Kerry King; 18. (DNS) 7-Kyle Lear
Did Not Start: 7-Kyle Lear; 51-Jerry Barker; KB-Kerry King
Crate Late Model Champion: TREVOR COLLINS
Delaware Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): 1. 3-DAVID SMITH[4]; 2. 01-Robert Smith[5]; 3. 84-TJ Williams[2]; 4. 68-Tony Guinta[13]; 5. 80-Nate Benson[14]; 6. 37-Sean Martinez[6]; 7. 34-Scott Trice[10]; 8. 27-Michelle Jackson[12]; 9. 71-Tim Quay[7]; 10. 77-Tim Williams[17]; 11. 00-Mackenzie Williams[11]; 12. 16-Nick Rust[1]; 13. 69-Jerry Hill[3]; 14. 14-Zach Phillips[8]; 15. 23-Troy Hopkins[16]; 16. 29-LJ Walburt[9]; 17. 89-Thomas Jackson[15]
Delmarva Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): 1. 2A-JOHN HEALY[2]; 2. 67-Ron Falkner[6]; 3. 44-Randy Gallaway[3]; 4. 10-Joey Waters[5]; 5. 72-Derek Swafford[1]; 6. 37-Josh Dayling[7]; 7. 48-Jeff Merryman[4]; 8. 27-Eric Fibecorn[8]
Little Lincoln Feature Finish (12 laps): 1. 47-JORDAN HERBERT[6]; 2. 49-Mel Joseph Jr[8]; 3. 14A-Allan Austin[10]; 4. 65-Dylan Betts[2]; 5. 16W-MJ White[4]; 6. X-Kirk Lawson[7]; 7. 55-Bryan Piercy[1]; 8. 16-Bunky White[3]; 9. 25-Andy Olenik[11]; 10. 3-Eric Bodenweiser[9]; 11. 10-Tyler White[5]–
Delaware International Speedway
E-Mail: delawareinternationalspeedway@gmail.com
Phone: 302.567.8294
www.delawareinternationalspeedway.com
