Rico Abreu claims title at Lernerville’s 33rd Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup
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Rico Abreu didn’t know he had an extra $4,000 on the line if he could win from his eighth-place starting spot, but he certainly drove like it.
Abreu had to survive a wild feature and had a little bit of luck on his side when James McFadden and Tyler Courtney tangled in front of him while battling for the lead on lap 16, but he successfully navigated to the front, pocketing $29,000 with a win at the 33rd Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway in Buffalo Township.
Abreu, a California native, was the recipient of a $4,000 bonus because a fan rolled an eight on a pair of dice prior to the main. The dice roll is customary at all High Limit Racing events.
“This is really cool,” Abreu said. “I have to say thank you to my team. They just don’t give up. Each race we just find little things that make the car better. The chemistry usually builds for our team this time of the year. It’s taken us a little bit to get here, but this is where we should be.”
It was his first win in the Silver Cup and first at Lernerville overall.
To get it he had to hold off 18-year-old Californian Corey Day, who got beside him with a couple laps to go, but was unable to make a pass. It was Day’s first visit to Lernerville.
“I followed (Rico) up top for about 10 laps and then he dove (to the bottom), but I just didn’t have my mark right. I was kind of judging where to enter (the turn) based off his car, but it wasn’t there that lap, so I kind of stumbled. I wish I could go back and do 10 things differently in that race, but I still ended up on the podium.”
High Limit points leader and series co-owner Brad Sweet finished third.
The race was full of wild moments.
Courtney had the pole for the 30-lap A-Main and got the jump on Day on the start. He pulled away to a healthy lead, which was wiped out by a caution on lap 8 for Spencer Bayston, who slowed on the back stretch.
Following the restart, Evans City native Brandon Spithaler had a wild crash off turn three, flipping seven times following contact with Kody Hartlaub. He walked away from the accident.
Spithaler was scored 12th at the time of the wreck and had moved up from his 19th place starting spot.
Following a lengthy red flag the race resumed and McFadden got by Day for second.
McFadden started closing in on Courtney, but the race was slowed again when Zeb Wise got a flat right rear tire on lap 16.
Apollo native Sye Lynch brought out another red flag on the lap 16 restart with a flip on the front stretch. Lynch was running sixth before the crash cut his night short.
McFadden got a run on Courtney on the back stretch and attempted a slider in turn four, but the two came together sending Courtney spinning and McFadden to the pits with a flat right rear tire.
Abreu was running third at the time and inherited the lead.
He led the final 14 laps.
“It’s just about putting yourself in position to win these races,” Abreu said. “Winning from the second row is a big deal, let alone the fourth row. It just shows how exciting this racing is with High Limit.”
Cody Bova was 14th and the highest local finisher.
McFadden set the fastest time of the 37 entrants at 13.046. The field was split into two flights. Anthony Macri was fastest in the second flight at 13.201.
Abreu, Lynch, Day and Bayston were the winners of four heat races.
Courtney won the dash.
Zeb Wise took the B-Main.