5/22/2023
Vito Cancilla
Cancilla win's race 4 on MavTV
Vito Cancilla of Martinez won his third 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series feature of 2023 in round four on Saturday night, continuing a red hot start for the 11-year-old driver who also has multiple wins between Las Vegas and Roseville.
Henry Barton started on the pole in his debut race in the series and quickly drove ahead into the lead. Cancilla wasted little time putting the pressure on Barton for the lead. Wilton’s Chase Hand ran closely behind them as well in a nose-to-tail formation.
Skyler Schoppe spun in turn two for the first caution on lap 12. Barton chose the inside lane for the ensuing restart, with Cancilla using a strong maneuver around the outside to seize the lead on lap 13.
Hand and Barton collided battling for second into turn one to bring out the caution flag on lap 23. The incident relegated both to the rear of the field. Taylor Mayhew of Bakersfield assumed second while Joey Kennealy of Madera battled past Las Vegas’ Bryson Brown for third.
Cam Carraway and Tristan Pena of San Antonio, TX came together in turn four for a caution on lap 28. Kennealy took over the second position from Mayhew on lap 30 with Brown attempting to follow Kennealy through as well. Hand charged forward to pass both Brown and Mayhew before the break.
A spin for Reno’s Mia Wright on the front stretch on lap 36 brought on the lap 40 scheduled break four laps early. Cancilla led Kennealy, Hand, Mayhew, and Brown into the break for adjustments and MAVTV interviews.
The race re-fired with 34 laps to go. Hand worked to the inside of Kennealy and immediately nabbed second position. Kennealy and Mayhew staged an exciting battle for third with 20 laps remaining. They raced side-by-side in a three-wide formation through lapped traffic and remained alongside each other. Kennealy used the outside line to slide back down in front of Mayhew on lap 55.
Kennealy slowed and had to retire into the infield on lap 59. Cancilla took his third win out of the first four races of the season followed by Hand, Mayhew, Brown, and Carraway at the checkered flag.
Article Credit: Steven Blaksley
