Derek Gluchacki Outduels D.J. Shaw to Take Much-Needed Milton CAT ACT Tour Win at Seekonk

Derek Gluchacki had suffered through a rough start to the 2025 Milton CAT ACT Late Model Tour season, but on Wednesday afternoon, the Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist turned his entire season around with a hard-fought victory in the 50th running of the Spring Green 125 at Massachusetts' Seekonk Speedway.

D.J. Shaw started the race from the front of the field and led the majority of the race, but in the second half of the race, he faced stiff competition in the form of Gluchacki's No. 03 machine.

For 36 laps, Gluchacki tried everything he could to get around Shaw for the lead, but the youngster just couldn't mount enough of a run on the inside to get past the two-time ACT Late Model Tour champion for the race lead.

However, as Gluchacki continued to apply the pressure, he forced the 35-year-old Shaw into the only mistake that he had made all race long. With 17 laps to go, Shaw would bobble in Turns 3 and 4, and would lose momentum as he slid up the track.

The bobble proved costly as it provided Gluchacki the path he needed to scoot by for the lead, and ultimately, the race win. Gluchacki wouldn't look back as he scored the eighth win of his ACT Late Model Tour career.

And it came just days after being forced to sit out the ACT event at Autodrome Chaudiere due to a pair of crashes with two different cars leading into that race. Gluchacki and his team thrashed at the shop to get the car, which turned out to be the race-winning car, turned around for Wednesday evening's race at Seekonk.

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome. Man, we needed this," Gluchacki admitted in victory lane. "This isn't even the car I wanted to bring here today, but I'm glad we did. The thing was absolutely on rails. I can't thank my whole crew enough for all of the hard work. Hot out today, thanks to all of the fans for coming out, hopefully, y'all enjoyed that."

While it was elation for Gluchacki as the win marked the end of a trying start to the 2025 season, Shaw suffered absolute heartbreak. The driver of the No. 60 machine was nearly flawless all race long as he started up front, and led every lap until Gluchacki was able to take advantage of his one hiccup in the race.

"Yeah, we just got too free in on the long run, there. He could just hang with me, and study that, and just wait for that. He waited for my one mistake, and I made it," Shaw anguished.

While it was a tough pill to swallow, Shaw gave credit to his competitor for getting it done, and he was proud that he and Gluchacki were able to put on a thrilling show for the fans in attendance and those at home watching on Racing America.

"You know, hats off to those guys, they've been having a trying year, much like ourselves. We both needed that win, there. And it came down to a clean, good finish for the fans here with a lot of side-by-side laps. So, you can't ask for much more than that," Shaw explained.

Kasey Beattie, who has one ACT Late Model victory in his 27-race career, came home in third position and was followed across the finish line by Raphael Lessard, who maintained his series point lead with another solid finish in fourth.

Lessard, the former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race winner, has a win, three top-five finishes, and has yet to finish outside of the top 10 so far this season.

Jesse Switser notched his fourth top-five finish through the opening six races of the 2025 season with a fifth-place result on Wednesday..

Next up for the Milton CAT ACT Late Model Tour is the Yvon Bedard 149 presented by J.A. Larue at Circuit Riverside Speedway in Ste-Croix, Quebec, Canada on Saturday, July 5. That event will be streamed live on Racing America and will be provided at no additional cost for monthly RacingAmerica.TV subscribers.

Milton CAT ACT Late Model Tour Spring Green 125 Race Results