Wood, Bauman, William, & Hall Score 12 Pack Upsets
Windsor, CT — Nutmeg State drivers Rich Wood, Jr., Sherman Bauman and Patrick William plus Bay Stater Ray Hall scored upset Bud Light 12 Pack Race Series feature victories here in Mototown USA Sunday afternoon.
Wood, of Suffield, Conn., won his first 1,200cc. mini sprint main in three Mototown USA tries by ousting front row mate Paul Corazzo, Sr. at the 20-lap race’s start. The duo earned their grid spots after winning their respective 10-lap heats.
Marc Guerard, of Hartford, took second from Corazzo, who faded to sixth, on lap three. The current points leader, however, could not cut the Haskell Motorsports Eagle Wings Bailey-Suzuki Hayabusa No. 8 pilot’s full straightaway victory margin. Matt and Doug Norrie and Pat Kuerner rounded out the top five of seven finishers.
“It was a matter of being patient and not making mistakes,” said Wood in victory lane. “I thank Dave Haskell for this ride.”
Bauman, of Moodus, ousted Modified Lite maven Ryan Charland while the pair were lapping Jeremy Wilcox on lap eight of their main. The No. 36 Buffalo Racing Engine and Machine Bauman-1,000cc. Suzuki GXR enjoyed a rare oval track victory on the indoor clay one-quarter mile over Charland, Nick Dupre, Michael Kester, the 600cc. Honda-engined James Hill and Wilcox.
“I’ve run and won in No. 36 in hillclimbs like at Mt. Washington and Okemo the last six or seven years,” said Bauman. “I thank my wife, Michele, and crew chief, Bill Carl, for putting up with me.”
“Bracket Man” William, of Middletown, captured the four-cylinder street stock feature when teammade Brad Voglesong and the then- undefeated Darren Jacobs, of E. Hartford, collided exiting turn two on lap 14 and ended up on an infield berm. Jacobs, who had won every class heat and feature until Sunday, was stuck.
Voglesong, who had won the heat race, continued and finished second to the No. 78 Acura Integra four-door late modeler. Joe Jacobs (no relation) finished third.
“This’ my first time indoors and on dirt,” said William. “Brad asked me to bring a team car and have fun today. I got the ‘Bracket Man’ name when I was building drag race cars and I’d collect brackets.”
Hall, of Otis, Mass., completed the upsets by winning his first career indoor eight-cylinder street stock feature. The 1986 Cheverolet Monte Carlo No. 4 driver and fellow MototownUSA tyro Joe Porter demoted long-time leader Rob Corey on lap 16. Cord Becher and Jim Consalvo completed a top four debutant sweep.
“This is some place,” said Hall. “I usually run at New York’s Lebanon Valley Raceway but this’ something do do during the winter.” Current points leader Jonathen Routhier, of Canaan, Conn., nursed a radiator punctured in the heat to finish fifth. Coery took sixth among seven finishers.
Lex Burritt, of Redding, Conn., remains unbeaten in the 600cc. micro sprint mains. The Schoenly Enterprises SB3-Suzuki GSXR No. 117 pilot ousted early leader and tyro Arron Spahr, of York, Pa., on lap 12. Both drivers compete against each other at Ono, Pa.’s Linda’s Speedway last regular season.
Anthony Nocella took second from Spahr with Matt Pupello and Jeff Rivard completing the top five.
Guerard went from last to first – and unbeaten – in the 750cc. micro sprints. The Giammella Racing No. 95 Henchcraft-GSXR driver went from ninth starting spot to first thanks to a three-wide lead pass on lap two. A fuel feed problem put him out of the heat, which went to Jeff Watson.
First-timer Peter Dance, aboard father Bob’s No. 95, took second with Watson third.
MototownUSA founder and promoter Tommy Defranzo has now staged one quarter of the Bud Light 12 Pack’s scheduled rounds. Defranzo announced that he will keep the remaining nine dates to start Noon on Sundays. The other races are set for Sunday, Feb. 17 and 24; March 2, 9 and 16; and April 6 and 20.
Call (860) 688-5110 or visit mototownUSA.com for updates.
Sources: Walter Elliott/Elliott Enterprises PR
INDOOR RACE RESULT RUNDOWN
1,200 cc. MINI SPRINTS
Heat Winners (10 laps): Rich Wood, Jr., Paul Corazzo, Sr.
FEATURE (20 laps) RICH WOOD, JR., SUFFUELD, CONN.; Marc Guerard, Matt Norrie, Doug Norrie, Pat Kuerner, Paul Corazzo, Sr., Brian Berger; (DNF) Justin Phillips, Bill Singer, Jimmy Broderick, Matt Gallo; (DNS) Dale R. Friedly, Jr.
750cc. MICRO SPRINTS
Heat Winner: Jeff Watson.
FEATURE: MARC GUERARD, HARTFORD; Peter Dance, Jeff Watson, Matthew Brown, Jack Arute, Edward Leclerc, William Eigglmann, Charles Hughes; (DNF) Chester Hinkle.
600cc MICRO SPRINTS
Heat Winner: Arron Spahr.
FEATURE: LEX BURRITT, REDDING.; Anthony Nocella, Arron Spahr, Matt Pupello, Jeff Rivard, Randy Cabral, Timex Morgan.
MODIFIED LITES
Heat Winner: Ryan Charland.
FEATURE: SHERMAN BAUMAN, MOODUS; Ryan Charland, Nick Dupre, Michael Keeler, James Hill, Jeremy Wilcox.
FOUR-CYLINDER STREET STOCKS
Heat Winner: Brad Voglesong.
FEATURE: PATRICK WILLIAM, MIDDLETOWN; Brad Voglesong, Joe Jacobs; (DNF) Robert Chapdelaine, Darren Jacobs (no relation).
EIGHT-CYL. STREET STOCKS
Heat Winner: Jon Porter.
FEATURE: RAY HALL, OTIS, MASS.; Jon Porter, Cord Becher, Jim Consalvo, Jonathen Routhier, Rob Corey, Seth Duval, Dave Yardley III; (DNF) Bob Palmer.
NEXT EVENTS: NOON, Feb. 3, 17 and 24; March 2, 9 and 16; April 6.