Lou Cicconi Adds MototownUSA to Victory Roster Sunday
M. Norrie, Guerard, R. Charland, J. Jacobs, Pepin Share Spoils
Windsor, CT — Lou Cicconi, of Aston, Pa., added MototownUSA to his resume of indoor race victories by winning the 600cc micro sprint main here Sunday afternoon.
Matt Norrie, of W. Suffield, Conn., held on for his third 1,200 cc. mini sprint main of the Bud Light 12 Pack Race Series. Marc Guerard, of Hartford, won the 750cc micro main over former NASCAR regional modified stock car champion Ted Christopher.
Jay Pepin, of Ridgefield, held off class king Jonathen Routhier, of Canaan, in a 17-car eight cylinder street stock feature. Friday night class winners Joe Jacobs, of E. Hartford, and Ryan Charland, of Somers, continued their respective four cylinder street stock and Modifed Lite winning streaks.
Cicconi, in his second career MototownUSA start, won the 600cc.division’s 10-lap heat and 20-lap feature. “Liquid Lou” led the entire headliner from the pole, guiding the Castle Pedals Power No. X2 Lafler-Kawasaki to a full turn victory margin on Randy Cabral and Edward Wilberg.
Cicconi has previously won in the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Jan. 21, 2006 and the Niagra Falls Convention Center March 9, 2002 – both in three-quarter midgets The 1991 and 1993-94 American Racing Driver Club midget champion has also won in International Super Modified Association competition.
“I’ve never been indoors on dirt before coming to Mototown,” said Cicconi. “The (clay one-quarter-mile) track is fast. I thank car owner Timex Morgan for letting me drive his car.”
Cicconi’s victory may have likely tempered Morgan’s own disappointment. Morgan, who won his Friday night feature, collided with Paul Bigelow on the first lap. Both Morgan and Bigelow considered their turn three mishap as a racing accident and shook hands.
Norrie collected his third 12 Pack mini sprint main by getting the drop on front row mate Geurard and enduring four caution periods. Heat winner Jimmy “Bubba” Broderick came from spinning into last place early to take second. Guerand completed the podium.
“It seemed like we’d get a caution every three or four laps,” said Norrie beside his Day Hill Automotive/Spectro Oils of America No. 16M Henchraft-GSXR. “The track was getting slicker.”
Justin Phillips, Norie’s teammate, was the race’s sole nonfinisher after his drivechain came apart on lap 10.
Friday night 750cc feature winner Guerard completed his Mototown weekend by taking Sunday’s edition. Although the Ciammella Contracting No. 95 Henchraft-GSXR pilot led throughout, a fourth turn exit bobble on lap 14 cut his full-turn lead on Christopher to a car length. Edward Leclerc took third from racing commentator Jack Arute after a race-long duel.
“I made a big mistake and recovered before Ted could take the lead,” said Guerard. “I knew he was behind me. The track was getting faster.”
Charland, who left Mototown for East Bay (Fla.) Raceway Park last month, won his second Modified Lite feature here in three days. The Seals-it Pro-1,100cc GSXR driver held off current class leader Sherman Baumann, of Moodus, the whole way. Debutant Jon Provost, of Hudson, N.H. came from the rear of the five car field with his 600cc-GSXR No. 8 “Classic Lite” to take third.
Jacobs, who won his first four-cylinder street stock main Feb. 24, earned his third straight victory despite intense pressure from Brad Voglesong. The D’Adario’s Auto Service No. 33 Infiniti G20 started 2008 atop a local scrapyard pile before Jacobs’ find.
Pepin won his second Mototown eight-cylinder main by passing divisional leader Routhier, of Canaan, on lap 11. The Village Earth/Baird Plimbing No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro driver used lapped traffic to repel Routhier and Friday winner Keith Rocco.
The eight cylinder set and the mini sprints were paced by Stafford Motor Speedway’s Dodge Charger Daytona. The class-high 17 entries required two 10-lap heats, which Pepin and Ray Hall won.
2006 Wall Township (N.J.) Speedway street stock champ Bill Vanderveen and “Road Pirate” Rich Blomberg were among Sunday’s rookies. Vanderveen, of Beachwood, N.J., used his asphalt setup to finish 15th. Blomberg, of Newtown, Conn., finished 13th.
The Slingshots of Tobias – half-scale dirt modified stock cars powere by 600cc. Briggs and Startton engines – are to make their Mototown debut Noon March 16.
The event is a prelude to joining an April 19 wingless New York State Mini Sprint Assn. program here.
Remaining 12 Pack races are also set for April 6, 20 and 27.
Sources: Walter Elliott/Mototown USA PR