Rocco, Coates Among Winners On Emotional Night At The Speedbowl
Waterford, CT — Keith Rocco won the 35-lap SK Modified at the Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday evening.
Other feature winners were Allen Coates (American Race Trucks), Mark Cooper (Sportsman), Jeff Mehlenbacher (Mini Stock), Rob Corey (Super-X Car), and Curt D`Addario (X-Car).
Veteran Don Fowler led the charge in the 35-lap SK Modified feature, and stayed there until a series of late-race restarts bunched the field. Jousting with both Jeff Pearl and Keith Rocco, his lead evaporated on lap twenty-three when Rocco bolted into the top spot, followed closely by Pearl. It was Rocco’s second-consecutive and fourth victory of the season. Pearl, Ron Yuhas Jr., Fowler, and defending champion Rob Janovic Jr. followed.
The victory lane celebration was tempered with emotion for Rocco, a young second-generation racer. The sudden passing of fellow SK Modified driver Jay Miller earlier in the week was clearly still on his mind.
“First of all, I want to say that this race is dedicated to the Miller family and the memory of Jay,” stated the winner. It’s tough when anything like this happens. My father raced a lot of laps with Jay’s father Ray, and we really feel for the family. It’s important for people to know that Jay was on the minds of the competitors tonight, we’re all going to miss him. This is an honor to be able to dedicate this victory to the family. The race itself wasn’t easy because Don Fowler is a tough, veteran competitor. He never gives you much; you have to work for it which is the way it should be. Once I got by-him, it was OK.”
A familiar face entered victory lane in the American Race Truck Garry Hufton Memorial 100, as former Speedbowl Late Model and Sportsman champion Allen Coates prevailed. Starting from deep in the pack, Coates took the lead from teammate Scott Gregory on lap sixty-four. Battling with current ARTS point-leader Andy Lindenman for several circuits during the final stages, he stole the lead for keeps with only a handful of laps remaining. It marked the first-time that Coates had ever competed in the division. Following Lindeman was Doug Dunleavy, Chris Correll, and Tony Naglieri.
“Man, these things are fun to race. I guess I’m pretty good at this first-time stuff, I should try it more often,” stated Coates in a post-race interview. “I drove that truck every way I could tonight until I was sure of where it would stick, it was just a blast. Seriously though, I have to thank Scott Gregory as he owns both the truck and the late model I drive. Early in the season I was kind of disgusted, having a stretch of bad luck and decided to sell my late model. Scott purchased it and offered me the seat. B & W Paving has been a great sponsor also, without Scott and B & W, I’d not be able to do this anymore. I’m very lucky.”
All of the winning proceeds from the Coates triumph were donated to “Racing Against Cancer”, a motorsports group that supports the efforts of the American Cancer Society.
In the 20-lap Sportsman feature, Mark Cooper passed Joe Nogiec on the fifteenth-lap to score his second feature of the season. Returning with a virtually rebuilt car from a hard crash the week before, Cooper battled early with “Grandpa Jim” Procaccini before eventually gaining the edge. Within a few circuits he’d overtaken Nogiec, romping to a commanding victory. Rounding-out the top-5 was Ed Lamb Jr., Josh Galvin, and Procaccini.
“After the week my team had, this feels really great,” stated Cooper. “We had some really, really busy nights at the shop, actually working in shifts to get the car rebuilt. It was wrecked from front-to-back. I have to give a hand to fellow-driver Jack Aquilina, as he called early Sunday morning to apologize for getting-into me and volunteer his help. Jack’s a class- act. What a way to come back after wrecking so badly.”
In 20-lap Mini Stock action Jeff Mehlenbacher battled early with Jeff “Soup” Civardi before taking the lead on lap fourteen. Surviving several restarts, Melenbacher, a former Wednesday night X-Car champion, notched his first-ever Mini Stock feature less than a car-length ahead of defending champion Ken Cassidy Jr. Finishing in the third-spot, Jeff “Soup” Civardi dedicated the evening to the late Jay Miller, a Speedbowl SK driver that passed-away unexpectedly earlier in the week. Jack Aquilina, and Ray Christian III completed the top-5.
After breaking his leg in an early-season crash and enduring recent knee-surgery, Mehlenbacher was ecstatic in recording his first Mini Stock main.
I’m so happy to be here and amazed that my first win came so quickly as there was a huge learning-curve involved,” he stated. “These cars are a lot different to drive than the Wednesday night stuff. We were just “OK” tonight, it was actually a bit loose. My idea was to keep Soup on the side of me to help keep the heavy-hitters back there. When he got loose, I had no other choice but to go. I knew Cassidy was coming fast, but luckily I was able to hold him off. I’m not sure that I could have done it if there were more laps left.”
By virtue of his second-place finish, Cassidy once again assumes the Mini Stock points lead.
Taking the victory in the 20-lap Super-X main event was Rob Corey. Curtis D`Addario Sr. annexed the 20-lap X-Car event.
Action resumes at the Speedbowl mid-week with Wild N’ Wacky Wednesday. On Saturday, it’s a full slate of action for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series.
Please log-on to www.speedbowl.com for more information.
SK MODIFIED (35); 1. Keith Rocco, 2. Jeff Pearl, 3. Ron Yuhas Jr., 4. Don Fowler. 5. Ron Janovic Jr., 6. Dennis Gada, 7. Tyler Chadwick, 8. Jeff Paul, 9. Doug Coby, 10. Wendell Dailey, 11. Matt Gallo, 12. Wade Mattesen, 13. Mike Sweeney, 14. Dennis Charette, 15. Justin Gaydosh, 16. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., 17. Rich Hammann, 18. Todd Ceravolo.
AMERICAN RACE TRUCK (100); 1. Allen Coates, 2. Andy Lindeman, 3. Doug Dunleavy, 4. Chris Correll, 5. Tony Naglieri, 6. Greg Butler, 7. Derek Chriss, 8. Mike Carrigg, 9. Chris Austill, 10. Jon Zoller, 11. Scott Gregory, 12. Tom Smith, 13. Mike Anzalone, 14. Gee Perry, 15. Al Stone III, 16. Bill Leonard, 17. Richard Brooks.
SPORTSMAN (20); 1. Mark Cooper, 2. Joe Nogiec, 3. Ed Lamb Jr., 4. Josh Galvin, 5. “Grandpa Jim” Procaccini, 6. Ronnie Oldham Jr., 7. Brandon Plemons, 8. Jack Aquilina, 9. Chuck Rogers, 10. John Puglisi, 11. Al Stone III, 12. Walt Hovey Jr., 13. Jonathon Avery, 14. Kevin Burr, 15. Nate Appell, 16. Chris Meyer.
MINI STOCK (20); 1. Jeff Mehlenbacher, 2. Ken Cassidy Jr., 3. Jeff “Soup” Civardi, 4. Jack Aquilina, 5. Ray Christian III, 6. Lou Bellisle, 7. Mark Panaroni, 8. Jackie Wolfram, 9. Nick Pappacoda, 10. Charles Canfield, 11. Jeff Miller, 12. Seab Caron, 13. Phil Evans, 14. Kyle James, 15. Ben Bargnesi, 16. Randy Churchill Jr., 17. Christina Cunliffe, 18. Ian Brew.
SUPER-X CAR (20); 1. Rob Corey, 2. Michael Maskell II, 3. George Correia, 4. Steve Barrett, 5. Gary Avery Jr., 6. Greg Moran Jr., 7. John Yagmin, 8. Greg Moran Jr., 9. James Consalvo, 10. William Schmitt, 11. Al Potter, 12. Mark Boisvert, 13. Charles Beal, 14. Kevin Talbot, 15. Kevin Moon, 16. Thomas Messore, 17. Ray Phillips, 18. Dan Moon, 19. Pete Pollard, 20. Jared Martin, 21. Shawn Perkins, 22. Ken Downing III, 23. Larry Maskell, Jr., 24. Jon Porter, 25. Robert Norman, 26. R.J. Cunningham.
X-CAR (20); 1. Curt D`Addario, 2. John Bowes, 3. Brad Voglesong, 4. Danny Gervais, 5. Steve Violette, 6. Patrick Williams, 7. Pete Zaikarite, 8. Richard Hurne, 9. Buddy Strede, 10. Chris Garside, 11. Richard Gullage, 12. Dave Dellasandro, 13. Bruce Hall, 14. Dusitn Gage, 15. David Armaspacher, 16. Keith Michaud, 17. Danile Madore, 18. John Diamantini, 19. Geoff Burdick, 20. Heather Small, 21. Arthur Phillips, 22. Tylor DiFrancesca, 23. Dale Sherman, 24. Neal Phillips, 25. Charles Beal, 26. Joe Madore, 27. Michael Trask, 28. Michele Cicio. 29. Gary Smith.
CURRENT POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10);
(SK MODIFIEDS); Dennis Gada (554), Keith Rocco (528), Rob Janovic Jr. (490), Jeff Paul (486), Ron Yuhas Jr. (470), Tyler Chadwick (448), Jeff Pearl (442), Justin Gaydosh (416), Jay Miller (408), Doug Coby (332).
(LATE MODEL); Bruce Thomas Jr. (572), Ron Yuhas Jr. (534), Tim Jordan (518), Ed Reed Jr. (504), Vin Esposito (446), Rich Staskowski (406), Robert LeBlanc Jr. (348), Tom Metcalf (338), Larry Goss (324), Dan Holben (250).
(SPORTSMAN); Al Stone III (586), Ronnie Oldham Jr. (534), Waly Hovey Jr. (512), Mark Cooper (464), “Grandpa Jim” Procaccini (462), Josh Galvin (440), Ed Lamb (428), John Puglisi (428), Brandon Plemons (420), Jack Aquilina (414).
(MINI STOCK); Ken Cassidy Jr. (616). Randy Churchill Jr. (592), Liu Bellisle (542), Ray Christian III (494), Jack Aquilina (470), Mark Panaroni (462), Phil Evans (450), Ben Bargnesi (426), Ian Brew (418), Kyle James (400).
(SAT. LEGENDS); Jason Palmer (278), Shaun Buffington (278), Michael Gervais Jr. (262), Adam Gada (228), Ryan Morgan (218), Art Moran Jr. (210), Mark Esposito (196), Carl Blandina (182), Joe Gada (140), Max Zachem (134).
Sources:David Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR