Hutchings wins SK cliffhanger; Esposito, Oldham, Pappacoda, Palmer other winners

By admin August 22, 2009 New London-Waterford

Waterford, CT — The Waterford Speedbowl completed a briskly paced NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program on Saturday bolstered by two green-to-checkered flag races. Corey Hutchings captured an exciting SK Modified race in down to the wire fashion, Vin Esposito returned to the winner’s circle in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, points leaders Ronnie Oldham Jr. and Jason Palmer won the Street Stock and Legends Car events and Nick Pappacoda was a first time feature event winner in the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks.

The SK Modifieds rebounded from last week’s caution-marred feature to put on a classic 35-lap shootout. Corey Hutchings of Salem prevailed in the nail biter over last week’s winner Tyler Chadwick. The pair raced the final several laps side-by-side.

Joe Perry of Rhode Island and Hutchings brought the field to green and the pair ran the initial laps alongside one another before Hutchings edged ahead into sole possession of the lead on lap four.

The action up front was singling out with Hutchings moving out over Perry. Justin Gaydosh of Newtown was in third holding back the challenges of Jeff Pearl of Salem and Chadwick as the event stayed green through halfway. The top points contenders were mired back outside the top ten having difficulty moving through the competitive field.

Gaydosh got loose in turn two on lap 19, allowing Chadwick to duck under Pearl and take over the fourth spot after the two had battled for several laps. Pearl and Rob Janovic Jr. moved past Gaydosh on lap 23 when his #94 car began to lose some handling. Ron Yuhas Jr. and Keith Rocco had finally made some progress, moving into sixth and eighth respectively when the first caution finally waved on lap 24 for Joe Gada and Tom Abele who suffered separate incidents on different parts of the track.

Chadwick got past Perry on the restart, moving in to pressure Hutchings. He pulled outside looking for a repeat trip to victory lane. Janovic also moved past Perry into third. Yuhas finally emerged in the top five, moving past Pearl as the field raced to lap 30. Caution waved on that circuit for Jeffrey Gallup.

Chadwick was alongside Hutchings for the final restart. The two stayed glued together over the final five laps to the finish, with Hutchings able to prevail by .031 seconds over Chadwick. Janovic finished third, Yuhas got up to fourth, and Perry put in his best effort in the open-wheel SK’s running with the leaders all night for fifth. Yuhas was able to pull within two points of Rocco, who finished seventh.

Vin Esposito of Seymour was the early leader in the 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model event, cruising to a comfortable margin through halfway while the race stayed green. Rich Staskowski of Hope Valley, Rhode Island was in second. At half way Bruce Thomas Jr. from Groton and Dennis Botticello of Suffield came together as they were advancing through the field while battling for fourth to bring out the first caution. Both resumed from the rear.

The second half of the race was much of the same with Esposito out front through three restarts. His advantage was kept to a minimum over the remainder of the race. Staskowski was able to peek inside, however could not muster the steam to pull alongside. Botticello recovered to third but could progress no higher, and Ernie Bertrand was tight behind in fourth place. The pack ran nose to tail to the checkered flag, finishing in that order. Thomas recovered to fifth.

Ronnie Oldham dominated the 25-lap Street Stock race, taking the lead on lap one from his outside pole starting position. The race ran clean and green going caution free. The action was hot and heavy behind the leader battling for the top five. Greg Moran Jr. of Preston, Brandon Plemons of Uncasville, Ed Puleo of Branford, Al Stone III of New Haven and Walt Hovey of Chaplin put on an exciting display of hard racing.

Plemons grabbed third on lap five after a tussle for the spot. Stone and Hovey moved past Puleo for fourth and fifth on lap 10. Hovey sized up then moved past Stone for fourth on lap 11. Josh Galvin of Uncasville was moving in on Puleo, applying pressure and the pair battled hard for the spot over the remaining laps.

The leaders had opened up some distance, with Oldham out to a straightaway advantage. Plemons closed in on Moran for second, making an inside move on lap 15. The distance to Oldham was too great to overcome, and he went on to his third victory of the season. Plemons was impressive for second, Moran had his best career finish in the division for third holding off Hovey in the final laps, and Stone was fifth. Puleo bested Galvin by a nose for sixth in their great battle. With the win, Oldham wrestled the points lead away from a tie with Plemons entering the night.

The touching moment of the night was in Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock victory lane. After several years racing, Nick Pappacoda of Branford captured his first career win and did it in impressive fashion. He led wire-to-wire from the pole in a 20-lap race that also ran caution free. Louis Bellisle of Lisbon was Pappacoda’s biggest threat, racing behind the leader from lap two to the finish. Bellisle was close enough to strike if the leader made a mistake, but the first time winner was flawless to go on to the win.

Behind Pappacoda, Bellisle took home second, Bill Leonard of Hope Valley, RI raced in the top five all night to claim third, points leader Danny Field of Deep River was fourth, and Ian Brew of Wood River Junction RI ran a great race to end up fifth.

Jason Palmer of Berlin returned to victory lane dominating yet another 20-lap Legends Car race. Palmer moved to the front on lap 5, moving past polesitter Tony Flannery of East Hampton. Things were running smoothly when the first incident in the race occurred on lap 12. Waterbury competitor Joey Cipriano’s machine burst into flame out of turn two, drawing a red flag. Cipriano was out of the car quickly and the flames were extinguished.

Palmer moved back out front when racing resumed. Second place runner Ryan Morgan of Mystic encountered trouble with two laps to go, forced to give up his position and head pitside for repair. Palmer went on to win over Flannery by a car length. Dave Garbo of Stonington received his best career finish in third. Morgan bounced back to fourth and Ed Field of Deep River was fifth.

Waterford Speedbowl returns with a doubleheader this coming week. Wednesday is another round of Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday with the popular HDRA 100’ drags where spectators get the chance to drag race their registered street cars.

Saturday August 29 is another round of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing for the SK Modifieds (35-laps), Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30-laps), Street Stocks (25-laps), Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (20-laps) and Legends Cars (20-laps).

Main events get underway at 7:00pm both nights, preceded by practice and any qualifying events.

For more information on these and all upcoming events, visit www.speedbowl.com or contact the track office at 860.442.1585.

Official Speedbowl 8/22 finishers, hometown:

SK Modifieds (35-laps): 1. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 2. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 3. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 4. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 5. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 6. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 7. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 8. Dennis Gada, Salem; 9. Josh Sylvester, Colchester; 10. Jeffrey Paul, Ledyard; 11. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 12. Glenn Pressel III, Gales Ferry; 13. Dennis Charette, Southington; 14. Joe Gada, Salem; 15. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 16. Justin Gaydosh, Newtown; 17. Mike Sweeney, Middletown; 18. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 19. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 20. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford

Updated standings following 8/22 event (top-ten): 1. Rocco, 656; 2. Yuhas, 654; 3. Janovic, 612; 4. Paul, 592; 5. Gada, 584; 6. Pearl, 568; 7. Tyler Chadwick, 512; 8. Hutchings, 484; 9. Dailey, 436; 10. Mucciacciaro, 414

Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30-laps): 1. Vin Esposito, Seymour; 2. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 3. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 4. Ernie Bertrand, N. Branford; 5. Bruce Thomas Jr. Groton; 6. Jeff Miller, Westbrook; 7. Joe Mullen, Clinton; 8. Mark Hudson, Norton, MA; 9. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 10. Brian Andronaco Jr., Wilton; 11. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 12. Marc Curtis Jr., Worcester, MA; 13. Tony Macrino, Waterford

Updated standings following 8/22 event (top-ten): 1. Thomas, 664; 2. Staskowski, 600; 3. Esposito, 562; 4. Smith, 534; 5. Bertrand, 492; 6. Hudson, 460; 7. Larry Goss, 384; 8. Tim Jordan, 348; 9. Andronaco, 308; 10. Macrino, 286

Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Ron Oldham Jr., Old Saybrook; 2. Brandon Plemons, Uncaville; 3. Greg Moran Jr., Preston; 4. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 5. Al Stone III, New Haven; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford; 7. Josh Galvin, Uncasville; 8. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 9. Chris Meyer, N. Franklin; 10. Jim Procaccini, Trumbull; 11. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 12. Kevin Talbot, Moosup; 13. Ted Dupre, Westbrook; 14. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 15. Steve Barrett, Preston; 16. Kevin Burr, Waterford; 17. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 18. Mark Cooper, Northford

Updated standings following 8/22 event (top-ten): 1. Oldham, 708; Plemons, 706; 3. Hovey, 686; 4. Stone, 678; 5. Puleo, 606; 6. Barrett, 578; 7. Dupre, 524; 8. Galvin, 478; Aquilina, 472; 10. Moran, 454

Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (20-laps): 1. Nick Pappacoda, N. Branford; 2. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon; 3. Bill Leonard, Hope Valley, RI; 4. Danny Field, Deep River; 5. Ian Brew, Wood River Jct., RI; 6. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 7. Chris Williams, Niantic; 8. Sean Caron, Hartford; 9. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 10. Glenn Colvin, Clinton; 11. Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton; 12. Chris Correll, Old Lyme; 13. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 14. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Groton; 15. Ken Lyke III, Orange; 16. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford; 17. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; 18. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI; DNS – Ryan Cipows, Seymour

Updated standings following 8/22 event (top-ten): 1. Field, 676; 2. James, 654; 3. Bellisle, 642; 4. Cassidy, 616; 5. Pappacoda, 510; 6. Brew, 506; 7. Moran Sr., 490; 8. Correll, 452; 9. Mehlenbacher, 418; 10. Caron, 400

Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 2. Tony Flannery, E. Hampton; 3. Dave Garbo, Stonington; 4. Ryan Morgan, Mystic; 5. Ed Field, Deep River; 6. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 7. Dana DiMatteo, Farmington; 8. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 9. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 10. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 11. William Munro, N. Branford; 12. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 13. Joe Cirpriano, Waterbury; 14. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 15. Matt Cavanaugh, E. Hampton; DNS – Carl Bohn, Waterford; Richard White III, Stonington

Updated standings following 8/22 event (top-ten): 1. Palmer, 486; 2. Cipriano, 406; 3. Morgan, 404; 4. Flannery, 350; 5. Kusheba, 348; 6. Field, 312; 7. Giarratana, 300; 8. Gada, 248; 9. Shaun Buffington, 218; 10. Munro, 206

Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR