Yuhas takes third SK Modified win of season; Jordan returns to Late Model victory lane. Hovey, Field, Palmer round out winners – Palmer clinches championship
Waterford, CT — With the season winding down, the points battles continue to take center stage in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions at Waterford Speedbowl. Three championship races remain tight following Saturday night’s racing and Jason Palmer became the first Saturday champion, capturing the Legends Car title.
The open-wheel SK Modifieds came out for their 35-lap feature with Tyler Chadwick edging past pole sitter Joe Perry to take the race lead when caution waved with a lap complete. Chadwick, from Ledyard, resumed control on the restart bringing points contender Ron Yuhas Jr. of Groton into second. Justin Gaydosh moved to third, Jeff Pearl fourth, and points leader Keith Rocco into fifth as Perry drifted back in the outside lane.
Pearl, from Salem, pulled out of line to challenge Gaydosh, of Newtown, for third. That opened the door for Rocco to pull under Pearl. The three raced hard for the position for several laps with Pearl eventually pulling ahead in the outside lane on lap nine. Rocco and Dennis Gada followed suit around the outside of Gaydosh to make up the top five as the race hit lap 12. A lap later, Rocco powered underneath Pearl down the backstretch to take over the third spot at the stripe. Dennis Charette of Southington spun to bring out the second caution and slow the action.
Chadwick and Yuhas raced even into turn one on the restart, but the action picked up off turn two when Gada got crossed up. The field stacked up behind Gada, who kept control of his machine to prevent a major altercation from occurring. The Gada and Gaydosh cars made contact entering turn three, sending Gaydosh spinning into the grass to bring out caution again.
The top four cars raced tight when racing action returned to green. Yuhas was able to move his way past Chadwick by lap 15 after an exciting exchange of the lead with both drivers up on the wheel. Pearl looked outside Chadwick with Rocco all over Chadwick’s rear bumper. Pearl eventually faded in the outside lane, allowing Chadwick and Rocco by and the top four cars singled out with 20 laps in the books.
Yuhas pulled out to a comfortable lead in front as the race for second heated up between Chadwick and Rocco. Rocco tried everything to get around Chadwick, to no avail. Gada held the fifth spot over Jeff Paul. The race stayed clean and green through the remaining laps. Rocco dove under Chadwick with four to go, but lapped traffic interfered with the move and Chadwick held on to the spot.
Yuhas went unchallenged to his third win of the year by five car lengths over Chadwick. Rocco took third over Pearl who closed to his bumper over the final laps. Gada held on for fifth several cars back. Yuhas gained four points in the championship chase to close within six of Rocco.
The Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race saw teenager Jeff Smith of Old Lyme use his pole starting position to bolt to the early race lead in the 30-lapper. Tim Jordan of Plainfield took over the second spot on lap six. The action was put on hold when Joe Mullen made hard contact with the turn two wall on lap seven.
Jordan moved past Smith in the outside lane when racing went back to green. Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton moved into third and Allen Coates of Ledyard ran strong to claim fourth as the top four raced nose to tail past halfway.
Jordan began to distance himself from the others as the race stayed green. Smith had his hands full with Thomas, with Coates tucked closely behind. Rich Staskowski of Hope Valley, RI had moved into fifth. Coates broke loose off turn four trying to look under Thomas with four laps remaining. He spun to bring out caution and regroup the field.
Jordan used a great restart to power out to a three car length lead, leaving behind a battle for second between Smith and Thomas. Thomas took the spot but did not have time to challenge Jordan. The Plainfield native took his second win of the year, but first since April. Thomas was second, Smith third, Mark Bakaj of Lebanon was fourth, and Staskowski was fifth.
The 20-lap Legends Car event got underway with Ed Field and Giovanni Giarratana racing the first two laps side by side before Giarratana, of Newington, took the lead on lap three.
Ryan Morgan of Mystic used a restart to race his way past Giarratana, with Alessandro Vitelli of Woodbridge in third when racing resumed. Wednesday Legends Car champion and current Saturday Legends Car points leader Jason Palmer of Berlin emerged in the top five on lap seven. Palmer moved inside Adam Gada of Bozrah for fourth on lap nine.
At halfway Morgan continued to lead by nearly a straightaway over Giarratana and Vitelli. Palmer caught and streaked under Vitelli for third on lap 13 and set his sights on Giarratana for second. He ducked under him in turn four as the field hit the five to go marker from the flag stand to take over the spot.
Morgan’s lead looked insurmountable for Palmer to overcome under green, but on the final lap trouble at the rear of the field sent Carl Bohn into the turn three wall just ahead of the leaders to bring out caution. It set up a green-white-checkered restart between Morgan, seeking his third victory of the season and Palmer, seeking his 22nd.
Morgan got the jump over Palmer as the field raced to turn one off the restart. Palmer tucked behind and began to pressure Morgan. As the field raced to the white flag, Palmer made the move to get under Morgan through turns one and two. Palmer went on to win over Morgan and Giarratana. Max Zachem of Preston came on strong to finish fourth, and Vitelli was fifth.
With his win, Palmer clinched the division championship, his second of the year. He was also the track’s Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Legends Car series titlist. Palmer has opportunity to tie Don Collins’ 49-year old record of wins in a season at 23 next Saturday night in another 20-lap event.
The 25-lap Street Stock race was another fight amongst the division’s best. Points leader Brandon Plemons took over the lead on lap four from pole sitter Ted Dupre of Westbrook. Chaplin driver Walt Hovey, fresh off a win a week ago, moved into second behind Plemons during the early stages of the race. Norm Root was also on the move, advancing to fourth on lap seven and then moving by Diego Monahan for third a lap later.
Meanwhile, points contender Ronnie Oldham of Old Saybrook was stuck in traffic in the back half of the top ten. Al Stone of New Haven moved his way through the top five and inside Root for third. The duo spent better than 10 laps side by side in a great battle for the third spot. At the front Hovey was doing all he could to chase down Plemons, to no avail. The extended green flag run was interrupted when the event’s only caution waved for a spin by Kevin Talbot on lap 21.
The restart proved to be a dogfight. Plemons had his hands full keeping the field at bay once the race went back green. He had Hovey racing hard to his outside for the lead, and Stone and Root in third and fourth all over the lead two. Hovey was able to power his way around the outside of Plemons to take over and go on to the win, his fifth of the season. Root was able to slip by Plemons for second. Plemons ended up third, Stone fourth, and Monahan was fifth.
The Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock race saw Chris Williams of Niantic taking the spot on lap four. The first caution came out when last week’s winner Ian Brew of Wood River Junction, RI made hard contact with the frontstretch wall after a tangle with Greg Moran Sr. of Preston.
Following the restart, points leader Dan Field moved to second with ten laps remaining. Another restart with eight laps remaining gave Field opportunity to challenge for the lead. He moved outside and past Williams to go on to his fifth win of the season and extend his points lead over Kyle James of Ashaway, RI. James wound up second in the race, Louis Bellise of Lisbon was third and Bill Leonard of Wood River Junction , RI fourth. Ken Cassidy Jr., also of Lisbon, was fifth.
For more information for upcoming events, visit www.speedbowl.com or contact the track office at 860.442.1585.
Official Speedbowl 9/26 finishers, hometown:
SK Modifieds (35-laps): 1. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 2. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 4. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 5. Dennis Gada, Salem; 6. Jeffrey Paul, Ledyard; 7. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 8. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 9. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 10. Glenn Pressel III, Gales Ferry; 11. Joe Gada, Salem; 12. Timmy Solomito, Islip, NY; 13. Dennis Charette, Southington; 14. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 15. Billy Gertsch Jr., E. Haven; 16. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 17. Pete Pavone, Southbury; 18. Shawn Solomito, Islip, NY; 19. Mike Sweeney, Middletown; 20. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 21. Eric Grant, New Milford; 22. Justin Gaydosh, Newtown
Standings following 9/26 event (top-ten): 1. Rocco, 840; 2. Yuhas, 834; 3. Janovic, 766; 4. Paul, 758; 5. Gada, 748; 6. Pearl, 740; 7. Tyler Chadwick, 636; 8. Dailey, 550; 9. Hutchings, 534; 10. Perry, 510
Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30-laps): 1. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 2. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 3. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 4. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon; 5. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 6. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 7. Mark Hudson, Norton, MA; 8. Jonathon Dickerman, Weymouth, MA; 9. Allen Coates, Ledyard; 10. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck; 11. Bill Bernard, Holliston, MA; 12. Jeff Miller, Westbrook; 13. Ernie Bertrand, N. Branford; 14. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 15. Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk; 16. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 17. Larry Goss, N. Windham; 18. Joe Mullen, Clinton
Standings following 9/26 event (top-ten): 1. Thomas, 802; 2. Staskowski, 726; 3. Smith, 668; 4. Esposito, 626; 5. Bertrand, 604; 6. Hudson, 564; 7. Larry Goss, 488; 8. Tim Jordan, 444; 9. Botticello, 376; 10. Leblanc, 336
Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 2. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 3. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 4. Al Stone III, New Haven; 5. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 6. Steve Barrett, Preston; 7. Ed Puleo, Branford; 8. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Old Saybrook; 9. Ted Dupre, Westbrook; 10. Greg Moran Jr., Preston; 11. Kevin Burr, Waterford; 12. Chris Meyer, N. Franklin; 13. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 14. Mat Burr, Quaker Hill; 15. Jesse Smith, Moodus; 16. Jim Bavolacco Sr., Stratford; 17. Kevin Talbot, Moosup; 18. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 19. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 20. Jonathon Avery, Quaker Hill; DNS – Mark Cooper, Northford
Standings following 9/26 event (top-ten): 1. Plemons, 842; 2. Oldham, 834; 3. Hovey, 828; 4. Stone, 818; 5. Puleo, 726; 6. Barrett, 692; 7. Dupre, 624; 8. Galvin, 540; 9. Moran, 536; 10. Meyer, 526
Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (25-laps): 1. Dan Field, Deep River; 2. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 3. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon; 4. Bill Leonard, Wood River Jct., RI; 5. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 6. Chris Williams, Niantic; 7. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill; 8. Nick Pappacoda, N. Branford; 9. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Groton; 10. Sean Caron, Hartford; 11. Chris Correll, Old Lyme; 12. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 13. Ken Lyke III, Orange; 14. Ryan Cipows, Seymour; 15. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford; 16. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 17. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford; 18. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; 19. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 20. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 21. Lloyd Anderson Jr., Wauregan; DNS – Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI
Standings following 9/26 event (top-ten): 1. Field, 808; 2. James, 790; 3. Bellisle, 786; 4. Cassidy, 740; 5. Brew, 606; 6. Pappacoda, 598; 7. Moran Sr., 558; 8. Caron, 500; 9. Mehlenbacher, 498; 10. (tie) Panaroni, Correll, 482
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 2. Ryan Morgan, Mystic; 3. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 4. Max Zachem, Preston; 5. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 6. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 7. Tony Flannery, E. Hampton; 8. Dana DiMatteo, Farmington; 9. Mark Esposito, Easton; 10. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 11. William Munro, N. Branford; 12. Ed Field, Deep River; 13. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 14. Richard White III, N. Stonington; 15. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 16. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 17. Carl Bohn, Waterford; 18. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 19. Arthur Maurero, Baltic; 20. Dave Garbo, Stonington; 21. Matt Cavanaugh, E. Hampton; DNS – Shaun Buffington, Plainfield; Thomas Gray, Sprague
Standings following 9/26 event (top-ten): 1. Palmer, 586; 2. Morgan, 498; 3. Flannery, 436; 4. Joe Cipriano, 406; 5. Giarratana, 384; 6. Kusheba, 378; 7. Field, 372; 8. Gada, 304; 9. Vitelli, 264; 10. DiMatteo, 254