Morgan and Leonard lead a host of winners in Saturday action; NWAAS divisions qualified
Waterford, CT — Ryan Morgan overcame adversity to checker the 20-lap Legends Car race, leading Saturday afternoon action at Waterford Speedbowl’s Finale. Bill Leonard won the NEATV Truck Series race and Wayne Coury Jr. won the Outlaw Stock race. Along with Morgan, they were three of ten winners on the busy day. The four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions qualified for their main events Sunday, headlined by the 100 lap SK Modified race.
Max Zachem of Preston was the early leader in the Legends Car 20-lap race. Youngster Dave Garbo Jr. of Stonington looked poised to challenge Zachem following an early caution, advancing to second. The top four raced under a blanket, as both Alessandro Vitelli of Woodbridge and Ryan Morgan of Mystic were on the move closing to the lead twosome’s bumpers.
Garbo ducked under Zachem through turns three and four on lap seven. The pair raced side-by-side for the lead when trouble broke out. The two came together in turn one on lap nine, sending Zachem hard into the wall and also collecting Morgan. Zachem’s machine was towed from the accident scene, with Garbo and Morgan headed pit side.
When racing resumed Vitelli was in command at the front. Dana DiMatteo of Farmington challenged Vitelli briefly, but then had to contend with Morgan who was slicing his way back through the field despite battling front end damage of his own. He moved by DiMatteo for second as the leaders reached two laps to go. DiMatteo and Joe Cipriano of Waterbury got together in turn one battling for third, bringing out caution again.
Vitelli got a good restart to resume at the point on the restart. Morgan ducked in line, then as the field took the white flag, turned up the heat on Vitelli. He moved outside through turns one and two to power to the lead down the backstretch, overcoming the early race incident to win over Vitelli. Paul Kusheba IV of Monroe was third.
The NEATV Truck Series race saw Bill Leonard and Howard Payne battle out front over the first half of their 25-lapper. Leonard, of Wood River Junction, RI, edged ahead when the only caution waved for Brad Caddick of Norwich who was stranded in turn four on lap 10.
On the restart, multi-time winner Allen Coates of Ledyard got caught up in traffic and made contact with the backstretch wall, retiring from the race with a flat right rear tire. Leonard pulled out ahead of Payne, from Seymour, who also retired when mechanical failure set in with just two laps remaining. Payne yielded his second place position to Chris Correll of Old Lyme. Leonard went on to win by five lengths over Correll. Diego Monahan of Quaker Hill finished third.
A full field of Outlaw Stocks totaling nearly 200 career Speedbowl victories assembled for a thrilling 25-lap race amongst Late Models, Trucks, Street Stocks, and more. Wayne Coury Jr. moved to the lead on lap two, stretching out to a comfortable lead. Second and third place runners Carla Botticello and Duane Noll got together out of turn four on lap seven, collecting Jim Procaccini and bringing out caution.
On the restart Coury, piloting his Thompson Late Model, was challenged by Allen Coates in his NEATV Truck. Waterford Street Stock regular Josh Galvin held third, while Noll, driving a Late Model, firestormed his way back into the top five and into contention by halfway. He slipped inside Galvin for third on lap 12 then moved in and challenged inside Coates to take the second spot on lap 15.
The race stayed green through the end with Noll trying to erase a sizeable lead built back up by Coury. The leaders hit heavy lapped traffic in the closing laps making things interesting. Coury was met by a roadblock in front of him as several cars raced for position, enabling Noll to close in and pull outside for the race lead. Coury ultimately chose the low lane, skirting his way under the lapped traffic, which proved to be the key. He got through the traffic four lengths ahead of Noll and went on to the checkered flag, his first at Waterford since 2005. Coates finished third and Botticello rebounded for fourth.
The 20-lap Super X-Car race emerged as a slugfest at the front throughout their feature. Quaker Hill’s Mike Maskell was challenged three wide from his pole starting position at the drop of the green flag. He held on through lap eight when John Porter of Canterbury moved to the inside. The pair battled back and forth at the front for several laps before Porter pulled out to sole possession of the lead four laps later in the low lane. The two continued their battle through a host of restarts with Porter going on to the win. Michael Caprio Jr. of New Haven came back from an early race spin to finish solidly in third.
Dan D’addario of Columbia won his first career race, besting Brad Voglesong of Middletown in an entertaining and caution free 20-lap X-Car race. Voglesong closed to within a car length amid heavy lapped traffic, but D’addario prevailed. Curt D’addario of Columbia was third.
Fourteen year-old Tommy Barrett of Millis, Mass won the 25-lap Allison Legacy Series race after a spirited battle with Cody Gneiting of Somers. Barrett took the lead initially on lap three before Gneiting took over at the halfway point. It was short lived, as Barrett moved back out front with an inside move on lap 17 to go on to a car length win. Early leader Paul Tuthill of Washingtonville, NY was third.
Auburn, Mass native Chris Lomartire won the 12-lap Bandolero feature over 2009 champion Tyler Chalue. Chalue, of Dudley, Mass, tried a last lap move inside Lomartire who was able to hang on.
Track champion Dean Christensen of Granby passed Andover’s Paul French in turn one on lap two, taking the X-Modified race.
Lisa Voglesong of Middletown won the four cylinder Women on Wheels race, with Kathy Civardi of Ledyard winning the full size Women on Wheels event.
With day one of the two-day Finale in the books, the Speedbowl turns its attention to Sunday’s four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature races, headlined by the 100-lap SK Modified race and championship battles in three of the four races. The day begins with the pit party slated for 10:00am, giving Speedbowl fans the chance to see the cars and meet their favorite drivers. Racing gets underway at 12:30pm.
For more detailed information and event schedule, or for more information on event rules, please visit www.speedbowl.com or contact the track office at 860.442.1585.
Official Speedbowl 10/10 finishers, hometown:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Ryan Morgan, Mystic; 2. Allesandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 3. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 4. Will Munro, North Branford; 5. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 6. Richard White III, N. Stonington; 7. Ed Field, Deep River; 8. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 9. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 10. Carl Bohn, Waterford; 11. Dana DiMatteo, Farmington; 12. Joe Cipriano, Waterbury; 13. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 14. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 15. Dave Garbo, Stonington; 16. Max Zachem, Preston; 17. Stan Carpenter, Auburn, MA
Final Standings following 10/10 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
NEATV Truck Series top-ten (25-laps): 1. Bill Leonard, Wood River Junction, RI; 2. Chris Correll, Old Lyme; 3. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 4. Keith Chapman, Mystic; 5. Doug Dunleavy, 6. Brad Caddick, Norwich; 7. Kevin Talbot, Moosup; 8. Greg Butler Jr., East Hampton; 9. Dan Butler, Manchester; 10. Howard Payne, Shelton
Final Standings following 10/10 event (top-ten): 1. Coates, 428; 2. G. Butler, 360; 3. Payne, 344; 4. Scott Gregory, 334; 5. Leonard, 312; 6. Mike Anzalone, 252; 7. D. Butler, 250; 8. Chapman, 232; 9. Dunleavy, 226; 10. Caddick, 178
Outlaw Stocks (25-laps): 1. Wayne Coury Jr., Milford; 2. Duane Noll, Monroe; 3. Allen Coates, Ledyard; 4. Carla Botticello, Suffield; 5. Josh Galvin, Uncasville; 6. Ed Gertsch Jr., East Haven; 7. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 8. Shawn Monahan, Quaker Hill; 9. Ed Puleo, Branford; 10. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 11. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 12. John Berchem, West Greenwich, RI; 13. Victoria Bergenty, Plainville; 14. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 15. John Porter, Canterbury; 16. Michael Caprio Jr., New Haven; 17. Robert Norman, Clinton; 18. Jonathon Avery, Quaker Hill; 19. Derek McClellan; 20. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 21. Jim Procaccini, Trumbull; 22. Mat Burr, Quaker Hill; 23. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville
Allison Legacy Series (25-laps): 1. Tommy Barrett, Millis, MA; 2. Cody Gneiting, Somers; 3. Paul Tuthill, Washingtonville, NY; 4. Kyle Poodiack, Bennington, NH; 5. James Logan, Dighton, MA; 6. Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT; 7. Eric Burgeois, Norwich; 8. Nathan Johnson, Troy, NH; 9. Peter Portante, Plainville; 10. Ryan Morgan, Mystic; 11. Sean Murphy, Maynard, MA; 12. Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, NH; 13. Sean Caron, Hartford
Super X Cars (20-laps): 1. Jon Porter, Canterbury; 2. Mike Maskell III, Quaker Hill; 3. Michael Caprio Jr., New Haven; 4. Alex Canestrari, Ledyard; 5. Ken Woodward Jr., New Haven; 6. Taylor-Marie Moran, Preston; 7. Robert Norman, Clinton; 8. Tylor DiFrancesca, Ledyard; 9. Dennis McGouvran, Westerly, RI; 10. Dan Moon, Exeter, RI; 11. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 12. Bruce Lee, Groton; 13. Charles Beal, Ledyard; 14. Bo Norman, Clinton; 15. Scott Bousquet, Norwich; 16. John Bowes, Willington; 17. Paul Sheldon, Guilford; 18. R.J Cunningham, Clinton; 19. Chris Merchant, Baltic
X Cars (20-laps): 1. Dan D’addario, Columbia; 2. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 3. Curt D’addario Sr., Columbia; 4. Devin Widger, Plainville; 5. Chris Garside, Waterford; 6. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 7. Gary Stone Jr., Northford; 8. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 9. Len Platt, Lisbon; 10. Ken Holbrook, Shannock, RI; 11. Geoffrey Burdick, East Lyme; 12. Arthur Phillips, Norwich; 13. Shawn Butler, Jewett City; 14. Rick Mollo, Ansonia; 15. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 16. James LaForge, Groton; 17. Dustin Gage, Madison; 18. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 19. James Tedford, Deep River; 20. Paul Smith, Clinton
X-Modifieds (10-laps): 1. Dean Christensen, Granby; 2. Paul French, Andover; 3. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 4. Kevin Crisman, Oakdale; 5. Corey Larson, Bolton
Bandolero’s (12-laps): 1. Chris Lomartire, Millbury, MA; 2. Tyler Chalue, Dudley, MA; 3. Matt Carpenter, Auburn, MA; 4. Andrew Carpenter, Auburn, MA; 5. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 6. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon
Women on Wheels 4-cylinder: 1. Lisa Voglesong, Middletown; 2. Nicole Harris, Groton; 3. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford; 4. Kathy Civardi, Ledyard; 5. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 6. Michele Cicio, Baltic; 7. Lori Aquilina, Oakdale
Women on Wheels 8-cylinder: 1. Kathy Civardi, Ledyard; 2. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford; 3. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 4. Lori Aquilina, Oakdale
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR
Sunday, October 11th Starting Lineups
SK Modifieds (100-laps):
1. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI
2. Dennis Charette, Southington
3. Tom Abele, Norwich
4. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford
5. Jeff Paul, Ledyard
6. Dennis Gada, Salem
7. Jeff Pearl, Salem
8. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton
9. Keith Rocco, Wallingford
10. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
11. Allen Coates, Ledyard
12. Shawn Solomito, Islip, NY
13. Shawn Monahan, Waterford
14. Henry Stampfl, Norwood, MA
15. Matt Gallo, Kensington
16. Joe Gada, Salem
17. Glenn Colvin, Clinton
18. Don Fowler, Clinton
19. Bill Gertsch Jr., East Haven
20. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry
21. Glenn Pressel III,Gales Ferry
22. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA
23. Bob Georgiades, East Hampton
24. Kevin Shea, Mystic
25. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford
26. Walt Hovey, Chaplin
*heat race winners in bold
Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (100-laps):
1. Mark Hudson, Norton, MA
2. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI
3. Ernie Bertrand, North Branford
4. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme
5. Dennis Botticello, Suffield
6. Tim Jordan, Plainfield
7. Jeff Miller, Westbrook
8. Tom Metcalf, North Stonington
9. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck
10. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
11. Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk
12. Dennis Stampfl, Norwood, MA
13. Duane Noll, Monroe
14. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill
15. Matt Bettencourt, East Taunton, MA
16. Larry Goss, North Windham
17. Carla Botticello, Manchester
Street Stocks (50-laps):
1. Chris Meyer, North Franklin
2. Greg Moran Jr., Preston
3. Steve Barrett, Preston
4. Ron Oldham Jr., Old Saybrook
5. Ed Puleo, Branford
6. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville
7. Al Stone III, New Haven
8. Jim Procaccini, Trumbull
9. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin
10. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook
11. Kevin Talbot, Moosup
12. Nate Appell, Westbrook
13. Jonathon Avery, Quaker Hill
14. Josh Galvin, Uncasville
15. John Berchem, West Greenwich, RI
16. Ted Dupre, Westbrook
17. Kevin Burr, Waterford
18. Ed Gertsch Jr., East Haven
19. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale
20. Mat Burr, Quaker Hill
21. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill
22. Jim Bavolacco Sr., Stratford
Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (50-laps):
1. Charles Canfield, New Haven
2. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Groton
3. Greg Moran Sr., Preston
4. Sean Caron, Hartford
5. Chris Williams, Niantic
6. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon
7. Bill Leonard, Wood River Junction, RI
8. Dan Field, Deep River
9. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI
10. Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton
11. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon
12. Chris Correll, Old Lyme
13. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford
14. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill
15. Phil Evans, Uncasville
16. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford
17. Ken Lyke III, Orange
18. Ryan Cipows, Seymour
19. Charles Andrade Jr., Westbrook
20. Alan Hall Jr., Ledyard
21. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI
22. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI
23. Trevor Michalski, Danielson
24. Ben Bargnesi, Norwich
25. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford
26. Al Stone III, New Haven