Budweiser Blastoff Concludes with Coby, Rocco, Leonard, Jordan, Puleo & Field Victorious
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl opened its 60th season in grand fashion Sunday, playing host to the opening races for the Modified Racing Series, NEMA Midgets and its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. Milford competitor Doug Coby championed the Modified Racing Series, Keith Rocco mastered every restart thrown his way to cruise to victory in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® race and Chris Leonard was a first time winner in the NEMA Midgets. Other winners included Tim Jordan in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, Ed Puleo in the Street Stocks and Dan Field in the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks.
Rocco and Ron Yuhas Jr. started the 60-lap SK Modified® feature on the front row, picking up the exciting points battle they engaged in for the 2009 track championship. Rocco took the lead at the drop of the green flag over Yuhas. The field went to work early with abundant side by side battles to be found throughout the field when Rob Janovic Jr. spun off turn four to bring out caution on lap four.
Rocco jumped out front on the restart. Yuhas tucked into second leaving a heated battle for position behind. Todd Ceravolo was on the move, advancing into third when Glen Pressell III spun in turn two for the event’s second caution on lap 12.
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[Waterford – Budweiser Blastoff 03/27/10] by Adam Fohlin
[Waterford – Budweiser Blastoff 03/28/10] by Adam Fohlin
[ Waterford – Budweiser Blastoff 03/27/10] by Nicholas Teto
[Waterford – Budweiser Blastoff 03/28/10] by Nicholas Teto
Ceravolo took second from Yuhas on the restart. Jeff Pearl worked his way through traffic to emerge in the top five after starting the race deep in the field. Shawn Solomito and Jeff Paul were also rapidly advancing from the back during the first 15 laps. Paul, one of Saturday’s qualifying race winners, had been penalized to the rear of the starting lineup following a pre-race infraction. The great racing was slowed when Pressell spun again in turn two on lap 17.
After a couple multiple car incidents following restarts, racing resumed with Ceravolo on Rocco’s back bumper on lap 25. The pair opened a couple car lengths breathing room over Yuhas in third, Pearl in fourth and Solomito fifth. Pressell slowed the action on lap 26, spinning in between turns three and four after contact from behind.
Solomito challenged Pearl for fourth when racing went back to green. Their battle lasted several laps when the young Long Island based driver bobbled off turn four on the bottom, enabling Pearl to squirt away. The field jostled behind Solomito resulting in dicey action amongst Solomito, Rob Janovic Jr., Tyler Chadwick and Paul. While that group was in a tussle, the top four spaced themselves out single file. Mark Bakaj and Mike Finkeldey completed the top ten as the race passed halfway and settled into a rhythym.
The final caution waved on lap 50 when contact sent Paul around in turn two. Rocco mastered the final restart as the field singled out to the finish. Ceravolo had a great run all day for second. Pearl came back from a wreck in qualifying Saturday to finish third, with Yuhas and Chadwick completing the top five.
The NEMA Midgets got the day started with a dominating performance from nineteen year old Chris Leonard. The 25-lap event went caution free with Leonard, of Pellham, MA, completing a lightning quick race in just five minutes and 56 seconds, a record pace in the track’s history. NEMA veteran Russ Stoehr of was second and Erica Santos finished third.
Tim Jordan of Plainfield took control of the 50-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race in the early going. Three-time defending division champion Bruce Thomas Jr. brought out the first caution when he cut a right rear tire and spun in turn four. Thomas was involved in a warm up lap skirmish, pitting to repair a pan-hard bar before the race even started.
Jordan led through halfway with Jeff Smith of Old Lyme and Lee USA Speedway champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. in tow. Rich Staskowski was in fourth, with Bruce Thomas Jr. overcoming his early trouble to advance through the field to round out the top five. A long streak of green flag racing was snapped when Ernie Bertrand spun exiting turn four on lap 41.
Jordan was unstoppable on the restart and just as the field looked like it would finish smoothly under green, mayhem broke out behind Jordan. As the field entered turn one on the white flag lap, Smith spun from second collecting Helliwell, Staskowski and Thomas.
Jordan nailed the final restart over Vin Esposito to take the win. Esposito was second and Randy Burr was third. Bertrand and veteran competitor Dennis Botticello completed the top five.
Ed Puleo led from the green flag of the Street Stock feature, distancing himself from the competition. Walt Hovey Jr. moved around the outside of Jim Procaccini into second position when caution waved for Phil Evans who spun off the backstretch on lap 12.
The action heated up from there. Puleo led through multiple restarts but two and three wide racing was the norm in the top five. Puleo withstood challenges from Hovey, Procaccini, and 2008 division champion Al Stone III to go on to win the 30-lap feature. Hovey and Stone battled to the checkered flag with Hovey grabbing the position. Stone was third, Chris Meyer had a career-best finish in fourth and defending champion Brandon Plemons rounded out the top five.
The Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock division put on a great 30-lap feature race, with Dan Field and Louis Bellisle battling side by side for much of the race. A couple early cautions slowed the pace, but the field settled in nicely and put on a great display for the Speedbowl fans. By halfway, Mark Panaroni had shot through the field to join the Field and Bellisle battle at the front. Field was able to fight hard in the outside lane to eventually overtake his challengers. He went on to a several car length win over Bellisle. Charles Canfield had a career high finish in third, two-time champion Ken Cassidy Jr. was fourth and Sean Caron was fifth.
The Speedbowl returns with NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing every Saturday night beginning next Saturday, April 3. The five division program gets underway with qualifying at 5:30pm and main events at 7:00pm. The program is highlighted by a 35-lap SK Modified® race. More information including a detailed schedule is available at www.speedbowl.com.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds (60 laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Newington; 2. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry; 3. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 4. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 5. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 6. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 7. Shawn Solomito, Islip, NY; 8. Dennis Charette, Southington; 9. Michael Finkeldey, Clinton; 10. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 11. Glenn Pressell III, Gales Ferry; 12. Justin Gaydosh, Newton; 13. Joe Gada, Salem; 14. Jeffrey Paul, Ledyard; 15. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon; 16. Dennis Gada, Salem; 17. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck; 18. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 19. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 20. Dean Christensen, Granby; 21. Nichole Morgillo, 22. Mike Sweeney, Middletown; 23. Henry Stampfl, 24. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 25. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 26. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 27. Paul Varricchio Sr., DNS – Frank Ruocco, North Haven
NEMA Midgets (25 laps): 1. Chris Leonard, Pellham, MA; 2. Russ Stoehr, Bridgewater, MA; 3. Erica Santos, Franklin, MA; 4. Randy Cabral, Plymouth, MA; 5. Chris Desritis, Philadelphia, PA; 6. Greg Stoehr, Lakeville, MA; 7. Adam Cantor, Dix Hills, NY; 8. Jesse State, New Hyde Park, NY; 9. Paul Luggelle, Holbrook, MA; 10. Anthony Nocella, Woburn, MA; 11. Todd Bertrand; 12. Eric Cabral; 13. John Zych, Mendon, MA; 14. Lancen Fornoro
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models (50 laps): 1. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 2. Vin Esposito, Seymour; 3. Randy Burr, Middleboro, MA; 4. Ernie Bertrand, North Branford; 5. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 6. Marc Curtis, Worcester, MA; 7. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 8. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 9. Jeff Paul, Groton; 10. Brian Andronaco Jr., Wilton; 11. Kyle DeSousa, Fairhaven, MA; 12. Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, NH; 13. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 14. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 15. Robert Woods Jr., Branford
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (30 laps): 1. Ed Puleo, Branford; 2. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 3. Al Stone III, New Haven; 4. Chris Meyer, N. Franklin; 5. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 6. Norm Sears, Broad Brook; 7. Greg Moran Jr., Preston; 8. Jim Procaccini, Trumbull; 9. Mathew Burr, Quaker Hill; 10. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 11. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 12. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 13. Steve Barrett, Preston; 14. Sean Curtis, Stonington; 15. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Westbrook; 16. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 17. Jesse Smith, Moodus
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (30 laps): 1. Danny Field, Deep River; 2. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon; 3. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 4. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 5. Sean Caron, Hartford; 6. Chris Williams, Niantic; 7. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Groton; 8. John Kelly, Norwich; 9. Nick Pappacoda, N. Branford; 10. Bo Norman, Clinton; 11. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; 12. Christina Cunliffe, Stratford; 13. Steve Violette, Canterbury; 14. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 15. Ray Christian III, Preston; 16. Ken Lyke III, Orange; 17. Ryan Cipows, Seymour; DNS – Ben Bargnesi, Norwich; Jeff Cembruch, Wallingford; DQ – Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton; DQ – Ian Brew, Wood River Jct., RI