Yuhas, Thomas, Galvin Win First Races of Season at Waterford; Field Atop Mini Stock Win List
Waterford, CT — A five division race program was completed at Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday night, the third NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event of the 2010 season. Bruce Thomas Jr. edged the competition by the slimmest of margins in an exciting Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature, Josh Galvin trumped a competitive Street Stock field and Dan Field continued his hot streak in the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks to become the division’s all-time winningest driver. Ron Yuhas Jr. ended up the victor in an SK Modified® race marred by numerous cautions.
Tom Abele Jr. and Kyle James brought an overanxious field of SK Modified® competitors to green for a race scheduled to go 35-laps in distance. Abele jumped to the lead ahead of a pack jockeying for position behind. Trouble broke out off turn four as the field came to lap two. Mike Finkeldey was running in the front pack of cars when he bobbled in the high groove, causing the charging field behind to jumble. Jeff Pearl was bumped out of the bottom lane into the damp infield sending his machine for a ride. As the field continued to take evasive action down the front stretch into turn one, Pearl’s car re-entered the track and made hard contact with Keith Rocco. Pearl was eliminated while Rocco’s machine went pit side for repairs that would place him laps down to the leaders. Todd Ceravolo was also collected in the melee and eliminated.
From there the caution flags mounted, taking their toll on what started as a full field of racers. Abele faded following one restart attempt, spinning off turn four handing the lead to Joe Perry before the field could complete lap five. Perry was at the pin until contact with second place Mark Bakaj sent those two leaders crashing into turn one as the field tried to complete lap seven.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
That turn of events handed the lead to Yuhas. Six more laps were recorded before yet another caution flag, the race’s ninth, rendered the event red checkered after twelve laps were completed. Justin Gaydosh finished second, Tyler Chadwick third, with Finkeldey and Jeffrey Gallup rounding out the top five. Only a handful of competitors managed to dodge the multiple wrecks.
Visiting competitor Burt Myers of North Carolina was caught up in an early race incident and pitted with damage that ended his night. He was credited with a 21st place finish.
Thomas used his second place starting position to catapult to the lead on lap one of the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model event. Newcomer to the division Jason Palmer was riding strong in second, teenager Jeff Smith was third and Vin Esposito settled into fourth early in the going. The field singled out and clicked off the first half of the race under green when Kyle DeSousa spun to bring out the first caution on lap 15.
Thomas resumed a comfortable race lead on the restart. Smith ducked under Palmer for second. The man on the move was Tim Jordan, winner of three straight races in the division dating back to last season. He used the outside lane to work his way into the top five after the restart. Jordan moved by Esposito for fourth on lap 18 and disposed of Palmer to take third on lap 20. He closed in on Smith and again chose the high groove to make the move for second place. He completed that pass on lap 23 and set his sights on Thomas. As time was running out on Jordan catching the leader, the caution flag waved for an incident in turn one with three laps remaining setting up an exciting conclusion to the 30-lap event.
Thomas and Jordan raced hard for the win over the final laps. Jordan used the high groove to edge ahead of Thomas and be shown as the leader on both lap 28 as well as the final lap. Thomas dug deep in the low groove to hang tight and as the pair reached turns three and four of the final lap, Thomas was able to gain the edge and beat Jordan to the stripe in a drag race off the final corner. The margin of victory for Thomas was .014 seconds. Smith finished third, Esposito fourth and Palmer fifth.
The 25-lap Street Stock race saw Galvin win virtually unchallenged but not without company on his rear bumper. He started on the pole after a heartbreaking failure knocked him out of last week’s race while leading with only a few laps remaining. The action was hot behind the leader with several competitors including Norm Sears, Jack Aquilina and Walt Hovey all jostling for the chance at Galvin. Each held the second position at one point during the race. Steve Barrett, Al Stone III and Brandon Plemons were all in the mix as well providing exciting two and three wide racing for the Speedbowl fans.
Hovey raced into second for good on lap 14 but could not challenge Galvin. Behind Hovey, Sears took back third position on lap 23 and would finish ahead of Stone and Barrett.
Field won his third consecutive Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock race to start the season. The race, which went green to checkered, saw Christina Kellerman (formerly Cunliffe before getting married during the week) take the lead from her outside pole position on lap one. As Kellerman looked good out front, Field steadily picked competitors off. By lap three he was already in the fourth position. He moved past Louis Bellisle for third on lap 16 and found himself in second behind Kellerman just two laps later. He quickly sized up the leader and made his move, taking the lead on lap 19. From there he went on to the race win, his 26th career division win – good for the most all-time. Ken Cassidy Jr. moved by Kellerman in the closing laps to finish in second. Kellerman put in a career-best effort to take third at the checkered flag. Ian Brew and Greg Moran Sr. rounded out the top five.
The next event for the Waterford Speedbowl is next Saturday’s five division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. In addition to the SK Modifieds®, the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, Street Stocks, Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks and the Pro4 Modifieds of New England return. Qualifying begins at 5:30pm and main events begin at 7:00pm. More information including a detailed schedule is available at www.speedbowl.com.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35 laps): 1. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 2. Justin Gaydosh, Newtown; 3. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 4. Mike Finkeldey, Clinton; 5. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 6. Glenn Pressell III, Gales Ferry; 7. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 8. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 9. Jeff Paul, Groton; 10. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 11. Dennis Charette, Southington; 12. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 13. Joe Gada, Salem; 14. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 15. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon; 16. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 17. Shawn Solomito, Islip, NY; 18. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 19. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 20. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck; 21. Burt Myers, , NC; 22. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry; 23. Jeff Pearl, Salem
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30 laps): 1. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 2. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 3. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 4. Vin Esposito, Seymour; 5. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 6. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 7. Jeff Paul, Groton; 8. Ernie Bertrand, North Branford; 9. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 10. Kyle DeSousa, Fairhaven, MA; 11. Brian Andronaco Jr., Wilton; DNS – Junior Woods, Branford
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25 laps): 1. Josh Galvin, Oakdale; 2. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 3. Norm Sears, Broad Brook; 4. Al Stone III, New Haven; 5. Steve Barrett, Preston; 6. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 7. Jim Procaccini, Trumbull; 8. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 9. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Westbrook; 10. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 11. Mark Cooper, Northford; 12. Ed Puleo, Branford; 13. Sean Curtis, Stonington; 14. Chris Kvaka, Stratford; 15. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 16. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 17. Mathew Burr, Quaker Hill; DNS – Greg Moran Jr., Preston
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (25 laps): 1. Danny Field, Deep River; 2. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 3. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 4. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 5. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 6. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon; 7. Steve Violette, Canterbury; 8. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Groton; 9. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 10. Bo Norman, Clinton; 11. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 12. Ben Bargnesi, Norwich; 13. Jeff Cembruch, Wallingford; 14. Chris Williams, Waterford; 15. Ray Christian III, Noank; 16. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; 17. Doug Curry, Groton; 18. Charles Canfield, New Haven; DNS – Ken Lyke III, Orange
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR