Flannery Debuts with Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Victory; Grala, Widger, Caprio and French also reach Winner’s Circle
Waterford, CT — The Waterford Speedbowl kicked off its 10th season of Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday racing in strong fashion with the youth movement in full swing. Fifteen year-old Anthony Flannery won the Legends Cars race, while eleven year-old Kaz Grala was the Bandolero event winner. Second generation driver Michael Caprio won his first race in the Super X-Car race and Devin Widger took the victory for the X-Car event. Paul French won the X-Modified race.
The 20-lap Legends Car race started with a bang as a fracas on the green flag saw contact between several competitors collect veteran racer George Whitney, whose car jumped airborne before the start finish line to bring out the caution flag. On the restart Tom Gray, another veteran, made hard contact with the turn four armco barrier.
The third attempt to start the race was a success. The race settled in with teenager Giovanni Giarratana of Newington leading the early laps before Flannery moved by on the inside to become the leader on lap seven. Flannery, from East Hampton checked out to a healthy lead past halfway when caution waved on lap 12 for a two car spin in turn two, erasing the leader’s advantage.
Following the restart, a tussle in the top-five ended with Shaun Buffington of Plainfield and Alessandro Vitelli of Woodbridge spinning out of contention for a podium finish on lap 13. The race finished under green from there, with Flannery winning easily over Giarratana. Dana Dimatteo, Carl Blandina, and Dennis Pantani rounded out the top-five.
The Super X-Car race was an old-fashioned, full-fendered 20-lap slugfest. Mark Boisvert led the early going before Shawn Perkins took over at the front on lap five. The top five cars were tightly packed together, jockeying for position and providing the Speedbowl fans with exciting action. Frank Alessio moved to second position and pressured the back bumper of Perkins as the race reached halfway.
Michael Caprio, Charles Beal, James Consalvo, Rob Corey and defending champion John Yagmin all advanced their way through the field to contend for the top five positions as the laps counted down. The drivers swapped spots and some paint in the process, keeping Speedbowl fans on the edge of their seats. Caprio emerged into second place when caution finally came out with just two laps remaining.
Perkins held the top spot on the restart but was getting serious heat from Caprio to his outside. Perkins lost control in turn three and spun, surrendering his lead and causing the field behind to take evasive action to avoid the spinning leader. The turn of events set up a final restart between Caprio and Alessio.
Caprio had to clear one more hurdle on his way to victory, as dust had been kicked up onto the race surface following the restart. He mastered the treacherous conditions and went on to the exciting win over Beal, Corey, Yagmin and
The X-Cars got the night started with a 20-lap race. Devin Widger of Plainville was the early leader, taking control on lap one. Brad Voglesong of Middletown moved to second and Dan D’addario of Columbia to third in short order when the first caution flag of the Wednesday season waved on lap four for a three car incident in turn four.
Over the middle portion of the race Widger and Voglesong waged a great war at the front. Voglesong took over to lead the race using the outside groove following a lap eight restart, but Widger was unrelenting and stayed glued to the new leader. D’addario was tight in third and defending champion Patrick Williams moved into contention in fourth. The field was reset on lap 11 after another quick caution flag.
Widger moved back around the inside of Voglesong to lead on lap 13. He would pull away from a torrid three car battle for second spot. That was interrupted by another caution with just two laps remaining. Widger hung on for the win over an exciting final two laps. Voglesong, D’addario, Williams and Dan Madore rounded out the top five.
Kaz Grala lead the first half of an entertaining 20-lap Bandolero race before Taylor Martin moved her way through the field to move to Grala’s bumper by halfway. Chris Lomartire moved to third, and Rachel Forte held fourth.
The race stayed clean and green as the field sorted themselves out. At the white flag, eleven year-old Grala pulled back to a five car length lead over Martin. The youngster overcame lapped traffic in turns three and four to win his first career Speedbowl race. Martin finished second and twelve year-old Lomartire third.
Podium Paul French picked up where he left off the 2009 season, in Speedbowl Victory Lane in the X-Modified division. Rick Ceravolo stayed on French’s bumper until the closing laps, but was unable to make a move for the win. Richard ‘Bubby’ Brouwer finished third in the green to checkered 15-lap race.
For more information about Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday and the calendar of events, please visit www.speedbowl.com or contact track offices at 860.442.1585.
Waterford Speedbowl 5/5 Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 2. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 3. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 4. Carl Blandina, Milford; 5. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 6. Ed Field, Deep River; 7. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 8. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 9. Jake Spillers, Ashburnham, MA; 10. Ricky White III, North Stonington; 11. Joey Campbell, Berlin; 12. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 13. Tom Pinson, Colchester; 14. Shaun Buffington, Plainfield; 15. Peter Portante, Plainville; 16. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 17. Stan Carpenter, Auburn; 18. George Whitney, Westbrook; 19. Tom Gray, Sprague; 20. Matt Cavanaugh, East Hampton
Bandolero’s (15-laps): 1. Kaz Grala, Westborough, MA; 2. Taylor Martin, Windham, ME; 3. Chris Lomartire, Millbury, MA; 4. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 5. Tyler Chalue, Dudley, MA; 6. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 7. Andrew Carpenter, Auburn, MA; 8. Corey Dimatteo, Farmington; 9. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 10. Jordan Lamothe, Woodstock; 11. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 12. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 13. Joey Turnullo, Middletown; 14. Kenneth Morin Jr., Old Saybrook
X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Devin Widger, Plainville; 2. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 3. Dan D’addario, Columbia; 4. Patrick Williams, Middletown; 5. Dan Madore, Sterling; 6. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 7. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 8. Jeremy Violette, Canterbury; 9. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 10. Bruce Hall, Ledyard; 11. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 12. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 13. Kim Bickford, Jewett City; 14. David Lloyd, Mystic; 15. Michele Cicio, Baltic; 16. Rick Mollo, Seymour; 17. Todd Nadeau, North Franklin; 18. Robert Butler, Plainfield; 19. Shawn Stula, Colchester; 20. Ken Holbrook, Shannock, RI; 21. Scott Kittel, Westerly, RI; 22. Jeremy Bourbeau, Taftville; 23. Christopher Garside, Waterford; 24. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 25. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 26. Arthur Phillips, Norwich; 27. Aaron Hillbush, Ledyard
Super X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Michael Caprio, New Haven; 2. Charles Beal, Ledyard; 3. Rob Corey, South Windsor; 4. John Yagmin, Tolland; 5. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 6. James Consalvo, East Hartford; 7. Mark Boisvert, Uxbridge, MA; 8. Duke Place, Charlestown; 9. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme; 10. Dan Moon, Exeter, RI; 11. Rob Carlson, Rockfall; 12. Taylor-Marie Moran, Preston; 13. Shawn Perkins, Groton; 14. Mike Maskell II, Quaker Hill; 15. Richard Avino, North Haven; 16. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 17. Tylor DiFrancesca, Lisbon; 18. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton; 19. Ken Downing III, Branford; 20. Al Potter, Waterford; 21. Shawn Butler, Jewett City; 22. Robert Norman, Clinton; 23. Thomas Messore, Norwich; 24. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; DNS – Gary Avery Jr., North Franklin; Joe Jacobs, East Hartford
X-Modifieds (20-laps): 1. Paul French, Andover; 2. Rick Ceravolo, Groton; 3. ‘Bubby’ Brouwer, Waterford; 4. Steve Skenyon, South Windsor; 5. Brenden Shea, Mystic; 6. Corey Larson, Bolton; 7. Rich Schlegel, Griswold.
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR