Pantani a first-ever winner in Legends Cars; Sowa, Alessio, Williams, Brouwer and Civardi all reach Victory Lane as well
Waterford, CT — Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday was in action at the Speedbowl with both new faces and returning winners reaching Victory Lane. Dennis Pantani of Branford wound up the victor of a rough and tumble Legends Cars race, scoring his first career win. Nicholas Sowa of Middletown won a hotly contested Bandolero event. Patrick Williams, also of Middletown, won his first X-Car race of the year in a highly entertaining feature. Frank Alessio of Colchester rebounded from a hard wreck one week ago to reach the winner’s circle in the Super X-Car race. Bubby Brouwer of Waterford and Kathy Civardi of Noank rounded out the night’s winners, scoring the X-Modified and Women on Wheels checkered flags.
The Legends Cars put both the wild and the wacky into the night’s program when they rolled out for their 20-lap race. A battle of attrition and perseverance started with Troy Talman leading early before Anthony Flannery looked to return to the winner’s circle after two week’s of crashes. He took command on lap 2 ahead of Dana Dimatteo and Dave Garbo Jr., with Talman back to fourth. Garbo spun out of contention on lap 5, but the race continued on without caution. Ed Field and visiting driver John Hilliker entered the top five looking for racing room.
Trouble broke out in turn four among the top five on lap 8. Contact between Flannery and Dimatteo collected Talman, Field and Hilliker sending all five crashing into the turn four wall. Only Flannery was able to drive away. That caution set off a chain reaction where no less than three other competitors, Dennis Pantani, Michael Blaskey and Carl Blandina all took turns out front. However, each suffered contact from behind that dropped them from the lead and kept the front row a revolving door. Flannery at one point inherited the lead again only to have a flat tire put him back in the pits before the race could return to green.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Finally, on lap 13, racing got settled back in. Nick Ladyga led on the single file restart, holding the top spot until the white flag was in the air. Pantani was back up front, challenging Ladyga for the win. The pair had come together earlier in the race battling for the lead setting up a finish with all eyes on the top two. Pantani was able to make an inside pass through turns three and four on the final lap on Ladyga. He won his first career race in memorable fashion over Ladyga. Flannery ended up second when Ladyga was disqualified following post-race inspection. Blandina, Angelo Belsito and Ricky White completed the top five.
The Bandolero’s staged an exciting 20-lap race, swapping positions throughout the field their entire feature event. Several drivers took their turn out front including Joey Ternullo, point leader Taylor Martin and Tyler Chalue. They all paced the field at one point over the opening half of the race.
While competitors jockeyed to be in position to contend for the win, Corey Dimatteo, Nick Sowa and Taylor Martin emerged as the top three. Dimatteo held on the spot with Sowa and Martin reaching his back bumper looking for the lead. It was Sowa who used a low move off turn two on lap 15 to take the top spot, bringing Martin with him to second. Sowa was strong out front and went on to record the win. Martin could not make a serious move and finished second. Ken Morin Jr. was third at the checkered flag, with Ternullo and Chalue completing the top five in the fiercely competitive event.
Jon Porter led the first lap of the 20-lap Super X-Car race as several behind raced for position to challenge him at the front. Jim Boyle tried Porter on the low side by lap five, but broke sideways and caused a tense moment in the top five. Frank Alessio moved up to second over James Consalvo and Mike Maskell. Alessio looked for a way around the outside of Porter, eventually overtaking him on lap 8.
At halfway Alessio stretched his lead over Porter to five car lengths. Maskell was third over Consalvo, with Charles Beal coming through the field to fifth. Beal moved by Consalvo, then went outside both Maskell and Porter in one sweeping move to take second spot on lap 14 as the action stayed caution free.
Alessio was way out front and could not be caught. He won by a straightaway over Beal. An exciting three-wide battle for third position had the crowd’s attention at the checkered flag. Maskell was able to hang on outside Porter to take the spot. John Yagmin was on the bottom of the track and took fifth.
The X-Cars waged a 20-lap war to close the night’s racing, with Mike Marvin setting the early pace. He endured a penalty for jumping the initial green flag, moving him back to second place when caution flew on lap 4. That put Williams out front, looking to salvage a season of heartbreak to date following his championship in the division a season ago.
Brad Voglesong was all over Williams, his teammate, when racing went back to green. The division’s hottest driver Glen Thomas Jr. plus Devin Widger made up the top five on lap 5, advancing into fourth and fifth. Thomas got by Marvin for third, then Widger joined Thomas on his bumper after he got around Marvin on lap 7. Dan D’addario raced in sixth looking to make some noise behind them.
Thomas looked to the low side on Voglesong for second just after halfway. Widger was right behind with D’addario to his outside. They both passed by Voglesong by lap 13 to move to third and fourth. Out front Williams continued to hold off Thomas as the laps wound down. Thomas got underneath Williams with 4 laps to go, and the two spent the remainder of the race side-by-side. Widger and D’addario were tight behind making a four car race for the win.
Thomas had the slight advantage over Williams with one lap remaining, but Williams surged ahead down the backstretch on the final lap to edge ahead. He hung on in the outside lane by a half car over Thomas. Widger beat out D’addario by a nose for third, also hanging on in the top lane.
Paul French led the first five laps of the 15-lap X-Modified feature before Brouwer applied the pressure looking under French off turn four to take over when the pair reached turn one. Corey Larson challenged French for second, but they made contact spinning in turn four on lap five which also collected Rick Ceravolo.
Brouwer mastered one final restart over Rob Gallaer in the closing laps to take the win and extend his lead in the points. Larson scooted by the inside of Gallaer to take second at the checkered flag.
Kathy Civardi led every lap of a 5-lap Women on Wheels race in the Super X-Car 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.
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR