Flannery takes 50-lap Legends National Qualifier
Anthony Flannery of East Hampton, CT won Saturday’s 50-lap Raceceiver National Legends Tour event at Waterford Speedbowl, his seventeenth win at the track in 2010. With the win, Flannery, the track’s Wednesday series track champion, earned an automatic berth in the Legends Nationals at Langley Speedway October 7th-9th.
After the race Flannery felt a great relief. “It takes a lot of pressure off qualifying (at Langley for the Nationals). It will give me time to focus practicing my car, to dial it in for the feature. We look forward to going down and representing Waterford Speedbowl the best we can”.
The race began with David Garbo Jr. before caution on lap 2 saw Joey Mucciacciaro spin in turn two to bring out the first caution flag.
Flannery moved to first on lap 4, passing Garbo with an inside move through turns one and two. George Whitney and Alessandro Vitelli kept the leaders in sight riding third and fourth. A gap back to a battle for fifth position between Johnnie Gloor and Troy Talman was underway through lap 10. Talman found his way by Gloor, bringing Nick Ladyga with him into sixth.
The leaders singled out through lap 15 and rode in order. Trouble in turn two saw another single car spin on lap 16. Dan Butler went around in front of the leaders to draw caution again, regrouping the field for the restart.
Flannery got a great restart to lead into turn one. Ladyga raced around the outside of Talman to take over fifth on lap 18. Vitelli was on the move, challenging Garbo for second for before finally getting around his inside on lap 20.
At halfway Flannery’s lead was five lengths over Vitelli. Garbo, Whitney and Ladyga ran in order in the top five. Talman held sixth while Gloor led a pack of competitors that included Angelo Belsito, Dana Dimatteo and Thomas Hartensveld.
Out front, Flannery had just reached lapped traffic when Gloor spun in turn two on lap 32 to bring the race back under caution. Flannery again had control on the restart but Garbo reclaimed second over Vitelli. Whitney bobbled in fourth, but hung to the spot ahead of Ladyga. Belsito moved to sixth ahead of Talman. Vitelli took second back from Garbo in a great duel between the two for the position. An equally entertaining battle for sixth was ongoing between Belsito and Talman as the race wore down to the final laps.
Flannery’s lead was a half straightaway over second on the final lap. He cruised to the win, putting another touch on his remarkable Speedbowl season in 2010. Vitelli held second over Garbo. Whitney claimed fourth with Ladyga fifth.
Raceceiver Legends National Tour (50-laps): 1. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 2. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 3. David Garbo Jr., Stonington; 4. George Whitney, Westbrook; 5. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 6. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 7. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 8. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 9. Joey Campbell, Berlin; 10. Thomas Hartensveld, Ringwood, NJ; 11. George Dorothy Jr., Deep River; 12. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 13. Ed Field, Deep River; 14. Johnnie Gloor IV, Flanders, NJ; 15. Dylan Izzo, Monroe; 16. Dan Butler, Manchester; 17. Carl Bohn, Waterford; 18. Arthur Maurero, Baltic; 19. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 20. Joe Bavolacco, Stratford; 21. Carl Blandina, Milford; 22. Dennis Pantani, Branford
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR