Budweiser Blastoff Starts 2011 Waterford Season with 7 Features
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl opened for the season Saturday with the first day of the two-day Budweiser Blastoff Weekend, qualifying 13 divisions of racing and handing out its first checkered flags of the 2011 season. Seven feature events were completed on the evening.
Giovanni Giarratana took the win in an exciting 25-lap Legends Cars race, holding off Alessandro Vitelli and Paul Kusheba over the closing laps. Vitelli took the lead on lap-1, pulling out to the early advantage over Joey Mucciacciaro and a heated battle for the remaining top-five positions. Dana Dimatteo came through the pack and blistered his way to the rear bumper of Vitelli by lap-10.
Contact between the top two exiting turn four of lap-13 sent Vitelli around in front of the pack. The field did a masterful job avoiding Vitelli, who continued on after dropping back to fifth place. A lap later Dimatteo was black flagged for aggressive driving when caution waved for Taylor Martin, handing the lead to Mucciacciaro.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Mucciacciaro received heavy pressure from Kusheba and Vitelli who had recovered from his spin. Kusheba would take over out front for a short time, but surrendered to Giarratana in the closing laps. Giarratana is from Newington.
Ledyard’s Corey Coates took the lead from Derek Chriss early in the 25-lap New England Truck Series feature. He opened up a full straightaway advantage over his nearest competitors as the race stayed caution free. Howard Payne took over second position and Duane Noll third place over the remainder of the event. The three would finish that way at the checkered flag, with Coates claiming his first win of the year unchallenged.
Anthony Nocella of Massachusetts started the year off in NEMA Lite Victory Lane at the Speedbowl for the second consecutive season, successfully defending his Blastoff win from a year ago. He avoided an early skirmish coming through the pack, then took command following a lap-15 caution when early leaders Ryan Bigelow and Carl Mederios tangled down the backchute.
Windham, NH competitor Taylor Martin picked up where she left off 2010, taking the checkered flag in the 15-lap Bandolero race. She used a mid-race caution when leader Corey Dimatteo tangled with a lapped car. She beat out Jordan Churchill and Robby Jones.
In the 25-lap Pro Four Modified race, Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH cruised to victory. He withstood challenges from Kurt Vigeant to take the win. Dave Richardi finished third.
Mark Boisvert of Uxbridge, MA took his first career Speedbowl checkered flag in the 15-lap Super X-Car race, taking command from the drop of the green flag. Boisvert beat out Frank Alessio and Ed Ryan.
Groton’s Glen Thomas wired the 25-lap X-Car feature to round out the night’s winners. He held off Patrick Williams by two car lengths at the checkered flag after battling through lapped traffic.
Doug Coby of Milford and Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon will lead the 26-car Valenti Modified Racing Series field to the green flag. Rob Janovic Jr. of Waterford and defending track champion Keith Rocco of Wallingford will take the SK Modified field to the green flag.
Budweiser Blastoff Weekend continues Sunday with six feature events. The Valenti Modified Racing Series will compete in a 100-lap event, the SK Modifieds a special 61-lap season opening race, plus features for the NEMA Midgets, Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks. A pre-race pit party begins the day from 9:30-11:00am, followed by the first green flag at noon.
The Speedbowl returns to weekly Saturday night racing with a six division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing event next Saturday, April 9. More information including a detailed schedule is available at www.speedbowl.com.
Saturday Budweiser Blastoff 4/2 Results:
New England Truck Series (25-laps): 1. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 2. Howard Payne, Shelton; 3. Duane Noll, Monroe; 4. Derek Chriss, Averill Park, NY; 5. Andy Lindeman, Poestenkill, NY; 6. Keith Chapman, Mystic; 7. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Old Saybrook; 8. Jonathon Avery, Quaker Hill; 9. Jason Lafayette, Somers; 10. Bert Ouelette, Dayville
NEMA Lites (25-laps): 1. Anthony Nocella, Woburn, MA; 2. Seth Carlson; 3. Randy Cabral, Plymouth, MA; 4. Jim SantaMaria, Burlington; 5. Carl Medeiros Jr., Westport, MA; 6. Paul Luggelle, Holbrook, MA; 7. Brandon Igo; 8. Bethany Stoehr, Bridgewater, MA; 9. Paul Bigelow; 10. Ryan Bigelow; 11. Todd Bertrand, Suffield; 12. Andy Barrows; 13. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott
Pro Four Modifieds of New England top-ten (25-laps): 1. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 2. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA; 3. George Sherman, Framingham, MA; 4. Dave Richardi, North Easton, MA; 5. Robin Berghman, East Providence, RI; 6. Phil Lausier, Hudson, NH; 7. Driver unavailable at press; 8. Tyler Anderson, New Hampshire; 9. Tim D’Amico, West Haven; 10. Henry Sirignano, Abington, MA;
Legends Cars (25-laps): 1. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 2. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 3. Paul Kusheba, Monroe; 4. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 5. Dylan Izzo, Monroe; 6. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 7. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 8. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 9. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 10. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 11. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 12. Shaun Buffington, Plainfield; 13. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 14. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 15. Rich Erlandson, Moodus; 16. Ed Field, Deep River; 17. Tom Gray, Sprague; 18. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 19. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin; 20. Doug Campbell, Berlin; 21. Zach Latham, Meriden; 22. Dan Butler, Waterford
Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 2. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 3. Robby Jones, Waterbury; 4. Andrew Molleur, Shelton; 5. Corey Dimatteo, Farmington; 6. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 7. Rene Morgillo, Niantic
Super X-Cars top-five (25 laps): 1. Mark Boisvert, Uxbridge, MA; 2. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 3. Ed Ryan, Preston; 4. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 5. R.J. Cunningham, Durham
X-Cars (25-laps): 1. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 2. Patrick Williams, Middletown; 3. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 4. Jeremy Bourbeau, Taftville; 5. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 6. Shawn Stula, Colchester; 7. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 8. Chris Garside, Waterford; 9. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 10. Chris Ivory, Oakdale; 11. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 12. Ron Dimauro, Plymouth; 13. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 14. Javier Rivera, Willimantic; 15. C.P. Burdick, Deep River
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR