Chadwick returns to SK Modified® Winner’s Circle, Galvin in Street Stocks; Cassidy and Turner split 50-lap Mini Stock races
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was back in action Saturday night hosting the inaugural Four Cylinder Fury event, a six-event program. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action was highlighted by a 50-lap Mini Stock race, captured by Lisbon’s Ken Cassidy Jr., his second consecutive victory and third on the year in the division. Ledyard’s Tyler Chadwick came out on top of an entertaining SK Modified® feature, holding back the last lap charges of Kyle James of Ashaway, RI. Calvin Rose of Turner, ME dominated the second half of the 50-lap Northeast Mini Stock Tour race, going on to the win. Josh Galvin of Franklin won his second Street Stock race on the season, Dan D’addario of Columbia won the X-Car feature and Rose returned to victory lane to win the open-comp four cylinder race to close out the night’s festivities.
Frank Mucciacciaro blasted into the lead at the start of the 35-lap SK Modified® feature, however trouble began in turn three as the field worked lap-2 when contact turned Nichole Morgillo around from her place among the top-five. Keith Rocco and Jeff Pearl were both collected but suffered minimal contact in the incident.
The field went three wide for the lead into turn one on the restart, with Tom Abele looking to the inside of both Mucciacciaro and Glenn Pressel. Pressel came out on top after the field played bumper tag through turns one and two with everyone able to continue pointed in the right direction. Abele applied pressure to Pressel but couldn’t make a move to pull even, while Chadwick was advancing his position into the top three by lap-10.
Pressel held his lead running strong out front, when Rocco, the point leader, retired his car to the infield just past halfway with mechanical trouble under the hood. Chadwick was looking for a way around Abele, moving into second position on lap-20. He then moved in on Pressel’s rear bumper, spending several laps there sizing up the leader. Chadwick finally
got a wheel outside Pressel down the backstretch of lap-26 and as the pair raced through turns three and four, a slight bobble by Pressel was all Chadwick needed to complete the pass for the lead.
After the battle for the lead sorted out, Kyle James was suddenly the man that had everyone’s eye, blistering his way towards tracking down the leaders. He was able to get by Pressel on lap-28, leaving just seven laps to cut into Chadwick’s five-length lead. James was able to do just that, reaching Chadwick’s bumper with two laps remaining to set up a great finish.
James was looking outside Chadwick, who momentarily held back the challenges. James was finally able to get a wheel outside Chadwick’s right rear and make a serious bid with the white flag in the air. The two leaders raced into turn one even with James looking poised to snatch away the victory. Out of turn two, James pushed high and Chadwick was able to pull away as James recovered. Chadwick went on to the win, his second on the year. James settled for second. Pressel took down a career-best third after leading the majority of the race. Abele and Tucker Reynolds got crossed up racing to the checkered flag for fourth position but completed the top-five with no further incident.
Sean Caron began the extra distance Mini Stock feature leading the first three laps before Charles Canfield raced to his outside to lead lap-4. Point leader Bill Leonard dropped off the pace early, retiring from the event to shake up the standings. Caron stayed glued to Canfield’s inside refusing to give up the lead, while several two and three-wide battles
were underway in the early going as the field used the early laps to sort out the running order.
Canfield continued to lead but could not power completely ahead of Caron while behind them Glenn Colvin and Rayv Christian were locked in an equally entertaining battle for third position. Chris Williams rounded out the top-five spots as the race reached lap-15. Canfield finally broke away while Caron was left to battle with Colvin for second. That ended when Caron broke loose underneath Colvin in turn one, sliding to the infield grass from second position on lap-19 to bring out the first caution period of the race.
Racing resumed but was short-lived as the red flag was necessitated when Gerry Young and Doug Curry both took a hard trip into the turn three wall with heavy damage to both machines. Both drivers were OK following the accident.
Colvin took over the lead from Canfield on the next restart, while three-time division champion Ken Cassidy was asserting himself moving through the top-five into second position when caution was back out on lap-23. By lap-26 Cassidy was the new leader, moving to the inside of Colvin out of turn four with a strong move. Cassidy was able to pull out to a healthy lead as the laps ticked away, nearly a straightaway ahead of Colvin as the race reached the final ten laps. The race remained green through the checkered flag, and Cassidy picked up another win, tying him atop the all-time division win list with Danny Field. Behind Cassidy, Colvin, Canfield, Ray Christian and Ian Brew rounded the top-five
finishers.
Galvin awaited opportunity in the 25-lap Street Stock feature, riding out the early laps trying to hold on to third position behind a battle for the top spot between Steve Barrett and past champion Norm Root. The two waged a side-by-side war for the lead over the first portion of the race. Root was outside Barrett for several laps before fading back in the outside lane. Galvin moved to second behind Barrett, while defending champion Al Stone was looking for racing room to contend from third position.
Galvin began his quest for victory on lap-8, trying the inside of Barrett. At first he was unsuccessful, but stayed with it and eventually was able to power by Barrett to lead on lap-11. Galvin survived just one interruption, a caution for a spin by Brandon Plemons inside the final seven laps.
Galvin didn’t miss a beat on the restart, cruising to the win over the final laps. Chris Meyer took second position at the checkered flag, while Barrett battled all race to claim third. Stone and Ernie Larose completed the top-five finishers.
Rose was impressive after battling through the top-ten early in the Northeast Mini Stock Tour feature. He took over from early leader and Speedbowl regular Phil Evans following a lap-9 restart. Rose won by a straightaway advantage. Speedbowl regulars Chris Williams, Charles Canfield, Sean Caron and Mark Panaroni completed the top five.
D’addario, the reigning Wednesday night X-Car king, returned to the division in stellar fashion. In his first start for 2011, he claimed the lead before halfway in the 20-lap feature, and went on to the win. He bested a hard charging Pete Zaikarite and Chris Garside for the win in the closing laps.
In the 25-lap open competition four-cylinder race, it was Rose again dominating the field. He went on unfettered to the win, his second of the night. Canfield took his third podium finish on the night with a second place finish and Ray Christian finished in third.
Waterford Speedbowl 6/4 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series official results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 2. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 3. Glenn Pressel III, Gales Ferry; 4. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 5. Tucker Reynolds Jr., Westbrook; 6. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 7. Randy Churchill Jr., Oakdale; 8. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 9. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 10. Pete Pavone, Southbury; 11. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 12. Brent Sweet, Monroe; 13. Dennis Gada, Salem; 14. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 15. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 16. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 17. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 18. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 19. Mike Sweeney, Meriden
Standings after seven events: 1. (tie) Rocco, Chadwick, 294; 3. Pearl, 291; 4. Abele, 278; 5. James, 272; 6. Janovic, 262; 7. Perry, 240; 8. Pressel, 238; 9. Reynolds, 236; 10. Ron Yuhas Jr., 232
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 2. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 3. Steve Barrett, Preston; 4. Al Stone III, New Haven; 5. Ernie Larose, Moosup; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford; 7. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 8. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 9. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 10. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 11. Paul Gaedeke, Southington; 12. Charles Beal, Ledyard
Standings after seven events: 1. Puleo, 303; 2. Stone, 281; 3. Galvin, 243; 4. Meyer, 236; 5. Barrett, 232; 6. Plemons, 230; 7. Root, 219; 8. Beal, 186; 9. (tie) Chris Kvaka, Appell, 152
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (50-laps): 1. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 2. Glenn Colvin, Clinton; 3. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 4. Ray Christian III, Groton; 5. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 6. Chris Williams, Waterford; 7. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford; 8. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 9. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 10. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 11. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 12. Brian Norman, Clinton; 13. Ben Bargnesi, Norwich; 14.Daniel McGouran, Westerly, RI; 15. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI; 16. Doug Curry, Groton; 17. Gerry Young, Canterbury; 18. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 19. Bill Leonard, Bradford, RI
Standings after eight events: 1. Colvin, 357; 2. Leonard, 335;. 3. Cassidy, 333; 4. Brew, 322; 5. Christian, 320; 6.. Evans, 317; 7. Cembruch, 307; 8. Williams, 295; 9. Canfield, 272; 10. Kellerman, 260
Northeast Mini Stock Tour (50-laps): 1. Calvin Rose, Turner, ME; 2. Chris Williams, Waterford; 3. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 4. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 5. Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton; 6. Rob Greenleaf, West Bath, ME; 7. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 8. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 9. Louis Maher, Worcester, MA; 10. John Kelly, New London; 11. Joe Kendall, Winchedon, MA; 12. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 13. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 14. Scott Michalski, South Killingly; 15. Christofer King, Derry, NH; 16. Roger Ducharme, Foster, RI; 17. Ricky Labreque, Contoocook, NH; 18. Justin King, Derry, NH; 19. Bill Leonard, Bradford, RI; 20. Jonathon Suprenant, Central Village; 21. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 22. Ben Bargnesi, Norwich; 23. Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls, ME; 24. Tim Higginbotham, North Dighton, MA
Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday X-Cars (25-laps): 1. Dan D’addario, Columbia; 2. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 3. Chris Garside, Waterford; 4. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 5. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 6. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 7. Patrick Williams, Middletown; 8. Shawn Stula, Colchester; 9. Christopher Ivory, Oakdale; 10. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 11. Rick Mollo, Seymour; 12. David Amspacher, Uncasville; 13. Nathan Lloyd, Mystic; 14. Michael Pierce, Windsor; 15. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 16. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 17. C.P. Burdick, Deep River; 18. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 19. Josh Barrie, Voluntown; 20. Armand Banks, Charlestown, RI; 21. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 22. Jeremy Bourbeau, Taftville
Open comp Four Cylinder Challenge (25-laps) top-three: 1. Calvin Rose, Turner, ME; 2. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 3. Ray Christian, Groton
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR