Andronaco, Puleo, Pappacoda and Webb score NWAAS victories; Dimatteo, Morin and Logan other winners
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was busy Saturday with its annual Thunder on the Sound racing program, featuring eight main events including the Budweiser Modified Nationals SK Modified-150. Woody Pitkat of Stafford Springs made his first visit of the year to the Speedbowl worthwhile, taking his first career win at the track in the biggest race of the season. Other winners on the night included Brian Andronaco of Wilton who took the checkered flag in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, Ed Puleo of Branford who came out on top of an exciting conclusion to the Street Stock event and David Webb of New Milford who scored his first career Speedbowl victory in the SK Light Modified race. Nick Pappacoda of Branford won the night’s Mini Stock feature, Dana Dimatteo of Farmington was the Legends Cars winner and Ken Morin Jr. of Old Saybrook won the night’s Bandolero feature. In the visiting Allison Legacy Series tour race, James Logan of Dighton, MA scored the victory.
The 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature ran virtually trouble free. Andronaco led from the opening green flag ahead of a battle for second between Joe Curioso and Dennis Botticello. Behind that pair, Anthony Flannery and Bruce Thomas Jr. were in the mix of the top-five as well. The only caution period of the race brought the field back to Andronaco on lap-11 due to a minor spin back in the field.
Andronaco had to fight off Curioso on the restart. Curioso was able to lead laps 12 and 13 from the outside before Andronaco drove back ahead, while Curioso ultimately succumbed to both Flannery and Thomas who took over second and third positions. However neither were able to challenge Andronaco, who went on to win his second feature on the season, but first since May. Flannery, Thomas, Curioso and Rich Staskowski finished second through fifth.
Brandon Plemons led the opening seven laps in the 25-lap Street Stock race before retiring to the infield with mechanical failure. That turned the top spot over to Chris Meyer, who inherited the top spot just before the third and final caution flag waved in the race. Meyer led after the restart and used the run of extended green flag racing to build a cushion ahead of the field that battled behind.
Mike Caprio and Al Stone battled for second position before they got together but gathered their cars, but each dropped multiple positions. Josh Galvin raced to second position and set his sights on Meyer. Puleo rebounded from a battle with Nate Appell earlier in the race to rise to third position, then followed Galvin in pursuit of the leader.
Galvin and Puleo gained on Meyer over the final 10 laps and with just five laps remaining, the duo caught him. Galvin was the first to make a move, looking low on lap-21. Meyer held him off while Puleo jumped to the outside lane. Puleo first got around Galvin on lap-23, then charged alongside Meyer as they raced the final two laps. Puleo powered ahead into the lead on the white flag lap and took his sixth checkered flag on the year to extend his points lead. Galvin rallied by Meyer on the final lap to take second bringing Stone back to third at the finish. Meyer and Jack Aquilina completed the top-five.
In the 25-lap Mini Stock main event, Christina Kellerman took the lead from the green flag and led Pappacoda for the first seven laps. Kellerman eventually gave way to Pappacoda, who made an inside move to be scored the new leader on lap-8. Ian Brew followed Pappacoda into second and kept within striking distance of the leader. The pack would race under the green flag until lap-16 when Ray Christian crashed in turn four.
Pappacoda raced back into the lead following the restart leaving behind Brew, who was in the grips of Chris Williams. Williams actually snatched second position away for a lap before Brew settled back in behind Pappacoda. The race would continue on through the checkered flag with Pappacoda nailing down his second win on the year. Jeff Cembruch edged Brew for second place at the finish, while Williams finished in fourth ahead of point leader Glenn Colvin, who claimed fifth.
Victoria Bergenty rocketed out to the lead in the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature. She built up a near straightaway advantage over a battle for second which Bubby Brouwer held ahead of Chris Correll and Webb. They both made their way by Brouwer on lap-6. Webb then pressured Correll, first looking inside before using the outside groove to race around Correll into second position on lap-10. Brouwer and Bo Gunning battled for fourth when Gunning got crossed up to bring out caution before the field could complete lap-11.
Webb lined up to Bergenty’s outside whose lead had vanished. With Webb contending to her outside, Bergenty got crossed up headed into turn one on lap-12, spinning onto the track apron between turns one and two. Gunning piled in behind with nowhere to go.
Following the cleanup, Webb was not threatened the rest of the way to his first career win at the track. Tyler Jackson ran well to claim second at the finish, while Correll placed third. Paul French finished fourth and Greg Moran Sr. was fifth.
The 20-lap Legends Cars feature went down to the wire among multiple drivers. Joey Mucciacciaro led the race through its opening laps but was under fire from the beginning from several competitors. Recent feature winner Paul Kusheba led the opening laps raced in second, then used an inside move to track past Mucciacciaro into the race lead on lap-7. Caution would waive just after the lead change for Kyle Rogers who spun in turn two.
Kusheba resumed his lead, however was not able to shake Mucciacciaro, Nick Ladyga or Dimatteo behind. Mucciacciaro was bounced out of line into the turn four wall on lap-9, returning the race to caution and dropping Mucciacciaro from contention.
Kusheba led the second half of the race seeking a second consecutive Saturday win. Dimatteo chased him down and used a final lap move to the inside of turn three to make his winning bid. The pair raced even through turn four with Dimatteo coming out on top by .023 seconds for an exciting win.
Morin won the 20-lap Bandolero feature showing the patience of a veteran racer beyond his years. Morin raced up to second position behind leader Jordan Churchill and spent the next 11 laps tucked in behind the leader in a two-car break away at the front. Joey Ternullo raced around the outside into third position and ran down the leaders. Just before Ternullo approached the top two, Morin ducked out of line to move by Churchill’s inside to lead lap-13. Morin cruised to the win from there, while Ternullo got around Churchill for second at the checkered flag. Churchill, Cory Dimatteo and Derek Debbis completed the top-five.
Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 9/3 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30-laps): 1. Brian Andronaco Jr., Wilton; 2. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 3. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 4. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck; 5. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 6. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 7. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 8. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 9. Mike Sweeney, Meriden; 10. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 11. Vin Esposito, Seymour; DNS � Larry Goss, North Windham
Standings after sixteen events: 1. Thomas, 736; 2. Smith, 724; 3. Staskowski, 702; 4. Curioso, 640; 5. Flannery, 639; 6. Esposito, 624; 7. Andronaco, 608; 8. Palmer, 559; 9. Sweeney, 464; 10. Duranti, 424
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Ed Puleo, Branford; 2. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 3. Al Stone, New Haven; 4. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 5. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 6. Shawn Monahan, Waterford; 7. Tom Silva, Groton; 8. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 9. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 10. Steve Barrett, Preston; 11. Joe Arena, Bristol; 12. Bill McNeil, Niantic; 13. Charles Beal, Ledyard; 14. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; 15. Michael Caprio, New Haven; 16. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville
Standings after seventeen events: 1. Puleo, 826; 2. Stone, 803; 3. Galvin, 761; 4. Meyer, 741; 5. Plemons, 660; 6. Barrett, 634; 7. Appell, 548; 8. Caprio, 511; 9. Beal, 494; 10. Norm Root Jr., 353
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (25-laps): 1. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 2. Jeff Cembruch, Wallingford; 3. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 4. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 5. Glenn Colvin, Clinton; 6. Jeff Mehlenbacher, Plainfield; 7. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 8. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 9. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 10. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 11. Dennis Perry, Pawcatuck; 12. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 13. Brian Norman, Clinton; 14. Doug Curry, Groton; 15. Chris Williams, Waterford; 16. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI; 17. Dave Sylvia, Preston; 18. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 19. Lloyd Anderson Jr., Wauregan; 20. Ray Christian III, Groton; 21. D.J. McGouran, Westerly, RI
Standings after seventeen events: 1. Colvin, 774; 2. Cassidy, 738; 3. Williams, 675; 4. Evans, 659; 5. Cembruch, 651; 6. Brew, 644; 7. Canfield, 578; 8. Christian, 564; 9. Pappacoda, 558; 10. Kellerman, 548
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modifieds (25-laps): 1. David Webb, New Milford; 2. Tyler Jackson, Milford; 3. Chris Correll, New London; 4. Paul French, Andover; 5. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 6. Richard “Bubby” Brouwer, Waterford; 7. Chris Ignazio, Colchester; 8. Steve Skenyon, South Windsor; 9. Corey Larson, Bolton; 10. Bo Gunning, Bethlehem; 11. Paul Tommasino, Meriden; DQ � Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
Standings after five events: 1. French, 255; 2. Correll, 218; 3. Brouwer, 200; 4. Larson, 190; 5. Webb, 185; 6. Moran, 184; 7. Gunning, 162; 8. Alan Benincaso, 140; 9. Ignazio, 132; 10. Bergenty, 114
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 2. Paul Kusheba, Monroe; 3. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 4. Dylan Izzo, Westport; 5. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 6. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 7. Ed Field, Deep River; 8. Carl Blandina, Milford; 9. Joseph Parker, Weymouth, MA; 10. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 11. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 12. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 13. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin; 14. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 15. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 16. Richard Erlandson; 17. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 18. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 19. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott
Standings after nine events: 1. D. Dimatteo, 437; 2. Kusheba, 350; 3. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 4. Izzo, 292; 5. Talman, 290; 6. Field, 278; 7. (tie) Garbo, Giovanni Giarratana, 273; 9. Rogers, 264; 10. Mucciacciaro, 254
Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 2. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 3. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 4. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 5. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 6. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 7. Alan Eastman, Fishers Island, NY; 8. Rene Morgillo, Niantic; 9. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 10. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 11. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck
Saturday Showdown Series standings: 1. Martin, 49; 2. Churchill, 44; 3. C. Dimatteo, 41; 4. Ternullo, 27; 5. Morin, 24; 6. Jacob Urch, 20; 7. (tie) Morgillo, Robby Jones, 19; 9. (tie) Forte, Perry, Andrew Molleur, 12
Allison Legacy North Racing Series (20-laps): 1. James Logan, Dighton, MA; 2. Peter Portante, Plainville; 3. Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT; 4. Brad Zahensky, Bow, NH; 5. Troy McNeil, Fitchburg, MA; 6. Anthony Ryan, Danbury; 7. Devin O’Connell, Madison; 8. Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, NH; DNS � Jarrett Torriere, Winchester, MA; DNS � T.J. Jeski, Dracut, MA