Chadwick reaches SK Modified® winner’s circle; Staskowski, Galvin, Williams take NWAAS victories, Ternullo a winner; Garbo takes Legends Nationals qualifier
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl hosted a six-division racing program including NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing plus a special National Legends Tour event and Bandolero features. Taking down victories were Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard who won his third SK Modified® race of the season. Rich Staskowski of Hope Valley, RI won his third Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature on the year, while it was Josh Galvin of Franklin in the winner’s circle for the fourth time in the Street Stocks. Chris Williams also earned his fourth win this year in the Mini Stocks. Dave Garbo Jr. of Stonington continued his stellar Legends Cars season by taking the Legends Cars 50-lap race, earning him a guaranteed starting spot in the Legends Cars Nationals October 27-29 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Joey Ternullo of Middletown won the night’s Bandolero feature.
The 35-lap SK Modified® feature saw Randy Churchill use his pole starting position to take the race lead when the green flag unfurled. Churchill raced ahead of Joe Perry who held second position. Chadwick was up to third position by lap-3 after finding the fast groove around the inside of both Nichole Morgillo and Joe Gada who slipped back over the early laps. Rob Janovic Jr., Kyle James and Jeff Pearl each joined the battle up front after making their way by.
Chadwick moved to Perry’s inside in turn three on lap-4 to take second position, and Janovic duplicated the move on lap-5 to move to third. Chadwick ran down the brief lead Churchill had gained and started to pressure the leader as early as lap-7. Just as things began to heat up at the front, Shawn Solomito spun in turn two before lap-8 was completed to bring out the race’s first caution period.
On the restart Churchill drag raced Chadwick into turn one, however a chain reaction accident was triggered when Churchill appeared to get crossed up entering turn one. The field stacked up behind the top four and about half the field became jammed in turn one. James, Morgillo, and Glenn Pressel were finished for the night while Pearl sustained damage which sent him to the pits for repair and eventually out of the event.
The front row of Churchill and Chadwick again raced to turn one on the next attempt to start the race, with Chadwick pulling ahead out of turn two. He led lap-8 and pulled out to a three car lead. The race remained under the green flag through lap-32 so the pack had plenty of time to navigate and race hard for position.
Janovic rode in third and began to turn up the pressure on Churchill as Chadwick slowly stretched his lead. Behind the top three, Keith Rocco was rising through the top ten and into fourth position. He chased down the battle for second position and joined on Janovic’s rear bumper. At halfway that trio raced behind Chadwick, while Diego Monahan held fifth.
While Janovic could not get enough bite in the outside lane to challenge Churchill, Rocco eventually went to the top groove in an effort to make a bid on Janovic. He was outside Janovic’s right rear on lap-25 and a lap later he was in third behind Churchill. Rocco spent four laps sizing up Churchill who was enjoying his best run of his rookie season. Rocco then went outside, however Churchill was able to fight off the move on lap-30. Rocco then went inside, diving under Churchill in turn two on lap-32 to take the spot. Frank Mucciacciaro spun exiting turn four to finally slow the blistering pace of the race, eliminating Chadwick’s advantage.
With Rocco lined up to his outside, Chadwick had to survive two final restarts. After the first, Monahan spun from fifth position to return the race to caution briefly. Chadwick again had the power to keep Rocco behind him in second place, and took his third victory on the year. Rocco’s second place finish was enough to bolster his points lead after Pearl’s early trouble. Janovic was third, while Churchill put forth his best effort of the year to take fourth. Perry was fifth.
Jeff Smith took the lead at the start of the 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature. Behind Smith, Staskowski settled into second position during the opening green-flag run. Jason Palmer moved to third position and began to run down the top two who after they opened up some racing room over the field. The first caution interrupted the great early racing on lap-10 when Mark Cooper looped his car off turn four and backed into the wall.
Staskowski gave Smith all he could handle on the restart. He remained to Smith’s outside, edging ahead into the lead on lap-13 and then was persistent in his pursuit of the lead. After several laps Staskowski finally took over from Smith for good on lap-17. Caution waved for Dennis Botticello who spun off the backchute before lap-18 could be reached.
On the restart Staskowski got away into the lead, leaving Smith in the grips of Palmer for second. Palmer raced to Smith’s inside, taking the spot looking to muster a challenge on Staskowski. Smith settled into third, ahead of point leader Bruce Thomas Jr. That run came to an end on lap-27 as Thomas and Joe Curioso got together sending Thomas spinning from the top-five to bring out caution.
After the restart, the final laps were run without further delay. Staskowski got away from Palmer on when green flag racing returned over the field, going on to his third victory on the year. Palmer had to hold back Smith who rallied late to try and reclaim second position. Out of the final corner, Palmer was able to beat Smith for second by a half car. Brian Andronaco and Tim Jordan completed the top-five. Thomas rallied back to sixth at the finish to maintain his points lead over Smith and Staskowski, who were able to close in for the championship chase.
Brandon Plemons raced into the lead at the start of the 25-lap Street Stock race. The former track champion looked strong over the first 10 laps which were run under green. Mike Caprio held second while a battle behind him saw Galvin, Chris Meyer, Steve Barrett and Ed Puleo side-by-side as they tried to race to the front. Charles Beal spun in turn four to halt the run.
Plemons resumed his lead on the restart with Galvin moving up to second. Only one lap was complete before Tom Abele Jr. came to rest with Paul Gaedeke in turn four against the wall. Tom Silva and Nate Appell also spun through the infield just ahead with all the action returning the race under yellow flag conditions.
Galvin was up to the challenge on the restart. He stayed with Plemons before he dove under the leader exiting turn four. The pair raced even before Galvin used the advantage of the inside lane on lap-15 as Plemons broke loose through turns one and two. As he gathered up his car, Galvin streaked into the lead. Puleo had marched up to third position, Shawn Monahan was up to fourth and Al Stone held down fifth as the race was under 10 laps to go. Stone had made his way past Monahan before contact between the two sent Stone around in turn two on lap-22 collecting others. Both Stone and Monahan were forced to resume from the rear.
Galvin, Puleo and Plemons were locked in a tense battle for the win over the final laps. Puleo was able to race to Galvin’s outside in a bid to take the victory. Galvin raced hard to his inside while Plemons was in contention close behind in third. Galvin held his lead through to the checkered flag in an exciting finish. Puleo was second and Plemons placed third. Silva and Caprio raced to the finish for fourth, with Silva just edging ahead for the position.
Williams would not be denied in the 25-lap Mini Stock race. He raced to polesitter Christina Kellerman’s outside to lead lap-1. Once in the lead, Williams pulled away from the field behind as several competitors jockeyed into position. Ian Brew took second while Nick Pappacoda moved in to challenge Kellerman. Just behind, Ken Cassidy Jr. followed Pappacoda by Kellerman on lap-5 to move up to fourth, with Pappacoda taking third. Williams’ lead was erased on lap-7 after Kellerman was spun in turn three, getting tagged by Doug Curry and Joey DeGregorio which brought out the yellow flag.
Williams led the restart while Brew continued in second. Cassidy came up to third, with point leader Glenn Colvin taking fourth. Cassidy was not content in third and he tracked down Brew to race by his inside on lap-18, moving to second. Two laps later Colvin was in third past Brew, who faded back to fifth when Phil Evans also got by him on lap-20.The race continued under the green flag and Williams went unchallenged to his fourth win of the year. Cassidy, Colvin, Evans and Brew took second through fifth at the finish.
The 20-lap Bandolero feature saw Taylor Martin lead the first two laps before Ternullo rocketed around the outside lane to move into the lead. Ternullo and Martin would move out to a commanding lead while a trio of competitors including Ken Morin Jr., Cory Dimatteo and Jordan Churchill ran in tight formation nearly a third of a track behind. The race went on without caution until lap-14 when Corey Comeroski stalled on the track apron. Martin momentarily challenged Ternullo when the green flag returned, however Ternullo charged back into the lead. Ternullo went on to the win over Martin who raced a close second. Morin finished in third.
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR