Waterford Speedbowl 5/5 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl played host to a six-division race program Saturday evening as part of the shoreline oval’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule. Picking up series wins on the night were Keith Rocco of Meriden, who grabbed his fourth victory of the season in the SK Modifieds® while Mike Caprio of New Haven won the night’s extra-distance Street Stock feature. Other NASCAR Whelen All-American Series winners included Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon, who won his fifth Mini Stock race out of six on the year and Corey Barry of Plainfield, who was named the winner in the SK Light Modified feature. Matt Pappa of Nassua, NY was the night’s Legends Cars feature winner and hometown driver Dan Butler won another Super X-Car race.
Joe Perry led the SK Modified® field to the green flag for the 35-lap lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature. While Perry got away into the race lead, he led a battle for the top spots over an opening seven lap run. Frank Mucciacciaro held second, however Jeff Rocco and Diego Monahan were in pursuit as they got by Joe Gada’s inside. Monahan was testing Rocco’s outside for third, while Rocco pestered Mucciacciaro for second. Monahan seized opportunity to dive inside Rocco in turn two on lap-7 and as the pair exited the turn, contact saw both make hard contact with the backstretch wall to bring out the caution flag. The incident triggered more contact further behind, with Keith Rocco and Ed Puleo among those drawing damage. Rocco stayed out, however Puleo joined Jeff Pearl pit side for repairs.
Perry got away from Mucciacciaro after the cleanup, bringing Kyle James into second position. Tyler Chadwick advanced to third, then raced outside James on lap-9 to take the position. Chadwick was not satisfied with second, and three laps later he moved to Perry’s outside in a bid for the lead. Chadwick completed the pass heading into turn one, just getting away from Perry as James made contact with him. The contact sent Perry for a spin, clipping James in the process. Caution returned over the speedway with Chadwick scored as the leader.
Chadwick got a strong restart to lead the field into turn one. Keith Rocco moved into second, followed by Rob Janovic Jr. Chadwick pulled away from Rocco, who was getting pressure from Janovic for the second position. Janovic used the outside lane to get around Rocco on lap-17 and set sail for Chadwick. The third caution period came when Puleo spun in turn three on lap-19, collecting Jeffrey Gallup who made contact with the wall, ending his evening. During the caution, Keith Rocco pitted to improve the handles on his machine and resumed from the rear of the field.
Once the race was back under the green flag, Chadwick pulled ahead of Janovic who tucked in behind in second position. Tom Abele was up to third with Pearl taking over fourth from Gada. Chadwick could not shake Janovic, who remained on his bumper looking for a lane to challenge. Janovic looked low on more than one occasion, however couldn’t find the racing room to get along side.
Rocco was moving through the field after his pit stop, making his way into the top-five and beginning to look to Pearl’s outside on lap-28. Ahead, Janovic and Chadwick’s battle for the top spot raged on as the laps counted down. In turns one and two of lap-29 the leaders made contact, sending both cars sliding out of shape. When the dust settled the caution was displayed and Janovic had right front damage, while Chadwick pitted for service to his machine from the contact.
Abele and Pearl lined up on the front row for the restart, with Abele getting the better of Pearl. Rocco was by Pearl’s inside through turn one and two, setting up the final five lap run to the checkered flag. Rocco dogged Abele looking for a way around, seeking his fourth victory of the year. Headed into turn one on lap-32, Rocco made a bold inside move on Abele. He made the move stick and raced out of turn two with the lead. Abele got to Rocco’s rear bumper in turn three with Rocco able to hang on to his lead. From there he went on to the win. Abele had to settle for second, while Morgillo was in the podium with a fine third place run. Pearl and Chadwick completed the top-five.
The 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stock feature had Caprio starting on the pole after a season of heartache. He turned in his finest performance of the young season, leading every lap on his way to the win. At times, Caprio’s lead was over a half-straightaway or more.
While Caprio left little drama for the top spot, the competition behind him was well contested throughout the extra-distance race. Dan Darnstaedt held second for much of the early going but several others including Greg Moran Jr., Walt Hovey, Chris Meyer, Ray Downing Jr. and Josh Galvin had their eye on the top spots. Several side-by-side battles endured over a 21 lap green flag run over the middle stages of the race. After halfway, Hovey quickened his pace, getting by Darnstaedt into second place. The third and final caution of the race waved on lap-35 when Downing blew a right front tire sending his car into the wall.
Caprio got away from Hovey on the restart and went unchallenged to the win. Hovey finished in the runner-up spot, with Meyer running a solid race to place third. Darnstaedt was fourth, while former track champion and division veteran Ted Dupre came alive late in the going to take fifth at the finish.
Bill Leonard took the lead from the outside front row at the start of the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock main event. Leonard outran the competition for much of the race, which ran without a caution flag. Behind the leader Ray Christian, Ian Brew, Garrett Denton, Chris Williams and Cassidy were among those racing for position in the top-five spots.
At halfway, the running order behind Leonard saw Christian in second followed by Brew, Cassidy and Williams. Christian was tacked on to Leonard’s rear deck lid while Cassidy was running them down. Brew and Williams were locked in a clash for fourth.
Cassidy went to Christian’s inside on lap-15 to edge ahead into second position. That left him ample time to size up Leonard, who made Cassidy work for his fifth win of the season. Leonard protected the low lane, boxing Cassidy in as Christian jumped back him for second. Brew and Williams continued their great side-by-side battle for fourth.
Cassidy cleared Christian for second place again and went to work on Leonard’s outside. He finally went outside on lap-20, pulling alongside in turn three and ahead out of turn four. He finished off the remaining laps to go on to the checkered flag first. Leonard, Christian, Brew and Williams were second through fifth.
Chris Correll wasted no time getting out front in the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modified feature. He showed the way over the caution-free race, however Barry’s move to take second place early in the race proved to be the winning maneuver. Correll’s car failed post-race inspection, moving Barry up to the win.
Behind Barry a spirited battle over much of the race took place between Tyler Jackson, Jason Ferreira and Shayne Prucker. Jackson moved up to third position past Ferreira early, only to be overtaken by Prucker on lap-16. Ferreira also got by Jackson, who dropped back to fifth. The running order didn’t change again until the final lap when Jackson spun in turn four. That bumped Chris Ignazio into fourth position and Dick Ceravolo up to fifth. Ceravolo, the 1988 SK Modified® champion, returned behind the wheel after more than 20 years on the sidelines. Ceravolo looked comfortable behind the wheel all race, defying his 71 year-old age.
The 20-lap Legend Cars feature saw 2011 track champion Dana Dimatteo take the race lead on lap-5. He went by Nicholas Sowa’s inside, powering ahead down the back chute. Pappa was hot on Dimatteo’s tail, racing by Sowa and then spending three laps on Dimatteo’s bumper until he looked outside on lap-8. Pappa pulled even and ahead down the backstretch to become the third leader.
Pappa opened up a four length lead while behind him, Paul Kusheba looked to Dimatteo’s outside in a bid for second. Giovanni Giarratana was fourth, waiting on a lane to open up. Dylan Izzo was also in the mix holding down fifth. The caution flag waved on lap-12 when Dimatteo’s car suddenly erupted in a ball of fire from under the hood entering turn one. Sowa ricocheted off the wall in the incident, which saw Dimatteo stop in turn two and exit his car in quick order.
Once the track was cleared, racing resumed with papa getting a great restart into turn one. Giarratana moved under Kusheba to battle for second, edging ahead before caution on lap-14 saw three cars get together in the back half of the field to return the race to caution.
Pappa got away on the next restart, with Kusheba racing back under Giarratana for second. Kusheba would take that spot and bring Izzo with him into third. The final caution was out on lap-17 for a quick spin in turn two by David Johnson.
Pappa needed one final jump to race on to the win. Izzo climbed into second by Kusheba on the final restart. Giarratana took fourth position while Kyle Rogers finished fifth.
Butler had the field covered in another Saturday Showdown Series event for the Super X-Cars. He powered ahead of early race leader Eric Finkbein following an inside move through turn four to take over. Butler had to master one restart over Finkbein en route to victory, going on to win by nearly a straightaway advantage.
Official Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 5/5 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 2. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 3. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 4. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 5. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford; 7. Joe Gada, Salem; 8. Will Schneider, Northport, NY; 9. Al Stone, New Haven; 10. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 11. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 12. Chris Ignazio, Colchester; 13. Rich Brooks, Groton; 14. Todd Ceravolo, North Stonington; 15. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 16. Jeffrey Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA; 17. Jason Ferreira, Lowell, MA; 18. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 19. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 20. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford; 21. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Mike Caprio, New Haven; 2. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 3. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 4. Dan Darnstaedt, Westbrook; 5. Ted Dupre, Westbrook; 6. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 7. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 8. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 9. John Blake, Shelton; 10. Bill McNeil, Preston; 11. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 12. Joe Arena, Bristol; 13. Ray Downing Jr., Westbrook; 14. Paul Gaedeke, Southington; 15. Allen Coates, Ledyard; 16. Scott Young, Willimantic; 17. Alan Hall Jr., North Haven; DQ – Greg Moran Jr., Preston
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (25-laps): 1. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 2. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 3. Ray Christian, Groton; 4. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 5. Chris Williams, Waterford; 6. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford; 7. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 8. Wayne Burroughs Jr., 9. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 10. Doug Curry, Groton; 11. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 12. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 13. Chris Ivory, Oakdale; 14. Joey DeGregorio, New Haven; 15. Chris Garside, Waterford; 16. Joseph Liskiewicz, Preston; 17. Joseph Fogarasi, Columbia; 18. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI; 19. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 20. Floyd Chesbro, Griswold; 21. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modifieds (25-laps): 1. Corey Barry, Plainfield; 2. Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs; 3. Jason Ferreira, Lowell, MA; 4. Chris Ignazio, Colchester; 5. Dick Ceravolo, Groton; 6. Paul French, Andover; 7. Corey Larson, Bolton; 8. Tyler Jackson, Milford; 9. Alan Benincaso, Westport; 10. Larry Goss, North Windham; DQ – Chris Correll, Quaker Hill
INEX Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Matt Pappa, Nassua, NY; 2. Dylan Izzo, Westport; 3. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 4. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 5. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 6. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 7. George Whitney, Westbrook; 8. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 9. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin; 10. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 11. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 12. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 13. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 14. Scott McKnickle, Ledyard; 15. Richard Erlandson, Moodus; 16. John O’Sullivan, Bethany; 17. David Johnson, Arlingham, MA; 18. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 19. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 20. Peter Cirilli, Farmington
Saturday Showdown Series #3 – Super X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Dan Butler, Waterford; 2. Eric Finkbein, Colchester; 3. Ken Downing III, Branford; 4. Ed Ryan, Preston; 5. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 6. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme; 7. Robert Norman, Clinton; 8. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 9. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton; 10. Shawn Butler, Jewett City; 11. Paul Turcotte, East Hartford; 12. Jon Porter, Canterbury; 13. Ray Phillips, Canterbury
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR