Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 5/16 Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl returned to action Wednesday evening with Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday under seasonable weather after skies cleared from the early week rain. Taking victories during the program included Matt Pappa of Nassau, NY in the Legends Cars feature, Rachel Forte of Douglas, MA in the Bandolero feature, Scott Limkemann of East Lyme in the night’s X-Car race and Dan Butler of Waterford in the Super X-Car event. Christopher Lee of Uncasville won the night’s Wacky event, a Flag Pole Race for the X-Cars.
Pappa persevered in the 20-lap Legends Cars feature to come out on top for the second time in as many Wednesday events on the year. He was involved in a lap-2 incident that involved multiple cars then rallied back to the win.
The race began with rookie Joey Ternullo showing the way from his pole starting position. Ternullo led a battle for second place among several cars over the opening laps. Nicholas Lascuola got inside Daniel Stolte on lap-2 to take second, pulling just ahead as Stolte got hooked up with Nicholas Sowa exiting turn four. Dennis Pantani, Stephen Kopcik, Carl Blandina and Pappa all got a piece of the action off turn four. Several cars came to rest against the wall while Pappa spun after slight contact.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
After the cleanup, Ternullo turned over his lead to defending track champion Dana Dimatto in turn one on lap-4. Dave Garbo Jr. followed suit also getting around Ternullo’s inside, immediately giving chase to Dimatteo. Garbo began to peek to Dimatteo’s outside, testing the Speedbowl’s top groove. Behind them Angelo Belsito was holding third over Lascuola while Pappa barnstormed his way back into the top-five on lap-5. Pappa wasted no time disposing of both Belsito and Lascuola on lap-6 to take third.
Lap-6 was a busy lap as Garbo also made a move on Dimatteo. He wound up his machine in the outside lane and carried momentum forward into the race lead by a half car length on lap-7. Down the back chute as the leaders worked lap-8, Garbo was in sole possession of the lead over Dimatteo. Pappa caught the leaders looking primed to make a move sooner rather than later.
Pappa’s move came on lap-9 when he saw daylight to Dimatteo’s inside in turn three. Pappa eased underneath Dimatteo and off turn four, drag raced down the front chute to take hold of the position in turns one and two on lap-10. Garbo’s lead was four cars over Pappa however that evaporated on lap-12 when Giovanni Giarratana lost an engine and came to rest on the apron of the track, surrendering fifth position.
Garbo got the jump on the restart to resume his lead into turn one. Pappa tucked back in after trying to make an outside maneuver following the restart. Just after they completed lap-13, Pappa boldly dove underneath Garbo headed into turn one. Pappa slid sideways after hitting oil-dry in the low groove, just clipping Garbo’s left rear. Garbo made a great save up the track to keep control, however turned the lead over to Pappa in the exchange.
Off turn two Pappa was the new leader, leaving Garbo in the hands of Dimatteo who refused to give in. Dimatteo moved back to second position just ahead of Garbo for three laps before Garbo stormed back. Garbo took back second inside of Dimatteo on lap-17. While the battle for second raged on, Pappa’s lead grew to nearly a half-straightaway. He went on unchallenged over the final laps to the win. Garbo held back Dimatteo on the final lap to finish second. Behind Dana Dimatteo were Belsito and Dana’s younger brother Cory Dimatteo.
2011 champion Rachel Forte took the lead early on in the 20-lap Bandolero feature. Moving to second place was Ken Morin Jr. with Jacob Urch chasing the top two runners from third over the first half of the race which ran caution-free.
That trio distanced themselves ahead of the competition to make it a three-car race out front for the win. Forte was able to keep a three car advantage over Morin. The best battle on the speedway was for fourth as Derek Debbis and A.J. Eastman duked it out, with Eastman able to keep the position. As laps continued to count off the scoreboard, Urch faded in third. Forte and Morin’s hopes for a clean run through the checkered flag failed to come true when Rene Morgillo spun in turn two on lap-17, bringing out a caution flag.
The restart lined Morin up to the outside of Forte, giving him a shot at the defending champion. Forte closed strong however and was able to fight off Morin’s brief outside bid following the restart. The final three laps were run through the checkered flag and Forte hung on for her first victory of the year. Morin finished in second and Urch hung on for third over Debbis, who beat out Eastman for fourth over the final sprint to the checkered flag.
The 20-lap Super X-Car feature got off to a wild and wacky start as a multi-car incident in turn three on the opening lap collected several top cars. Matt Carlson and Mike Maskell spun, also involving Ken Cassidy Sr., Frank Alessio, John Yagmin and Ed Ryan, all of whom had to resume at the rear of the pack for the second attempt to start the race.
The second attempt also saw trouble break out in turn three before a lap was completed. Ken Downing and Jim Boyle got crossed up battling among the leaders, sliding sideways collecting Eric Finkbein. All were able to stay pointed in the right direction and continue on without drawing another yellow flag. The turn of events left Jon Porter out to a commanding lead ahead of Butler, who also came through the early madness unscathed. Kevin Moon occupied third position while a battle for fourth among Boyle, Downing and Finkbein raged on. That group caught Moon on lap-7 just before the second caution waved.
The complexion of the race changed under caution as Porter ducked into the pits, giving up his lead to mechanical woes. That handed the lead over to Butler. On the restart two action packed laps were recorded with the field doubled up in rows of two battling hard for position. Finkbein drove the outside lane to charge into second position when Matt Carlson spun in a single car incident in turn two on lap-9.
Finkbein gave Butler a run of it when racing resumed. He stayed outside Butler for the next several laps, actually edging ahead to lead lap-15. Butler took his lead back on lap-16 with Yagmin racing to Finkbein’s inside for second. Boyle, Ryan and Downing were also part of some entertaining racing among the top-five. That all came to a halt with Finkbein getting crossed up in turn two, spinning before backing into the turn four wall on lap-17, dropping him from contention.
The next restart saw Butler battle with Yagmin to his outside. Butler got the best of yet another challenger, holding back Yagmin and powering back into the lead. Butler prevailed over the final three laps to go on to another victory in the division. Yagmin beat out Boyle in a tight battle for second position.
The 20-lap X-Car feature began with Randy Johnston and Limkemann battling up front. Mike Marvin and Javier Rivera were locked in a duel for third just behind them. Limkemann took control before the first caution waved on lap-5 as Chris Thomas spun by himself in turn three.
Limkemann jumped out to a multiple car length lead on the restart as Johnston was fighting off challengers. Marvin held down third when the next caution flag waved on lap-8 as three cars came to rest together at the exit of turn two. Rivera, Eddie Loomis and past champion Brad Voglesong were those involved when the smoke cleared. Voglesong continued after pitting while the other two were eliminated.
The restart proved to be the final of the race. Limkemann was up to the task one more time, beating back Johnston. Limkemann distanced himself from the competition over the final run to the checkered flag, moving out to a big lead. He went on to the win, his first of the Wednesday season. A great battle for second position over the second half of the race was taken by Shifflett late in the race. He bested Johnston, Marvin and Glen Thomas Jr. at the stripe.
In the night’s Wacky Race, the X-Cars took to the track in a Flag Pole Race. Veteran racer Onie Pierce bolted out to a huge early lead, however contact during one of the Flag Pole turns may have damaged his ride enough to slow his pace. Over the final lap, Lee moved in quickly and raced side-by-side with Pierce to the checkered flag, beating him out by mere inches in a thrilling conclusion.
The Speedbowl returns to the racetrack on Saturday night May 19th with Little League Night presented by Sid’s Vault. All youth wearing their youth baseball and softball team jersey will be admitted free. The annual Home Run Derby is the highlight of Little League Night, as 10 youth will be selected to participate in the event and paired with Speedbowl racers to see who can tally the most runs in a wiffle ball Home Run Derby on the frontstretch. The Derby precedes the main events, at approximately 6:30pm. Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday resumes next Wednesday, May 23.
Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 5/16 Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Matt Pappa, Nassau, NY; 2. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 3. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 4. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 5. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 6. Nicholas Lascuola, Brockton, MA; 7. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 8. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 9. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 10. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 11. Chris Kearney, Ellington; 12. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 13. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 14. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 15. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 16. Carl Blandina, Milford
Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 2. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 3. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 4. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 5. Alan Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 6. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck; 7. Rene Morgillo, Niantic; 8. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 9. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook
Super X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Dan Butler, Waterford; 2. John Yagmin, Tolland; 3. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 4. Ken Downing III, Branford; 5. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme; 6. Ed Ryan, Preston; 7. Mike Maskell, Niantic; 8. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 9. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 10. Ken Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 11. Eric Finkbein, Colchester; 12. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton; 13. Paul Turcotte, East Hartford; 14. Matt Carlson, Griswold; 15. Ray Reed, Norwich; 16. Daryl Stratford, Manchester; 17. Jon Porter, Canterbury; 18. Steve Bray, East Hartford; DNS – Justin Cook, Clinton; DNS – John Brouwer Jr., Groton
X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 2. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 3. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 4. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 5. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 6. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 7. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 8. Craig Miner, Higganum; 9. Larry Loomis, Moosup; 10. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 11. Melissa Clavette, Bozrah; 12. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 13. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 14. Henry Lavallee, Uncasville; 15. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 16. Josh Barrie, Voluntown; 17. Michele Cicio, Baltic; 18. Chris Thomas, East Hampton; 19. Zach Ezzell, Plainfield; 20. Mitchell Bombard, Willimantic; 21. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 22. Ashlea McDonald, Groton; 23. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 24. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 25. Javier Rivera, Williamantic; 26. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR