Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesdays 5/30 Results
Waterford, CT — Returning to the track Wednesday night at Waterford Speedbowl was the track’s popular mid-week Wild ‘n Wacky series featuring some great racing along with the night’s Wacky Race. Taking victories included Matt Pappa of Nassau, NY, winning a fiercely competitive Legends Cars race and Rachel Forte of Douglas, MA won her second consecutive Bandolero feature. The night’s Super X-Car and X-Car races were equally competitive with Jon Porter of Canterbury and Scott Limkemann of East Lyme coming out on top, respectively. The night’s Wacky Race featured a hot dog eating contest along with an 8-lap race for the X-Cars, with Christopher Lee of Uncasville scoring a popular win.
Pappa was back in the winner’s circle for the fourth time in as many Wednesday Legend Cars events at the Speedbowl in 2012. Pappa had to earn his fourth straight victory, dueling with Dave Garbo Jr. over nearly the entire duration of the 20-lap feature in memorable fashion.
Pappa took the lead with a stellar move early in the race on lap-3, getting under both Garbo and pole-sitter and race leader Joey Ternullo in one swift move. Garbo got by Ternullo moments later then chased down Pappa, applying pressure to the hottest driver in the division at the Speedbowl. Caution as the leaders worked lap-5 momentarily cooled the battle, however it quickly picked back up following the delay. Garbo stalked Pappa, who was battling a loose condition. Garbo eventually got to the inside of Pappa, taking command on lap-9.
The two were not done dazzling the fans, swapping the lead two more times over the remainder of the race. Pappa didn’t let Garbo get away, diving inside him a lap later in turn three forcing Garbo to tuck back in line in second. Pappa led the better part of the second half of the race, but by no greater than three lengths over Garbo. Both drivers raced hard at the front of the pack, giving third place Joey Mucciacciaro the best seat in the house for the finish.
Garbo closed back in on Pappa’s rear bumper to set up the final laps. With just three laps to go Garbo made his move. He found room to Pappa’s inside once again, racing side-by-side with Pappa for the race lead. As they crossed the line on lap-18 Garbo held the lead, clearing Pappa through turns one and two. Down the back chute Pappa got a great run to dive back underneath Garbo yet again. The two made contact with Garbo saving his car up the track while Pappa got away to his inside as the two raced to the white flag.
On the final lap, Garbo got to Pappa’s rear bumper in turns one and two, however Pappa was able to hold his lead. He pulled away from Garbo down the back chute one final time, keeping Garbo off his bumper through turns three and four to race to the checkered flag first. Garbo took home second place while Mucciacciaro ran a solid race to claim third.
There was no shortage of excitement in the night’s other races as well. Limkemann ended up the winner in the 20-lap X-Car feature after early leaders Randy Johnston and Glen Thomas Jr. tangled battling for the lead following a lap-16 restart. Johnston raced through traffic early in the race first to emerge with the lead on lap-4 after passing Javier Rivera, who led from the start. Johnston set a blistering pace out front, placing several cars a lap down during a lengthy green flag run.
Thomas took second position and ran down Johnston over that period, eventually applying pressure on the leader through lapped traffic. At one point Thomas actually had an inside run thwarted by a lapped car, forcing Thomas to tuck back in line. Moments later the caution waved on lap-16 to set up the crucial restart.
Johnston led Thomas into turn one, however Thomas would not give in staying glued to the leader’s outside. Down the backstretch contact between the two saw Johnston spin across the track in front of the field, collecting several others. When the smoke cleared it was Onie Pierce and Limkemann on the front row for the restart. Limkemann beat Pierce to take the lead on the restart, then held on for two final restarts to take the win, his second of the Wednesday season and fourth overall of 2012.
In the night’s Super X-Car 20-lapper, Porter had to overcome trouble in the early going after being involved in the first caution flag on lap-5. Porter pitted for repairs after he spun in turn three then rallied from the tail of the field over the final 15 laps. The remainder of the race featured some thrilling two and three-wide battles and hair raising moments for the full-sized Super X-Cars. Porter worked his way through that pack primarily by keeping his car on the bottom groove of the track.
The winning move came on the final lap, as Porter made an aggressive maneuver in turns one and two to take position from Ken Downing III. The battle was actually for second place on the track, however became the key move of the race as race winner Mike Maskell was later disqualified in post-race technical inspection. That gave the win to Porter, his second straight in the division.
Forte won her second Bandolero feature of the season in consecutive weeks. She had to battle past early leader Derek Debbis. Forte took the lead on lap-5 then held back Debbis’ advances over the remainder of the caution-free 20-lap race.
Lee won the Wacky Race, which showcased the track’s X-Car division in an 8-lap race that required a mandatory “pit stop” in the infield where the drivers had to eat two hot dogs before completing the event. Lee pitted on lap-1, devoured his hot dogs the quickest, then took command to score the victory.
Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 5/30 Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Matt Pappa, Nassau, NY; 2. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 3. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 4. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 5. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 6. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 7. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 8. Ed Field, Deep River; 9. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 10. Nicholas Lascuola, Brockton, MA; 11. Jordan Lamothe, Woodstock; 12. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 13. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 14. Christopher Kearney, Ellington; 15. David Johnson, Arlingham, MA; 16. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington
Bandoleros (15-laps): 1. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 2. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 3. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 4. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 5. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck; 6. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 7. Alan Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 8. Rene Morgillo, Niantic; 9. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook
Super X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Jon Porter, Canterbury; 2. John Yagmin, Tolland; 3. Ken Downing III, Branford; 4. Dan Butler, Waterford; 5. Steve Barrett, Preston; 6. Ed Ryan, Preston; 7. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 8. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton; 9. Ken Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 10. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 11. Matt Carlson, Griswold; 12. Taylor-Marie Moran, Preston; 13. Eric Finkbein, Colchester; 14. Ralph Caddick, Hope Valley, RI; 15. Ray Reed, Norwich; 16. Steve Bray, East Hartford; 17. John Brouwer Jr., Groton; DQ � Mike Maskell, Quaker Hill
X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 2. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 3. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 4. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 5. Javier Rivera, Willimantic; 6. Craig Miner, Higganum; 7. Mitchell Bombard, Willimantic; 8. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 9. Chris Thomas, East Hampton; 10. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 11. C.P. Burdick, Deep River; 12. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 13 .Chuck McDonald, Groton; 14. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 15. Josh Barrie, Voluntown; 16. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 17. Larry Loomis, Moosup; 18. Melissa Clavette, Bozrah; 19. Henry Lavallee, Uncasville; 20. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 21. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 22. Shaun Parker, Taftville; 23. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 24. Ron Dimauro, Plymouth; 25. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield; 26. Robert Butler, Norwich; DNS � Zach Ezzell, Plainfield; DNS � Michele Cicio, Baltic
Wacky Race (Hot Dog race): 1. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 2. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 3. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 4. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 5. C.P. Burdick, Deep River; 6. Geoff Barrie, Uncasville; 7. Kim Bickford, Griswold
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR