Waterford Speedbowl 8/25 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results
Waterford, CT– Waterford Speedbowl returned Saturday with its 4th annual “Laps for Lupus” event, raising awareness and funding for those impacted by Lupus during its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program. Nearly $8,000 was raised for Lupus research and support programs through the Lupus Foundation of America’s Connecticut Chapter. Fans in attendance were treated to another round of great side-by-side racing throughout the night among all six divisions on hand. Scoring victories in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races included Jeff Pearl of Salem in the night’s SK Modified® feature, while Rich Staskowski of Hope Valley, RI was back in the victory lane in the night’s extra distance Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Former division champion Brandon Plemons of Uncasville took his first win of the year in the Street Stock race, with Ian Brew of Wood River Junction, RI won the Mini Stock feature. In INEX racing action, Paul Kusheba of Monroe was the Legend Cars winner in a thrilling battle for the checkered flag all race long and Derek Debbis of Oakdale won the night’s Bandolero feature. Restart prowess was key in more than one winner’s path to the winner’s circle.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® race was led to the green flag by Joe Perry and Rich Brooks. Pearl started third and followed Joe Perry past Brooks on lap-1. Rob Janovic Jr. moved to third on lap-2 just ahead of a caution flag as Brooks and Ed Puleo got together in turn three, sending Brooks spinning. The field behind checked up but all were able to avoid the spinning car.
Pearl restarted outside of Perry in second position when the race went back to green, spending a lap there before powering ahead down the back chute into turn three. Pearl was the new leader on lap-3. Janovic, Perry and Jeff Rocco picked up pursuit of the leader when caution flew again on lap-5. The cars of Diego Monahan and Tom Abele Jr. briefly came together in turn one, resulting in Todd Ceravolo and Nichole Morgillo coming together further back with each slowing on the track in need of repair.
Pearl led the restart to turn one. Jeff Rocco moved to second while Janovic was able to pull out and around Perry to take third. The top three cars singled out with Pearl out to a small advantage. Monahan was next to test Perry, looking outside before finally making the move into fourth position on lap-7. Diego’s younger brother Shawn Monahan was pressuring Perry for fifth for several laps before becoming the victim of the next caution flag. The younger Monahan spun in turn one on lap-11 in his pursuit of fifth to necessitate the yellow.
Pearl got a good restart, leaving Rocco no choice but to tuck in behind as Janovic settled into third position. On the move during the next green flag run was Doug Coby, taking over behind the wheel from the injured Keith Rocco under the first caution period on lap-2. Coby picked his way through the top-ten positions to arrive on Jeff Gallup’s bumper as the two battled for fifth position. Coby delivered a shot to Gallup’s rear bumper headed into turn three as the field worked lap-15, with Gallup unable to hang on to his machine, spinning. The caution flag waved and Coby was penalized to the rear for overaggressive driving.
Back under green, Pearl again held the advantage into turn one over Rocco. Janovic was challenge the inside of Rocco as they raced to successfully complete lap-15, wrestling away second position. Championship points leader Tyler Chadwick had moved through into the top-five and followed Janovic to the bottom Rocco. Chadwick was able to complete the maneuver to take third dropping Rocco to fourth as the race hit lap-16.
Janovic put himself on Pearl’s bumper and the two moved ahead of a battle for third as Chadwick couldn’t shake Rocco. Behind them, the fastest mover on the track was Ceravolo. He had rebounded from his earlier incident to glue himself to the bumper of fifth place Abele looking for a way around. Coby was picking his way back through up to eighth position just behind the battle for fifth. The on-track battles cooled momentarily as the running order was unchanged through lap-29 when Brent Sweet spun in turn two just ahead of the leaders. That drew a caution flag to regroup the field with just six laps to go. The combination of Coby and Keith Rocco’s night came to a close as Coby pitted the car under caution and did not return.
Pearl continued his restart mastery and held the advantage to turn one. Janovic cleared Chadwick to hold second. Chadwick and Jeff Rocco continued in third and fourth, while Ceravolo managed to get by Abele for fifth as the field sprinted towards the finish. Pearl led the field over the final laps to the white flag, appearing headed to victory. Just after the lead pack took the white flag, Brett Gonyaw lost an engine down the front chute which drew a caution flag for the smoke and fluid from his car.
Pearl was thrown one final restart and a green-white-checkered finish, and the veteran racer finished off his second win of the season. Janovic settled for second and Chadwick took third, to keep his lead in the points over Pearl. Rocco claimed fourth with Ceravolo scoring fifth at the finish. The win was the 38th of Pearl’s career at the Speedbowl, where the veteran racer has won at least one feature in 17 of the past 18 seasons.
A special 50-lap distance was on tap for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division. Second-year driver Anthony Flannery jumped out to the lead after starting on the outside of the front row for the green flag. Flannery moved out ahead of Jason Palmer and dominated the first half of the race, which ran caution free through lap-32.
While Flannery led, Palmer rode comfortably ahead of a battle for the top-five behind him that included Jeff Smith, point leader Dillon Moltz and Glenn Boss. Moltz looked all over Smith for the position when Boss crept in to the picture and raced outside Moltz for fourth. Exiting turn two on lap-32 Boss got crossed up, clipping Moltz who went spinning into turn three with right side damage. Moltz and Boss pitted and returned, while Smith, Bruce Thomas Jr. and Doug Coby all went to the pits for adjustments to their machines after the long green flag run.
Flannery continued to lead as Staskowski advanced into contention, lining up third for the restart after the shuffle in the running order. Staskowski was in second past Palmer over the next sprint of laps which brought the race to lap-36. The caution flag returned for the second and final time when Vin Esposito and Boss tangled in turn two, collecting Smith.
Flannery led Staskowski to turn one on the restart, however Staskowski got in line behind the leader and found room to his inside through turns one and two. Coming to lap-37, Staskowski was the new leader and never looked back. Coby charged to the front after his pit stop to snare second, but could not run down Staskowski who rolled to his second consecutive win. Palmer ran with the leaders all evening to take third.
Plemons had the pole starting position in the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stock feature. He used that to his advantage as he rocketed his way into the lead at the drop of the green flag. A battled for second lasted behind Plemons for much of the race. Walt Hovey, Corey Hutchings, Greg Moran Jr. and Mike Caprio Jr. were all in the mix to position themselves behind Plemons. A scary incident on lap-11 saw points contender Chris Meyer sideways on the front chute. His car ended up on its side before flipping twice, coming to rest on its wheels in turn one. The red flag was immediately displayed and Meyer emerged from his car OK.
Plemons continued his lead following the restart plus one final restart as Moran and Hutchings continued their battle for second in the closing ten laps. Plemons went on to his first win of the season after making his return to the division mid-way through the season. Moran took home second over Hutchings.
The 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock race was won by Brew. He took the lead from Doug Curry following a restart on lap-7 after a hard crash in turn one among Jeffrey Lee, Wayne Burroughs Jr. and Ray Christian III. Brew was another to work the outside lane to perfection to race into the lead on lap-8 when the green flag returned.
Multiple-time feature winner Ken Cassidy Jr. moved to second on lap-10 and chased Brew all the way to the checkered flag, but was unable to make a move to pull alongside Brew. Another caution flag on lap-15 provided when four cars tangled battling for fifth position provided Cassidy a chance to line up alongside Brew, however Brew was up to the challenge to pull away once again. Cassidy finished in second with Sean Caron placing third.
Kusheba came out on top in a thrilling 20-lap Legend Cars feature. He raced neck and neck with Dylan Izzo for much of the race in a battle for the lead. Just behind, competition raced close behind in what turned out to be an entertaining event lap after lap. The top five cars ran under the proverbial blanket through the checkered flag, when Kusheba had enough to pull out the victory. Nick Ladyga battled to come away with second with Dave Garbo Jr. third at the finish.
Debbis won another Bandolero feature, his ninth overall on the year and seven out of the last eight events.
Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 8/25 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 2. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 3. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 4. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford; 5. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry; 6. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 7. Shawn Monahan, Waterford; 8. Craig Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 9. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 10. Al Stone III, Durham; 11. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 12. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 13. Brent Sweet, Monroe; 14. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 15. Ed Puleo, Branford; 16. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 17. Mike Sweeney Jr., Meriden; 18. Bob Georgiades, East Hampton; 19. Brett Gonyaw, Manchester; 20. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 21. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 22. Rich Brooks, Groton; 23. Jeff Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA; 24. Joe Gada, Salem
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (50-laps): 1. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 2. Doug Coby, Milford; 3. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 4. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 5. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 6. Glenn Boss, Danielson; 7. Mike Sweeney Jr., Meriden; 8. Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk; 9. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 10. Dillon Moltz, Waterford; 11. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 12. Vin Esposito, Seymour
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 2. Greg Moran Jr., Preston; 3. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 4. Joe Arena, Bristol; 5. Michael Caprio, New Haven; 6. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 7. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 8. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 9. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 10. Dan Darnstaedt, Durham; 11. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 12. Ted Dupre, Westbrook; 13. Scott Young, Willimantic; 14. Paul Gaedeke, Southington; 15. Tyler Cinamella, Willimantic; 16. Geoffrey Nooney, Southwick, MA; 17. Bill McNeil, Preston; 18. Chris Meyer, North Franklin
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (25-laps): 1. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 2. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 3. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 4. Doug Curry, Groton; 5. Joseph Liskiewicz, Preston; 6. Chris Garside, Waterford; 7. Wayne Burroughs Jr., Oakdale; 8. Joseph Fogarasi, Columbia; 9. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford; 10. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 11. Christopher Ivory, Oakdale; 12. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 13. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 14. Floyd Chesbro, Griswold; 15. Ken Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 16. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 17. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 18. Ray Christian III, Norwich
INEX Legend Cars Saturday Showdown Series (20-laps): 1. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 2. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 3. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 4. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 5. Dylan Izzo, Westport; 6. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 7. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 8. Joe Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 9. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 10. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 11. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 12. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 13. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 14. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 15. Richard Avery, Southington; 16. Scott McKnickle, Ledyard; 17. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 18. Richard Erlandson, Moodus; 19. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 20. Ed Field, Deep River; 21. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin
INEX Bandoleros Saturday Showdown Series (20-laps) : 1. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 2. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 3. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck; 4. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 5. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 6. Alan Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 7. Anthony Marvin, Colchester; 8. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR