Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 8/29 Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl returned Wednesday evening with another round in its Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday race series. An amazing night of racing was put on by the competitors, including a stellar X-Car race among the top contenders. Scoring victories in the evening’s races included Randy Johnston of Westerly, RI in the hotly contested X-Car event while Matt Pappa of Nassau, NY came out on top of a wild final lap to win in the Legend Cars. Dan Butler of Waterford returned to the winner’s circle in Super X-Car action and Derek Debbis of Oakdale was another repeat winner in the Bandoleros. Peter Pollard of Old Lyme took a victory in the night’s Wacky Race, a Flag Pole Race for the Super X-Car division. The night began with a race by the Vintage Outlaw Modifieds.
The 20-lap Legend Cars feature was down to the wire among three drivers. Gioavanni Giarratana took the lead at the start, but the field could only complete one lap before further back in the back, Tim Heath’s car shot out of line and into the turn one wall to bring out the caution flag. The lone restart of the race followed and Giarratana resumed out front. Behind Giarratana, multiple time race winners Dave Garbo Jr. and Pappa both moved into contention. Garbo took second from Nicholas Sowa and trailed Giarratana from lap-5 all the way to the final laps. Joey Mucciacciaro and Pappa moved to third and fourth position as they got around Sowa and had their sights on the lead two.
Garbo stayed on Giarratana’s bumper waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Off turn four on lap-11, Garbo peeked low but tucked back in line, unable to make a solid move. Meanwhile, Pappa slipped by Mucciacciaro to take third. Garbo had another opportunity when Giarratana momentarily slipped off turn four on lap-16, but again Giarratana was able to get away. As the top two battled, Pappa crept in to make it a three car race for the checkered flag as they hit three laps to go.
The top three stayed in line through lap-18. Rounding turns three and four headed to the white flag, Garbo made a move to the outside of Giarratana. Exiting turn four, Giarratana drifted up and made contact with Garbo, sending both into the frontchute wall. Pappa dove low and snuck past both who saved their cars from wrecking. Pappa drove off to the win over the final lap while Giarratana was able to hang on for second. Mucciacciaro was close enough to the lead pack to take advantage of the contact to snatch third place away from Garbo at the checkered flag. Garbo recovered for fourth.
The 20-lap X-Car feature began with a three-way battle for the top spot between Frank Shepard, Chris Thomas and Onie Pierce. While battling three abreast across the track, Thomas got bounced into the turn one wall on lap-4 to bring out the first caution. Shepard resumed from the rear and Pierce was the race leader.
Pierce spun out of turn two on the restart to drop from the lead, giving way to Johnston. Johnston watched as Brad Voglesong stormed into second and raced to his outside to contend for the win. The two battled for the better part of the race side-by-side for the lead. Johnston held the inside groove while Voglesong raced the outside groove to perfection. The pair swapped the lead multiple times inside 10 laps remaining. Behind them, points leader Glen Thomas Jr. raced into third and into contention over the final laps. Johnston fought off Voglesong and then held back a last lap charge by Thomas to win by a half car, with Thomas pinned to his inside. Voglesong finished a close third.
The Super X-Car race was led in the early going by John Yagmin. Butler raced into second position out of a pack of cars that also included Peter Pollard, Matt Carlson and Kevin Moon. Yagmin enjoyed a lead without pressure from behind as the race stayed caution free past halfway of the 20-lapper. The first caution finally waved on lap-12 when Shawn Gaedeke spun in turn four just ahead of the hard-charging leaders. Both Yagmin and Butler skidded to a near halt to avoid the spun Gaedeke in a very close call for the leaders.
Butler lined up outside of Yagmin for the restart, then pulled out to the lead when racing resumed. Butler held back both Yagmin and Moon in the final laps to score the 20-lap race win. Yagmin and Moon swapped second position over the final three laps, with Moon able to wrestle away with the spot by the checkered flag. Yagmin took home third.
Debbis took the lead from defending champion Rachel Forte on lap-5 of the 20-lap Bandolero feature. Forte fended off a challenge from Ken Morin Jr. in the opening laps to gain control of the race from the drop of the green flag. Debbis broke out of a pack of cars behind the lead two to charge up the outside lane into contention. He continued his march in the outside lane to pass Forte. Once in the lead, Debbis motored out to a lead he would not surrender as the race ran without delay from green to checkered flags.
Behind Debbis, a race for second position took place among multiple cars throughout much of the feature. Forte and Morin swapped the spot but Alex McCollum, Anthony Marvin and Rene Morgillo were all in the mix over the second half of the race. Morin took second back for good on lap-18, then held back Forte who tried one last rally in the outside lane on the final lap. While Debbis cruised to the win, his eighth of the Wednesday season, Morin took second and Forte third at the finish line.
On Saturday, the Speedbowl returns with a special racing program for its annual Thunder on the Sound event, presented by the Connecticut National Guard. A special nine-division program makes up the racing card, highlighted by the 16th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals SK-150. The Northeastern Midget Association joins for their Angelillo Memorial event, a must-see for any midget racing fan. A full NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program plus the INEX Legend Cars and Bandoleros joins the event, which gets underway with special times. Pit gates open at 11:00am on Saturday with practice beginning at noon. The first qualifying races begin at 4:00pm with the first of the nine main events commencing at 6:00pm. More details are available by visiting Speedbowl.com.
Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 8/29 Results & updated standings:
Legend Cars (20-laps): 1. Matt Pappa, Nassau, NY; 2. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 3. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 4. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 5. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 6. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 7. Nicholas Lascuola, Brockton, MA; 8. Cory Dimatteo, Farmington; 9. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 10. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 11. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 12. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 13. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 14. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 15. Brad Lowmaster, Califon, NJ; 16. Christopher Kearney, Ellington; 17. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 18. Mark Narhstedt Jr., Charlotte, NC; 19. Timothy Heath, Lebanon
Standings: 1. Garbo, 640; 2. D. Dimatteo, 583; 3. Pappa, 524; 4. Sowa, 470; 5. C. Dimatteo, 454; 6. Lascuola, 434; 7. Stolte, 396; 8. Ternullo, 340; 9. Pantani, 330; 10. Kopcik, 328
Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 2. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 3. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 4. Alex McCollum, Phillipsburg, NJ; 5. Anthony Marvin, Colchester; 6. Rene Morgillo, Niantic; 7. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck; 8. Christian Eckes, Middletown, NY; 9. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 10. Alan Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 11. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook
Standings: 1. Debbis, 782; 2. Forte, 730; 3. Perry, 697; 4. Eastman, 677; 5. K. Morin Jr., 650; 6. Comeroski, 640; 7. A. Morin, 538; 8. Jacob Urch, 363; 9. Morgillo, 304; 10. Marvin, 276
Super X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Dan Butler, Waterford; 2. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 3. John Yagmin, Tolland; 4. Matt Carlson, Griswold; 5. Ken Downing III, Branford; 6. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme; 7. Mike Maskell, Quaker Hill; 8. Eric Finkbein Jr., Manchester; 9. John Brouwer Jr., Groton; 10. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 11. Eric Finkbein Sr., Columbia; 12. Ray Reed, Norwich; 13. Shawn Butler, Jewett City; 14. Steve Bray, East Hartford; 15. Ed Ryan, Preston; 16. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 17. Shawn Gaedeke, Southington; 18. R.J. Cunningham, Deep River
Standings: 1. Ryan, 529; 2. Boyle, 528; 3. Butler, 518; 4. Yagmin, 510; 5. Maskell, 504; 6. Downing, 490; 7. Moon, 480; 8. Pollard, 410; 9. Finkbein, 374; 10. Cunningham, 372
X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 2. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 3. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 4. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 5. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 6. John Bowes, Willington; 7. Larry Loomis Jr., Moosup; 8. Mitchell Bombard, Willimantic; 9. Melissa Clavette, Bozrah; 10. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 11. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 12. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 13. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 14. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield; 15. David D’Allesandro Jr., Coventry; 16. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 17. Frank Shepard, Bozrah; 18. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 19. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 20. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 21. Christopher Thomas, East Hampton; 22. Rick Mollo, Seymour; DNS – C.P. Burdick, Deep River; DNS – Javier Rivera, Willimantic
Standings: 1. G. Thomas Jr., 642; 2. Limkemann, 586; 3. Voglesong, 566; 4. Shifflett, 542; 5. Trask, 522; 6. Johnston, 500; 7. L. Loomis, 418; 8. Craig Miner, 400; 9. C. Thomas, 390; 10. Marvin, 370
Wacky Super X-Car Flagpole Race (top-five): 1. Peter Pollard of Old Lyme; 2. Eric Finkbein Jr., Manchester; 3. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 4. Victoria Finkbein, Colchester; 5. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR