Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 10/27 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl returned to action Saturday, hosting the final NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing of the season. Championship battles were settled in the final races for the SK Modified® and Street Stock divisions with 50-lap races. Jeff Rocco of Wallingford took his first career victory in the SK Modified® race while Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard secured his first ever Speedbowl title in the division. Walt Hovey settled the issue in the Street Stocks, winning both the race and the track championship. The Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models and Mini Stock divisions also completed racing on the day. Scoring victories were Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models and Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon in the Mini Stocks.
The 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® feature was brought to the green flag by first-year driver Craig Lutz. Lutz held the lead through a lap-3 restart when he gave way to Kyle James. Jeff Rocco was on the move from his 8th place starting position, up to second place as James pulled away in the lead. Caution on lap-5 for a spinning car enabled Rocco to line up outside James for the ensuing restart.
Rocco powered past James when racing resumed, leading lap-6. He pulled away during a stretch of green flag racing that brought the race from lap-7 through lap-20. James held second position with Rob Janovic third when the run was halted by a caution for a spin by John Montesanto.
The championship battle between Chadwick and Jeff Pearl took a turn on lap-25 when the next caution came out. Lutz spun from fifth place, collecting Pearl as well as Joe Perry. Pearl spun to the infield, forcing him to pit road before resuming from the rear of the field. Chadwick continued to hold a spot comfortably inside the top-ten.
Up front Rocco was in control on the restarts, pulling away from James. Todd Ceravolo marched to the front from a starting position deep in the field, taking third from Janovic on lap-27. Another green flag run brought the race to lap-44 with Rocco stretching his lead over James. Ceravolo remained third while Shawn Monahan was on the rise, taking fourth from Janovic on lap-35. The final caution was out on lap-44 when Pearl, trying to fight back into the top ten, tangled with Montesanto in turn one.
Rocco was unchallenged on the final restart. James had Ceravolo race to his inside for second before slipping in turns three and four on lap-45. Ceravolo moved to second and Monahan third as James dropped out of contention. They chased Rocco to the checkered flag but had no answer. Rocco took down his first-career victory in impressive fashion, dominating the race once he took command. Behind Ceravolo and Monahan, Janovic finished in fourth while Nichole Morgillo ran a clean race to place fifth.
Chadwick began the event with a 21-point lead over Pearl in the championship battle. He finished the race in ninth, running a cautious race to stay out of trouble and claim the crown. Pearl’s troubles dropped him to 18th in the final results.
The 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model feature was run without a caution flag. The green-to-checkered flag affair was run in rapid fashion, with Thomas starting in the pole position. Thomas led throughout, distancing himself from Jeff Smith in the early going. He built a comfortable lead and was never challenged. The biggest hurdle for Thomas was navigating lapped traffic, which he did without interference. Smith ended up in second while Dillon Moltz, the champion in the division, finished third. Rich Staskowski was fourth with 2012 ACT Tour champion Wayne Helliwell running a strong race to end up fifth after starting the race from the back.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Street Stock division had a rough and tumble 50-lap feature. Hovey rose to the lead on lap-24 then survived multiple caution flags over the remainder of the race. Hovey was not seriously tested the rest of the way, beating back Corey Hutchings and Chris Meyer to the checkered flag, each of whom came back from early race trouble. With the win Hovey clinched his first track title.
Cassidy resumed the final 28-laps of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock race from a lead he held back on October 7th when rain halted the race. Cassidy closed out the victory in dominating fashion, surviving a caution flag on the final lap to hold on over the green-white-checkered flag conclusion. He beat out Ray Christian III of Norwich over the final sprint, while Jeff Cembruch of Wallingford placed third. Cassidy’s victory was his 12th on the year in the division, good for the all-time single season record in division wins. Cassidy is the division’s 2012 track champion in addition to winning a national title in NASCAR’s Division IV tier in the Whelen All-American Series.
Jammin 107.7 FM radio presented the event and concluded it with a “Great Pumpkin Drop”, dropping a huge pumpkin 100 feet above the Speedbowl’s frontstretch. Sue Pastore of Waterford was the winner of an expense-paid trip for two courtesy of the radio station.
Waterford Speedbowl continues to put finishing touches on its 2013 event schedule. News regarding upcoming rules meetings, 2013 season passes and more information will be released in the coming weeks.
Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 10/27 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (50-laps): 1. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford; 2. Todd Ceravolo, North Stonington; 3. Shawn Monahan, Waterford; 4. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 5. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford; 7. John Montesanto, North Branford; 8. Brent Sweet, Monroe; 9. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 10. Sean Foster, Willington; 11. Rich Brooks, Groton; 12. Jeff Gallup, Agawam, MA; 13. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 14. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 15. Al Stone III, Durham; 16. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 17. Shawn Thibeault, Plainville; 18. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 19. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 20. Craig Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 21. Will Schneider, Northport, NY; 22. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 23. Glenn Pressel III, Gales Ferry; 24. Joe Gada, Salem; 25. Joe Allegro Jr., Vernon; 26. Jim Larsen, East Hartland; DNS – Eddie LeClerc, Taunton, MA; DNS – Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; DNS – Justin Gaydosh, Newtown
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (50-laps): 1. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 2. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 3. Dillon Moltz, Waterford; 4. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 5. Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, NH; 6. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 7. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 8. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 9. Ryan Morgan, Mystic; 10. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs; 11. Glenn Boss, Danielson; 12. Ed Gertsch Jr., East Haven; 13. Vin Esposito, Seymour; 14. Mike Sweeney Jr., Meriden; 15. Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk; 16. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 17. Chris Garside, Waterford; DNS – Josh Galvin, Franklin
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (50-laps): 1. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 2. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 3. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 4. Ted Dupre, Westbrook; 5. Al Stone III, New Haven; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford; 7. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 8. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 9. Dan Darnstaedt, Durham; 10. Paul Gaedeke, Southington; 11. Geoffrey Nooney, Southwick, MA; 12. Mat Burr, Quaker Hill; 13. Lloyd Anderson Jr., Wauregan; 14. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 15. Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic; 16. Joe Arena, Bristol; 17. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 18. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Old Saybrook; 19. Josh Wood, Palmer, MA; 20. Josh Galvin, Franklin; DQ – Travis Jurcik, Chaplin; DQ – Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; DQ – Ray Downing Jr., Westbrook; DQ – Bill McNeil, Preston; DNS – Michael Caprio, North Haven; DNS – Ray Christian III, Norwich; DNS – Charles Beal, Ledyard; DNS – John Carpenter, Danielson; DNS – Greg Moran Jr., Preston
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (50-laps*): 1. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 2. Ray Christian III, Norwich; 3. Jeff Cembruch, Wallingford; 4. Glenn Colvin, Clinton; 5. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 6. Chris Ivory, Oakdale; 7. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 8. Joe Fogarasi, Columbia; 9. Doug Curry, Groton; 10. Nick Pappacoda, Branford; 11. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 12. Ryan Cipows, Seymour; 13. Chris Garside, Waterford; 14. Wayne Burroughs Jr., Oakdale; 15. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 16. Travis Jurcik, Chaplin; 17. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 18. Ken Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 19. Brad Caddick, Wyoming, RI; 20. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield; 21. Joe Liskiewicz, Preston; DNS – Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton; DNS – Sean Caron, East Hampton
* – first 22-laps were completed on Sunday 10/7
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR