Saturday 6/15 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results
Waterford, CT — NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing returned to the shoreline Saturday night at Waterford Speedbowl with beautiful weather overhead. Defending SK Modified® champion Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard returned to the winner’s circle while Jeff Smith of Old Lyme won the evening’s Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. New faces visited Victory Lane as Corey Barry of Plainfield took the SK Light Modified race and Al Stone of Durham won the Street Stocks to each pick up their first wins of 2013. Lisbon’s Ken Cassidy Jr. continued his hot streak and took his third win in the last four Mini Stock events at the track, while Corey Hutchings of Salem was a surprise winner in the visiting New England Truck Series race.
Chadwick came out on top of another rough and tumble race for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® division after a total of eight caution flags slowed the race. Adam Gada took the initial lead at the start bringing Nichole Morgillo with him to second by the inside of Frank Mucciacciaro. Morgillo was on Gada’s rear bumper through lap-8 when she dove underneath him down the front chute to turn one. The two cars made contact with Gada spinning to the infield to bring out the first caution flag.
Morgillo inherited the lead for the restart and got a good jump to turn one over Justin Gaydosh. Ed Puleo battled inside Gaydosh to take second position while Chadwick was locked in a battle with Keith Rocco for fourth position. Rocco had the outside lane open and worked his way by Chadwick, then looked outside Gaydosh for third position on lap-10. Todd Ceravolo was on the move looking to break into the top-five by lap-12.
Puleo didn’t let Morgillo slip away, staying with her looking to mount a challenge. Rocco chased down the top two and as Puleo tested the outside lane looking to make a run on Morgillo, filled the gap Puleo left open exiting turn four on lap-13. Rocco and Puleo made contact between turns one and two sending Puleo spinning to the infield for the second caution flag. Rocco was sent to the rear of the field for the contact.
Morgillo was able to get away from Gaydosh on the ensuing restart while Chadwick was lifted to third position after the incident. Chadwick got inside Gaydosh to take second position on lap-14, which proved pivotal as caution returned on lap-15 when Puleo spun again, this time coming to rest between turns three and four.
Chadwick timed the restart perfect to drag race Morgillo to turn one. Through the corners Chadwick took the lead and moved out front to lead lap-16. Morgillo had her hands full with Ceravolo, who was up to third and pressing. The top three raced single file and pulled away. Rocco was storming his way back through the field rising through the top-ten as laps continued to count down. The field was brought back together on lap-28 when John Montesanto spun in turn two.
The race got wild as four more cautions waved trying to get past lap-29. Several cars from the back half of the top-ten through the tail of the field were collected in multiple incidents that were triggered by the restart attempts.
Ceravolo was able to climb to second past Morgillo and challenge Chadwick over the final six laps. Ceravolo had the power down the chutes to glue himself to Chadwick’s bumper, however Chadwick was able to get away to keep Ceravolo at bay through the corners. Ceravolo tried a final attempt to Chadwick’s outside on the final lap, to no avail. Chadwick won for the second time of the year, but first since April 13. Ceravolo settled for his fourth consecutive runner-up finish and Morgillo ended up with a season-best third place.
The Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division ran without incident for the second consecutive week in their 30-lap feature. Smith took the lead ahead of pole-sitter Rich Staskowski when the green flag came out. Staskowski faded on the inside lane as a great battle for positions behind Smith was underway among Dillon Moltz, David Farrington Jr., Keith Rocco and Jason Palmer. Moltz took second position and the top two pulled ahead. Moltz could not find a way around Smith and as the laps counted down, he had Rocco in his mirror pressing him for second. That enabled Smith to sneak away to the victory, the second of the year for the 2011 division champion. Rocco took second from Moltz at the finish.
Barry landed in Victory Lane for the first time of the year following the 25-lap SK Light Modified race. He led from the start and was strong over three restarts during the event. He held back Chris Ignazio and Glenn Griswold on successive restarts. Griswold didn’t let Barry out of his sights over the final nine laps and pressured him to the checkered flag. Victoria Bergenty was third.
In a role reversal from a week ago, Stone was the one that got out front of the field ahead of Corey Hutchings of Salem in the night’s 25-lap Street Stock race. Last event, the two led the field to the green flag and Hutchings took control over Stone to cruise to an easy win. Stone took the lead from Dan Darnstaedt on lap-5 and sailed out to an impressive advantage. Hutchings moved to second on lap-10 and valiantly tried to close the gap to Stone in the caution-free race. Without benefit of a caution flag to reset the competition, Stone was too strong and raced to the win. Hutchings finished second and Josh Galvin was third.
Cassidy used a green-white-checkered flag finish to score his third win in the last four Mini Stock races in an exciting conclusion. He restarted outside leader Ray Christian III and powered past him in the outside lane through turns one and two. Christian couldn’t catch Cassidy over the final sprint and settled for second. The top four cars came together battling for the lead to set up the finish. Chris Ivory scored a career-best third.
Corey Hutchings turned his first start in the 25-lap New England Truck Series into a victory. He took the lead following a restart on lap-2 and held on following a restart with two laps remaining to hold back Duane Noll, who came back from a wreck to place second.
Next Saturday night the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour invades the Speedbowl for the Mr. Rooter. A full NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program featuring the SK Modifieds®, Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks is also part of the night’s festivities. Online ticket sales are available as well as a hotel and ticket package with Days Inn of Mystic. More information about tickets and the hotel and ticket combination for the Mr. Rooter 161 are available by visiting Speedbowl.com.
Saturday 6/15 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 2. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry; 3. Nichole Morgillo, Southington; 4. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 5. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 6. Jeff Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA; 7. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 8. Justin Gaydosh, Newtown; 9. Ed Puleo, Branford; 10. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 11. Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury; 12. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 13. John Montesanto, North Branford; 14. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 15. Joe Gada, Salem; 16. Craig Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 17. Shawn Monahan, Quaker Hill; 18. Frank Mucciacciaro, Jr., Milford; 19. Robert Driscoll, Jr., Brookfield; 20. Robert Janovic, Jr., Waterford; DNS – Brent Sweet, Monroe
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30-laps): 1. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 2. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 3. Dillon Moltz, Waterford; 4. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 5. David Farrington, Jr., Jay, ME; 6. Richard Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 7. Glenn Boss, Danielson; 8. Mike Sweeney, Jr., Meriden; 9. Chris Garside, Waterford; 10. Richard Duranti, Quaker Hill; 11. Art Moran III, Preston; DNS – Vincent Esposito, Waterbury
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1. Al Stone III, Durham; 2. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 3. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 4. Christoph Meyer, North Franklin; 5. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 6. Joseph Arena, Bristol; 7. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 8. Dan Darnstaedt, Durham; 9. Ray Downing, Jr., Old Saybrook; 10. Ryan Waterman, Danielson; 11. Montgomery Gibbs, Killingworth; 12. Norman Root, Jr., Old Saybrook; 13. Donald Spence, Jr., Oakdale; 14. Ed Gertsch, Jr., East Haven
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (25-laps): 1. Ken Cassidy, Jr., Lisbon; 2. Ray Christian III, Groton; 3. Christopher Ivory, Oakdale; 4. Wayne Burroughs, Jr., Oakdale; 5. Joseph Liskiewicz, Preston; 6. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 7. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 8. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 9. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 10. Douglas Curry, Groton; 11. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 12. Dale Sherman, Charlestown, RI
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modifieds (25-laps): 1. Corey Barry, Plainfield; 2. Glenn Griswold, Vernon; 3. Victoria Bergenty, Plainville; 4. Randy Churchill, Jr., Oakdale; 5. Christopher Ignazio, Colchester; 6. Lawerence Goss, North Windham; 7. Paul French, Andover; 8. Jeff Fialkovich, Shelton; 9. George Buzel, Trumbull; 10. Alan Tirrell, North Stonington; 11. Alan Benincaso, Westport
New England Truck Series top-five (25-laps): 1. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 2. Duane Noll, Monroe; 3. Dan Butler, Waterford; 4. Tony Lafo, Higganum; 5. Glen Noll, Monroe
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR