Friday 7/12 Little Guys 200 Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl hosted the inaugural Belltown Tire Service Center Little Guys 200 Friday evening, putting four of the track’s support divisions into the spotlight. Open competition Mini Stock and Street Stock events paid each winner $1,000.00. Corey Hutchings of Salem was the Street Stock event winner and Glen Thomas Jr. of Groton took the checkered flag in the night’s Mini Stock race. Giovanni Giarratana of Newington won his third INEX Legend Cars event in the last four at the track and Brad Voglesong of Middletown won the X-Car race. Belltown Tire Service Center put on a Pit Crew Challenge on the track’s front chute between races, won by the team of Glen Thomas Jr.
Thomas was the big winner in the open competition Mini Stock feature. He began the 50-lap feature back in eighth position and worked his way towards the front as Ray Christian III of Groton held the lead. The top five cars singled out and ran down Christian’s brief early lead as Thomas began asserting himself. He picked off cars one at a time until he was behind a battle for the lead between Christian and Nick Anderson, from Oxford, MA. Thomas sat behind that duo for two laps before making a diving move under both as they began lap-21. Going three-wide for the lead down the back chute, Christian and Anderson made contact with Anderson ending his night in the turn three wall. The yellow flag set up the only restart of the race, which Thomas mastered. From there he cruised to the win. Former division champion Dan Field of Deep River finished second with Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon taking third.
Hutchings was unstoppable in the 50-lap open competition Street Stock event. He made his way to the front after a caution on lap-4 when leaders Brandon Plemons of Uncasville and Ryan Lineham of Hope Valley, RI tangled in turn one. Hutchings powered into the lead after the restart, getting away from Joe Kohler of Cranston, RI after a brief battle. Hutchings pulled out to a several car length lead which Kohler could not overcome. Hutchings rolled to victory while Kohler ran well in his first-ever Speedbowl appearance to take second. Plemons rebounded from his early spin to finish third.
The INEX Legend Cars feature saw Giarratana continue his hot streak in the division. Giarratana won for the third time in the past four events at the track. Two nights earlier, he finished second after running out of laps. Giarratana had to hold back a charging Dana Dimatteo of Farmington over a long green flag run that closed the race. Giarratana lined up second to early leader Brendon Bock of Franklin Square, NY for a lap-7 restart. Although Bock got the advantage, Giarratana fought off a challenge by Paul Kusheba of Monroe before going to work on Bock. He found room to Bock’s inside in turn three on lap-9, taking over as they reached the start-finish line. Giarratana had to restart cleanly twice during the event, the final time on lap-14 before the final 36 laps were run to the checkered flag. Giarratana had moved out to a sizeable lead, which Dimatteo was able to cut into once moving to second. Giarratana was too strong however, cruising to the win. Dimatteo finished in second with Bock taking third.
Voglesong controlled the 50-lap X-Car race when he made his way by Zach Thomas of New London. Voglesong came from the tenth starting position and used the opening laps to slice his way through the pack. Jordan Hadley of Quaker Hill led until Thomas took the lead by lap-5. Voglesong moved to second and by lap-10 was stalking all over Thomas. He pulled ahead just before the halfway point, getting around Thomas on lap-22. The only caution flag flew on lap-24 and Voglesong got away from Thomas on the restart. Over the remainder of the race Voglesong led comfortably with Steve Barrett of Preston moving to second in his first ever start in the division. He finished in second with Zach Thomas besting a battle with Chris Thomas of Waterford over the final laps to finish third.
The Speedbowl takes a break from its Saturday night NASCAR racing this week, and resumes with Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday next week. Sho & Go Friday’s return next week, and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing picks up next Saturday, July 20. Full details on all the Speedbowl’s upcoming events can be found at Speedbowl.com
Unofficial Friday 7/12 Little Guys 200 Results:
Open Comp Street Stocks (50-laps): 1. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 2. Joe Kohler, Cranston, RI; 3. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 4. Allen Coates, Ledyard; 5. Dwayne Dorr, Ledyard; 6. Shawn Monahan, Quaker Hill; 7. Ryan Lineham, Hope Valley, RI
Open Comp Mini Stocks (50-laps): 1. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 2. Dan Field, Deep River; 3. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 4. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 5. Chris Williams, Waterford; 6. Charles Beal, Ledyard; 7. Steve Barrett, Preston; 8. Jeff Lee, Uncasville; 9. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 10. Ray Christian III, Groton; 11. Nick Anderson, Oxford, MA
INEX Legend Cars (50-laps): 1. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 2. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 3. Brendon Bock, Franklin Square, NY; 4. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 5. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 6. Kyle Rogers, Waterbury; 7. Joe Gada, Salem; 8. T.J. Thompson, Lisbon; 9. Sean Fitzmaurice, Woodstock; 10. Jags Palmer, Berlin; 11. John O’Sullivan Jr., Salem; 12. Art Marrero, Baltic; 13. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 14. Paul Kusheba IV, Monroe; 15. George Whitney, Old Saybrook; 16. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 17. Michael Christopher Jr., Wolcott; DQ – Shaun Buffington, Plainfield; DNS – Cory Dimatteo, Farmington
X-Cars (50-laps): 1. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 2. Steve Barrett, Preston; 3. Zach Thomas, New London; 4. Chris Thomas, Waterford; 5. Mitch Bombard, Willimantic; 6. Jordan Hadley, Quaker Hill; 7. C.P. Burdick, Deep River; 8. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 9. Jeff Dombrowksi, Oakdale; 10. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 11. Chris Lee, Uncasville; 12. Matt Westover, Gales Ferry; 13. Elizabeth Gaston, Vernon; 14. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 15. Frank Shepard, Oakdale; 16. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 17. Zach Ezzell, Plainfield
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR