Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 8/10 Wings & Wheels Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl hosted the sixth annual Wings & Wheels event on Saturday evening in front of a large crowd. Fans were treated to some of the fastest and most sophisticated short track racecars in the country as the International Supermodified Association made their only visit of the season and was joined by the popular Valenti Modified Racing Series, Northeastern Midget Association and NEMA Lites, plus the home track NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® and SK Light Modifieds. Keith Rocco of Meriden was the bigger winner of the night, taking both the Valenti Modified Racing Series event and the night’s SK Modified feature, recording two more milestone wins in his racing career. Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, MA was dominant in the 50-lap Supermodified race while Todd Bertrand of Suffield impressed with a big victory in the NEMA Midgets. Scott Bigelow of East Hampton won the NEMA Lite feature and Plainfield’s Corey Barry won his second consecutive SK Light Modified event to round out the night’s winners.
Rocco picked up his sixth NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® win of the season but perhaps more significant, the victory was the 50th of his career in the division. He marched steadily to the front of the field using the outside lane to his advantage.
Ed Puleo led the field to the green flag and took the early advantage in turns one and two as outside front row starter Jeff Gallup got high and was kicked back when Rob Janovic and Frank Mucciacciaro made an early three-wide scenario in pursuit of second. Kyle James and Rocco were on the move early and Rocco was among the top-five cars on lap-9, all under green flag conditions. Rocco moved past fourth place Mucciacciaro on lap-10 and was challenging third place Craig Lutz with Puleo still out front by three car legnths. The first yellow flag of the race momentarily slowed Rocco and the field on lap-11 when Rich Duranti got off course in turn four.
Rocco picked up where he left off, getting by Lutz and Rob Janovic Jr. to take second behind leader Ed Puleo when racing resumed. Puleo was able to hold back the charges of Rocco until lap-16 when Rocco, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion, stormed past his outside into the lead around turns one and two. Mucciacciaro and Janovic were still side-by-side, this time for third position, until Mucciacciaro wrestled the spot away on lap-17. A lap later, Janovic got loose and couldn’t hold his car from spinning out of turn four and the caution was back out for the second time.
Rocco bested Puleo on the lap-18 restart and marched out to a convincing lead. Puleo got in line second but James asserted himself following the restart to take third, then run outside of Puleo to take second on lap-20. The best battle after that was for fourth between Mucciacciaro and Ted Christopher who took shots at one another through lap-30. Behind them, Lutz and Tyler Chadwick were locked in equally compelling duel. Just as it appeared Rocco was on cruise control a final caution on lap-33 when Tyler Jackson got into the wall and slowed on the track forced Rocco into a final showdown with James.
Rocco won the restart to go on to victory for the milestone win. James finished second and Puleo finished a solid run in third. Christopher ran well to place fourth and Mucciacciaro wound up fifth. Dennis Gada is the all-time SK Modified® division win leader with 62.
Barry was trying to run down early leader Victoria Bergenty in the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modified race and was aided by a yellow flag on lap-14 for a spin. Bergenty had taken the lead on lap-1 and moved ahead to a comfortable lead with Barry chasing. Barry was able to line up alongside Bergenty for the restart, staying to her outside before getting around her to lead lap-15 just ahead of another quick caution flag. The next restart between the two had Barry leading Bergenty, and he quickly got away and bested defending champion Paul French who took second. Chris Ignazio was able to claim third and Bergenty ended up fourth. Barry chipped away at Randy Churchill’s lead in the point standings with his third win of the year, coupled with a fifth place effort by Churchill after a heat race crashed forced him into a borrowed ride for the main event.
Rocco scored his second career victory in the Valenti Modified Racing Series in front of a home track crowd. The division’s 100-lap feature saw Rocco rally to the front early in the going, taking command on the outside of Chris Pasteryak on lap-9. Rocco led easily over a long stretch of racing that took the event through a caution on lap-89 when Todd Owen’s car spewed fluid around the track. Following a lengthy delay for the cleanup, Rocco hung tough and survived four additional caution periods over the final nine laps which took its toll on the field behind him. Rocco handled every restart and subsequent challenger to take his first series win at the Speedbowl, marking the seventh different division he has won in at the track, tops all-time in the track’s 63-year history. Series point leader Rowan Pennink finished in second and Pasteryak ended up third. Tommy Barrett and veteran racer Dwight Jarvis avoided the late trouble to finish fourth and fifth.
McKennedy wired the field in the 50-lap ISMA Supermodified race. After an opening lap incident collected several cars to bring out a quick caution flag, McKennedy took the lead when racing was able to get underway and blitzed the field. He jumped ahead following each of four caution flags that slowed the race. McKennedy was never seriously threatened – his closest encounter came avoiding a spin by a car back in the field on lap-21. Ben Seitz took advantage of the restarts to advance into second position by the checkered flag after running up front all race. Mike Ordway Jr. finished third. McKennedy’s quick lap was a 12.4
Bertrand was masterful on his way to the win in the 25-lap NEMA Midget Angelilo Memorial race. In what he described as “the best track (conditions) of the year” he blistered his way to the win, recording his second win of the season. Bertrand’s best lap was a scorching 12.79 second tour of the three-eighths mile oval, the fastest lap by the division over the past several years, which translated to a 106 mile-per-hour average lap. Bertrand took the lead from Paul Scally of Raynham, MA on the seventh lap. The special event paid tribute to Gene and Marilyn Angelilo, the legendary late car owners and club officers.
Bigelow had to get around his brother Ryan to take the lead in the 25-lap NEMA Lite feature. He outdueled his sibling early on and held back a charging Ian Cumens over the final ten laps.
Saturday 8/10 Wings & Wheels Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 2. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 3. Ed Puleo, Branford; 4. Ted Christopher, Plainville; 5. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 6. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 7. Craig Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 8. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry; 9. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 10. Jeff Gallup, Agawam, MA; 11. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 12. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 13. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 14. Joe Gada, Salem; 15. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 16. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 17. Tyler Jackson, Milford; 18. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Light Modifieds (25-laps): 1. Corey Barry, Plainfield; 2. Paul French, Andover; 3. Chris Ignazio, Colchester; 4. Victoria Bergenty, Plainville; 5. Randy Churchill Jr., Oakdale; 6. William Benoit, Milford; 7. Paul Buzel, Trumbull; 8. Jeff Fialkovich, Shelton; DNS – Larry Goss, North Windham
Valenti Modified Racing Series (100-laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 2. Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, PA; 3. Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon; 4. Tommy Barrett, Millis, MA; 5. Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney, VT; 6. Steve Masse, Bellingham, MA; 7. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs; 8. Richard Savary, Canton, MA; 9. Rob Goodenough, Swanzey, NH; 10. Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, MA; 11. Dylan Kopec, Palmer, MA; 12. Dana Smith, Sunapee, NH; 13. David Schneider, Northport, NY; 14. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 15. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 16. Max Zachem, Preston; 17. Mike Holdridge, Madison; 18. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford; 19. Anthony Nocella, Woburn, MA; 20. Todd Annarummo, Swansea, MA; 21. Matt Mead, Richmond, NH; 22. Todd Owen, Somers; 23. Jim Boniface, Winchester, NH; 24. Danny Cates, Chaplin; 25. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon; 26. Ted Christopher, Plainville
International Supermodified Association (50-laps): 1. Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA. 2. Ben Seitz, Bourne, MA; 3. Mike Ordway Jr., Fremont, NH; 4. Mike Lichty, Innerkip, Ont., CA; 5. Mark Sammut, London, Ont., CA; 6. Allison Cumens, Lydell, PA; 7. Eric Lewis, Solvay, NY; 8. Lou Cicconi, Aston, PA; 9. Rob Summers, Vernon; 10. Joey Payne, Fairlawn, NJ; 11. Jeff Locke, Chester, NH; 12. Justin Belfiore, Ipswich, MA; 13. Dave Duggan, Milford, NH; 14. Dan Bowes, Byfield, MA; 15. Dan Lane, Ipswich, MA; 16. Bobby Chartier, Dracut, MA 17. Mike Ordway Sr., Fremont, NH
Northeastern Midget Association (25-laps): 1. Todd Bertrand, Suffield; 2. Randy Cabral, Plymouth, MA; 3. Russ Stoehr, Lakeville, MA; 4. Anthony Marvuglio, East Bridgewater, MA; 5. Paul Scally, Raynham, MA; 6. John Zych, Louisville, KY; 7. Jim Santamaria, Burlington, VA; 8. Ian Cumens, Lydell, PA; 9. Jim Chambers, Atkinson, NH; 10. Phil DiMario, Piermont, NY; 11. Bethany Stoehr, Bridgewater, MA; 12. Avery Stoehr, Lakeville, MA; 13. Danny Cugini, Marshfield, MA; 14. Doug Cleveland, Sudbury, MA; 15. Pete Pernesiglio, Lake Grove, NY; 16. Joey Payne, Fairlawn, NJ; 17. Seth Carlson, Brimfield
NEMA Lites (25-laps): 1. Scott Bigelow, East Hampton; 2. Ian Cumens, Lydell, PA; 3. Danny Cuigini, Marshfield, MA: 4. Kenny Johnson, Bethany; 5. Logan Rayvals, Brockville, Ont., CA; 6. Anthony Payne, Fairlawn, NJ; 7. D.J. Moniz, New Bedford, MA; 8. Meg Cugini, Marshfield, MA; 9. Richie Morrocco, Plainville, MA; 10. Ryan Bigelow, East Hampton; 11. Kevin Park, Foxboro, MA; 12. Avery Stoehr, Lakeville, MA; 13. Carl Medeiros, Westport, MA; 14. Paul Bigelow, Kensington
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR