Masse Collects Third Win in VMRS Action
STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT — When Ted Christopher and Keith Rocco start side by side on the front row, you can expect an action filled event, and the packed grand stands were not disappointed.
A record number of 36 cars signed in for the Shark Cycle 80, with only 26 qualifiers. At the drop of Rich Keator’s green flag, Christopher of Plainville, CT out-powered Rocco of Meriden, CT for the lead, with Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, Zane Zeiner of Bath, PA , and Dan Meservey of Brewster, MA in tow. By lap 6 Rocco nudged his 68 to the inside of the 00 driven by TC, all the while Masse of Bellingham, MA had motored along from his mid pack starting spot, moving up to seventh by lap 8. A lap 12 spin by the popular Tommy Barrett Jr of Millis, MA brought no yellow and Barrett fell in at the rear of the pack. No matter where you looked on the track, there was a constant swapping of positions. As TC used the outside groove to race past Rocco on lap 18, Ryan Preece of Berllin, CT and Masse worked over a determined Wrenn and by lap 22 Preece took third spot away from the Advance Gas #53 of Wrenn.
The first caution appeared on lap 22 when Mark Bakaj of Lebanon, CT made heavy contact with the front stretch wall, requiring the car to be cradled off with two wreckers. Pacing under yellow was TC leading Rocco, Preece, Masse, Wrenn and Zeiner. The outside groove proved to be the fast lane to the front and Rocco used it to regain the lead, but the jousting match would continue, and four laps later TC took the number 1 spot from Rocco. A little further back Eric Goodale of Wading River NY flexed his muscle for the first time and raced by Zeiner for fifth. Now TC would have a three car length lead, the biggest lead of the night, but it all went away when Barrett, Max Zachem of Preston, CT and Todd Owen of Somers, CT came together against the third turn wall. Owen required a double hook, ending his night.
The restart had two familiar combatants TC and Rocco wheel to wheel, with Rocco regaining the lead. On lap 36 yellow flew again as Zachem and Barrett got caught up in the Dave Schneider spin in turn 3. Zachem and Barrett would be able to continue, the Schneider 19 from Northport, NY would not, and Rocco would keep his lead on the restart. On lap 41 your VMRS points leader Rowan Pennink of New Egypt, NJ, whom had just worked his way up into the top 10, lost a rear wheel as something came undone in the rear of the 25, ending his chance for victory in a shower of sparks as he slid down the front straightaway and out of contention.
On each ensuing restart,Rocco and TC would run bumper to bumper until lap 52 when Rocco would spin his #68 in turn one. With the seventh yellow flag of the race waving, the black flag was shown to TC. After a quick trip down pit road for consultation, TC would return to the rear of the field. The #13 of Masse inherited the lead, with Preece in second spot.
When racing resumed, Masse took advantage of the clean air and zoomed out to a five car length lead. Preece had to go on the defense trying to protect second spot from Wrenn, whom was trying everything to get by. With 13 laps to go, Goodale, currently running in fifth spot, slowed then pitted, giving up the fight.
Masse still powered away from the field until a lap 72 yellow flag, the last of the event, bunched up the pack for a six lap shoot out. Masse was not to be denied and just ran out to a three second lead, with Preece, Wrenn, Ken Barry in the Art Barry #21 and Zeiner slugging it out behind. The fight for second place saw Wrenn give it another attempt, trying to get by Preece, but Ryan held on as Masse flashed under the waving checkered flags of Rich Keater for the win. Preece came home second, Wrenn third, Barry fourth, and still in search of his first win with the series was Dave Etheridge fifth from Portland, CT
Heat winners: Keith Rocco, Ted Christopher, Norman Wrenn
Consi winers: Mark Bakaj, Todd Owen
Sources: Jim Snape/YankeeRacer.com