New London-Waterford Speedbowl Thursday Night Thunder 7/2 Results
Waterford, CT (July 2, 2015) – New London-Waterford Speedbowl was back with motorsports action Thursday evening, staging five events as part of its Thursday Night Thunder program. Two new race winners landed in Victory Lane, with Berlin’s Dave Yardley and Preston’s Wayne Shifflett claiming the respective Super X-Car and X-Car races. In INEX racing, Lisbon’s Jordan Churchill won his third race of the year and Nickolas Hovey of Chaplin won the Bandoleros. David Gargaro Jr. of Cranston, RI checkered the Sport 4 division race, which was making its Speedbowl debut.
Churchill was victorious for the third time of the year following the 25-lap INEX Legend Cars feature. He and Michael Blaskey were the early movers when the race began, quickly rising into contention behind leader John O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan showed the way as Churchill eventually worked to second position by the time the second caution flag of the race came out on lap-13. Churchill challenged O’Sullivan on the outside when the green flag returned, and powered into the lead on lap-14. The rest of the race ran without further delay and Churchill cruised to the win. O’Sullivan recorded his best finish of the year in second, and Blaskey wound up third.
Yardley made the most of his season debut in the 25-lap eight cylinder Super X-Car race. A numerous race winner last year, Yardley did not appear at the Speedbowl in the first eight events of 2015. After starting towards the rear, he steadily progressed through the field to challenge Ray Reed for the race lead after the final yellow flag of the race waved for an incident on lap-13. Yardley made an inside maneuver on Reed to take command for good on lap-17, then pulled away from the competition. Marc Shafer came on strong late in the race to continue a string of podium finishes, ending up second. Shawn Gaedeke placed third.
Shifflett won his first four cylinder X-Car race of the year, winding up the benefactor after a tangle among the lead two cars on lap-18. Bruce Sperry was running his best race of the year in the lead when Eric Finkbein Jr. began pressuring him for the top spot. Finkbein and Sperry came together in turn three, sending Finkbein’s car into the wall with a flat right front tire to bring out the caution. Shifflett lined up outside Sperry in second when the race went back to the green flag, and shot into the lead. He closed out the final seven lap sprint to the checkered flag and claimed the 25-lap race win. Christopher Lee was second with Sperry taking third.
Hovey won another INEX Bandolero feature Thursday, coming back from an earlier spin in the 20-lap race. He marched back through the field and made a move to the inside of Hailey Desaulniers to take the lead in the closing laps.
Gargaro chased Ray Herman for much of the 25-lap Sport 4 division feature. The four cylinder class normally competes at Seekonk (MA) Speedway and was in action for the first time at the Speedbowl. Gargaro powered into the lead on the top of the track following a late caution flag. Herman wound up second and David Simpson was third.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Speedbowl hosts special fourth of July holiday weekend events. NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing returns with a six division event on Saturday, highlighted by two-for-one adult grandstands admission tickets. Two adults will receive grandstands admission for just $18. Also Saturday, a barbeque between 12:00pm and 4:00pm will be held on speedway grounds featuring traditional American fair for $10 per adult and $5 per youth up to age 15. Qualifying races begin at 5:30pm and main events start at 7:00pm.
On Sunday, America’s Birthday Bash hits the track headlined by the motorized stunts of the legendary Tim Chitwood, plus motorcycle stunts by Luke ‘Duke’ Emmons. A six and eight cylinder Enduro race, demolition derby, and more thrills and spills round out the card. Sunday’s event begins at 6:00pm. All weekend event information including detailed schedules of events are available online at Speedbowl.com.
Unofficial New London-Waterford Speedbowl Thursday Night Thunder 7/2 Results:
INEX Legend Cars (25-laps): 1. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 2. John O’Sullivan III, Salem; 3. Michael Blaskey, Waterbury; 4. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 5. Noah Korner, Canton; 6. Andrew Molleur, Shelton; 7. Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury; 8. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 9. Connor Holderbach, Wolcott; 10. Caterina LaBella, Plainville; 11. Cassandra Cole, Westbrook; 12. Glenn Korner Jr., Canton; 13. David Lespinasse, Milford; 14. Josh Zentek, East Haven; 15. Michael Comforti, Uxbridge, MA
INEX Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin; 2. Ethan Durocher, Plainfield; 3. Hailey Desaulniers, Windham; 4. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook; 5. Ethan Simmons, Pawcatuck
X-Cars (25-laps): 1. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 2. Christopher Lee, Waterford; 3. Bruce Sperry, Waterford; 4. Mark Shepard, Griswold; 5. William Rheaume, Uncasville; 6. David Gargaro Jr., Cranston; 7. Jeff Dombrowski, Oakdale; 8. C.P. Burdick, Deep River; 9. Ray Herman, Waterford; 10. Richard Mollo, Seymour; 11. Rick Majcher, Taftville; 12. Andrew Lee, New London; 13. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 14. Eric Finkbein Jr., Manchester; 15. Christopher Thomas, Waterford; 16. Craig Tavernier, Moosup; 17. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield; DNS – Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; DNS – Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; DNS – Tom Sheehan, Baltic; DNS – Alex Caddick, Wyoming, RI; DNS – Kim Bickford, Griswold; DNS – Michael Olsen, Deep River
Super X-Cars (25-laps): 1. Dave Yardley, Berlin; 2. Marc Shafer, Groton; 3. Shawn Gaedeke, Southington; 4. Brian Norman, Clinton; 5. Ray Reed, Norwich; 6. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 7. Bo Norman, Clinton; 8. Don Berge, Uncasville; 9. Ray Phillips, Canterbury; 10. Jaysin Beal, Ledyard; 11. Bill Reiman, Southington; 12. Todd Taylor, North Stonington
Sport 4 (25-laps): 1. David Gargaro Jr., Cranston, RI; 2. Ray Herman, Waterford; 3. David Simpson, Warwick, RI; 4. Alex Caddick, Wyoming, RI; 5. Dylan Cabral, Richmond, RI; 6. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 7. Henry Lavallee, Stonington; 8. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 9. Craig Tavernier, Moosup; 10. Tom Sheehan, Baltic; 11. Christopher Bissell, Voluntown; 12. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 13. Nicholas Mattera, Cranston, RI; 14. Robert Henry, Cranston, RI; 15. Michael Olsen, Deep River
Sources: Mike Serluca/New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR