New London-Waterford Speedbowl Crowns Champions in Season Finale
WATERFORD – The New London-Waterford Speedbowl closed out its 2016 racing season with 14-feature racing card Sunday as part of the Bemers Big Show that began last weekend.
Saturday’s events were leftover from a rained out session on Oct. 22 at the track.
The day was highlighted with championships being awarded in four of the track’s regular weekly divisions.
Champions crowned in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly divisions were Keith Rocco (Late Model), Tony Membrino Jr. (SK Light Modified), Al Stone III (Limited Sportsman) and Wayne Burroughs Jr. (Mini Stock).
Rocco, of Wallingford, got his seventh win of the season.
Jason Palmer of Berlin was second and Ray Christian III of Uncasville third.
Christian went to the lead on the first lap just before the first caution flew after one lap was completed.
On the ensuing restart, Rocco moved to second place behind Christian.
The caution flew with 28 laps remaining and on the next restart, it was Rocco using the outside lane to go by Christian and take over the lead.
The caution flew with 13 laps remaining with Rocco leading Christian in second and Palmer in third.
On the next restart, it was Palmer getting by Christian for second. With three laps left the caution flew once again. On the restart, it was Palmer staying to Rocco’s outside. Palmer led by inches as the two took the white flag, but the caution came back out for the spinning car of Glen Thomas.
On the first attempt at a green-white-checkered it was Rocco moving back to the lead, but once again after the white flag the caution flew again for a spinning car.
On the final attempt to finish it was Rocco holding off the charges of Palmer to score the victory.
Stone, of Durham, finished seventh in the 25-lap Limited Sportsman feature to capture his second consecutive title in the division and fourth overall.
Chris Meyer of Norwich won the event and finished second in the standings. Monte Gibbs of Killingworth was second and Charles Beal of Ledyard was third.
Meyer went by Gibbs for the lead with five laps remaining.
Membrino, of Berlin, went out in style for the season clinching his first track championship with a victory in the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature.
It was the seventh victory in 14 starts at the Speedbowl this year for Membrino.
Brett Gonyaw of Vernon was second in the feature and Paul French of Andover third.
French took the field to green and pulled away quickly.
Membrino moved to second place on lap 18 and began chipping away at French’s big lead.
With 13 laps remaining Membrino was all over French. The caution flew with laps remaining to bunch up the field.
On the ensuing restart, Membrino used the outside lane to go by French for the lead off of turn four.
Gonyaw followed to second place but couldn’t find a line to unseat Membrino from the top spot over the closing laps.
Burroughs, of Oakdale, clinched his second consecutive Mini Stock championship at the track with a fifth place finish in the division’s 25-lap feature.
Marc Panaroni of Ivoryton won the event. Charles Canfield of East Haven was second and Jordan Hadley of Waterford third.
Panoroni went to the lead early and never let it go. With five laps remaining Canfield got to within a car length of Panaroni, but there wasn’t enough time left to challenge for the top spot.
Gerard Giordano Jr. took the lead on a restart with five laps remaining and won the 35-lap Mr. Rooter New England Truck Series feature.
Andy Lindeman finished second and won the series title. Dave Koening was third.
Todd Taylor won the 25-lap Speedbowl Truck feature. Teddy Hodgon won the 25-lap Legends feature. Charles Prinze swept both 20-lap Bandolero features. Ray Reed won the first 20-lap Super X-Car feature. Keith Scalia won the second 20-lap Super X-Car feature. Dave Gargaro won the first X-Car feature.
Waterford Agate 10-29-16
30-lap Late Model: 1. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 2. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 3. Ray Christian III, Uncasville; 4. Adam Gray, Belchertown, Mass.; 5. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 6. Glen Thomas, West Bridgewater, Mass.; 7. Ernie LaRose, Plainfield; 8. Matthew Carlson, Griswold; 9. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 10. Vin Esposito, Waterbury.
25-lap SK Light Modified: 1. Tony Membrino Jr., Berlin; 2. Brett Gonyaw, Vernon; 3. Paul French, Andover; 4. Corey Barry, Plainfield; 5. Alan Gombos Jr., Naugatuck; 6. David Arute, Tolland; 7. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 8 Rick Williams, East Hampton; 9. Vin Anglace, Ansonia; 10. Marcello Rufrano, North Haven.
25-lap Limited Sportsman: 1. Chris Meyer, Norwich; 2. Monte Gibbs, Killingworth; 3. Charles Beal, Ledyard; 4. Ryan Waterman, Danielson; 5. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 6. Bo Norman, Clinton; 7. Al Stone III, Durham; 8. Tyler Cinamella, Willimantic; 9. Dwayne Dorr, Ledyard; 10. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield.
25-lap Mini Stock: 1. Marc Panaroni, Ivoryton; 2. Charles Canfield, East Haven; 3. Jordan Hadley, Waterford; 4. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 5. Wayne Burroughs Jr., Oakdale; 6. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, R.I.; 7. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 8. Tommy Silva, Groton; 9. Doug Curry, Groton; 10. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield.
25-lap Speedbowl Trucks: 1. Todd Taylor; 2. Joshua Stringer; 3. Duane Noll; 4. Tyler Chapman; 5. Kendall Metcalf; 6. Ray Reed; 7. Glen Noll; 8. Jim Boyle; 9. Trevor Dyer; 10. Andy Lindeman.
25-lap Mr. Rooter New England Truck Series: 1. Gerard Giordano Jr.; 2. Andy Lindeman; 3. Dave Koening; 4. Roger Turbush; 5. Tyler Chapman; 6. Josh Stringer; 7. Corey Coates; 8. Kyle Nosal; 9. Todd Taylor; 10. Jim Boyle.
25-lap Legends: 1. Teddy Hodgon; 2. John O’Sullivan; 3. Andrew Molleur; 4. Joey Ternulo; 5. Mikey Flynn; 6. Kyle Rogers; 7. Steve Chapman; 8. Phil Rondeau; 9. Colin Haley; 10. Cassandra Cole.
20-lap Micro Blue Bandolero (1): 1. Charles Prinz; 2. Nick Hovey; 3. Tyler Barry; 4. Ethan Durocher; 5. Antony Bello; 6. Nicolas Oloski; 7. Devon Jencik; 8. Andrew Morin; 9. Tyler Dachenhausen; 10. Ethan Simmons.
20-lap Micro Blue Bandaloro (2): 1. Charles Prinz; 2. Tyler Barry; 3. Andrew Morin; 4. Tyler Dachenhausen; 5. Devon Jencik; 6. Emma Monahan; 7. Nick Archiere; 8. Ethan Simmons; 9. Anthony Bevilacqua; 10. Nick Hovey.
20-lap Super X-Cars (1): 1. Ray Reed; 2. Marc Shafer; 3. Peter Martin; 4. Keith Scalia; 5. Don Bergel 6. Gary Avery; 7. Bill Reiman; 8. Dan Moon; 9. Dan Butler; 10. Denny Hoffman.
20-lap Super X-Cars (2): 1. Keith Scalia; 2. Dan Butler 3. Chris Taylor; 4. Bill Reiman; 5. Peter Martin; 6. Dan Moon; 7. Denny Hoffman; 8. Jason Larivee Jr.; 9. Ray Phillips; 10. Ray Reed.
20-lap X-Cars (1): 1. David Gargaro Jr.; 2. Dylan Cabral; 3. Christopher Thomas; 4. Kyle Gero; 5. Richard Nye; 6. Christopher Lee; 7. Wayne Shifflett; 8. Chuck McDonald; 9. Eddie Loomis; 10. Ray Herman.
20-lap X-Cars (2): 1. Chris Thomas; 2. Kyle Gero; 3. Dylan Cabral; 4. Rich Nye; 5. Christopher Lee; 6. David Gargaro Jr.; 7. Eddie Loomis; 8 Wayne Shifflett; 9. Chuck McDonald; 10. Ray Herman.
Sources: Olivia Bouchard/New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR