Wild and Wacky Wednesday 9/30
WATERFORD — Close point races became even closer following Wednesday’s Wild and Wacky Wednesday competition.
With one week remaining in the championship season, only a handful of points separate the top two drivers in three of the four divisions.
The point races remained close following Wednesday’s intense competition. In the Legends division, Brandon Martinez landed his third win of the season and pulled two within two points of frontrunner Connor Holderbach in the battle for the title.
In the Super X-car division, Dominic Abbatiello also is making a late run for a crown. He scooted to his fourth win of the season and now trails Ed Ryan Jr. by eight points.
The X-Car division also is a donnybrook between Sam Mesick and TJ Racicot. Chris Thomas won for the third time this season, but Mesick finished second to maintain a 5-point lead over Racicot.
The only point battle that is almost wrapped up is in the Bandolero division. Joel Newcomb won for the third time, outlasting Darren Kranz Jr., but Isaiah Newcomb finished third and needs just to start the final race of the year to put a virtual padlock on the title.
The wildest finish of the night was pulled off by Brandon Martinez, who was forced to go to the rear of the field early in the race after an incident on lap 3 with Holderbach.
He climbed back into second, and when his younger brother Zachary Martinez went into a spin with three laps left, he took over the lead.
Corey Fanning made a bid over the final three laps, but could not get to within striking distance of Martinez.
Holderbach, who was in two incidents during the race, forcing him to the back of the field on both occasions, executed a late rally to finish third to maintain his point lead by a slender margin.
Thomas paced himself for the first half of the X-car race and then exploded in the second half, to blur past Racicot.
“I couldn’t do it without my crew,” Thomas said. “They have done everything possible to get me a great car.”
Mesick finished right behind him in second to take the point lead into the final week of the season.
Abbatiello started fourth on the Super-X car feature but didn’t stay there for very long as he moved into the lead on lap 6.
“We have the car this year,” Abbatiello said. “We started fourth and moved up quickly. And once we got the lead, we didn’t lose it.”
Ryan Jr., meanwhile, said he was aware of the points situation and didn’t put his car in jeopardy, finishing second.
“It was a good night,” said Ryan, who leads Abbatiello by 8 and Don Berge by 10.
Joel Newcomb moved in front early and gradually pulled away from Darren Krantz to post a dominating win. It was his third win in the last four races.
The Vintage Midgets made a Speedbowl appearance for the fourth and final time this season, and Jeffrey Champagne pulled away from Jake Trainer to chalk up the win.
The action gets under ways at 7 on Oct. 7 for the Wild and Wacky Wednesday season finale.
25-lap Legends: 1. Brandon Martinez, North Kingston RI; 2. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 3. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 4. Connor Holderbach, Wolcott; 5. Jacob Burns, Bristol, RI; 6, RJ Marcotte, Millville, Mass.; 7. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 8. Zachary Martinez, North Kingston RI; 9. Brandon Remson, Norwalk; 10. Isaiah Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.
25-lap X Cars: 1. Chris Thomas, Waterford; 2. Sam Mesick, East Lyme; 3. TJ Racicot, Quaker Hill; 4. Cameron Liebal, Oakdale; 6. Christian Herman, North Branford; 7. Christopher Lee, Oakdale; 8. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 9. Garrett Denton, Hopkington, RI; 10. Pete Zalkarite, East Windsor.
25-lap Super X Cars: 1. Dominic Abbatiello, North Branford; 2. Ed Ryan Jr., Preston; 3. Bill Rheaume, North Franklin; 4. Bill Reiman, Southington; 5. Mitch Bombard, Willimantic; 6. Keith Brown, Griswold; 7. Don Berge, Uncasville; 8. Sean Skinner, Oakdale; 9. Evan Donnellan, Quaker Hill; 10. Jeremy Washburn, N/A.
20-lap Bandoleros: 1, Joel Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 2. Darren Krantz Jr., Huntington, NY; 3. Isaiah Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 4. Brad Strickland, Uncasville; 5. Milania Shilosky, Colchester; 6. Aiden Sullivan, East Hampton; 7. Ethan Dion, Oakdale.
Sources: Matt Buckler. New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR