Ryan Jr., Mesick Post Second Straight Wins
WATERFORD — Two 2020 Wild and Wacky Wednesday champions are having their success extend into 2021. Defending Super-X car champion Ed Ryan Jr. and reigning X-car champion Sam Mesick each racked up their second straight victories Wednesday at the New London-Waterford Speedbow as part of the Wild and Wacky series.
Ryan whirled past Devon Tate with 10 laps remaining to grab his win in the 25-lap Super X-Car feature.. Mesick also had to come from behind, taking the lead from Cameron Liebel on lap 9 of the 25-lap X-Car feature.
Also pulling off wins Wednesday were Jacob Burns, who survived a wild shootout to win his second 25-lap Legends race and Richard Helger Jr., who led every step of the way in the 20-lap Bandolero feature.
Ryan Jr. started ninth in the 20-car Super X field, but used both the inside and outside grooves of the 3-8th mile bowl to get to the front, squeezing by Tate.
Ryan had a cozy lead the rest of the way. Dave Yardley took advantage of a late restart with two laps to go to blister his way into second.
“This is my favorite win,” Ryan Jr, said. “I wasn’t looking forward to that restart, but those things happen. My car stayed good.”
Yardley came up through the field to move into second, but didn’t have the speed to match Ryan.
“I obviously had nothing for the 12 (Ryan),” Yardley said. “He comes off better off the corner than I do. He’s got it made in every race.”
Mesick had it made in the X-car race, posting a winning margin of more than 2 seconds.
“I have to give a shout out to the 70 car (Liebel),” Mesick said. “He was all over me. It’s a good thing my car was still good.”
Chuck MacDonald took advantage of an incident between Victoria Finkbein and Kaykee Symonds on the final lap to find an open lane and finish third.
Five drivers had a chance to win the Legends during the final lap. Luke LeBrun had a slender lead over Burns on the backstretch but spun out, surrendering the lead to Burns. He held off Zachary Martinez over the final two turns to secure the win.
“I’m a fast driver and he’s a fast driver,” Martinez said. “He just was able to get the upper hand tonight.
Helger was a dominating factor in the Bandolero feature, leading the entire distance on his way to the first win of his Speedbowl career.
“It feels good to finally win,” Helger said. “It was a tough battle, but this is awesome.”
Some of the excitement was provided by Milania Shilsky, who was running second, was forced to go to the back of the field after she was spun on a restart, roared back through the field and still finished in second.
Racing continues Saturday at the Speedbowl with the inaugural Fast Five 50-lap SK race, paying the winner $3,000 to win. The Late Models, Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, SK Lite Modifieds, Speedbowl Trucks, and Pro Four Modifieds are also on the card. Qualifying is at 4 p.m. with features expected to start at 6 p.m.
25-lap Super X Cars 1. Ed Ryan Jr., Preston; 2, Dave Yardley, Berlin; 3. Devin Tate, Preston; 4. Don Berge, Uncasville; 5. Sean Skinner, Oakdale; 6. Bill Porter, Canterbury; ; 7, Bill Reiman, Southington; 8. Will Rheaume, North Franklin, Uncasville; 9. Will Rheaume, North Franklin; 10. John Nunes, Middletown.
25-lap X-Cars: 1. Sam Mesick, East Lyme; 2. Cameron Liebal, Oakdale; 3. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 4. Tim Burgess, Norwich; 5. Victoria Finkbein, Manchester; 6. Samuel Lee, Wyoming, RI; 7. CP Burdick, Deep River; 8. Jason Seachrist, Gales Ferry; 9. Kaylee Symonds, Andover; 10. Tom Jones, Baltic.
25-lap Legends: 1. Jacob Burns, Bristol RI; 2. Zachary Martinez, North Kingston, RI; 3, Connor Holderbach, Wolcott; 4. Paul Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 5. Brody Monahan, Waterford; 6. Isaiah Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 7. Luke LeBrun, Newton, Mass.; 8. Nick Morabito, Miller Place, NY; 9. Shileigh Martinez, North Kingston RI; 10. Joel Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.
20-lap Bandoleros: 1. Richard Helger, Tiverton, RI; 2. Milani Shilosky, Colchester; 3. Joel Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 4. Darren Krantz, Huntington, NY; 5. Brad Strickland, Uncasville; 6. Ben Morabito, Miller Place, NY; 7. Trenton Starkweather, Chaplin; 8. Allyha Desomma, Richmond RI; 9. Mason Silva, Gales Ferry; 10. Colin Floyd, North Kingston RI; 11, Aiden Sullivan, East Hampton.