Porter Collects Emotional Win on Wild and Wacky Wednesday
WATERFORD — Bill Porter of Canterbury said he sat in the New London-Waterford Speedbowl grandstand 35 years ago to watch drivers such as Phil Rondeau and Jay Stuart work their magic.
Porter was able to join those two drivers Wednesday in a very exclusive group — the Speedbowl win list.
Porter led from start to finish to dominate the 25-lap Super X-Car feature, notching his first career win.
Joining Porter in the winners’ circle on Wednesday’s Wild & Wacky Wednesday racing card were X-Car winner Christian Herman, Legends winner Devin Deshaies and Bandolero winner Joel Newcomb.
Porter, however, captured a very emotional win in the Super X-Car event, which ran from green to checker. Prior to Wednesday’s race, his best finish was sixth.
“I’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity,” Porter said. “That what makes this special. So many people helped me get here, including my daughter Madison. I’ve been coming her for 35 years and I was able to get a win.”
Donald Berge stayed on Porter’s back bumper for most of the race but didn’t have the steam to catch him. Ed Ryan, who saw his two race win streak snapped, finished third.
The battle of the night took place in the X-Car event, where Herman and Caneron Liebel were surgically attached to each other for at least 15 laps. Herman finally pulled away as he jet-streamed past Liebel on the outside. Liebel ran into tire trouble on the final lap. When his car wobbled, Sam Mesick whisked by him to finish second.
“That was one heck of a show,” Mesick said after his two-race win streak was snapped. “They were battling lap after lap and we couldn’t catch them.
The Legend race started with an unexpected development — two time winner Jacob Burns and Paul Newcomb wound up in the fourth-turn wall, knocking them both out of the event.
Zachary Martinez jumped into the lead, but he couldn’t hold in because Deshaies had too much velocity. Deshaies smoke-bombed into the lead for his second feature win.
“You just have to be patient and wait for someone to make a mistake,” Deshaies said. “A gap opened up and I went into the gap and got him (Martinez) on the inside.”
Shileigh Martinez finished second and Zachary Martinez was third.
After spinning out on lap six, it took Milania Shiloski only four laps to go from last place to first.
She crossed the finish line in first, but she and Michael Lefort were disqualified after the race for restrictor-plate issues. The win went to Joel Newcomb, which was his second win of the season.
Racing continues at the Speedbowl Saturday with the Four-Cylinder Fury. The Mini Stocks will be in action for 50-laps. There will be 35-lap features for the Legends and X-Cars and a 4- and 6-cylinder Enduro.
25-lap Super X-Cars: 1. Bill Porter, Canterbury; 2. Donald Berge, Uncasville; 3. Ed Ryan Jr., Preston; 4. William Reiman, Southington; 5. William Rheaume, North Franklin; 6. Dave Yardley, Kensington; 7. Marc Shafer, Groton; 8. Sean Skinner, Oakdale; 9. Will Rheaume, North Franklin; 10. Devin Tate, Preston.
25-lap X-Cars: 1. Christian Herman, North Branford; 2. Sam Mesick, East Lyme; 3. Cameron Liebal, Oakdale; 4. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 5. Kaylee Symonds, Andover; 6. Jason Sechrist, Gales Ferry; 7. Victoria Finkbein, Manchester; 8. William Lauber, West Haven; 9. Tim Burgess, Norwich; 10. Samuel Lee, Wyoming RI.
25-lap Legends: 1. Devin Deshaies, Oakland RI; 2. Shileigh Martinez, North Kingston RI; 3. Zachary Martinez, North Kingston RI; 4. Brody Monahan, Waterford; 5. Isaiah Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 6. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 7. Joel Newcomb, Plymouth Mass.; 8. Paul Newcomb, Plymouth RI; 9. Jacob Burns, Bristol RI.
20-lap Bandoleros: 1. Joel Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 2. Richard Helger Jr., Tiverton RI; 3. Trenton Starkweather, Chaplin; 4. Brad Strickland, Uncasville; 5. Allyah Desomma, Richmond RI; 6. Aiden Sullivan, East Hampton; 7. Colin Floyd, North Kingston RI; 8. Milania Shilosky, Colchester; 9. Michael Lefort, West Warwick RI.
Sources: Matthew Buckler/New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR