Jeff Paul Captures Pepsi 100 SK Modified Feature
Waterford, CT — Jeff Paul won the Pepsi 300 100-lap SK Modified feature at the Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday evening.
Other feature winners were Bruce Thomas Jr. (Late Model), Al Stone III (Sportsman), and Danny Field (Mini Stocks).
Pole-sitter Tyler Chadwick led the first few circuits of the 100-lap SK feature before passed by Keith Rocco. For several circuits the leader was pressed by Doug Coby, Dennis Gada, and Jeff Paul. Coby passed Rocco for the lead just beyond the halfway-point, seemingly on his way to a sure victory. On lap ninety-three, Frank Ruocco and Rocco made contact, the latter slamming into the back-stretch wall, with Ruocco sent to the back for rough-riding. The resultant restart saw Jeff Paul bolt into the lead, passing Coby who reportedly had problems “getting his car into gear.” Coby held-on for the runner-up spot followed by Rob Janovic Jr., Ron Yuhas Jr., and defending champion and current point-leader Dennis Gada. It was the first win of 2008 for Paul.
In the 100-lap Late Model feature it was defending champion Bruce Thomas Jr. scoring victory in round-two of the Triple Crown series. Starting in the second-row and passing Ron Yuhas Jr. for the lead on lap forty-two, Thomas motored to a dominating twenty-seventh career triumph over Tim Jordan, Yuhas, Vin Esposito, and Diego Monahan.
Al Stone III kept his Triple Crown expectations alive with a victory in the 50-lap Sportsman feature. Passing early leader Ronnie Oldham Jr. on lap fifteen, Stone went on to win by a comfortable margin. Rounding-out the top-5 was Josh Galvin, Oldham, Walt Hovey Jr., and Mark Cooper. Also the winner during the season-opening Modified Nationals, it was Stone’s third victory of the season.
Scoring the 50-lap Mini Stock main event by an ever-so-slight margin was Danny Field. Glen Colvin led the opening circuits before passed by Randy Churchill. Field moved to the point with twenty-seven laps remaining. From there, Field battled with Randy Churchill before a caution tightened the field on lap forty-four. Yet another yellow flew two circuits later for an incident in turn-2 involving several cars. Finishing in a wild 3-wide formation, it was Field, Churchill, and Phil Evans. Following was Kyle James and Ian Brew. It was the second Pepsi 300 victory of Field’s career.
Topping time trials were Doug Coby (SK Modified) 14.337, Bruce Thomas Jr, (Late Model) 15.268, Ronnie Oldham (Sportsman) 17.431, Glenn Colvin (Mini Stock) 17.495. The laps of both Thomas and Oldham represented new track records.
SK MODIFIED (100); 1. Jeff Paul, 2. Doug Coby, 3. Rob Janovic Jr., 4. Ron Yuhas Jr., 5. Dennis Gada, 6. Ed Reed Jr., 7. Shawn Monahan, 8. Justin Gaydosh, 9. Jay Miller, 10. Frank Ruocco, 11. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., 12. Wade Mattesen, 13. Wendell Dailey, 14. Mike Sweeney, 15. Rich Hammann, 16. Jeff Pearl, 17. Keith Rocco, 18. Matt Gallo, 19. Todd Ceravolo, 20. Glenn Pressel III, 21. Tyler Chadwick, 22. Don Fowler, 23. Diego Monahan.
LATE MODEL (100); 1. Bruce Thomas Jr., 2. Tim Jordan, 3. Ron Yuhas Jr., 4. Vin Esposito, 5. Diego Monahan, 6. Ernie Bertrand, 7. Marc Curtis Jr., 8. Ed Reed Jr., 9. Jeff Smith, 10. Anthony Macrino, 11. Richard Staskowski, 12. Mark Hudson, 13. Robert LeBlanc Jr., 14. Derek McLellan, 15. Mike Sweeney, 16. Larry Goss, 17. Rick Nelson, 18. Allen Coates, 19. Dan Holben, 20. Joe Curioso III.
SPORTSMAN (50); 1. Al Stone III, 2. Josh Galvin, 3. Ronnie Oldham Jr., 4. Walt Hovey Jr., 5. Mark Cooper, 6. Brandon Plemons, 7. John Puglisi, 8. Jack Aquilina, 9. Nate Appell, 10. Kevin Burr, 11. Ed Lamb Jr., 12. Chris Meyer, 13. Joe Bertholet, 14. Chuck Rogers, 15. Joe Nogiec, 16. Joe Coates, 17. Jim Procaccini.
MINI STOCK (50); 1. Danny Field, 2. Randy Churchill Jr., 3. Phil Evans, 4. Kyle James, 5. Ian Brew, 6. Jeff Mehlenbacher, 7. Chris Williams, 8. Mark Panaroni, 9. Glenn Colvin, 10. Christina Cunliffe, 11. Raymond Christian III, 12. Nick Pappacoda, 13. Sean Caron, 14. Charles Canfield, 15. Ken Cassidy Jr., 16. Jackie Wolfram, 17. Lou Bellisle III, 18. Ben Bargnesi, 19. Andrew Becker, 20. Jeff “Soup” Civardi, 21. Jack Aquilina, 22. Ryan Cipows, 23. Bill Leonard.
Sources: Dave Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR