Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesdays 6/20 Results
Waterford, CT — After two consecutive rainouts, Waterford Speedbowl was back in action with its popular Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday mid-week program. Taking down wins on the evening included Dave Garbo Jr. of Stonington in the Legends Cars and Derek Debbis of Oakdale in the Bandolero feature, while Mike Maskell of Quaker Hill was the night’s Super X-Car race winner and Scott Limkemann of East Lyme took the X-Car victory.
The 20-lap Legends Cars feature had a tough time getting started as Daniel Stolte and Dennis Pantani came together just past the start-finish line on the initial green flag. Pantani went spinning into the wall leaving debris behind, drawing the caution flag. The second attempt to start the race was no better, as a six car melee between turns three and four among the back half of the field kept the race under caution before a lap was completed.
The race finally got underway with Dana Dimatteo showing the way to lead lap-1. Multiple time feature winner on the year Matt Pappa spun exiting turn four on the opening lap, however continued on without caution. As the field was completing lap-2 Pappa spun again in turn four, the second time drawing a yellow flag.
Dimatteo lined up to the outside of Daniel Stolte for the restart in the first cone race for the division at the track, giving competitors the opportunity to choose which lane they would line up in for the restart. Dimatteo fought off Stolte to resume his lead, then saw Garbo race into second position hot on his tail. Garbo chased Dimatteo to lap-8, when the next caution came out for Jordan Churchill who lost an engine with a flash fire erupting under the hood of his machine. The caution then red flags were displayed and Churchill emerged from his car immediately.
On the restart more trouble for the division saw Dana’s younger brother Cory Dimatteo take a backwards trip into the turn two wall keeping the race under delay for the final caution flag of the event.
Dana Dimatteo would ultimately choose the inside lane for the ensuing restart, with Garbo lining up to his outside. The two ran side-by-side battling for the lead following the return to green flag racing. Garbo raced Dimatteo hard in the outside lane, easing his way into the race lead for good on lap-9. Garbo pulled away from Dimatteo to open up a five length lead.
Under the final green flag run to the checkered, Pappa stormed his way back into contention from the lap-1 spin to rise back to third position. Dimatteo was well ahead in second but Pappa erased that advantage to get by his inside for second on lap-14. Garbo’s lead still stood over Pappa, who was having a hard time cutting into the distance. He did not have the time or car to run down Garbo, who went on to the win. Pappa and Dimatteo completed the podium finishers.
In the night’s 20-lap Bandolero feature, Debbis took the lead on lap-2 from Alan Eastman Jr. Once in the lead, Debbis marched out to a multiple car-length lead as the battle for second position intensified among Eastman, Jacob Perry and defending champion Rachel Forte. That trio battled for several laps swapping positions before Forte finally came out on top in the fight for position on lap-11. Perry followed Forte past Eastman into third.
Debbis’ lead was greater than a straightaway when Forte and Perry lined up to try to draft back to his rear bumper. There were no caution flags during the race and Debbis would not be tracked down. Forte and Perry came across the line in order to round out the podium finishers.
The Super X-Car race became a battle of attrition in more ways than one. Several caution periods plagued the special 30-lap race distance, ten laps above the normal distance of 20-laps. Scorching temperatures and wild action on the racing surface created several lengthy delays, including two incidents during a lap-25 caution which necessitated track emergency services tended to medical situations. The race was red-checkered five laps short of its scheduled distance, with Maskell holding the top spot when the end came.
Maskell was in the mix early on, taking second position by lap-5. Maskell took the lead from R.J. Cunningham on lap-11, but lost it to Ed Ryan around the halfway point. Following the sixth caution period of the race, Maskell retook the lead from Ryan in the outside lane. Just as Ryan was beginning to pressure Maskell’s inside in attempt to make for an exciting ending, the seventh caution came out, which proved as the final of the race during the red-flag medical delay. Following Maskell and Ryan in the finishing order were Jim Boyle, John Yagmin and Frank Alessio.
The 20-lap X-Car race had trouble beginning, as a lap-1 caution period collected several competitors. Once the track was cleared of that incident, the field rattled off the rest of the race in rapid fashion. No further delays prevented the race from its finish, and saw Randy Johnston take the race lead after battling through the early traffic jam at the front. Pete Zaikarite raced down Johnston and pressured him for the lead, only to see Limkemann fire his way through the field into contention just before the halfway point.
Limkemann got around Zaikarite and immediately went after the leader Johnston. He used a move to Johnston’s inside through turns three and four to race into the lead on lap-11. After contact between the leaders that nearly collected Johnston into the front stretch wall, Limkemann pulled away. Zaikarite raced by Johnston before he recovered his car from trouble and got back in line in third position. The three raced that way to the checkered flag with Limkemann’s margin of victory several car lengths at the checkered flag.
On Saturday, the Speedbowl hosts the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for the Mr. Rooter 161. Anticipation continues to build around the special Richie Evans tribute race. Pit Gates open for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams only at 10:30am. Grandstand gates open for Mr. Rooter 161 practice, which begins at 1:30pm. The pit gates open for the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions at 2:45pm ahead of their practice, which begins at 3:30pm. Time Trials to set the starting lineup for the Mr. Rooter 161 take the green flag at 5:00pm. Main events begin at 6:30pm beginning with the SK Modified® race. The Mr. Rooter 161 expected post time is 8:30pm. The detailed event schedule for the Mr. Rooter 161 can be found online at Speedbowl.com.
Waterford Speedbowl Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday 6/20 Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 2. Matt Pappa, Nassua, NY; 3. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 4. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 5. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 6. Peter Cirilli, Farmington; 7. Nicholas Lascuola, Brockton, MA; 8. Daniel Stolte, Northbridge, MA; 9. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 10. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin; 11. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 12. Timothy Heath, Lebanon; 13. Corey Dimatteo, Farmington; 14. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 15. Arthur Marrero, Baltic; 16. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 17. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 18. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 19. Christopher Kearney, Ellington DQ – Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; DQ – Giovanni Giarratana, Newington
Bandoleros (20-laps): 1. Derek Debbis, Oakdale; 2. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 3. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck; 4. Alan Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 5. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 6. Rene Morgillo, Niantic; 7. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook; 8. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 9. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook
Super X-Cars (25-laps): 1. Mike Maskell, Quaker Hill; 2. Ed Ryan, Preston; 3. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 4. John Yagmin, Tolland; 5. Frank Alessio, Colchester; 6. R.J. Cunningham, Clinton; 7. Robert Norman, Clinton; 8. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI; 9. John Brouwer Jr., Groton; 10. Ken Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 11. Matt Carlson, Griswold; 12. Ray Reed, Norwich; 13. James Maher, Shelton; 14. Justin Cook, Clinton; 15. Jimmy Griswold, Wallingford; 16. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme; 17. Eric Finkbein, Columbia; 18. Jon Porter, Canterbury; 19. Dan Butler, Waterford; 20. Ken Downing III, Branford; 21. Shawn Perkins, Salem; 22. Steve Bray, East Hartford; 23. Paul Turcotte, East Hartford
X-Cars (20-laps): 1. Scott Limkemann, East Lyme; 2. Pete Zaikarite, Niantic; 3. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI; 4. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 5. Mike Trask, Plainfield; 6. Brad Voglesong, Middletown; 7. Wayne Shifflett, Preston; 8. Larry Loomis, Moosup; 9. Javier Rivera, Willimantic; 10. Michael Marvin, Colchester; 11. Christopher Thomas, East Hampton; 12. Christopher Lee, Uncasville; 13. Henry Lavallee, Uncasville; 14. Melissa Clavette, Bozrah; 15. Josh Barrie, Voluntown; 16. Chuck McDonald, Groton; 17. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield; 18. Kim Bickford, Griswold; 19. Nate Bryington, Webster, MA; 20. Zach Ezzell, Plainfield; 21. Kristie Hamel, Jewett City; 22. Richard Wysoczynski, Norwich; 23. Craig Miner, Higganum; 24. Mitchell Bombard, Willimantic; 25. Onie Pierce, Norwich; 26. John Bowes, Willington
Wacky Super X-Car Race: event postponed
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR