Saturday 10/12 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was back in action Saturday to wrap up its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing season, concluding a program suspended by weather a week ago. Keith Rocco of Meriden continued to rewrite track history books, picking up victories in both the SK Modified® and Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model races to set a new single season record for wins at the track. Rocco first won Saturday in the Late Models then came back to double up in the day’s main attraction, the 50-lap SK Modified® race, giving him 24 total wins on the year. Josh Galvin of Franklin scored a popular victory in the Street Stock race and Garrett Denton of Hope Valley, RI won a special Mini Stock Shootout event.
Rocco’s record-setting victory in the SK Modified® race was not easy. He made a steady march to the front in the early going to become a contender and used restart mastery as the primary key to his win. The race began with Diego Monahan out front however only two laps were able to be completed when the first caution flag came out when Jeff Gallup bobbled out of turn two, setting off some bumper tag that sent Tom Abele Jr. sliding into the grass and coming to rest at the entrance of turn three.
Monahan led the restart but Kyle James snatched second away from Joe Gada. Only two more laps were complete when something let go on Matt Galko’s machine, sending him spinning into turn one and collecting Corey Coates and Mark Panaroni. All three were sidelined from the event. James wore out Monahan on the restart, staying to his outside for four laps before finally able to take the lead and clear Monahan on lap-8. Ed Puleo moved into third and Rocco rose to fourth position, dropping Gada back to fifth. Puleo and Rocco both got around the outside of Monahan on successive laps to take second and third by lap-12. The next caution was out on lap-14 when veteran racer Frank Mucciacciaro clipped the front stretch wall out of turn four causing heavy right front damage to his car, ending his day early.
James led through two more restarts before Rocco moved into second, getting past Puleo on lap-16. James pulled ahead with Rocco in pursuit, with the two stretching their advantage over Puleo with Ted Christopher moving to fourth. James took a two car length lead and stretched it out over Rocco as a longer stretch of green flag racing brought the race to lap-33. Christopher turned up the pressure on Puleo for several laps before using a power move to get underneath through turns three and four. Puleo went spinning trying to keep Christopher at bay, bringing the caution back out on lap-33.
Rocco’s restart magic began after, using a well-timed start to race James even to turn one. Rocco was able to rob James of his momentum to race to the lead in the outside lane. Rocco pulled down ahead of James and went to work on keeping James in his rear view mirror. James looked for a way to challenge Rocco when on lap-38, he got into the front stretch wall causing enough damage to send him hard into the turn one wall and end a great run.
With James off his tail, Rocco now had Christopher line up to his outside for the restart. Another great restart enabled Rocco to pull ahead of Christopher, who held back Craig Lutz to settle into second and go after the leader. Christopher stayed with Rocco and applied pressure. Christopher couldn’t muster enough to get alongside Rocco, staying with him until the final caution flag came out with six laps remaining for a three car melee in turn four.
Christopher got into the back stretch wall on the restart, allowing Rocco to drive away over the remaining laps to the milestone win. Christopher was able to hang on for second while Lutz finished in third. Gada was fourth and Diego Monahan came from the back after a pit stop to wind up fifth.
The win was the 24th of Rocco’s memorable season, eclipsing the mark set by Speedbowl legend Don Collins. Collins won 23 races in 1960 between the Modified and Non-Ford divisions. Collins is one of the Speedbowl’s all-time best and most popular competitors, claiming five titles and 101 race wins, one of only two drivers to post over 100 career victories at the track. Rocco’s 24 victories came among four divisions, he won 12 Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model races, ten times in the SK Modifieds® and once each in two touring series that made Speedbowl appearances in 2013 – the Valenti Modified Racing Series and New England Pro Four Modifieds. Just two weeks ago Rocco became the first driver in track history to win two championships in the same season at the track after clinching the SK Modified® and Late Model crowns.
In Saturday’s 50-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature, Rocco had already claimed the lead when the race was suspended by weather last Sunday. Rocco picked up where he left off when the race restarted, surviving a brief challenge from Ray Christian III before pulling ahead for the win. Glenn Boss of Danielson finished second and Jeff Smith outdueled Bruce Thomas Jr. to earn a podium finish with third. Rocco’s Late Model win was his 12th of the season in the division and tied him with Collins’ mark of 23 victories before his record-setting win in the SK Modified race.
Galvin topped division champion Corey Hutchings in the 50-lap Street Stock race, driving away following the final restart with ten laps remaining. Galvin got past the inside of early leader Lloyd Anderson Jr. on lap-6 after a two lap battle. Hutchings pulled in line behind Galvin on lap-19 and the two dueled over the middle race, eventually swapping the lead as they battled side-by-side for several laps. Hutchings took the spot momentarily only to see Galvin fight back on the outside of the track and take the lead for good on lap-28. The battle intensified again on lap-38 as Hutchings made a final charge, however Galvin was able to hold off the move and cruised to the victory from there. Hutchings finished in second and Al Stone III was third.
The Mini Stock division competed in a special 25-lap Shootout race added to the schedule for Saturday’s event. Denton dominated the non-points race, which was slowed by two caution flags. He took the lead from Jeff Moffat early and powered ahead to a convincing advantage. As Denton pulled ahead, track champion Ken Cassidy Jr. took second but was unable to run Denton down. The race ran without further incident to the checkered flag and Cassidy finished several cars back. Glen Thomas Jr. finished on Cassidy’s rear bumper in third.
The next event at the Speedbowl is Saturday, October 26 when the annual Smacktoberfest closes the season. A Demolition Derby, Trailer Race, Figure 8 race and four and eight cylinder Enduro racing plus more are all part of the card. Details for the event are available on Speedbowl.com.
Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 10/12 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (50-laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 2. Ted Christopher, Plainville; 3. Craig Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 4. Joe Gada, Salem; 5. Diego Monahan, Quaker Hill; 6. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 7. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 8. Ed Puleo, Branford; 9. Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 10. Shawn Thibeault, Plainville; 11. Jim Larsen, East Hartland; 12. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 13. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 14. Shawn Monahan, Waterford; 15. Kyle James Ashaway, RI; 16. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 17. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 18. Matt Galko, Meriden; 19. Mark Panaroni, Ivoryton; 20. Corey Coates, Ledyard; 21. Adam Gada, Bozrah
Unofficial final point standings: 1. Rocco, 1118; 2. Todd Ceravolo, 987; 3. Lutz, 898; 4. Tyler Chadwick, 890; 5. Janovic, 855; 6. James, 845; 7. D. Monahan, 821; 8. J. Gada, 785; 9. Gallup, 744; 10. Christopher, 714
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (50-laps): 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 2. Glenn Boss, Danielson; 3. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 4. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 5. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 6. Ray Christian III, Groton; 7. Anthony Ryan Sr., Danbury; 8. Robert Barcsansky Jr., North Haven; 9. Rich Duranti, Quaker Hill; 10. Mike Sweeney Jr., Meriden; 11. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 12. Tony Macrino, Waterford; 13. Chris Garside, Waterford; DNS – Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk; DQ – Vin Esposito, Seymour
Unofficial final point standings: 1. Rocco, 1070; 2. Palmer, 911; 3. Smith, 902; 4. Staskowski, 748; 5. Garside, 734; 6. Sweeney, 690; 7. Duranti, 628; 8. Esposito, 624; 9. Dillon Moltz, 603; 10. Thomas, 594
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (50-laps): 1. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 2. Corey Hutchings, Salem; 3. Al Stone III, Durham; 4. Ryan Waterman, Danielson; 5. Dwayne Dorr, Ledyard; 6. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 7. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 8. Lloyd Anderson Jr., Wauregan; 9. Joseph Fogarasi, Columbia; 10. Bill McNeil, Preston; 11. Tom Shea, New London; 12. Dan Darnstaedt, Durham; 13. Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic; 14. Travis Jurcik, Chaplin; 15. Ed Gertsch Jr., East Haven; 16. Don Spence Jr., Oakdale; 17. Tim Morse, Waterbury; 18. Steve Barrett, Preston; 19. Joe Arena, Bristol; DQ – Jack Aquilina; DNS – Ed Puleo, Branford; DNS – Phil Evans, Uncasville
Unofficial final standings: 1. Hutchings, 1007; 2. Galvin, 942; 3. Stone, 928; 4. Meyer, 840; 5. Phil Evans, 804; 6. Root, 795; 7. Arena, 790; 8. Darnstaedt, 766; 9. Waterman, 738; 10. Montgomery Gibbs, 588
Mini Stock Shootout (25-laps): 1. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 2. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 3. Glen Thomas Jr., Groton; 4. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 5. Dave Trudeau, Manfield; 6. Eric Bourgeios, East Haddam; 7. Jeff Moffat, North Smithfield, RI; 8. John Bowes, Willington; 9. Jeffrey Lee, Uncasville; 10. Sean Caron, East Hampton; DQ – Pete Zaikarite, Niantic
Sources: Brian Darling/Waterford Speedbowl PR