Gaydosh enters winner’s circle with SK win; Esposito, Stone and Caron other winners
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was in action on Saturday evening as part of their Memorial Day Weekend of events, hosting the visiting ISMA Supermodifieds for a 50-lap race plus a full card of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing. After waiting out a brief rain delay, racing action saw Newtown’s Justin Gaydosh pick up his first victory of the year in the 35-lap SK Modified® event. Vin Esposito of Seymour wired the 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature, securing his first win of the year. New Haven’s Al Stone III took his second win of the season in the 25-lap Street Stock feature, while Sean Caron of East Hampton also became a two-time winner after taking the 25-lap Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock checkered flag.
A thrilling SK Modified® feature began with Gaydosh setting the early pace of the race with Joe Perry behind in second place. Diego Monahan was third, while a battle for fourth broke out between Mark Bakaj, Shawn Solomito and Rob Janovic Jr. Bakaj won that battle, bringing Janovic with him to make up the top five in the early going. Further back Ron Yuhas Jr., Keith Rocco and Tyler Chadwick were battling in an effort to enter the top ten. After Rocco had just edged ahead to the inside of Yuhas he tangled with Tom Abele Jr. on the front stretch on lap nine, spinning into turn one. Rocco resumed from the rear after pitting for repairs.
Gaydosh resumed his lead on the restart. Janovic went from fifth to third, taking that spot away from Monahan on lap 13. That opened the door for Kyle James and Tyler Chadwick to enter the top five and race their way past Monahan. Yuhas was hot on their tails when the second caution waved later that lap for Jeff Gallup who had spun in turn four.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Gaydosh got the jump when the green flag returned, bringing Janovic to second past Perry as the race reached halfway. The racing throughout the top ten cars was tremendous over the next several laps. Chadwick, last week’s winner Jeff Paul, Yuhas and Jeff Pearl all found their way by James who was slipping back in the outside lane by lap 18. Paul wasn’t content and jumped out of line looking to the outside lane to advance his position further. He would get caught in the high groove, enabling Yuhas and Pearl to get by his inside on lap 19.
Just ahead of that action, Chadwick challenged and got by Perry for third that same lap. Yuhas and Pearl followed and got by Perry as well. They made up the new top five behind Gaydosh, Janovic and Chadwick as the race reached lap 20. Pearl wasn’t done and jumped to the outside of Yuhas, taking over fourth place on lap 22. The jockeying for position among that pack was halted when Bakaj spun on the backstretch working lap 25, setting up the final restart.
Gaydosh trumped the restart again with Janovic tucking in behind. Janovic tried several moves on the leader, looking high and low but unable to find the one needed to pull alongside. Further back, Yuhas was inside Pearl trying to reclaim fourth with five laps remaining. Rocco was on their bumpers after charging back through the field.
Janovic finally got a wheel outside Gaydosh with three laps to go, racing to pull even down the backstretch. Gaydosh held off the challenge momentarily but slipped off turn four headed to the white flag, allowing Janovic one last opportunity. Janovic could not make an outside move into turn one stick and Gaydosh went on to a highly entertaining victory. Chadwick was third at the finish, while Pearl nipped Yuhas for fourth. Rocco finished in sixth but maintained his points lead.
Esposito led from lap one of a caution free 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. He was chased by Dennis Botticello in second with Jeff Smith, Jason Palmer and Bruce Thomas Jr. making up the top five over the first half of the race. Esposito slowly increased his lead over Botticello to seven car lengths as the race stayed clean throughout the competition. The field remained in line until Tim Jordan reached Thomas’ bumper for the fifth position on lap 20.
Jordan looked to get under Thomas for several laps but couldn’t find the combination to a successful maneuver. Just ahead of that battle, Palmer was in Smith’s tire tracks for third but not looking to challenge. Botticello remained comfortable in second.
As the race reached five laps to go Botticello began to close the gap to Esposito. He was able to cut the lead in half as the race reached two laps to go. Jordan was still dogging Thomas for fifth as the laps counted off. Time ran out on Botticello, dashing his hopes of challenging Esposito for the win. Botticello was second with Smith third, Palmer fourth and Thomas able to hold off Jordan, the points leader, for fifth.
Nate Appell started the 25-lap Street Stock race with the lead but on lap two Jack Aquilina passed Appell in turn three. Further back, Walt Hovey Jr. and Kevin Talbot came together causing Talbot to spin but the race continued on without delay. The first caution flag came out on lap five when Hovey and Chris Meyer came together, with Meyer spinning off the backstretch.
Aquilina kept the lead after the restart. Ronnie Oldham Jr. moved in to the bumper of the leader with Ed Puleo riding in third. Oldham eventually moved by to become the third leader of the race. Aquilina continued in second but Puleo applied pressure for the spot on lap eight. He was able to overtake Aquilina after nine laps were scored complete. Stone was lurking, moving up to third while Aquilina faded back to fifth.
Oldham and Puleo battled for the lead for several laps with Puleo finally passing by to take over on lap 14. Stone took over second from Oldham and immediately challenged Puleo for the lead. After an intense battle for the top spot, Stone was able to get by Puleo to become the fifth and final leader of the race with eight laps to go.
Stone went on to a comfortable margin of victory, his second of the season. Puleo finished in second with Oldham taking third. Points leader Walt Hovey Jr. was fourth and Steve Barrett was fifth.
The Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock race started off in rocky fashion as third place starter Jeff Cembruch spun in turn two of the opening lap, collecting two-time track champion Ken Cassidy Jr. The action caused the field to scatter and the caution flag to wave, with both able to resume from the rear.
On the next attempt to start the race, the field got underway cleanly. Greg Moran Sr. used the outside lane to move past Ray Christian III to set the pace up front. Ian Brew was on the move, as he raced his way into the top three after Christian began to fall back. Brew then looked outside Charles Canfield for second position when slight contact between the two on lap eight caused Brew to get crossed up in turn four. He spun exiting the corner, collecting the cars of Nick Pappacoda and Jeff Mehlenbacher with heavy damage being done to the front of Brew’s machine.
Caron was the new second place driver when racing went back to green for good. He lined up outside Moran and powered to the lead on lap 11. Ed Field and Glenn Colvin both cleared traffic further back to emerge into third and fourth positions. Field moved by the inside of Moran on lap 15 and set his radar on Caron who had pulled away to a comfortable lead. Colvin moved in on Moran for third, bringing points leader Danny Field with him as well as Cassidy who had come from the back. They completed the top five with just five laps remaining.
Up front Ed Field had caught Caron as the laps clicked off. He made a last second maneuver to challenge Caron for the win exiting turn four with the checkered flag in sight. Caron was able to hold him off to win his second race of the season by a half car length. Ed Field was second. Colvin, Danny Field and Cassidy battled hard for third over the final two laps. Colvin got the third position, spinning after crossing the stripe. Cassidy was fourth and Danny Field was fifth. Field maintains a slim margin over Cassidy in the points.
Saturday 5/29 Results and standings:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35 laps): 1. Justin Gaydosh, Newton; 2. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 3. Tyler Chadwick, Ledyard; 4. Jeff Pearl, Salem; 5. Ron Yuhas Jr., Groton; 6. Keith Rocco, Wallingford; 7. Dennis Charette, Southington; 8. Joe Gada, Salem; 9. Jeffrey Paul, Ledyard; 10. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 11. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 12. Mike Finkeldey, Clinton; 13. Frank Mucciacciaro Jr., Milford; 14. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon; 15. Shawn Solomito, Islip, NY; 16. Glenn Pressell III, Gales Ferry; 17. James Monahan, Quaker Hill; 18. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 19 Jeffrey Gallup, Agawam, MA; 20. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich
Standings after eight events (top-ten): 1. Rocco, 381; 2. Yuhas, 367; 3. Janovic, 304; 4. Paul, 283; 5. Chadwick, 280; 6. Charette, 278; 7. Pearl, 266; 8. Monahan, 264; 9. Gaydosh, 253; 10. J. Gada, 222
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models (30 laps): 1. Vin Esposito, Seymour; 2. Dennis Botticello, Suffield; 3. Jeff Smith, Old Lyme; 4. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 5. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 6. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 7. Brian Andronaco Jr., Wilton; 8. Jeff Paul, Ledyard; 9. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 10. Joe Curioso, Pawcatuck; 11. Ernie Bertrand, North Branford
Standings after five events (top-ten): 1. Jordan, 200; 2. (tie) Staskowski, Smith, 166; 4. Thomas, 161; 5. Esposito, 160; 6. Botticello, 158; 7. Andronaco, 157; 8. (tie) Paul, Bertrand, 154; 10. Palmer, 152
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25 laps): 1. Al Stone III, New Haven; 2. Ed Puleo, Branford; 3. Ronnie Oldham Jr., Westbrook; 4. Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 5. Steve Barrett, Preston; 6. Chris Meyer, North Franklin; 7. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 8. Greg Moran Jr, Preston; 9. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 10. Norm Sears, Andover; 11. Kevin Talbot, Moosup; 12. Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 13. Nate Appell, Westbrook; 14. Scott Young, Willimantic; 15. Josh Galvin, Franklin
Standings after eight events (top-ten): 1. Hovey, 368; 2. Stone, 340; 3. Oldham, 329; 4. Barrett, 324; 5. Plemons, 318; 6. Puleo, 311; 7. Sears, 297; 8. Meyer, 279; 9. Galvin, 274; 10. Aquilina, 260
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Norwich Bulletin Mini Stocks (25 laps): 1. Sean Caron, East Hampton; 2. Ed Field, Deep River; 3. Glenn Colvin, Clinton; 4. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 5. Danny Field, Deep River; 6. Greg Moran Sr., Preston; 7. Louis Bellisle III, Griswold; 8. Chris Williams, Waterford; 9. Steve Violette, Canterbury; 10. Ben Bargnesi, Norwich; 11. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 12. Charles Canfield, New Haven; 13. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 14. Ray Christian III, Noank; 15. John Kelly, New London; 16. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 17. Ian Brew, Wood River Jct, RI; 18. Bill Leonard, Wood River Jct, RI; 19. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill; 20. Jeffrey Cembruch, Wallingford
Standings after eight events (top-ten): 1. D. Field, 373; 2. Cassidy, 371; 3. Caron, 352; 4. Williams, 301; 5. Violette, 280; 6. Bellisle, 235; 7. Canfield, 260; 8. Moran Sr., 236; 9. Brew, 234; 10. (tie) Mehlenbacher, Pappacoda, 206
Sources: Waterford Speedbowl PR