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Waterford, CT (August 25, 2012) – Waterford
Speedbowl returned Saturday with its 4th annual “Laps for Lupus”
event, raising awareness and funding for those impacted by Lupus
during its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program. Nearly
$8,000 was raised for Lupus research and support programs through
the Lupus Foundation of America’s Connecticut Chapter. Fans in
attendance were treated to another round of great side-by-side
racing throughout the night among all six divisions on hand. Scoring
victories in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races included
Jeff Pearl of Salem in the night’s SK Modified® feature, while Rich
Staskowski of Hope Valley, RI was back in the victory lane in the
night’s extra distance Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Former
division champion Brandon Plemons of Uncasville took his first win
of the year in the Street Stock race, with Ian Brew of Wood River
Junction, RI won the Mini Stock feature. In INEX racing action, Paul
Kusheba of Monroe was the Legend Cars winner in a thrilling battle
for the checkered flag all race long and Derek Debbis of Oakdale won
the night’s Bandolero feature. Restart prowess was key in more than
one winner’s path to the winner’s circle.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® race was
led to the green flag by Joe Perry and Rich Brooks. Pearl started
third and followed Joe Perry past Brooks on lap-1. Rob Janovic Jr.
moved to third on lap-2 just ahead of a caution flag as Brooks and
Ed Puleo got together in turn three, sending Brooks spinning. The
field behind checked up but all were able to avoid the spinning car.
Pearl restarted outside of Perry in second position when the race
went back to green, spending a lap there before powering ahead down
the back chute into turn three. Pearl was the new leader on lap-3.
Janovic, Perry and Jeff Rocco picked up pursuit of the leader when
caution flew again on lap-5. The cars of Diego Monahan and Tom Abele
Jr. briefly came together in turn one, resulting in Todd Ceravolo
and Nichole Morgillo coming together further back with each slowing
on the track in need of repair.
Pearl led the restart to turn one. Jeff Rocco moved to second while
Janovic was able to pull out and around Perry to take third. The top
three cars singled out with Pearl out to a small advantage. Monahan
was next to test Perry, looking outside before finally making the
move into fourth position on lap-7. Diego’s younger brother Shawn
Monahan was pressuring Perry for fifth for several laps before
becoming the victim of the next caution flag. The younger Monahan
spun in turn one on lap-11 in his pursuit of fifth to necessitate
the yellow.
Pearl got a good restart, leaving Rocco no choice but to tuck in
behind as Janovic settled into third position. On the move during
the next green flag run was Doug Coby, taking over behind the wheel
from the injured Keith Rocco under the first caution period on
lap-2. Coby picked his way through the top-ten positions to arrive
on Jeff Gallup’s bumper as the two battled for fifth position. Coby
delivered a shot to Gallup’s rear bumper headed into turn three as
the field worked lap-15, with Gallup unable to hang on to his
machine, spinning. The caution flag waved and Coby was penalized to
the rear for overaggressive driving.
Back under green, Pearl again held the advantage into turn one over
Rocco. Janovic was challenge the inside of Rocco as they raced to
successfully complete lap-15, wrestling away second position.
Championship points leader Tyler Chadwick had moved through into the
top-five and followed Janovic to the bottom Rocco. Chadwick was able
to complete the maneuver to take third dropping Rocco to fourth as
the race hit lap-16.
Janovic put himself on Pearl’s bumper and the two moved ahead of a
battle for third as Chadwick couldn’t shake Rocco. Behind them, the
fastest mover on the track was Ceravolo. He had rebounded from his
earlier incident to glue himself to the bumper of fifth place Abele
looking for a way around. Coby was picking his way back through up
to eighth position just behind the battle for fifth. The on-track
battles cooled momentarily as the running order was unchanged
through lap-29 when Brent Sweet spun in turn two just ahead of the
leaders. That drew a caution flag to regroup the field with just six
laps to go. The combination of Coby and Keith Rocco’s night came to
a close as Coby pitted the car under caution and did not return.
Pearl continued his restart mastery and held the advantage to turn
one. Janovic cleared Chadwick to hold second. Chadwick and Jeff
Rocco continued in third and fourth, while Ceravolo managed to get
by Abele for fifth as the field sprinted towards the finish. Pearl
led the field over the final laps to the white flag, appearing
headed to victory. Just after the lead pack took the white flag,
Brett Gonyaw lost an engine down the front chute which drew a
caution flag for the smoke and fluid from his car.
Pearl was thrown one final restart and a green-white-checkered
finish, and the veteran racer finished off his second win of the
season. Janovic settled for second and Chadwick took third, to keep
his lead in the points over Pearl. Rocco claimed fourth with
Ceravolo scoring fifth at the finish.
A special 50-lap distance was on tap for the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division.
Second-year driver Anthony Flannery of East Hampton dominated the
first half of the race, which ran caution free through lap-32.
Flannery continued to lead as Staskowski advanced into contention by
racing to second position over the next sprint of laps which brought
the race to lap-36. The caution flag returned, which proved as the
final restart. Flannery led Staskowski to turn one, however
Staskowski got in line behind the leader to get to his inside
through turns one and two. Coming to lap-37, Staskowski was the new
leader and never looked back. He held back Doug Coby of Milford to
score the win, while Jason Palmer of Berlin ran with the leaders all
evening to take third.
The 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock race was won
by Brew. He took the lead from Doug Curry of Groton following a
restart on lap-7. Brew was another to work the outside lane to
perfection to race into the lead on lap-8. Multiple time winner Ken
Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon chased Brew all the way to the checkered flag,
but was unable to make a move to pull alongside Brew. Cassidy
finished in second with East Hampton driver Sean Caron placing
third.
Kusheba came out on top in a thrilling 20-lap Legend Cars feature.
He raced neck and neck with Dylan Izzo of Monroe for much of the
race in a battle for the lead. Just behind, competition raced close
behind. The top five cars ran under the proverbial blanket through
the checkered flag, when Kusheba had enough to pull out the victory.
Nick Ladyga of Voluntown battled to come away with second with Dave
Garbo Jr. of Stonington third at the finish.
Debbis won another Bandolero feature, his ninth overall on the year
and seven out of the last eight events.
Plemons used a pole starting position to vault him to the win in the
25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stock race.
Unofficial Waterford Speedbowl Saturday 8/25 NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Results:
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modifieds® (35-laps): 1. Jeff
Pearl, Salem; 2. Rob Janovic Jr., Waterford; 3. Tyler Chadwick,
Ledyard; 4. Jeff Rocco, Wallingford; 5. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry;
6. Tom Abele Jr., Norwich; 7. Shawn Monahan, Waterford; 8. Craig
Lutz, Miller Place, NY; 9. Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford; 10. Al
Stone III, Durham; 11. Joe Perry, Ashaway, RI; 12. Adam Gada, Bozrah;
13. Brent Sweet, Monroe; 14. Wendell Dailey, Gales Ferry; 15. Ed
Puleo, Branford; 16. Kyle James, Ashaway, RI; 17. Mike Sweeney Jr.,
Meriden; 18. Bob Georgiades, East Hampton; 19. Brett Gonyaw,
Manchester; 20. Keith Rocco, Meriden; 21. Diego Monahan, Quaker
Hill; 22. Rich Brooks, Groton; 23. Jeff Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA;
24. Joe Gada, Salem
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models
(50-laps): 1. Rich Staskowski, Hope Valley, RI; 2. Doug Coby,
Milford; 3. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 4. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton;
5. Bruce Thomas Jr., Groton; 6. Glenn Boss, Danielson; 7. Mike
Sweeney Jr., Meriden; 8. Robert Leblanc Jr., Norwalk; 9. Jeff Smith,
Old Lyme; 10. Dillon Moltz, Waterford; 11. Rich Duranti, Quaker
Hill; 12. Vin Esposito, Seymour
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks (25-laps): 1.
Brandon Plemons, Uncasville; 2. Greg Moran Jr., Preston; 3. Corey
Hutchings, Salem; 4. Joe Arena, Bristol; 5. Michael Caprio, New
Haven; 6. Norm Root Jr., Old Saybrook; 7. Josh Galvin, Franklin; 8.
Walt Hovey Jr., Chaplin; 9. Phil Evans, Uncasville; 10. Dan
Darnstaedt, Durham; 11. Jack Aquilina, Oakdale; 12. Ted Dupre,
Westbrook; 13. Scott Young, Willimantic; 14. Paul Gaedeke,
Southington; 15. Tyler Cinamella, Willimantic; 16. Geoffrey Nooney,
Southwick, MA; 17. Bill McNeil, Preston; 18. Chris Meyer, North
Franklin
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stocks (50-laps): 1. Ian
Brew, Wood River Junction, RI; 2. Ken Cassidy Jr., Lisbon; 3. Sean
Caron, East Hampton; 4. Doug Curry, Groton; 5. Joseph Liskiewicz,
Preston; 6. Chris Garside, Waterford; 7. Wayne Burroughs Jr.,
Oakdale; 8. Joseph Fogarasi, Columbia; 9. Jeffrey Cembruch,
Wallingford; 10. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 11. Christopher
Ivory, Oakdale; 12. Christina Kellerman, Stratford; 13. Nick
Pappacoda, North Branford; 14. Floyd Chesbro, Griswold; 15. Ken
Cassidy Sr., Lisbon; 16. Bill Leonard, Charlestown, RI; 17. Jeffrey
Lee, Uncasville; 18. Ray Christian III, Norwich
INEX Legend Cars Saturday Showdown Series (20-laps): 1. Paul Kusheba
IV, Monroe; 2. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 3. Dave Garbo Jr.,
Stonington; 4. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 5. Dylan Izzo,
Westport; 6. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 7. Dana Dimatteo,
Farmington; 8. Joe Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 9. Cory Dimatteo,
Farmington; 10. Stephen Kopcik, Newtown; 11. Nicholas Sowa,
Middletown; 12. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon; 13. Kyle Rogers,
Waterbury; 14. Calvin Therrien, Vernon; 15. Richard Avery,
Southington; 16. Scott McKnickle, Ledyard; 17. John O’Sullivan,
Salem; 18. Richard Erlandson, Moodus; 19. Joey Ternullo, Middletown;
20. Ed Field, Deep River; 21. Kyle Hardwick, Chaplin
INEX Bandoleros Saturday Showdown Series (20-laps): 1. Derek Debbis,
Oakdale; 2. Ken Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 3. Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck;
4. Corey Comeroski, Lebanon; 5. Jacob Urch, West Suffield; 6. Alan
Eastman Jr., Fishers Island, NY; 7. Anthony Marvin, Colchester; 8.
Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook |
