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View Full Version : Rob Janovic makes it two wins in a row at Speedbowl



RGeeProductions
05-13-2007, 09:51 PM
Rob Janovic makes it two wins in a row at Speedbowl
in Whelen All-American Series in the SK Modifieds Division

According to Janovic it is the first time he has won back-to-back features in his career. The Waterford , CT , driver has been racing for 20 years. For the last ten, he has been a regular competitor at the Speedbowl. “If I keep this up, I might actually think I’m for real. We've got a great team and a very good crew chief (Greg Hanner),” Janovic said in Victory Lane. “What hasn't always been there is luck. Maybe that’s about to change.”

Janovic, in the #51 sponsored by Essex Limo and Big A Auto Parts of North Branford, showed patience as he worked his way through the field. With 8 laps to go he passed the #10 of Milford, CT, driver, Doug Coby, on the inside of turn four as they came down the front stretch. Janovic had to survive one last restart on lap 28 with Coby and the #31 of Shawn Monahan. Monahan, also of Waterford, made it past Coby to take second.

With the win Janovic is now 18 points behind Shawn Monahan in the season long battle for the track champion title.

Janovic said in a post interview: “I told my co-car owner that I honestly think I’m getting better with age. On the second to last restart we had a clutch problem this week, so I had to pump to the clutch on the restart to keep the clutch pedal up. Frank Mucciacarro never went as fast as he did with me pushing him up the front shoot!

“The key to winning tonight was when Frank Mucciacarro stayed low and gave me the whole outside lane to go by him, Frank and I are good friends, and he was very gentlemanly to me”.

“I used get very upset when I was leading with two or three laps to go and a caution would come out. I’d be screaming obscenities, banging my fist on the steering wheel. I’ve got the confidence now with GCR engine and my crew chief’s help when the caution comes out I can pretty much handle them on a restart,” he concluded.

During a victory interview on the front stretch Janovic was asked about his car and that his engine builder found more power today when he checked the carburetor gasket and found the wrong one was on the car. Janovic said he “took a gasket of the shelf in the shop and never even checked it.” With the gasket change they found more power for the modified. The car ran inside our outside whatever Rob Janovic needed tonight.

Mini Stocks

Joe Godbout III made it 3 wins in the last four events. Godbout took the lead on lap 5 and handled two restarts to beat Randy Churchill Jr. of Norwich, CT, Ken Cassidy Jr., of Lisbon, CT, Philip Evans of Uncasville, CT, and Danny Fields of Deep River, CT.

Late Models

Tim Jordan of Norwich , CT , also won his third race of the season in the Bob Valenti Late Model Division. The lead changes through the race were plenty with Larry Goss, Ed Reed Jr., and Duane Noll all leading laps. Anthony Macrino was the recipient of a Bruce Thomas Jr. assist into the wall that also caused Larry Goss to visit the wall in turn one. Goss exited the car and showed his displeasure with Thomas. Goss returned to track and set his sites on the #35 of Thomas, but used his better judgment not to create a bigger problem.

Ed Reed Jr. took the lead with Jordan on the outside, caution lap 23. Vinnie Esposito spun to bring caution. The #90 of Allan Coates was black flagged for a loose side panel. Jordan takes lead from Reed on lap 24 and begins to pull away. Ed Reed Jr. finished second, with Bruce Thomas Jr. third. Joe Curioso III of Pawcatuck , CT , was fourth and Vinnie Esposito of North Branford CT , was fifth.

Pro Four Mods of NE

During practice for the for the Pro Four Mods, the #29 Matt Sagar of Seekonk, MA, and the #59 of Travis McAllister of Sterling, MA, made contact on the front stretch and hit the wall. Sagar ended up against the front stretch wall after taking a pretty good lick, but was OK. McAllister ended up in the infield. The Niantic River Transmission tow truck carried the #29 of Sagar to the pits. When the wrecker returned to collect the #59 of McAllister, he hooked the pro four up and attempted pull away – except his wheels began to spin in the soft infield grass. The weight of wrecker and the pro four modified were too much for the ground. McAllister said it was his fault, “I’m a rookie and I guess I made a move to the inside and had to correct, but over-corrected.”

After a couple unsuccessful attempts to move forward, the track crew called for the Waterford Speedbowl pick up to assist the mighty diesel wrecker and the pro four out the infield. The Speedbowl truck summoned up a lot of courage and all the power it had to free the stranded vehicles. Both Pro Four modifieds were able to make repairs and qualify for the 25 lap feature.

Tyler Anderson was on the pole for the Pro Four event, while Matt Sagar in the #29 will start second. Sagar drops back quickly as the green flag flies. Richardi in the #00 leads, and on lap 3 the #29 of Sagar hit the turn 1 wall. He exits the car after a quick flare up, but is OK. The #4 of Corry Cleary of Plymouth , MA , also hit the wall in turn one and apparently lost fluid on the track that possibly caused the flash fire as Sagar drove over it. The race was red flagged for about 5 minutes. Cleary says he blew an engine and had nowhere to go. “We’ll have to replace the engine and move onto the next race race.” Sagar’s day had many ups and downs.

Dave Richardi leads as the #1 of Norm Wrenn closes in on Richardi, with Rob Richardi in third and Frank Hirt fourth on lap seven as caution flies for the #9VT of Julian Norman who also found the turn one wall. Norman left on the hook, and was done for the night. Lap 7 restart, Norm Wrenn takes lead from Dave Richardi. Caution lap 10, as the #11 of Dan Meservey spins into the turn two infield.

On the restart Wrenn jumps to big lead, and Rob Richardi is second. Lap 16 Rob Richardi challenges Wrenn, but caution flies again. Wrenn shows the way to victory lane, with Andy Major 2nd, George Sherman of Framingham , MA., 3rd; Rich Richardi, 4th; Dan Meservey 5th; and Kevin Iannarelli, of Maynard , MA , 6th.

By Dave Meredith