RGeeProductions
01-15-2011, 11:39 PM
Keith Rocco celebrated as 60th Modified Track Champion;
Tim Jordan, Al Stone III, Ken Cassidy Jr. and Allen Coates recognized as
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champions; Anthony Flannery in Legends
Cars
Over 500 guests gathered at Groton Inn
& Suites on Saturday evening to celebrate Waterford Speedbowl’s 2010
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and Saturday Legends Car series track
champions. Keith Rocco capped a storybook 2010 season by collecting his
2010 SK Modified® championship accolades, the track’s top honor. Tim
Jordan, Al Stone III, Ken Cassidy Jr. and Allen Coates were each honored
as track champion of their respective NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
division, with Anthony Flannery crowned in the Legends Cars.
In total, 80 teams and drivers were recognized for their efforts during
the 2010 Speedbowl season. Special awards for the Top Rookie Driver,
Sportsman of the Year, Most Improved Driver and Pit Crew of the Year in
each of the six divisions were also given out.
Rocco, who resides in Meriden (CT), set the bar for the SK Modified® title
high from the start. He won a special season opening event commemorating
the 60th season of racing at the track, then claimed checkered flags in
four of the next five Saturday night races. That bolted Rocco out to a
point lead he would never relinquish. Rocco would not be denied his first
SK Modified® track championship at the Speedbowl, capturing a total of 10
victories throughout the year – a single season record for wins in the
division at the track. Mike and Mark Pane were recognized as the SK
Modified® championship car owners, their first. Rocco was also the 2004
Street Stock division champion at the Speedbowl.
Rocco’s 10th Speedbowl win of 2010 also clinched the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series National Championship. He became the first Speedbowl
driver in history to win the prestigious honor. Earlier this month Rocco
was named by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance as the Bill Lee Male
Athlete of the Year in the state, the first driver to win the award in its
existence.
Jordan claimed his second title in the Valenti Auto Mall Late Model
division with the first coming in 2006. The Plainfield (CT) native won a
division high four races and finished all 15 events in the top-10, the
only driver to complete that feat. He snapped Bruce Thomas Jr.’s
three-year championship streak in the division.
Al Stone III of New Haven (CT) took back the top honors in the Street
Stock division, a crown he claimed in 2008. The championship went down to
the final point event, with Stone overtaking Walt Hovey Jr. for the title
in an exciting championship battle. Stone’s championship is his second
and continues his rise as one of the best in the history of the class. He
led the division with seven total victories in 2010, moving him to second
on the all-time wins list for the class.
Lisbon (CT) native Ken Cassidy Jr. returned to the podium as the top
driver in the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock division in 2010, his third
title in the division. He out-dueled Danny Field in a championship tussle
among two of the best ever to compete in the class. Each driver won five
races throughout the season, but Cassidy posted more top-five and top-ten
finishes leading him to the title. He was the Speedbowl’s 2007 and 2008
Mini Stock division champion.
Allen Coates of Ledyard (CT) won his second consecutive A.B. CDL Driver
Training Center Truck Series crown, further solidifying his place in the
record books. Nine victories in 2010 bumped Coates up to fourth in
all-time Speedbowl wins with 80 total. Already the first driver to win
titles in three different divisions at the ‘Bowl, Coates now has six
titles overall placing him among the elite. Three Late Model
championships (1998, 2001, 2002) and a Street Stock championship (1996)
join his Truck titles.
The Saturday Legends Cars series was dominated by sixteen year old Anthony
Flannery of East Hampton (CT). Flannery became the youngest Saturday
track champion in Speedbowl history. He won nine of 11 events in the
Saturday series to win the crown easily. Flannery also was the track’s
Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Legends Cars champ in 2010 where he won another 10
races. He won a special event over the summer and all victories combined,
became only the third driver in track history to reach 20 wins in a single
year.
Picking up hardware for Top Rookies were Kyle James (SK Modifieds®), Jason
Palmer (Late Models), Norm Sears (Street Stocks), Steve Violette (Mini
Stocks) and Corey Coates (Trucks). For the Legends, Rookie of the Year
honors went to Joey Mucciacciaro.
Sportsman of the Year Award winners were Glenn Pressell III (SK
Modifieds®), Jeff Smith (Late Models), Kevin Talbot (Street Stocks),
Christina Kellerman (Mini Stocks), Howard Payne (Trucks) and Ed Field
(Legends Cars).
Taking home the Most Improved Driver honors were Joe Gada (SK Modifieds®),
Brian Andronaco Jr. (Late Models), Ed Puleo (Street Stocks), Sean Caron
(Mini Stocks), Keith Chapman (Trucks) and David Garbo Jr. (Legends Cars).
Pit Crew of the Year went to the teams of Rocco / M&M Motorsports (SK
Modifieds®), Rich Staskowski (Late Models), Greg Moran Jr. / Moran Clan
Racing (Street Stocks) and Ian Brew (Mini Stocks). The Trucks of Coates
and Rocco, from Gregory Motorsports and Flannery / Anthony Flannery Racing
(Legends) were the other recipients.
Brian Darling
Tim Jordan, Al Stone III, Ken Cassidy Jr. and Allen Coates recognized as
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champions; Anthony Flannery in Legends
Cars
Over 500 guests gathered at Groton Inn
& Suites on Saturday evening to celebrate Waterford Speedbowl’s 2010
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and Saturday Legends Car series track
champions. Keith Rocco capped a storybook 2010 season by collecting his
2010 SK Modified® championship accolades, the track’s top honor. Tim
Jordan, Al Stone III, Ken Cassidy Jr. and Allen Coates were each honored
as track champion of their respective NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
division, with Anthony Flannery crowned in the Legends Cars.
In total, 80 teams and drivers were recognized for their efforts during
the 2010 Speedbowl season. Special awards for the Top Rookie Driver,
Sportsman of the Year, Most Improved Driver and Pit Crew of the Year in
each of the six divisions were also given out.
Rocco, who resides in Meriden (CT), set the bar for the SK Modified® title
high from the start. He won a special season opening event commemorating
the 60th season of racing at the track, then claimed checkered flags in
four of the next five Saturday night races. That bolted Rocco out to a
point lead he would never relinquish. Rocco would not be denied his first
SK Modified® track championship at the Speedbowl, capturing a total of 10
victories throughout the year – a single season record for wins in the
division at the track. Mike and Mark Pane were recognized as the SK
Modified® championship car owners, their first. Rocco was also the 2004
Street Stock division champion at the Speedbowl.
Rocco’s 10th Speedbowl win of 2010 also clinched the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series National Championship. He became the first Speedbowl
driver in history to win the prestigious honor. Earlier this month Rocco
was named by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance as the Bill Lee Male
Athlete of the Year in the state, the first driver to win the award in its
existence.
Jordan claimed his second title in the Valenti Auto Mall Late Model
division with the first coming in 2006. The Plainfield (CT) native won a
division high four races and finished all 15 events in the top-10, the
only driver to complete that feat. He snapped Bruce Thomas Jr.’s
three-year championship streak in the division.
Al Stone III of New Haven (CT) took back the top honors in the Street
Stock division, a crown he claimed in 2008. The championship went down to
the final point event, with Stone overtaking Walt Hovey Jr. for the title
in an exciting championship battle. Stone’s championship is his second
and continues his rise as one of the best in the history of the class. He
led the division with seven total victories in 2010, moving him to second
on the all-time wins list for the class.
Lisbon (CT) native Ken Cassidy Jr. returned to the podium as the top
driver in the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock division in 2010, his third
title in the division. He out-dueled Danny Field in a championship tussle
among two of the best ever to compete in the class. Each driver won five
races throughout the season, but Cassidy posted more top-five and top-ten
finishes leading him to the title. He was the Speedbowl’s 2007 and 2008
Mini Stock division champion.
Allen Coates of Ledyard (CT) won his second consecutive A.B. CDL Driver
Training Center Truck Series crown, further solidifying his place in the
record books. Nine victories in 2010 bumped Coates up to fourth in
all-time Speedbowl wins with 80 total. Already the first driver to win
titles in three different divisions at the ‘Bowl, Coates now has six
titles overall placing him among the elite. Three Late Model
championships (1998, 2001, 2002) and a Street Stock championship (1996)
join his Truck titles.
The Saturday Legends Cars series was dominated by sixteen year old Anthony
Flannery of East Hampton (CT). Flannery became the youngest Saturday
track champion in Speedbowl history. He won nine of 11 events in the
Saturday series to win the crown easily. Flannery also was the track’s
Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Legends Cars champ in 2010 where he won another 10
races. He won a special event over the summer and all victories combined,
became only the third driver in track history to reach 20 wins in a single
year.
Picking up hardware for Top Rookies were Kyle James (SK Modifieds®), Jason
Palmer (Late Models), Norm Sears (Street Stocks), Steve Violette (Mini
Stocks) and Corey Coates (Trucks). For the Legends, Rookie of the Year
honors went to Joey Mucciacciaro.
Sportsman of the Year Award winners were Glenn Pressell III (SK
Modifieds®), Jeff Smith (Late Models), Kevin Talbot (Street Stocks),
Christina Kellerman (Mini Stocks), Howard Payne (Trucks) and Ed Field
(Legends Cars).
Taking home the Most Improved Driver honors were Joe Gada (SK Modifieds®),
Brian Andronaco Jr. (Late Models), Ed Puleo (Street Stocks), Sean Caron
(Mini Stocks), Keith Chapman (Trucks) and David Garbo Jr. (Legends Cars).
Pit Crew of the Year went to the teams of Rocco / M&M Motorsports (SK
Modifieds®), Rich Staskowski (Late Models), Greg Moran Jr. / Moran Clan
Racing (Street Stocks) and Ian Brew (Mini Stocks). The Trucks of Coates
and Rocco, from Gregory Motorsports and Flannery / Anthony Flannery Racing
(Legends) were the other recipients.
Brian Darling