RGeeProductions
05-13-2012, 08:06 PM
Racing returned to Waterford Speedbowl
Saturday night with a special 60th anniversary event for the Northeastern
Midget Association plus NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing. The
Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA) is one of the nation’s oldest
racing series, with roots at Waterford going back to its beginning. Greg
Stoehr of Bridgewater, MA took home the prestigious win in the night’s
NEMA Midget feature while Brandon Igo of Bondsville, MA won the companion
NEMA Lite race. In Saturday night NASCAR action, Ledyard native Tyler
Chadwick took the checkered flag in the SK Modified® feature, his second
on the year, while defending Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model champion
Jeff Smith of Old Lyme returned to the winner’s circle for the first time
in 2012. Chris Meyer of North Franklin became the first repeat winner of
the season in the Street Stocks and Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon won again in
the Mini Stocks, giving him six on the year.
Joe Perry raced into the lead when the green flag was shown to the NASCAR
Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® field for their 35-lap feature.
He led over Joe Gada, Al Stone and Ed Puleo over the opening circuits.
Hard racing further back among Chadwick, Jeff Rocco, Rob Janovic Jr., Kyle
James and others showcased plenty of side-by-side action. Just behind
them, trouble broke out on lap-4 off turn four to bring out the caution
flag. Several cars made contact sending Diego Monahan’s car hard into the
frontstretch wall. Frank Mucciacciaro and Rich Brooks also got a piece of
the wall, and James and Craig Lutz went spinning into the infield. When
the dust settled Mucciacciaro and Monahan’s nights were done.
Perry picked up where he left off when racing went back to green, leading
Gada. Stone secured third and Nichole Morgillo was up to fourth, just
ahead of Chadwick. Ed Puleo and Jeff Pearl slid back in the outside lane
to the back of the top ten as Janovic, Justin Gaydosh and Tom Abele Jr.
raced forward.
Once the field singled out, racing stayed clean throughout the field as
several laps clicked off the scoreboard. Gada glued himself to Perry’s
back bumper searching for an opening on the leader. Chadwick picked up
pursuit of fourth position, beginning to look outside of Morgillo for the
spot. He made his move to the outside of Morgillo on lap-13, completing
the pass a lap later. Just one lap after that on lap-15, Chadwick was by
Stone into third. He sliced the gap to Perry and Gada, arriving at Gada’s
back bumper by lap-17.
Gada turned up the heat on Perry, still looking for an opening on the low
side. Meanwhile, Chadwick saw opportunity to get to Gada’s outside and
jumped on it. By lap-19 he had swapped positions with Gada, who was back
to third. Before the field made it around to complete lap-20, Abele spun
in turn two collecting Pearl and Puleo to bring out the second and final
caution flag of the race. Puleo was done for the night, while Pearl
pitted for repairs and rejoined at the tail of the field.
Perry had to contend with Chadwick for the restart. Although Perry got a
good jump down the front chute, Chadwick sailed into turn one on the
outside, flexed his muscle in the outside lane and snatched the lead away
down the backstretch to lead lap-20. Once clear of Perry, Chadwick
steamed ahead to a strong lead. Morgillo picked up a spot on the restart
as well, clearing Gada to move to third.
The field ran the laps in rapid fire the rest of the way with Chadwick
picking up the win going away. Morgillo eventually grabbed second from
Perry on lap-29 to score her best career finish. James rallied from his
early race spin to drive back up to an impressive third place at the
checkered flag. Perry faded to fourth, while Gada ran with the leaders all
night and took fifth.
Smith had to battle back in the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature to come out with the win. He
began the race strong, taking the race lead and holding on comfortably
over an opening 20-lap run without caution. Following a lap-20 restart,
Smith lost the lead to Rich Staskowski who stayed with Smith in the
outside lane after the race resumed. Staskowski powered ahead on lap-22,
leading through the next caution on lap-23. Smith went back ahead in the
outside lane after that restart, however had to fend off a late race
charge by Dillon Moltz. Moltz also used the top lane around the Speedbowl
to briefly lead the race including coming to the white flag. Smith dug
deep on the final lap, muscling his way past Moltz through the final turn
to take the victory in a finish that had fans on their feet.
Meyer took the lead from Norm Root on lap-11 of the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Street Stock feature, going on to an easy win.
Meyer’s run ended a streak of six different winners to begin the season in
the division. Meyer also won on April 14.
Cassidy took the lead on lap-14 of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Mini Stock feature, surging ahead of early race leader Charles Canfield.
Cassidy held on over several late race restarts to claim his sixth win in
seven events on the season.
In the night’s NEMA Midget action, Stoehr took home the Marvin Rifchin
Trophy in the 30-lap feature race. It was Stoehr’s 11th career victory in
the series, which celebrated its 60th anniversary season at the Speedbowl.
Igo was a first time winner in Lites action, leading throughout the 30-lap
feature. He had to work lapped traffic and survive a bid by Carl Medeiros
to prevail to his win.
Next Saturday night the Speedbowl hosts Little League Night with all youth
in their Little League jersey admitted free. Ten will be selected to
participate in a Home Run Derby on the frontstretch paired with Speedbowl
drivers before the night’s racing, presented by Sid’s Vault. A six
division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race program including the
Legends Cars and Bandoleros hits the track, with main events beginning
7:00pm. The Home Run Derby follows qualifying, at approximately 6:30pm.
More details can be found at www.Speedbowl.com.
(continued)
Saturday night with a special 60th anniversary event for the Northeastern
Midget Association plus NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing. The
Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA) is one of the nation’s oldest
racing series, with roots at Waterford going back to its beginning. Greg
Stoehr of Bridgewater, MA took home the prestigious win in the night’s
NEMA Midget feature while Brandon Igo of Bondsville, MA won the companion
NEMA Lite race. In Saturday night NASCAR action, Ledyard native Tyler
Chadwick took the checkered flag in the SK Modified® feature, his second
on the year, while defending Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model champion
Jeff Smith of Old Lyme returned to the winner’s circle for the first time
in 2012. Chris Meyer of North Franklin became the first repeat winner of
the season in the Street Stocks and Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon won again in
the Mini Stocks, giving him six on the year.
Joe Perry raced into the lead when the green flag was shown to the NASCAR
Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® field for their 35-lap feature.
He led over Joe Gada, Al Stone and Ed Puleo over the opening circuits.
Hard racing further back among Chadwick, Jeff Rocco, Rob Janovic Jr., Kyle
James and others showcased plenty of side-by-side action. Just behind
them, trouble broke out on lap-4 off turn four to bring out the caution
flag. Several cars made contact sending Diego Monahan’s car hard into the
frontstretch wall. Frank Mucciacciaro and Rich Brooks also got a piece of
the wall, and James and Craig Lutz went spinning into the infield. When
the dust settled Mucciacciaro and Monahan’s nights were done.
Perry picked up where he left off when racing went back to green, leading
Gada. Stone secured third and Nichole Morgillo was up to fourth, just
ahead of Chadwick. Ed Puleo and Jeff Pearl slid back in the outside lane
to the back of the top ten as Janovic, Justin Gaydosh and Tom Abele Jr.
raced forward.
Once the field singled out, racing stayed clean throughout the field as
several laps clicked off the scoreboard. Gada glued himself to Perry’s
back bumper searching for an opening on the leader. Chadwick picked up
pursuit of fourth position, beginning to look outside of Morgillo for the
spot. He made his move to the outside of Morgillo on lap-13, completing
the pass a lap later. Just one lap after that on lap-15, Chadwick was by
Stone into third. He sliced the gap to Perry and Gada, arriving at Gada’s
back bumper by lap-17.
Gada turned up the heat on Perry, still looking for an opening on the low
side. Meanwhile, Chadwick saw opportunity to get to Gada’s outside and
jumped on it. By lap-19 he had swapped positions with Gada, who was back
to third. Before the field made it around to complete lap-20, Abele spun
in turn two collecting Pearl and Puleo to bring out the second and final
caution flag of the race. Puleo was done for the night, while Pearl
pitted for repairs and rejoined at the tail of the field.
Perry had to contend with Chadwick for the restart. Although Perry got a
good jump down the front chute, Chadwick sailed into turn one on the
outside, flexed his muscle in the outside lane and snatched the lead away
down the backstretch to lead lap-20. Once clear of Perry, Chadwick
steamed ahead to a strong lead. Morgillo picked up a spot on the restart
as well, clearing Gada to move to third.
The field ran the laps in rapid fire the rest of the way with Chadwick
picking up the win going away. Morgillo eventually grabbed second from
Perry on lap-29 to score her best career finish. James rallied from his
early race spin to drive back up to an impressive third place at the
checkered flag. Perry faded to fourth, while Gada ran with the leaders all
night and took fifth.
Smith had to battle back in the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature to come out with the win. He
began the race strong, taking the race lead and holding on comfortably
over an opening 20-lap run without caution. Following a lap-20 restart,
Smith lost the lead to Rich Staskowski who stayed with Smith in the
outside lane after the race resumed. Staskowski powered ahead on lap-22,
leading through the next caution on lap-23. Smith went back ahead in the
outside lane after that restart, however had to fend off a late race
charge by Dillon Moltz. Moltz also used the top lane around the Speedbowl
to briefly lead the race including coming to the white flag. Smith dug
deep on the final lap, muscling his way past Moltz through the final turn
to take the victory in a finish that had fans on their feet.
Meyer took the lead from Norm Root on lap-11 of the 25-lap NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Street Stock feature, going on to an easy win.
Meyer’s run ended a streak of six different winners to begin the season in
the division. Meyer also won on April 14.
Cassidy took the lead on lap-14 of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Mini Stock feature, surging ahead of early race leader Charles Canfield.
Cassidy held on over several late race restarts to claim his sixth win in
seven events on the season.
In the night’s NEMA Midget action, Stoehr took home the Marvin Rifchin
Trophy in the 30-lap feature race. It was Stoehr’s 11th career victory in
the series, which celebrated its 60th anniversary season at the Speedbowl.
Igo was a first time winner in Lites action, leading throughout the 30-lap
feature. He had to work lapped traffic and survive a bid by Carl Medeiros
to prevail to his win.
Next Saturday night the Speedbowl hosts Little League Night with all youth
in their Little League jersey admitted free. Ten will be selected to
participate in a Home Run Derby on the frontstretch paired with Speedbowl
drivers before the night’s racing, presented by Sid’s Vault. A six
division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race program including the
Legends Cars and Bandoleros hits the track, with main events beginning
7:00pm. The Home Run Derby follows qualifying, at approximately 6:30pm.
More details can be found at www.Speedbowl.com.
(continued)