RGeeProductions
08-26-2012, 12:34 PM
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. The win was the 38th of Pearl’s career at the Speedbowl, where
the veteran racer has won at least one feature in 17 of the past 18
seasons.
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 jumped out to the lead after starting on the outside of
the front row for the green flag. Flannery moved out ahead of Jason
Palmer and dominated the first half of the race, which ran caution free
through lap-32.
While Flannery led, Palmer rode comfortably ahead of a battle for the
top-five behind him that included Jeff Smith, point leader Dillon Moltz
and Glenn Boss. Moltz looked all over Smith for the position when Boss
crept in to the picture and raced outside Moltz for fourth. Exiting turn
two on lap-32 Boss got crossed up, clipping Moltz who went spinning into
turn three with right side damage. Moltz and Boss pitted and returned,
while Smith, Bruce Thomas Jr. and Doug Coby all went to the pits for
adjustments to their machines after the long green flag run.
(continued)
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. The win was the 38th of Pearl’s career at the Speedbowl, where
the veteran racer has won at least one feature in 17 of the past 18
seasons.
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 jumped out to the lead after starting on the outside of
the front row for the green flag. Flannery moved out ahead of Jason
Palmer and dominated the first half of the race, which ran caution free
through lap-32.
While Flannery led, Palmer rode comfortably ahead of a battle for the
top-five behind him that included Jeff Smith, point leader Dillon Moltz
and Glenn Boss. Moltz looked all over Smith for the position when Boss
crept in to the picture and raced outside Moltz for fourth. Exiting turn
two on lap-32 Boss got crossed up, clipping Moltz who went spinning into
turn three with right side damage. Moltz and Boss pitted and returned,
while Smith, Bruce Thomas Jr. and Doug Coby all went to the pits for
adjustments to their machines after the long green flag run.
(continued)