RGeeProductions
09-09-2012, 01:21 AM
Waterford Speedbowl returned to action
on Saturday, racing against the advancing weather forecasted for later on
in the evening. The track hosted another NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series racing program, joined by the second and final appearance of the
season by the visiting Valenti Modified Racing Series. Meriden’s Keith
Rocco returned to the winner’s circle in the night’s SK Modified® feature,
picking up his first division win at the track since July 14th and seventh
of the year. Dillon Moltz of Waterford won his sixth victory of the year
in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, while Bill Leonard of
Charlestown, RI took his second win of 2012 in the Mini Stock division.
The night’s 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series feature was won by
Tommy Barrett Jr. of Millis, MA, his second straight in the popular
open-wheel touring series. The night’s scheduled Street Stock feature was
lost to rain, with any make-up date to be announced by the track.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® feature was led
to the green flag by a front row of Keith Rocco and Adam Gada. Rocco was
looking to shake a stretch of disappointing finishes in recent weeks and
bolted out to the race lead. As the field raced to turn one on the
opening lap, bumper tag behind Gada saw several cars check up, with all
staying pointed straight ahead to keep the race under the green flag. The
competition settled into a long green flag stretch and sorted out many
battles for position all around the speedway.
Rocco’s lead was seven cars over Joe Perry, while Jeff Rocco moved into
third position and pressured Perry for second by lap-5. On lap-7 Jeff
Rocco finally made the move to Perry’s outside, clearing him a lap later
to set sail on erasing his brother’s lead. Behind the top three, Jeff
Gallup held fourth with Jeff Pearl and Rob Janovic Jr. in close company.
A gap back to a large pack of cars battling for the back half of the
top-ten brought the race through lap-15.
Out front Jeff Rocco was cutting into his brother’s lead. Perry was
settled in third while Pearl was all over Gallup for fourth. Pearl found
room on the inside down the back chute headed into turn three, taking over
fourth on lap-16. Janovic filled the hole under Gallup to take fifth
exiting turn two on lap-17. Behind Gallup, Kyle James, Tyler Chadwick and
Nichole Morgillo had broken out of the next pack of cars.
At the head of the field the Rocco train looked strong. Pearl couldn’t
shake Janovic loose in a battle for fourth while James tracked down Gallup
for sixth by lap-25, all under green flag conditions. The first caution
finally slowed the lengthy run as Tom Abele Jr. spun into the turn three
wall on lap-27 after trying to fight his way through the pack.
The restart pitted both Rocco’s against one another, with Keith leading
Jeff into turn one. Jeff Rocco tucked in line behind his brother ahead of
a battle for third between Perry and Pearl, the latter in the outside
lane. Pearl eventually took the position leaving Perry to battle with
Janovic and James. James raced the top groove around both to take fourth
position. Janovic followed suit and used the top-side to get around Perry
just ahead of the final caution flag, which waved when Rich Brooks and
Adam Gada were in trouble on the frontstretch with four laps to go.
The final restart again belonged to Keith Rocco, who pulled out ahead of
Jeff Rocco. Pearl had his hands full with James for third position,
watching as James raced the high line around him into the spot. Pearl
settled into fourth ahead of Janovic. The top-five raced in order through
the checkered flag in a quickly competed event. Chadwick, the point
leader, finished sixth to maintain his lead by six points over Pearl.
The 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late
Model feature saw Moltz in a familiar place, Speedbowl Victory Lane. His
sixth triumph of the year started by chasing early leader Anthony
Flannery. Flannery led from lap-1 and watched as Moltz slowly reeled him
in once in second position. The first caution waved on lap-5 when Jeff
Smith spun between turns three and four.
Flannery held his lead on the restart, however Moltz tucked in behind and
was pressuring Flannery’s bumper looking for a way around by lap-6. By
lap-10, Moltz had found his way past to move into the race lead. Keith
Rocco moved to second position racing inside Flannery on lap-15 at the
halfway point of the race bringing Jason Palmer and Bruce Thomas Jr. with
him by the inside of Flannery. Smith and Ed Gertsch Jr. tangled in turn
two on lap-20 to return the race under caution.
Moltz was back out front following the restart, bringing the field to
lap-25 when Palmer and Thomas made contact in their battle for third.
Contact on the fronstretch carried into turn one, with Palmer going
around. Moltz continued to lead once racing was back under green through
lap-28 as Flannery and Joe Curioso came together on the track resulting in
Curioso against the turn three wall, and Flannery’s night done in the
pits.
The final green-white-checkered flag stretch saw Moltz hold back Rocco one
final time, denying Rocco his second checkered flag of the night. Moltz
padded his points lead with the win, while Rocco and Ryan Morgan completed
the podium finishers.
The 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock division saw
Leonard in the winner’s circle for the second time of the year. He held
off a host of competition over the final half of the race. Leonard led
through the second caution flag of the race just shy of its halfway point
on lap-12. Leonard led Ray Christian III while Ian Brew and Ken Cassidy
Jr. lined up in the second row for the mid-race restart.
Leonard had his hands full on the restart as Christian raced to his
outside to edge ahead in the lead on lap-13. Cassidy was also in the
outside lane looking for a lane through to challenge for the lead as well.
The top four raced in tight quarters through lap-17, when Jeff Cembruch
spun between turns one and two to return the race to caution.
The intensity level continued to rise at the front on the restart, as the
combination of Leonard, Christian and Cassidy went three wide for the lead
on lap-18. Cassidy got crossed up and out of shape on the very outside,
backing out as the other two pulled back ahead to resume a side-by-side
battle for the lead. The pair put on another fabulous race out front for
the division, remaining within inches nearing the finish. The two had
little breathing room from the competition behind which included Cassidy,
and Sean Caron.
The white flag lap began with Leonard and Christian sewn together at the
door. Cassidy was outside Caron battling hard for third when he spun
exiting turn two. As Cassidy spun across the track others became
collected including Joe Fogarasi and Chris Garside to bring out the
caution flag and interrupt what was shaping up as a photo finish between
Leonard and Christian.
Leonard did not falter on the restart, the race’s final. Over the course
of the race he held back the advances of many to claim the checkered flag.
Caron rallied to take second at the checkered flag while Christian’s fine
run ended up third.
(continued)
on Saturday, racing against the advancing weather forecasted for later on
in the evening. The track hosted another NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series racing program, joined by the second and final appearance of the
season by the visiting Valenti Modified Racing Series. Meriden’s Keith
Rocco returned to the winner’s circle in the night’s SK Modified® feature,
picking up his first division win at the track since July 14th and seventh
of the year. Dillon Moltz of Waterford won his sixth victory of the year
in the Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Models, while Bill Leonard of
Charlestown, RI took his second win of 2012 in the Mini Stock division.
The night’s 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series feature was won by
Tommy Barrett Jr. of Millis, MA, his second straight in the popular
open-wheel touring series. The night’s scheduled Street Stock feature was
lost to rain, with any make-up date to be announced by the track.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® feature was led
to the green flag by a front row of Keith Rocco and Adam Gada. Rocco was
looking to shake a stretch of disappointing finishes in recent weeks and
bolted out to the race lead. As the field raced to turn one on the
opening lap, bumper tag behind Gada saw several cars check up, with all
staying pointed straight ahead to keep the race under the green flag. The
competition settled into a long green flag stretch and sorted out many
battles for position all around the speedway.
Rocco’s lead was seven cars over Joe Perry, while Jeff Rocco moved into
third position and pressured Perry for second by lap-5. On lap-7 Jeff
Rocco finally made the move to Perry’s outside, clearing him a lap later
to set sail on erasing his brother’s lead. Behind the top three, Jeff
Gallup held fourth with Jeff Pearl and Rob Janovic Jr. in close company.
A gap back to a large pack of cars battling for the back half of the
top-ten brought the race through lap-15.
Out front Jeff Rocco was cutting into his brother’s lead. Perry was
settled in third while Pearl was all over Gallup for fourth. Pearl found
room on the inside down the back chute headed into turn three, taking over
fourth on lap-16. Janovic filled the hole under Gallup to take fifth
exiting turn two on lap-17. Behind Gallup, Kyle James, Tyler Chadwick and
Nichole Morgillo had broken out of the next pack of cars.
At the head of the field the Rocco train looked strong. Pearl couldn’t
shake Janovic loose in a battle for fourth while James tracked down Gallup
for sixth by lap-25, all under green flag conditions. The first caution
finally slowed the lengthy run as Tom Abele Jr. spun into the turn three
wall on lap-27 after trying to fight his way through the pack.
The restart pitted both Rocco’s against one another, with Keith leading
Jeff into turn one. Jeff Rocco tucked in line behind his brother ahead of
a battle for third between Perry and Pearl, the latter in the outside
lane. Pearl eventually took the position leaving Perry to battle with
Janovic and James. James raced the top groove around both to take fourth
position. Janovic followed suit and used the top-side to get around Perry
just ahead of the final caution flag, which waved when Rich Brooks and
Adam Gada were in trouble on the frontstretch with four laps to go.
The final restart again belonged to Keith Rocco, who pulled out ahead of
Jeff Rocco. Pearl had his hands full with James for third position,
watching as James raced the high line around him into the spot. Pearl
settled into fourth ahead of Janovic. The top-five raced in order through
the checkered flag in a quickly competed event. Chadwick, the point
leader, finished sixth to maintain his lead by six points over Pearl.
The 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late
Model feature saw Moltz in a familiar place, Speedbowl Victory Lane. His
sixth triumph of the year started by chasing early leader Anthony
Flannery. Flannery led from lap-1 and watched as Moltz slowly reeled him
in once in second position. The first caution waved on lap-5 when Jeff
Smith spun between turns three and four.
Flannery held his lead on the restart, however Moltz tucked in behind and
was pressuring Flannery’s bumper looking for a way around by lap-6. By
lap-10, Moltz had found his way past to move into the race lead. Keith
Rocco moved to second position racing inside Flannery on lap-15 at the
halfway point of the race bringing Jason Palmer and Bruce Thomas Jr. with
him by the inside of Flannery. Smith and Ed Gertsch Jr. tangled in turn
two on lap-20 to return the race under caution.
Moltz was back out front following the restart, bringing the field to
lap-25 when Palmer and Thomas made contact in their battle for third.
Contact on the fronstretch carried into turn one, with Palmer going
around. Moltz continued to lead once racing was back under green through
lap-28 as Flannery and Joe Curioso came together on the track resulting in
Curioso against the turn three wall, and Flannery’s night done in the
pits.
The final green-white-checkered flag stretch saw Moltz hold back Rocco one
final time, denying Rocco his second checkered flag of the night. Moltz
padded his points lead with the win, while Rocco and Ryan Morgan completed
the podium finishers.
The 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini Stock division saw
Leonard in the winner’s circle for the second time of the year. He held
off a host of competition over the final half of the race. Leonard led
through the second caution flag of the race just shy of its halfway point
on lap-12. Leonard led Ray Christian III while Ian Brew and Ken Cassidy
Jr. lined up in the second row for the mid-race restart.
Leonard had his hands full on the restart as Christian raced to his
outside to edge ahead in the lead on lap-13. Cassidy was also in the
outside lane looking for a lane through to challenge for the lead as well.
The top four raced in tight quarters through lap-17, when Jeff Cembruch
spun between turns one and two to return the race to caution.
The intensity level continued to rise at the front on the restart, as the
combination of Leonard, Christian and Cassidy went three wide for the lead
on lap-18. Cassidy got crossed up and out of shape on the very outside,
backing out as the other two pulled back ahead to resume a side-by-side
battle for the lead. The pair put on another fabulous race out front for
the division, remaining within inches nearing the finish. The two had
little breathing room from the competition behind which included Cassidy,
and Sean Caron.
The white flag lap began with Leonard and Christian sewn together at the
door. Cassidy was outside Caron battling hard for third when he spun
exiting turn two. As Cassidy spun across the track others became
collected including Joe Fogarasi and Chris Garside to bring out the
caution flag and interrupt what was shaping up as a photo finish between
Leonard and Christian.
Leonard did not falter on the restart, the race’s final. Over the course
of the race he held back the advances of many to claim the checkered flag.
Caron rallied to take second at the checkered flag while Christian’s fine
run ended up third.
(continued)