RGeeProductions
09-29-2013, 11:31 PM
Waterford Speedbowl hosted the final
Saturday night racing program of the season before its big Finale Weekend
of racing, putting seven race divisions in action on a seasonable late
September evening. While seven drivers captured wins on the night, four
more champions were unofficially crowned in the season long war. In
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing, Keith Rocco of Meriden
unofficially captured his third track championship in the headline SK
Modified® division following his ninth win of the year. Rocco also won
his fourth straight Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division feature to
inch him closer to a 53-year old record. Uncasville’s Phil Evans
outdueled the competition for an entertaining victory in the night’s
Street Stock race while Salem’s Corey Hutchings clinched the division
championship. Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon claimed his fifth Mini Stock
championship in convincing fashion with his third straight victory. In
INEX racing, Dylan Izzo of Monroe won both the race and the division’s
Saturday night series championship. Brad Voglesong of Middletown won the
X-Car race and Dave Yardley of Berlin won the Super X-Car feature.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® feature had a
hard time getting started smoothly with multiple caution flags plaguing
the opening six laps. Two attempts to begin the race went awry before the
field could get to turn one, the second involving multiple cars and
knocking Ted Christopher and Frank Mucciacciaro Jr. out of the race.
Diego Monahan took the lead from pole-sitter Tyler Chadwick when racing
finally got underway. Rocco started in fourth position and quickly was in
contention, moving up to second behind Monahan by lap-2 when Rob Janovic
Jr. spun in turn one to trigger another yellow flag after the field
scattered around his spinning car.
Rocco powered into the lead over Monahan after two false starts by the
front row trying to restart the race on lap-2. After a Jeff Gallup spin
on lap-6, another great restart over Monahan enabled Rocco to drive away
from the field. Kyle James moved to second place on lap-11 around
Mohanan and when Tom Abele Jr. tried to follow, Monahan shut the door and
the two came together. Monahan collected his car and held the spot but
lost ground to James, who began a pursuit of Rocco’s lead which already
had grown to several car lengths.
Behind Rocco and James, the best battle was for third as four cars ran
together. Abele continued to pester Monahan while Craig Lutz had caught
the pair looking to improve his position as the race approached halfway.
Abele went to the outside lane in his quest to get by Monahan, working
hard as Monahan tried to hold him off. Finally on lap-21 Abele had the
spot after several laps trying. Lutz struck quickly on Monahan to pick up
fourth position, dropping Monahan to fifth a lap later. James couldn’t
reel in Rocco, but the lead evaporated when Jim Larsen Jr. spun in turn
four just ahead of Rocco, returning the race to caution with seven laps
remaining.
A good restart allowed Rocco to easily resume his lead over James, who
settled back into second over Abele. Rocco quickly extinguished any hopes
James may have had to spoil his championship-clinching run, pulling away.
Rocco went on to score the win unchallenged with James second and Abele
third. Lutz finished fourth and Janovic rebounded from his spin to take
fifth.
Rocco’s title in the SK Modifieds® gives him three for his career, joining
back-to-back championship seasons in 2010 and 2011. Coupled with the Late
Model championship he clinched last Saturday, Rocco becomes the only
driver in Speedbowl history to win both crowns in the same season.
Rocco checkered his fourth consecutive 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race with another stellar
performance. He picked off the competition one at a time during a steady
climb through the top-five cars after starting the race eighth. Rocco
was among the top-five in the race by lap-4 and challenging for second
position just before halfway in a caution-free event. He got past Jeff
Smith and quickly tracked down the race leader, Jason Palmer. He put a
nifty crossover move on Palmer to get to his inside out of turn two on
lap-17 and although Palmer did an admirable job trying to take away
Rocco’s momentum for a lap, Rocco proved too much and wrestled away the
lead on lap-18. From there he remained a safe two car lengths ahead to
capture his 11th victory of the year in the division. Palmer was second
and Smith finished in third. Rocco already clinched the division title
over Palmer following last Saturday’s event.
Rocco’s two wins on the night brought him within one victory of the
single-season record of 23 wins at the track, accomplished by Don Collins
in 1960. Rocco has four chances to eclipse the mark at the track’s Finale
Weekend, next Saturday and Sunday, when he’s scheduled to compete in four
different divisions.
The 25-lap Street Stock race was a fight down to the final lap. Joe Arena
looked impressive racing to an early lead, however five caution flags
slowed the pace to keep the competition hot on his tail. Following the
final yellow flag on lap-18, Evans gave Arena a stiff challenge to his
outside. Evans timed the restart well to stay even with Arena through
turns one and two and lead lap-19 by inches. Arena refused to back down,
rallying as the two remained side-by-side in a classic battle, swapping
the lead over the next three laps. Evans took the white flag in the lead
and Arena gave a final charge to the inside, coming up a half-car length
short at the finish. Hutchings ran a great race to finish in third and
clinch the division championship, his first in the division since 1998.
Hutchings closest contenders, Josh Galvin and Al Stone, each encountered
trouble and were involved in a skirmish, aiding Hutchings title run. He
also won Late Model division titles in 2003 and 2004.
(continued)
Saturday night racing program of the season before its big Finale Weekend
of racing, putting seven race divisions in action on a seasonable late
September evening. While seven drivers captured wins on the night, four
more champions were unofficially crowned in the season long war. In
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing, Keith Rocco of Meriden
unofficially captured his third track championship in the headline SK
Modified® division following his ninth win of the year. Rocco also won
his fourth straight Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division feature to
inch him closer to a 53-year old record. Uncasville’s Phil Evans
outdueled the competition for an entertaining victory in the night’s
Street Stock race while Salem’s Corey Hutchings clinched the division
championship. Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon claimed his fifth Mini Stock
championship in convincing fashion with his third straight victory. In
INEX racing, Dylan Izzo of Monroe won both the race and the division’s
Saturday night series championship. Brad Voglesong of Middletown won the
X-Car race and Dave Yardley of Berlin won the Super X-Car feature.
The 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified® feature had a
hard time getting started smoothly with multiple caution flags plaguing
the opening six laps. Two attempts to begin the race went awry before the
field could get to turn one, the second involving multiple cars and
knocking Ted Christopher and Frank Mucciacciaro Jr. out of the race.
Diego Monahan took the lead from pole-sitter Tyler Chadwick when racing
finally got underway. Rocco started in fourth position and quickly was in
contention, moving up to second behind Monahan by lap-2 when Rob Janovic
Jr. spun in turn one to trigger another yellow flag after the field
scattered around his spinning car.
Rocco powered into the lead over Monahan after two false starts by the
front row trying to restart the race on lap-2. After a Jeff Gallup spin
on lap-6, another great restart over Monahan enabled Rocco to drive away
from the field. Kyle James moved to second place on lap-11 around
Mohanan and when Tom Abele Jr. tried to follow, Monahan shut the door and
the two came together. Monahan collected his car and held the spot but
lost ground to James, who began a pursuit of Rocco’s lead which already
had grown to several car lengths.
Behind Rocco and James, the best battle was for third as four cars ran
together. Abele continued to pester Monahan while Craig Lutz had caught
the pair looking to improve his position as the race approached halfway.
Abele went to the outside lane in his quest to get by Monahan, working
hard as Monahan tried to hold him off. Finally on lap-21 Abele had the
spot after several laps trying. Lutz struck quickly on Monahan to pick up
fourth position, dropping Monahan to fifth a lap later. James couldn’t
reel in Rocco, but the lead evaporated when Jim Larsen Jr. spun in turn
four just ahead of Rocco, returning the race to caution with seven laps
remaining.
A good restart allowed Rocco to easily resume his lead over James, who
settled back into second over Abele. Rocco quickly extinguished any hopes
James may have had to spoil his championship-clinching run, pulling away.
Rocco went on to score the win unchallenged with James second and Abele
third. Lutz finished fourth and Janovic rebounded from his spin to take
fifth.
Rocco’s title in the SK Modifieds® gives him three for his career, joining
back-to-back championship seasons in 2010 and 2011. Coupled with the Late
Model championship he clinched last Saturday, Rocco becomes the only
driver in Speedbowl history to win both crowns in the same season.
Rocco checkered his fourth consecutive 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race with another stellar
performance. He picked off the competition one at a time during a steady
climb through the top-five cars after starting the race eighth. Rocco
was among the top-five in the race by lap-4 and challenging for second
position just before halfway in a caution-free event. He got past Jeff
Smith and quickly tracked down the race leader, Jason Palmer. He put a
nifty crossover move on Palmer to get to his inside out of turn two on
lap-17 and although Palmer did an admirable job trying to take away
Rocco’s momentum for a lap, Rocco proved too much and wrestled away the
lead on lap-18. From there he remained a safe two car lengths ahead to
capture his 11th victory of the year in the division. Palmer was second
and Smith finished in third. Rocco already clinched the division title
over Palmer following last Saturday’s event.
Rocco’s two wins on the night brought him within one victory of the
single-season record of 23 wins at the track, accomplished by Don Collins
in 1960. Rocco has four chances to eclipse the mark at the track’s Finale
Weekend, next Saturday and Sunday, when he’s scheduled to compete in four
different divisions.
The 25-lap Street Stock race was a fight down to the final lap. Joe Arena
looked impressive racing to an early lead, however five caution flags
slowed the pace to keep the competition hot on his tail. Following the
final yellow flag on lap-18, Evans gave Arena a stiff challenge to his
outside. Evans timed the restart well to stay even with Arena through
turns one and two and lead lap-19 by inches. Arena refused to back down,
rallying as the two remained side-by-side in a classic battle, swapping
the lead over the next three laps. Evans took the white flag in the lead
and Arena gave a final charge to the inside, coming up a half-car length
short at the finish. Hutchings ran a great race to finish in third and
clinch the division championship, his first in the division since 1998.
Hutchings closest contenders, Josh Galvin and Al Stone, each encountered
trouble and were involved in a skirmish, aiding Hutchings title run. He
also won Late Model division titles in 2003 and 2004.
(continued)