RGeeProductions
04-20-2014, 11:56 PM
Waterford Speedbowl returned to racing
action Saturday night with an action packed six division race program.
Taking victories in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing events
included Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard, who came away with a well-earned
triumph in the SK Modified® division. Berlin’s Keith Rocco won his third
consecutive Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature to begin the year while
Corey Barry of Plainfield nailed a victory in the SK Light Modified ranks.
Second generation racer Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott took his first
victory in the night’s INEX Legend Cars race. Al Stone of Durham was
awarded the victory in the Street Stock event and Christopher Ivory of
Oakdale was credited with his first-ever victory in the Mini Stock
division.
Chadwick worked hard during his run to victory in the 35-lap SK Modified®
race. After he assumed control on lap-12 from Agawam’s Jeff Gallup, he
held back a charging Keith Rocco over the final 17 laps in an entertaining
high speed duel. Nichole Morgillo led the field to the green flag with
her pole starting position as Gallup lined up to her outside. The two
drag raced on the opening lap side-by-side with Gallup leading by a nose
at the completion of lap-1.
The top cars eventually singled out and Gallup led Morgillo, Chadwick, Rob
Janovic Jr. and Ted Christopher over the opening laps. They ran in order
until lap-8 when Christopher pulled out of line and challenged Janovic for
fourth. Christopher spent two laps working the outside of the track before
he prevailed to take the spot and began to test the outside of Chadwick.
Just ahead of them Morgillo got crossed up in turn four on lap-11 and slid
off the track to the infield, coming to rest on the racing surface at the
exit of turn four to bring out the first of two caution flags in the race.
Gallup had Chadwick to his outside following the lineup change after the
yellow. Chadwick stayed even with Gallup and was able to inch his way to
the top spot as the pair raced to lap-12. Janovic was next to get around
the outside of Gallup to move to second position on lap-13 when Rocco
emerged in the picture. He restarted the race in sixth after using the
opening green flag run to move through the back half of the top ten and
was up to fourth behind Gallup when the second and final caution of the
race waved on lap-14. Todd Ceravolo and Kyle James came together down the
front chute sending both cars into the turn one wall. Ceravolo was done
for the night while James pitted for repairs.
Chadwick resumed his lead after the restart after a brief fight from
Janovic in the outside lane. Gallup tried to sneak to the inside of
Janovic to no avail and by lap-16 Gallup was under fire from Rocco. Rocco
went to the outside to take third position on lap-17 and then attacked
Janovic’s second place position a lap later. He powered past to move in
behind Chadwick on lap-18 to set the stage for the pair’s memorable
finish.
Rocco tried several different maneuvers to try and rattle Chadwick
including some timely raps to his rear bumper. Rocco was unable to find
the momentum to make an outside move work on multiple occasions.
Chadwick, the 2012 division champion, was able to keep his car settled on
the bottom of the track as Rocco tried to unseat him with a crossover move
exiting the corners. Chadwick had that covered as well to hold back the
former national champion.
The stretch run through the checkered flag had fans on the edge of their
seats as Rocco tested Chadwick’s rear bumper on multiple occasions.
Chadwick proved unflappable however, including contact entering turn three
on lap-30 that slowed both as they kept their cars under control. Janovic
and Christopher trailed and engaged in their own battle for third position
over the final five laps. Christopher looked to the top of the track for
a way to land a podium finish as Chadwick finished off his impressive win.
Rocco came home second while Janovic was able to hold off Christopher for
third, finishing strong outings for each. Opening night winner Ed Puleo
was fifth.
Rocco won his third straight Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature. He ran
third behind early leader Jeff Smith and second place Bruce Thomas Jr.
Smith headed to the pits during a lap-6 caution flag, the final of the
race, after making contact with the backstretch wall while battling for
the lead on lap-3. Thomas inherited the lead with Rocco to his outside
for the restart. Rocco took command to lead lap-7 and never relinquished
his lead thereafter. Thomas finished four car lengths back in second and
Jason Palmer was third in the 30-lapper.
Barry came out on top of a 25-lap SK Light Modified feature that began
smooth and ended ragged. He battled his way through the top five cars
early on to be in contention following a lap-10 melee that saw defending
champion Randy Churchill Jr. make contact with a lapped car as he battled
for the race lead, causing a caution flag as Chris Ignazio became
collected. While Churchill pitted and resumed from the rear, Barry moved
up to contend with leaders Larry Goss and Victoria Bergenty. Barry used
the outside lane to get past Goss for the race lead on lap-12. He had to
hold back both Goss and Bergenty over the second half including over three
additional restarts that proved tough for the field to navigate without
encountering trouble. Bergenty wound up second and Goss third in the
final rundown.
Stone was awarded the Street Stock victory after the winner on the track
failed post-race technical inspection. Josh Galvin appeared to win his
second consecutive Street Stock race after turning in another dominant
performance, however his car was sighted for having illegal shocks
following the event. Stone, a two-time division champion, was declared
the 25-lap race winner. The move of the race for Stone turned out to be a
battle with early leader Norm Root Jr. Root succumbed to Stone on lap-7
as he motored by the inside. Stone was passed by Galvin on the track
during the green-to-checkered flag race, however his effort was able to
catapult him to the victory. Root ended up with second place and pole
position starter Greg Moran Jr. was third.
Ivory came away as the winner of record in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature
after four of the original top-five finishers failed post-race technical
inspection. Ivory put forward a solid effort in the non-stop 25-lap race.
He watched as early leader Nick Pappacoda was chased down by Ken Cassidy
in the second half of the race. Cassidy worked past Pappacoda on lap-19.
Garrett Denton got by Pappacoda and finished behind Cassidy, however each
were disqualified for spindle modification allowing Ivory’s third-place
finish on the track to lift him to the win. It is the first-ever
division win at the track for Ivory, a graduate of the track’s Wild ‘n
Wacky Wednesday race program. Doug Curry was credited with second place
and Ray Christian III came away third.
In INEX Legend Car action, Mike Christopher Jr. came away with his first
career victory after a rough and tumble 25-lap race. Christopher took the
lead on lap-5 with an impressive move to the inside of defending champion
Dylan Izzo. He survived six late race restarts as the field behind him
had trouble circling the three-eighths mile oval. Christopher bested John
O’Sullivan and Jordan Lamothe. Christopher Jr. is the nephew of standout
racer Ted Christopher and son of former Modified competitor Mike
Christopher. He is fifteen years old and is in his second season
competing in the Legend Cars division.
The Speedbowl returns to action next week with a five-division program
highlighted by a 50-lap Street Stock Showdown event plus the return of the
New England Truck Series. Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday returns on May 7 and
Friday night’s Sho & Go at the ‘Bowl kicks off its season on May 9.
Schedule information for all upcoming track events is available at
www.Speedbowl.com.
(continued)
action Saturday night with an action packed six division race program.
Taking victories in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing events
included Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard, who came away with a well-earned
triumph in the SK Modified® division. Berlin’s Keith Rocco won his third
consecutive Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature to begin the year while
Corey Barry of Plainfield nailed a victory in the SK Light Modified ranks.
Second generation racer Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott took his first
victory in the night’s INEX Legend Cars race. Al Stone of Durham was
awarded the victory in the Street Stock event and Christopher Ivory of
Oakdale was credited with his first-ever victory in the Mini Stock
division.
Chadwick worked hard during his run to victory in the 35-lap SK Modified®
race. After he assumed control on lap-12 from Agawam’s Jeff Gallup, he
held back a charging Keith Rocco over the final 17 laps in an entertaining
high speed duel. Nichole Morgillo led the field to the green flag with
her pole starting position as Gallup lined up to her outside. The two
drag raced on the opening lap side-by-side with Gallup leading by a nose
at the completion of lap-1.
The top cars eventually singled out and Gallup led Morgillo, Chadwick, Rob
Janovic Jr. and Ted Christopher over the opening laps. They ran in order
until lap-8 when Christopher pulled out of line and challenged Janovic for
fourth. Christopher spent two laps working the outside of the track before
he prevailed to take the spot and began to test the outside of Chadwick.
Just ahead of them Morgillo got crossed up in turn four on lap-11 and slid
off the track to the infield, coming to rest on the racing surface at the
exit of turn four to bring out the first of two caution flags in the race.
Gallup had Chadwick to his outside following the lineup change after the
yellow. Chadwick stayed even with Gallup and was able to inch his way to
the top spot as the pair raced to lap-12. Janovic was next to get around
the outside of Gallup to move to second position on lap-13 when Rocco
emerged in the picture. He restarted the race in sixth after using the
opening green flag run to move through the back half of the top ten and
was up to fourth behind Gallup when the second and final caution of the
race waved on lap-14. Todd Ceravolo and Kyle James came together down the
front chute sending both cars into the turn one wall. Ceravolo was done
for the night while James pitted for repairs.
Chadwick resumed his lead after the restart after a brief fight from
Janovic in the outside lane. Gallup tried to sneak to the inside of
Janovic to no avail and by lap-16 Gallup was under fire from Rocco. Rocco
went to the outside to take third position on lap-17 and then attacked
Janovic’s second place position a lap later. He powered past to move in
behind Chadwick on lap-18 to set the stage for the pair’s memorable
finish.
Rocco tried several different maneuvers to try and rattle Chadwick
including some timely raps to his rear bumper. Rocco was unable to find
the momentum to make an outside move work on multiple occasions.
Chadwick, the 2012 division champion, was able to keep his car settled on
the bottom of the track as Rocco tried to unseat him with a crossover move
exiting the corners. Chadwick had that covered as well to hold back the
former national champion.
The stretch run through the checkered flag had fans on the edge of their
seats as Rocco tested Chadwick’s rear bumper on multiple occasions.
Chadwick proved unflappable however, including contact entering turn three
on lap-30 that slowed both as they kept their cars under control. Janovic
and Christopher trailed and engaged in their own battle for third position
over the final five laps. Christopher looked to the top of the track for
a way to land a podium finish as Chadwick finished off his impressive win.
Rocco came home second while Janovic was able to hold off Christopher for
third, finishing strong outings for each. Opening night winner Ed Puleo
was fifth.
Rocco won his third straight Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature. He ran
third behind early leader Jeff Smith and second place Bruce Thomas Jr.
Smith headed to the pits during a lap-6 caution flag, the final of the
race, after making contact with the backstretch wall while battling for
the lead on lap-3. Thomas inherited the lead with Rocco to his outside
for the restart. Rocco took command to lead lap-7 and never relinquished
his lead thereafter. Thomas finished four car lengths back in second and
Jason Palmer was third in the 30-lapper.
Barry came out on top of a 25-lap SK Light Modified feature that began
smooth and ended ragged. He battled his way through the top five cars
early on to be in contention following a lap-10 melee that saw defending
champion Randy Churchill Jr. make contact with a lapped car as he battled
for the race lead, causing a caution flag as Chris Ignazio became
collected. While Churchill pitted and resumed from the rear, Barry moved
up to contend with leaders Larry Goss and Victoria Bergenty. Barry used
the outside lane to get past Goss for the race lead on lap-12. He had to
hold back both Goss and Bergenty over the second half including over three
additional restarts that proved tough for the field to navigate without
encountering trouble. Bergenty wound up second and Goss third in the
final rundown.
Stone was awarded the Street Stock victory after the winner on the track
failed post-race technical inspection. Josh Galvin appeared to win his
second consecutive Street Stock race after turning in another dominant
performance, however his car was sighted for having illegal shocks
following the event. Stone, a two-time division champion, was declared
the 25-lap race winner. The move of the race for Stone turned out to be a
battle with early leader Norm Root Jr. Root succumbed to Stone on lap-7
as he motored by the inside. Stone was passed by Galvin on the track
during the green-to-checkered flag race, however his effort was able to
catapult him to the victory. Root ended up with second place and pole
position starter Greg Moran Jr. was third.
Ivory came away as the winner of record in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature
after four of the original top-five finishers failed post-race technical
inspection. Ivory put forward a solid effort in the non-stop 25-lap race.
He watched as early leader Nick Pappacoda was chased down by Ken Cassidy
in the second half of the race. Cassidy worked past Pappacoda on lap-19.
Garrett Denton got by Pappacoda and finished behind Cassidy, however each
were disqualified for spindle modification allowing Ivory’s third-place
finish on the track to lift him to the win. It is the first-ever
division win at the track for Ivory, a graduate of the track’s Wild ‘n
Wacky Wednesday race program. Doug Curry was credited with second place
and Ray Christian III came away third.
In INEX Legend Car action, Mike Christopher Jr. came away with his first
career victory after a rough and tumble 25-lap race. Christopher took the
lead on lap-5 with an impressive move to the inside of defending champion
Dylan Izzo. He survived six late race restarts as the field behind him
had trouble circling the three-eighths mile oval. Christopher bested John
O’Sullivan and Jordan Lamothe. Christopher Jr. is the nephew of standout
racer Ted Christopher and son of former Modified competitor Mike
Christopher. He is fifteen years old and is in his second season
competing in the Legend Cars division.
The Speedbowl returns to action next week with a five-division program
highlighted by a 50-lap Street Stock Showdown event plus the return of the
New England Truck Series. Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday returns on May 7 and
Friday night’s Sho & Go at the ‘Bowl kicks off its season on May 9.
Schedule information for all upcoming track events is available at
www.Speedbowl.com.
(continued)