RGeeProductions
07-06-2014, 11:50 AM
Waterford Speedbowl’s mid-season
championship Overdrive Radio 300 event hit the asphalt Saturday night with
extra distance racing by the track’s core six divisions. The big winner
was Keith Rocco of Berlin, scoring top honors in the night’s 100-lap SK
Modified® main event. Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton won an entertaining
50-lap Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race, while Old Lyme’s Jeff Smith was
a first-time winner in the SK Light Modifieds after an impressive
performance. Franklin’s Josh Galvin was back in Victory Lane in the
50-lap Street Stock race and Garrett Denton of Hope Valley, RI won his
second consecutive race in the night’s 50-lap Mini Stock event. Mike
Christopher Jr. of Wolcott won his third straight INEX Legend Cars race.
Rocco impressed again in the SK Modified® ranks, steadily rising through
the top ten until he landed in the lead on lap-34. He was in control the
rest of the way to pick up his seventh win of the year in the division.
Rocco’s twin brother Jeff led the field to green and led over Kyle James
at the start. The lead pack quickly singled out to log some early laps
and saw Keith Rocco in seventh position after setting the fast time, and
redrawing to invert the top eight cars for the start.
The single file racing came to an end when Ted Christopher jumped to the
outside lane looking to advance his position among the top-five. He was
in the outside lane when he made contact with fourth place Tim Jordan,
triggering the first caution flag as Jordan spun in turn one collecting
Christopher, Shawn Thibeault and Diego Monahan on lap-12.
Jeff Rocco got a good restart to retain his lead while Keith restarted in
fifth and was on the attack. He got past Rob Janovic Jr. and Craig Lutz
to move to third on lap-15, ahead of a serious incident on lap-19 that
drew the caution and then red flag. Exiting turn four Adam Gada’s car
shot out of the pack and took a punishing hit into the turn four wall.
Emergency crews momentarily tended to Gada before he exited the car and
was evaluated and released.
The Rocco’s teamed up in the inside lane on the restart trying to shuffle
James back to third, however James fought off Keith’s inside bid to settle
back into second on lap-20. James ran behind Jeff Rocco but before long
Keith Rocco was testing his outside, sending his car deep into the corner
to pull alongside on lap-26. Rocco cleared James a lap later to join his
brother at the head of the field.
Keith didn’t delay in surging to the front, looking for racing room
outside of Jeff. On lap-33 he pulled even for the lead in the outside
lane, powering ahead. He waltzed out to a comfortable lead during a green
flag run that brought the race to lap-55. Jeff Rocco continued second,
James third and Janovic fourth while the car on the move belonged to Tyler
Chadwick. Chadwick pitted and resumed from the rear of the field earlier
in the race, then passed the brunt of the field on the top of the track to
arrive among the top-five cars when John Montesanto spun off turn four
just ahead of the lead pack of cars.
The Rocco’s resumed their stranglehold on the field after the green flag
returned but Janovic and Chadwick each advanced a spot, dropping James to
fifth. A caution for a spin by Lutz on lap-67 enabled Janovic to get the
inside lane on Jeff Rocco, taking second. He chased Keith Rocco through a
lap-89 yellow, the final of the race. Chadwick’s ascent to the front
stalled in fourth position and he was trying to keep James at bay behind
him.
The final restart saw Keith Rocco best Janovic. He marched to the twin
checkered flags and Janovic put forth a strong effort to wind up
runner-up. Jeff Rocco had a solid outing to run among the top-three all
race and finish third with limited appearances in the division in 2014.
Chadwick and James completed the top-five.
Thomas came out on top of a duel with Keith Rocco to record his third
victory of the year in the Valenti Auto Mall Late Models. Just one
caution flag slowed their pace before the halfway mark, however the two
kept the action on the track red hot both before and after the yellow
flag. Thomas used a stellar three-wide maneuver to take command from Marc
Curtis on lap-7 as Rocco raced the top of the track in pursuit of the top
spot. Rocco stalked Thomas until the lap-23 caution flag, then took
command outside of Thomas following the restart. Thomas stayed with Rocco
after, mounting a comeback over the final 10 laps. He got inside Rocco on
lap-44, stayed there for two laps before finally pulling ahead on lap-44.
Rocco tried to counter but came up short. Rocco settled for second and
Curtis was third.
Smith was smooth in his first ever open-wheeled modified start, riding all
the way to the winner’s circle in the night’s 25-lap SK Light Modified
feature. He started in second position, settled in behind leader Corey
Barry over the opening laps and then made his move. Smith, a past
champion and regular Valenti Auto Mall Late Model competitor at the track,
found room inside of Barry on the fifth lap to assume control. He paced
the field the rest of the way, showing off his experience to power ahead
over each of four restarts. Joey Ferrigno slipped by Barry for second in
the final laps.
(continued)
championship Overdrive Radio 300 event hit the asphalt Saturday night with
extra distance racing by the track’s core six divisions. The big winner
was Keith Rocco of Berlin, scoring top honors in the night’s 100-lap SK
Modified® main event. Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton won an entertaining
50-lap Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race, while Old Lyme’s Jeff Smith was
a first-time winner in the SK Light Modifieds after an impressive
performance. Franklin’s Josh Galvin was back in Victory Lane in the
50-lap Street Stock race and Garrett Denton of Hope Valley, RI won his
second consecutive race in the night’s 50-lap Mini Stock event. Mike
Christopher Jr. of Wolcott won his third straight INEX Legend Cars race.
Rocco impressed again in the SK Modified® ranks, steadily rising through
the top ten until he landed in the lead on lap-34. He was in control the
rest of the way to pick up his seventh win of the year in the division.
Rocco’s twin brother Jeff led the field to green and led over Kyle James
at the start. The lead pack quickly singled out to log some early laps
and saw Keith Rocco in seventh position after setting the fast time, and
redrawing to invert the top eight cars for the start.
The single file racing came to an end when Ted Christopher jumped to the
outside lane looking to advance his position among the top-five. He was
in the outside lane when he made contact with fourth place Tim Jordan,
triggering the first caution flag as Jordan spun in turn one collecting
Christopher, Shawn Thibeault and Diego Monahan on lap-12.
Jeff Rocco got a good restart to retain his lead while Keith restarted in
fifth and was on the attack. He got past Rob Janovic Jr. and Craig Lutz
to move to third on lap-15, ahead of a serious incident on lap-19 that
drew the caution and then red flag. Exiting turn four Adam Gada’s car
shot out of the pack and took a punishing hit into the turn four wall.
Emergency crews momentarily tended to Gada before he exited the car and
was evaluated and released.
The Rocco’s teamed up in the inside lane on the restart trying to shuffle
James back to third, however James fought off Keith’s inside bid to settle
back into second on lap-20. James ran behind Jeff Rocco but before long
Keith Rocco was testing his outside, sending his car deep into the corner
to pull alongside on lap-26. Rocco cleared James a lap later to join his
brother at the head of the field.
Keith didn’t delay in surging to the front, looking for racing room
outside of Jeff. On lap-33 he pulled even for the lead in the outside
lane, powering ahead. He waltzed out to a comfortable lead during a green
flag run that brought the race to lap-55. Jeff Rocco continued second,
James third and Janovic fourth while the car on the move belonged to Tyler
Chadwick. Chadwick pitted and resumed from the rear of the field earlier
in the race, then passed the brunt of the field on the top of the track to
arrive among the top-five cars when John Montesanto spun off turn four
just ahead of the lead pack of cars.
The Rocco’s resumed their stranglehold on the field after the green flag
returned but Janovic and Chadwick each advanced a spot, dropping James to
fifth. A caution for a spin by Lutz on lap-67 enabled Janovic to get the
inside lane on Jeff Rocco, taking second. He chased Keith Rocco through a
lap-89 yellow, the final of the race. Chadwick’s ascent to the front
stalled in fourth position and he was trying to keep James at bay behind
him.
The final restart saw Keith Rocco best Janovic. He marched to the twin
checkered flags and Janovic put forth a strong effort to wind up
runner-up. Jeff Rocco had a solid outing to run among the top-three all
race and finish third with limited appearances in the division in 2014.
Chadwick and James completed the top-five.
Thomas came out on top of a duel with Keith Rocco to record his third
victory of the year in the Valenti Auto Mall Late Models. Just one
caution flag slowed their pace before the halfway mark, however the two
kept the action on the track red hot both before and after the yellow
flag. Thomas used a stellar three-wide maneuver to take command from Marc
Curtis on lap-7 as Rocco raced the top of the track in pursuit of the top
spot. Rocco stalked Thomas until the lap-23 caution flag, then took
command outside of Thomas following the restart. Thomas stayed with Rocco
after, mounting a comeback over the final 10 laps. He got inside Rocco on
lap-44, stayed there for two laps before finally pulling ahead on lap-44.
Rocco tried to counter but came up short. Rocco settled for second and
Curtis was third.
Smith was smooth in his first ever open-wheeled modified start, riding all
the way to the winner’s circle in the night’s 25-lap SK Light Modified
feature. He started in second position, settled in behind leader Corey
Barry over the opening laps and then made his move. Smith, a past
champion and regular Valenti Auto Mall Late Model competitor at the track,
found room inside of Barry on the fifth lap to assume control. He paced
the field the rest of the way, showing off his experience to power ahead
over each of four restarts. Joey Ferrigno slipped by Barry for second in
the final laps.
(continued)