NLWSS Saturday Night July 15th Recap
WATERFORD, CT: It took three red flags, a red checkered finish and several single file restarts to conclude this past Saturday nights action at the Waterford Speedbowl.
In the SK Modified 35-lap event it was Berlin, CT’s Keith Rocco taking down his second win of the early season. Rocco who had a rocket ship grabbed the lead from Pole Sitter Diego Monahan and never looked back. “We had an awesome car tonight and I’ve got a great team behind me,” commented Rocco from victory lane. For Rocco, it was his 139th Speedbowl win.
Making a surprise start in the Smedley’s Crane #13 was Dylan Izzo as he filled in for Teddy Christopher who earlier in the day broke his hand in a Whelen Modified Tour event at the NHMS. Izzo took advantage and on a last lap pass of Kyle James finished third on his first race of the season. “The team gave me a great car they actually made me feel it was my car and it was a great opportunity for me. I know Kyle is probably upset with me I got under him and pushed up a little but we are sitting in third tonight,” said Izzo about his night.
Rocco grabbed the lead from Diego Monahan who sat on the pole on lap-14 after the two-battled side by side. Monahan nights ended on a late race incident involving several cars and had to be removed hammock style.
Rocco had his hands full with James and Todd Owens as both tried to get by Rocco but never really mounted any challenge. The finish saw Rocco, Owens, Dylan Izzo, James and Matt Galko rounding out the top five. Bo Gunning and Diego Monahan were the heat winners.
It was Pawcatuck, CT’s Jacob Perry taking down his first win of the season in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature. It didn’t take Perry long to grab the lead as he out muscled pole sitter Ian Brew. Perry survived a couple of restarts involving Wayne Burroughs Jr and Sean Caron. “I had no idea what was going to happen with that late caution coming out. That’s the story this year for me, this is truly awesome,” mentioned Perry in victory lane. Rounding out the top five were Perry, Burroughs Jr, Caron, Ken Cassidy and Charles Canfield. Ken Cassidy and Ian Brew took down heat wins.
The 30-lap Late Model event was more of a survival test than a race. Once all the dust cleared it was the #25 of Anthony Flannery from East Hampton, CT taking down his first win of the season. It was the #81 of Tyler Chapman taking the green. Keith Rocco showed his power quickly and he mustered into second after the first lap. In only a few laps later Rocco pushed by Jason Palmer on the outside for the lead. It was Rocco’s race until with only 6-laps to go that Rocco suffered a flat and the caution came out. With Rocco pit side, it was Flannery and Jason Palmer set to battle. As the green waved it was Palmer in the #17 Manafort Brothers sponsored car slowing down the back stretch. On the last restart, it was Flannery out dueling Tyler Chapman who came back to finish second. “There was a lot of twists and turns in this race, when Rocco broke I was right behind him and just turned left to try him low and it all worked out for us. This is pretty cool sitting in victory lane,” summed up Flannery after the race. At the finish, the top five were Flannery, Chapman, Mike Flynn, Matt Carlson and Tony Macrino. Rocco was the only heat winner in the Late Models.
In his only second start in his #176 SK Lite, it was Farmington, CT’s Dana DiMatteo taking the 25-lap SK Lite feature. Pole sitter Alan Gombos grabbed the lead from the start and looked like he was going to have his career best finish. The race had to finish with a green-white-checkered as DiMatteo made contact with Gombos going into turn one. The contact sent Gombos spinning into the infield, giving DiMatteo the lead. DiMatteo had to survive a restart with Chris Gombos to take down the win. “I got my right front under Alan and he came across my nose and we made contact, there wasn’t anything I could have done. This is so cool sitting here in victory lane after only two starts in this car,” Commented DiMatteo in victory lane. Rounding the top five were DiMatteo, C. Gombos, John O’Sullivan, Wayne Burroughs Jr and Glenn Griswold. Andrew Molleur and DiMatteo took down heat wins.
Middletown, CT “Joey Walnuts” Joey Ternullo took down his second win of the season in the 25-lap Legend Car event. Ternullo, paced himself and had to wait out two red flags for incidents on the track to take the win. Once Ternullo got to the lead in the Locrete sponsored #10 he was off. With the laps winding down it was Ternullo enjoying a straight away lead over the #32 Kyle Rogers machine. “My car was starting to get tight at the end but with the second red flag coming out it helped me cool down my tires and to take down the win,” explained Ternullo after the race. “I want to dedicate this win to my Grandfather who is not doing too well, this one’s for him,” finished up Ternullo. Rounding out the top five was Ternullo, Rogers, Brandon Martinez, Tim Depizzol and Colin Haley. Ternullo and Rogers took down heats wins.
The 25-lap Waterford Truck division saw Duane Noll take his third win of the year. Noll had his truck on rails as he moved from fifth to second. Noll caught Jordan Churchill within a couple laps and took the lead and cruised to the win. Jim Boyle finished in the runner up spot for the third week in a row. Churchill made his second podium finish. “All we did was to stay patient and paced our self and everything fell into place,” Noll, told the crowd from victory lane. Rounding the top five was Noll, Boyle, Churchill, Jeff Karns and Todd Taylor. Noll and Allen Coates took down heat wins.
It was the “birthday Boy” Monte Gibbs taking the shortened 22-lap Limited Sportsman event. The race was red/checkered after a couple of single file restarts that couldn’t finish the 25-laps scheduled event. Gibbs who got sideways on a restart and was hit in the left quarter, straightened out and got by the leaders who made contact for the lead. Gibbs had to battle two different contenders in Norm Root and Al Sone III. The fourth caution of the event came out for Tyler Cinamella as he slapped the front stretch wall, the race was red/checkered after that mishap. It was Gibbs, Stone, Root, Chris Meyer and Joe Arena taking the top five. “I need to thank my family for getting here and my crew. We had an awesome car tonight,” finished up Gibbs. Brandon Fisher and Cinamella took down heat wins.
SK Modifieds (35-laps) Rocco, Owens, Izzo, James, Galko, Buzel, Montesanto, Goulet, McNeil, Janovic Jr, Sweet, Gunning, D. Monahan, S. Perry, Fialkovich, Membrino Jr, Zentek.
Mini Stock (25-laps) Perry, Burroughs Jr, Caron, Cassidy Jr, Canfield, Bergois, Brew, Sherman, Guertin, Trudeau Jr, Pappacoda, Krzeminski, Kertula, Brown, Bombard, Sylvia, Beal
Late Models (30-laps) Flannery, Chapman, Flynn, Carlson, Macrino, Rocco, Christian III, Palmer, Garside, Morse
SK Lites (25-laps) Dimatteo, C. Gombos, O’Sullivan, Burroughs Jr, Griswold, Molleur, Nooney, A. Gombos Jr, Bergenty, Durocher
Legend Cars (25-laps) Ternullo, Rogers, B. Martinez, Depizzol, Haley, Caddick, Zimowski, S. Martinez, Leone, O’Sullivan, Limkemann, Forte, Marfeo, Marvin
Waterford Trucks (25-laps) D. Noll, Boyle, Churchill, Karns, Taylor, Norman, Coates, G. Noll, Young, Reed
Limited Sportsman (25-laaps) Gibbs, Stone, Root, Meyer, Arena, Norman, Shawn, Chapman, Aquilina, Cinamella, Chicolas, Paridis, Young, Fisher, Porter, R. Waterman, Plemons, C. Beal, J. Beal
