NLWSS Saturday 8/26/17 Recap

Rocco Takes His Fifth Win Of The Season

-Father And Son Battle It Out In The Mr. Rooter Truck Series-

WATERFORD, CT (August 26. 2017): Keith Rocco had a very trying day this Saturday at The Speedbowl. Because he team just finished up making the final repairs to his SK Modified from last week’s mishap, he arrived late to the speedway. Then after making contact with the #07 Stephen Masse Rocco had to head pit side for repairs to the right front of the #88. Rocco finally caught leader Todd Owens in the #81 Cooker’s Construction sponsored machine and battled side by side for the lead. As the caution flag appeared to slow do the event, it now set up a Green-white-checkered with Rocco sitting on the outside of Owens. The race again would be slowed three more times and on the fifth Green-white-checkered restart it looked like it would be all Owns as he grabbed the lead and was holding Rocco at bay. Rocco in his Wheeler’s Auto sponsored #88 got around Owens exiting turn four and grabbed the win in the 35-lap feature. With the win, Rocco was able to grab the point lead away from Kyle James. “We had a good car, Todd runs very tough here but we are here to win,” comment Rocco in victory lane. Rounding out the top-5 were Rocco, Owens, Matt Galko, Matt Gallo and Paul Buzel. Qualifying wins earlier went to Owens and Galko.

In the 30-lap Late Model feature it was Berlin, CT’s Jason Palmer taking down the win in his return to The Speedbowl.  It was Palmer’s first win of the season. It wasn’t an easy win, Palmer had to battle the #25 of Anthony Flannery during the closing laps the duo raced side by side until Palmer was able to muscle out front and held on for the victory. Rounding out the top-5 were Palmer, Flannery, Tyler Chapman, Keith Rocco and Tony Macrino. The field was set by Group Qualifying lead by Palmer.

It was 64-year old Nicholas Pappacoda taking the win in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature. It was win number one for the North Branford driver. Pappacoda started on the pole and pushed out to the lead. Pappacoda had to survive five restarts and a battle with the #20 of Wayne Burroughs Jr for the win. On the last and final restart Burroughs was able to get inside of the #6 machine of Pappacoda and led a lap until something let go in the rear end section of Burroughs machine giving back the lead to Pappacoda along with the win. Rounding out the top-5 were Pappacoda, Charles Canfield, Jacob Perry, Ken Cassidy Jr and Mark Panaroni. Taking down the heats were Pappacoda and Perry.

Ryan Waterman wasted no time showing who had the dominate car for the 26-lap Limited Sportsman feature. The Danielson, CT driver grabbed the lead on a lap-2 restart and pulled away from the field. For Waterman, he had to survive five restarts over the course of the first few laps of the event. Point leader Chris Meyer was involved in two of those cautions and was in and out of the pits for repairs. The Meyer’s crew were on spot as they got the #87 out without losing a lap and an overall fifth place finish to remain the point leader. Waterman clearly has the car to beat on this night as he battled Al Stone and second year driver Adrien Paradis but withheld the challenges for the win. Rounding out the top five were Waterman, Al Atone, Paradis, Shawn Monahan, who had a great run to the front and Chris Meyer. Heat wins earlier in the night went to Waterman and Jon Porter.

In the Mr. Rooter Truck Series / NLWS Trucks 35-lap feature it was father vs son right down to the finish. The Long Island tandem of Corey Coates and dad Allen Coates were the ones that put on the show, As the green flag waved to start the event it was Corey Coated pulling out to the lead with Allen in the Dunleavey’s Track and Trailer Repairs #99 in tow. On lap-17 the #99 of Alan Coates got to the outside of his son and battled lap after lap with each taking the lead on different occasions. Things started to get interesting as Gerard Giordano Jr and NLWS point leader Duane Noll started to catch the leader. The race was halter once for a Chris Taylor spin setting up a green-white-checkered finish. The Coates duo restarted the event with Allen nudging the #81 of Chris and that little nudge was enough to put the elder Coated in victory lane. The win was Coated first Mr. Rooter Truck Series win of the season. “That was so cool racing my son like that, I wouldn’t have any other way and with anybody else,” commented Allen in victory lane. Rounding out the top-5 were A. Coates, C. Coates, Gerard Giordano, Duane Noll and Joshua Stringer.

In the NEMA Lites it was Ben Mikitarian taking down the 25-lap feature. Mikitarian had the fastest car all night. He took top honors in group qualifying as was untouchable during the feature. As the group started to go single file Mikitarian pulled out to a big lead over PJ Stergios in the #11. With the laps winding down and lap cars slowing the Mikitarian machine it was Stergios catching Mikitarian with a few laps to go. Stergios was unable to make the car stick on the outside and had to settle for second. Finishing third through fifth were Paul Scally, Dan Cugini and Jim Chambers.

In the second of four races for the Connecticut Cup Series for the Pro-4 Modifieds it was Rob Richardi taking down his second win of the four-race series. The 25-lap race started with the 7ny of Brett Meservey jumping out to the lead and was just pulling away from the field. The field’s only chance to catch Meservey was on a lap-13 restart. But Meservey was to strong and jumped out to another huge lead. It was with a couple laps to go the #7nu went up in smoke entering turns 1 and 2 ending his night, giving Richardi the win. Jacob Perry who was doing double duty crossed the line in third, but was the first Pro-4 Lite to finish giving him the Lite win. Rounding out the top-5 were Richardi, Doug Meservey Jr, Jacob Perry, PJ Peters and Dan Meservey Sr.

SK Modifieds (35-laps): Keith Rocco, Todd Qwen, Matt Galko, Matt Gallo, Paul Buzel, Timmy Jordan, Brent Sweet, Rob Janovic Jr, Andrew Molleur, Robert Georgiades, Joshua Zentek, Diego Monahan, Kyle James, Stephen Masse William Gunning (DNS)

Late Models (30-laps): Jason Palmer, Anthony Flannery IV, Tyler Chapman, Keith Rocco, Tony Macrino, Christopher Garside, Charlie Rose, Keith Chapman, Michael Benevides

Mini Stock (25-laps): Nicholas Pappacoda, Charles Canfield, Jacob Perry, Ken Cassidy Jr, Mark Panaroni, Andrew Krzeminski, Christopher Ivory, Matthew Guertin, Ian Brew, Ken Kerttula, Dave Trudeau, Sean Caron, Nick Matera, Wayne Burroughs Jr, Jared Roy, Bill Sylvia, Charles Veal, Jordan Hadley

Limited Sportsman (25-laps): Ryan Waterman, Al Stone III, Adrien Paradis, Shawn Monahan, Chris Meyer, Monte Gibbs, Jon Porter, Brandon Plemons, Zach Robinson, Brandon Fisher, Scott Young, Wayne Brayman Jr, Jaysin Beal, Jordan Hadley, Tyler Cinamella, Tom Shea, Ritt Shawn, Bo Norman, Charles Beal

Mr. Rooter Truck Series / NLWS Trucks (35-laps): Allen Coates, Corey Coates, Gerard Giordano Jr, Duane Noll, Joshua Stringer, Jim Boyle, Frank Dumicich Jr, Andy Lindeman, Todd Taylor, Jeff Karns, Al Stone III, Dave Koening, Glen Noll, Alex Canestrari, Shane Young, Frank Dumicich Sr

NEMA Lites (25-laps): Ben Mikitarian, PJ Stergios, Paul Scally, Dan Cugini, Jim Chambers, Ryan Locke, Randy Cabral, John Zych, Jim Cataldo, Richie Coy, Danny Gamache, Chris Vose, Jeremy Decourcy, Dennis O’Brien, Kevin Park, Jim SantaMaria,

Pro-4 Modifieds (25-laps): Rob Richardi, Doug Meservey Jr, Jacob Perry (L), PJ Peters, Dan Meservey Sr, Mark Charrette, Brett Meservey, Dion Doyle