Wild -n- Wacky Wednesday 9/20/17 Race Recap (Champions Crowned)

2017 Wild -n- Wacky Wednesday Champions Crowned

-Martinez (Bandoleros), Gero (X-Cars), Shafer (Super-X), Blandina (Legends) –

WATERFORD, CT (September 20, 2017): The NLWS wrapped up its 2017 Wild -n- Wacky portion of the 2017 season schedule. Features were extended by 5-laps and when the dust settled, four champions were crowned.

First off in the 25-lap Bandoleros feature all Zachary Martinez needed to do was take the green flag in the Mikey Motorsports sponsored #14x and the championship would be secured. The N. Kingstown, RI started in the tenth spot as the green flag waved and finished fifth as the final checkered flag waved concluding the last Bandolero point race of the season. As the green waved it was Maddie Harkin jumping to the lead from the pole position and duplicated her finish last week. Harkin led all 25-laps and took down back to back wins and her third overall win in 2017. Finishing in the top-5 was PJ Evans, Brody Monahan, Nicholas Hovey and Zachary Martinez. For Monahan, it was his first podium visit on the season.

In the X-Cars feature all point leading Kyle Gero needed to do was take the green and he would notch his second championship in his career. Gero took the green for the 30-lap feature from the ninetieth spot. Gero led the X-Cars with seven wins during the 2017 season and finished fourth on his last point race of the season. Christopher Lee was the “King” of the X-Cars on this night and dominated the 30-lap feature. It was the Oakdale, CT drivers second win of the season. Rounding out the top-5 were CP Burdick, Wayne Shifflett, Kyle Gero and Dylan Cabral. It was Burdick’s first podium finish of the season.

Going into the 30-lap Super-X race it was Marc Shafer leading Don Berge by seven points for the championship. With only thirteen cars set to take the green flag all Shafer needed to do was finish in the top-5 to capture the title. Woonsocket, RI’s Gary Avery Jr shot to the lead from the outside of row one and totally dominated the race by leading all 30-laps to take his only win of the season. While Avery was holding back all challenges from multiple drivers, all eyes were on Shafer and Berge. Shafer took control of his own destiny by using a lap-9 restart and moved into the runner up spot behind Avery. Shafer was all over the bumper of Avery as the laps winded down for Berge and his title hopes. As the checkered flew it was Avery and Shafer finishing one-two, while Keith Scalia, John Yagmin and Peter Martin finished out the top five. Berge finished in the seventh spot in an ill handling car giving up his chances at the championship.

The Legends division was a carbon copy of the first two races of the night as Carlo Blandina only needed to take the green to take his first championship of his career. When the final checkered waved for the 30-lap Legends event it was the hottest driver in the division, Michael Blaskey taking his fourth Wednesday night win in a row and with a Saturday night victory in the mix completed a five-race sweep. Blaskey worked for the win as he took the green from his twelfth starting spot. The Bethany, CT driver used a lap-9 restart and took the lead from the #08 of Colin Haley who led the first nine circuits of the race. As the feature was winding down Blaskey had to fend off the hard charging Peter Bennett to capture the checkered flag. Finishing third through fifth was Anthony Marvin, John O’Sullivan and Carlo Blandina.

The Wild -n- Wacky Wednesday group will finish up the season in October at the 2017 Finale in non-point features. Congratulations to all the 2017 Champions.

The banquet honoring the 2017 champions will be this Wednesday night under the white tent. If you interested on going you can go to the Speedbowl website and print off the banquet form. The banquet is open to the public.

Bandoleros (25-laps): Maddie Harkin, PJ Evans, Brody Monahan, Nicholas Hovey, Zachary Martinez, Emma Monahan, Ari Jencik, Dominic Abbatiello, Conor Jencik, Ethan Simmons, Tyler Tomassi, Tyler Barry, Evelyn Simmons, Tyler Alkas (DNS)

X-Cars (30-laps): Christopher Lee, CP Burdick, Wayne Shifflett, Kyle Gero, Dylan Cabral, Mike Olsen, Andrew Lee, Eddie Loomis, Chuck McDonald, Matthew Menders, Jeremy Bourbeau, Michele Cicio, Josh Piper, Gregg Sajkowicz, Matt Westover, Craig Tavernier, Steven Olsen, Matthew Holbrook, TJ Racicot, Onie Pierce, Kaylee Symonds

Super X-Cars (30-laps): Gary Avery Jr, Marc Shafer, Keith Scalia, John Yagmin, Peter Martin, Raymond Reed, Donald Berge, Chris Taylor, DennyLee Hoffman, Ray Phillips, Jeremy Washburn, Keith Brown, Jeff Straiti

Legends (30-laps): Michael Blaskey, Peter Bennett, Anthony Marvin, John O’Sullivan III, Carlo Blandina, Mason Levesque, John Kraft III, Brandon Remson, Colin Haley, Devon Jencik, David Shindler, Tyler Palmer, Jon Puleo, David Lespinasse