Rocco Nabs His Seventh SK Win in 2017
-Eric Goodale Wins First Exit Reality Modified Touring Series Race of 2017-
WATERFORD, CT (September 9, 2017): Keith Rocco wasted no time getting to the front and taking down his seventh win of the season. The Berlin, CT driver who started fifth on the grid wasted no time by grabbing the lead away from Todd Owen on lap-3 and cruised to the win in the 35-lap feature event. Rocco built a considerable lead and was never slowed as the event went green to checkered, rounding out the top-5 were Rocco, Owen, Kyle James, Teddy Christopher and Rob Janovic Jr. With the win, Rocco maintains the point lead over the #31 of Kyle James. Heat wins went to Kyle James and Todd Owen.
In the 25-lap Mini Stock Feature it was Oakdale, CT’s Wayne Burroughs Jr taking down his third win of the season. Burroughs had to fight for the win as he had to fend off Jacob Perry in the first half of the event and then it was Jordan Hadley all over the rear bumper of Burroughs in the closing laps. Hadley brought out the only two cautions of the race as he was turned into the front stretch wall on the original start and looped his All State #37 two laps later. After two visits to the pits Hadley moved his way to the front in the final twenty laps redeeming his night, With the win Burroughs now leads the points in the Mini Stocks. Rounding out the top-5 were Burroughs, Hadley, Perry, Charles Canfield and Sean Caron. Ken Cassidy Jr and Canfield took down Heat wins.
In the Legends 25-lap feature it appeared that Middletown, CT’s Joey Ternullo would make it six for six on Saturday night events, but in post-race inspection was found to have ceramic bearings in his axel and the win was then given to Michael Blaskey making his first Saturday night start. Blaskey has multiple wins on Wednesday nights Wild -n- Wacky events. Rounding out the top-5 were Blaskey, Kyle Rogers, Corey Caddick, John O’Sullivan and Scott Limkemann. Limkemann and O’Sullivan took down heat wins. Rogers maintains the point lead in the Legends Division.
North Franklin, CT’s Chris Meyer took down his fourth win in the extended 30-lap feature for the Limited Sportsman Division. Meyer who started seventh as the opening green waved moved his way to the front and battled Bo Norman side-by-side for a handful of laps to take over the lead and the win. Finishing in the top-5 were Meyer, Jason Chicolas, Monte Gibbs, Jordan Hadley and Norman. Meyer and Norman took down the heat wins. Meyer maintains the point leader with the win.
Richie Coy grabbed his first ever NEMA Lites victory by dominating the 25-lap NEMA event. Coy grabbed the lead on the original green flag and never looked back. Finishing in the runner-up position was Megan Cugini who car was getting tight as the event was winding down and couldn’t catch Coy. Rounding out the top-5 were Coy, Cugini, Ryan Locke, Ryan Bigelow and Dan Cugini. Ryan Locke and Paul Scally took the two Heat wins.
The feature event was the Exit Reality Modified Touring Series, as they made their 2017 debut at the NLWS. Twenty-four big block Modifieds were on hand to battle for 125-laps and more importantly to try to move into the top-5 in points to battle for the $10,000 “Quest for the Cup” that will close out the Exit Realty Modified Touring Series season which is scheduled for the Speedbowl’s Finale Weekend.
It was Long Islands Eric Goodale using a lap-69 restart to put his Riverhead Building Supplies sponsored #58 into the top spot and held off the field for his first win of the series. The win also put Goodale in the top-5 in points with one event left to decide the top-5. Two drivers missed the event but with the rules giving points to the car and not the driver, Jon McKennedy was able to get points with Keith Rocco running the Exit Realty sponsored #29 who finished fifth. The other was Tommy Barrett who blew his motor in his #9 was helped by Teddy Christopher who drove the #9 and finished third giving Barrett the points for finished third after the feature came to close.
Berlin, CT’s Ryan Preece looked like he was the car to beat early on as he grabbed the lead on a lap-10 restart with then pole sitter Richard Savary. Preece would lead until his Ed Partridge owned #6 started going the opposite direction and fell to fifth handing the lead over to Christopher in the #9. Preece would pit on two occasions to try to fix the problem but wouldn’t come back out with a problem in the rear.
With most of the front runners pitting for service, Richard Savary again found himself on the front row but this time with Max Zachem in the Ceravallo owned #16 with Goodale in tow in the number three spot along with the #52 of Woody Pitkat. On the lap-83 restart Savary slowed and fell to fourth allowing Goodale and Pitkat to run one-two on the field.
With Goodale holding Pitkat at bay it was Teddy Christopher filling in the third spot with Savary in tow. Keith Rocco in the Exit Reality sponsored #29 now moved into the fifth spot where he would finish the event,
As the checkered flag waved it was Goodale, Pitkat, Christopher, Savary and Rocco rounding out the top-5.
“We’ve been fast all year and I was giving them away behind the wheel,” commented Goodale from victory lane. “This car was easy to drive tonight when you got wheels under you,” finished up Goodale.
For Pitkat it was another second-place finish in the series. “Finishing second is getting old for us, we just over adjusted the car during the pitstop but overall we had a good points night and we’ll take it,” commented Pitkat on his finish.
The Speedbowl next Saturday will welcome back the Mr. Rooter Pro Truck Series as well as the SK Lites Modified where newcomer Brian Narducci will be looking to take his second win of the year.,
SK Modifieds (35-laps): Keith Rocco, Todd Owen, Kyle James, Ted Christopher, Rob Janovic Jr, Tom Abele Jr, Jacob Perry, Andrew Molleur, Paul Buzel, Diego Monahan, Matt Galko, John Montesanto, Brent Sweet, Jeff Fialkovich, Kris Watson, Joshua Zentek
Mini Stocks (25-laps): Wayne Burroughs Jr, Jordan Hadley, Jacob Perry, Charles Canfield, Sean Caron, Matt Guertin, Andrew Krzeminski, Dave Trudeau, Matt Brown, Doug Curry, Nicholas Pappacoda, Ken Cassidy Jr, Bill Sylvia (DNS)
Legends (25-laps): Michael Blaskey, Kyle Rogers, Corey Caddick, John O’Sullivan, Scott Limkemann, Devon Jencik, Brian Zimowski, David Shindler, Anthony Marvin, Jon Puleo, Thomas Searles, Joey Ternullo (DQ), Corey Comeroski (DNS), Lucas Leone (DNS)
Limited Sportsman (25-laps): Chris Meyer, Jason Chicolas, Monte Gibbs, Jordan Hadley, Bo Norman, Ryan Waterman, Adrien Paradis III, Al Stone III, Ritt Shawn, Jon Porter, Brandon Fisher, Wayne Brayman Jr, Brandon Plemons, Darrell Carlson, Shawn Monahan
NEMA Lites (25-laps): Richie Coy, Megan Cugini, Ryan Locke, Ryan Bigelow, Dan Cugini, Chad Labastie, Todd Bertrand, Ben Mikitarian, Alan Chambers, Jim Cataldo, Danny Gamache, Paul Scally, Chris Vose, Tyler Rivard
Exit Reality Modified Touring Series (125-laps): Eric Goodale, Woody Pitkat, Ted Christopher, Richard Savary, Keith Rocco, Tom Abele Jr, Kirk Alexander, Chris Pasteryak, Dylan Kopec, Max Zachem, Charlie Pasteryak, David Etheredge, Les Hinkley, George Sherman, Andrew Molleur, Walt Sutcklffe, Jeff Gallup, Rowan Pennick, Ryan Preece, Dan Cugini, Gary Byington, TJ Bleau, Nick Ladyga (DQ)
