By Lou Modestino
Wild ‘n Wacky racing returned to the race track Wednesday evening at Waterford Speedbowl with five event winners taking honors on the night. A first time victor emerged in the Super X-Car division as Dave Yardley of Berlin won his first-ever race at the Speedbowl. Preston’s Wayne Shifflett won the night’s X-Car feature and in INEX racing, Angelo Belsito of Auburn, MA and Jonathon Puleo of Branford won the respective Legend Car and Bandolero division feature races. The night’s Wacky Race featured a relay race among teams of competitors which entertained fans in attendance.
The final Thursday night of the 2013 racing season at Thompson Speedway could produce the most exciting racing of the season. The point standings in each of the divisions are the closest in memory with a total of 25 different drivers in a position to win one of the five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division track championships.
In four of the five divisions, the point standings are so close that trying to determine the winners would be a dream come true for a Las Vegas odds maker. The one remaining division, the Lite Modifieds, boils down to a two-man race for the title.
The NASCAR Division 1 Sunoco Modifieds have the closest point race going into the final event of the regular season. Keith Rocco holds a mere 2 point lead over both Kerry Malone and Woody Pitkat. Todd Ceravolo is only 24 points off the pace with defending champion Ryan Preece just two points behind him. Each of these drives knows the thrill of a division championship and each will be looking to add another title to his driving resume. 2012 Rookie of the Year Dennis Perry can’t be counted out of the running, however, as he will enter the final event 36 markers off of Rocco’s total. With 50 points awarded to the winner, it is possible that any one of the six contenders could lay claim to the championship.
The situation in the Late Model division is almost identical with six drivers within striking distance of a crown. Glenn Boss has 354 points but his margin over Rick Gentes is only 4 points. Rookie John Lowinski-Loh sits only 6 points behind Gentes with Damon Tinio trailing the leader by just 24 points. Marc Curtis, JR and Chad LaBastie are also mathematically in the running and have proven to be very tough competitors in the Late Model division. Adding to the excitement of the race for the title will be the fact that the Late Model division will run its twice-delayed 40-lap feature event that will make it that much more demanding on championship contenders.
Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman competitors also have six drivers who could claim the top spot. Steve Kenneway has an advantage of 12 points over Jason Chicolas and a 30 point bulge between himself and defending champion Scott Sundeen. Corey Fanning finds himself just 32 points off the leader’s pace with both Jesse Gleason and Bill McNeil still in the game in spite of the fact that each is more than 40 points away from Kenneway’s total.
The exciting Monster Mini Stocks division boasts a total of five drivers who could walk away with the 2013 title. Former champ Eric Bourgeois leads defending champion Chad Baxter by 6 points. Only 14 points away from the leader is another former champion, Mike Viens. Dave Trudeau, 18 points behind the leader, and Joe Baxter, off the lead pace by 24, are seeking their first championship.
Thompson’s Lite Modified division is the only one that is down to a two-man race. Cam McDermott holds a somewhat comfortable margin of 24 points over John Studley. But a good performance by Studley and a bad night for McDermott could easily turn the tide. Other Lite Modified drivers in the top 5 in the standings are Dylan Menditto, Joseph Boivin and Nikki Ouellette. However, they are not within striking distance of a championship.
The tension will be high and the competition will be fierce. Fans will see some of the most competitive racing of the year just before the curtain comes down on the 2013 regular season and the division championships are settled.
Add to all of this the North East Mini Stock tour’s annual visit to Thompson and the evening becomes one that race fans will not want to miss. Gates will open at 4 PM with racing slated for a 6 PM start.
The next event on the schedule at Thompson is the amazing, three-day, 15-division World Series of Speedway Racing. This incredible event is slated to be run on the weekend of October 18th, 19th and 20th.
Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with a Five-Star Series event. Ryan Preece scored his division leading 8th and second consecutive win of the 2013 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Tom Fearn took down his fourth win of the season in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Chase Dowling took down his sixth and second consecutive win of the 2013 season in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Andrew Hayes came home a first time winner in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Kyle Casagrande scored his second consecutive and third overall win of the season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
Late Model Madness took over Saturday at Waterford Speedbowl, the highlight of a five division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program. The Bob Valenti Auto Mall sponsored Late Model division took center stage with a special 50-lap race, dominated by Keith Rocco of Meriden. In other races, Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard was back in Victory Lane for the fourth time on the year following
the SK Modified® feature, Chris Meyer of North Franklin took his second Street Stock win and Garrett Denton of Hope Valley, RI ended a skid with his fourth victory in the Mini Stocks. In INEX racing, Giovanni
Giarratana of Newington repeated his win from a week ago in the Legend Cars.
Chadwick was served redemption after a win slipped away on the final lap one week ago in a photo finish with Keith Rocco. He fought his way to the front in the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature this time around, climbing through the top-five to become a contender over the second half of the race.
At Seekonk’s Fast Friday event Earl Curtin III inherited the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown win after apparent winner Jesse Melberg failed post-race tech. Danny Massa led the first lap before Jay Fortin took over at the top of the leader board. Fortin set the pace until the tenth circuit when Curtin took over the lead.
With a dozen laps remaining, Melberg, who started ninth, worked his way to the outside and wrestled the lead away from Curtin. As the laps wore down, last week’s winner, John Robidoux closed in on Curtin, and over the final half dozen laps, the pair raced side by side, swapping the eventual winner’s position back and forth. Curtin held on by a nose, with Ed Flanagan, Jamie Salley and Dan Massa fourth and fifth.
1) Earl Curtin III 2) John Robidoux 3) Ed Flanagan Jr 4) Jamie Salley 5) Dan Massa Jr 6) Amy Arsenault 7) Bill Doyle 8) Dan Johnson 9) Keri-Lyn Manfredo 10) Mark Murphy 11) Melissa Charette 12) Jay Fortin 13) Ed Gould 14) Tom Blackwell DQ) Jesse Melberg DQ) Mark Boisvert
Nick Lascoula continued his winning ways in the 25 lap Nick’s Pit Stop Legends feature. Al Wisialko and Joey Parker shared the leaders’ position over the first three miles of the race, before Lascoula moved underneath Parker and took over.
Once out front, Lascoula and Parker settled into their positions, while Andrew Carpenter tried to close in on Parker, but was too far behind. His hands were full with Wisialko and Chris Robbins racing hard with him. In the end, that was how they crossed the line.
1) Nick Lascoula 2) Joey Parker 3) Andrew Carpenter 4) Al Wisialko 5) Chris Robbins 6) TJ Thompson 7) Matt Carpenter 8) Ricky White 9) Peter Channell 10) Curt Snow 11) Jesse Jakubajtys 12) Joe Putnam 13) John Bellucci
Reigning SYRA 600 Champion Tyler Boudreau picked up his first career Sport4 win in the 20 main event, holding off a hard charging Mike Glad for the victory.
Dave Westgate led the first half of the event before the 15 year old took over at the 10 lap mark. Following him through the pack was Glad, and he started putting some pressure on the second generation racer, but could not get a clean line by him. Devin Miranda crossed the line in third, but did not pass post-race tech, moving Shawn DeMello, Henry Lavallee and Gil Bradstreet into the top five.
1) Tyler Boudreau 2) Michael Glad 3) Shawn DeMello 4) Henry Lavallee 5) Gil Bradstreet 6) Bob Henry 7) Chris Testa 8) Jason Enos II 9) Dave Westgate 10) Dave Gargara 11) Chuck McDonald 12) Lenny Sousa 13) Glen Leduc 14) Jason Enos III 15) Tyler Nailor 16) Kim Bickford DQ) Devin Miranda
SYRA 750 points leader Curtis Rolando found himself leading after moving past Taylor Bowser on the seventh lap, and never looked back on the way to another victory for the former SYRA 600 Champion.
Bowser jumped out front, looking for her first 750 victory, and held on for the first half dozen laps. Once Rolando moved past, she settled in and held on for second, with Shelby Donovan, Christine Cavallaro and Kaitlyn Donovan third, fourth and fifth.
1) Curtis Rolando 2) Taylor Bowser 3) Shelby Donovan 4) Christine Cavallaro 5) Kaitlyn Donovan 6) David Lougee 7) Ashley Kuhn
Joey Lembo added his name into the record books, picking up his first career SYRA 600 victory in the 20 lap feature. Shea Kulpa set the early pace before Lembo made a move into the lead on lap five. Once out front, he pulled away and picked up his first win.
Kulpa had her hands full, holding off Branden Lille, but was able to do that in fine fashion, with Dereck Debbis and David White fourth and fifth.
1) Joey Lembo 2) Shea Kulpa 3) Branden Lillie 4) Derrick Debbis 5) David White 6) Sarah DeMello 7) Tom Morsehead Jr 8) Madison Birchall 9) Kendra Levesque 10) Doug Meservey 11) Evan Taylor 12) Cassie Meservey 13) Eric Lebrun 14) Scott Serydynski Jr 15) Brett Meservey 16) Matt Barboza 17) Jessica O’Leary.
Seekonk came back the following night with more action. Ryan Vanasse sat in third spot with two laps remaining, but used a three wide move to pass Kyle Casper and Dave Darling to pick up his second win of the season. Kyle Casper jumped out front and took off from Mike Brightman to set the pace. Brightman had plenty of opportunity through restarts to squeeze past Casper, but struggled to stay with the Somerset Motor Cars Chevy. Vanasse and Brightman traded the second position back and forth through several restarts, but there was no getting to Casper.
Darling was able to move into second with six laps remaining, before a caution came out for fluid on the track. Once cleaned up, Darling and Casper raced wheel to wheel for the lead, with Darling edging out Casper on the 38th lap. Vanasse was looking, and as they came off the fourth corner, Casper drifted high, opening up the bottom lane. The trio raced three wide into the first corner, with Vanasse beating Darling into turn three. Fred Astle, who started scratch after qualifying problems, edged Casper for third. Brightman rounded out the top five.
1) Ryan Vanasse 2) Dave Darling 3) Fred Astle 4) Kyle Casper 5) Mike Brightman 6) Rick Martin 7) Kevin Casper 8) Kenny Spencer 9) Bob Hussey 10) Daryl Stampfl 11) Cory Cleary 12) Dick Houlihan 13) Kevin Folan 14) Billy Joerres 15) George Kourafas 16) Dave Hutchins Sr 17) Dave Silvia 18) Tom Scully Jr19) Mike Mitchell 20) Lee Gagliardi
Gerry DeGasparre picked up his fourth checkered flag of the season in the Late Models. Ryan Lineham lead the opening laps, and held on through a handful of restarts before Charlie Rose took over on the twelfth circuit. Charlie’s lead only held before DeGasparre moved past at the half-way point.
Once out front, Gerry just cruised around the 1/3 mile oval until the checkered fell for the six-time champion. While Gerry and Charlie were pacing themselves, Dillon Moltz was working through the field, and put pressure on Rose for second over the final laps, The pair raced wheel to wheel, with Moltz edging Rose with one lap remaining, but Rose held him off at the checkered. Moltz finished third, with Jeramee Lille and Lineham fourth and fifth.
1) Gerry DeGasparre Jr 2) Charlie Rose 3) Dillon Moltz 4) Jeramee Lillie 5) Ryan Lineham 6) Brandon Dion 7) Dave Hutchins Jr 8) Bill Bernard 9) Dylan Estrella 10) Bobby Pelland III 11) Mark Hudson
Rick Martin let everyone know he is back and 100% with his victory in the 25 lap Sport Truck feature. Rick started ninth in the 17 truck feature. Lenny Guy held off Anna Gregoire over the first few laps before Brandon Dion moved past into the lead on the sixth lap.
Dion had his hands full as Martin followed him by and started pressuring the rookie. The pair traded the lead over a couple of restarts, but it was a move Martin made to the inside of Dion with four laps remaining that made the difference. The duo traded paint as Dion tried to hold off the former Sport Truck Champion, to no avail. Dion wound up second, with Rob Murphy, John Paiva and Guy the top five.
1) Rick Martin 2) Brandon Dion 3) Rob Murphy 4) John Paiva 5) Lenny Guy 6) Mike Cavallaro 7) Darryl Church 8) Anna Gregoire 9) Scott Dion 10) Bill Schoeler 11) Bob Rainville 12) Dan Leach 13) Nick Uhrig 14) Jim Hawkins 15) Nick Lascoula 16) Mike Duarte 17) Joey Wakefield
Bob Bettencourt moved to the front of the Street Stock feature with ten laps remaining, and held off a hard charging Crystal Serydynski for the win. Rookie Austin Blais led the first pair of circuits before Ray Negley edged ahead on the third lap. Blais battled back and Negley slid back as Vinny Pangelinan took over second, with Bettencourt behind.
Bettencourt challenged Blais as the pair raced wheel to wheel for the lead. As they came off the second turn, Blais spun in front of the pack, ending his run. Pangelinan had just fallen off the pace with engine woes. Jimmy Belmont and Rey Lovelace both tried to move past the former champion, but neither could mount a challenge. Crystal and Scott Bruneau, both in the championship chase with Lovelace, both had to come from the back of the field due to early incidents, and were able to finish second and third. Lovelace and Chris DeMoura rounded out the top five.
1) Bob Bettencourt Jr 2) Crystal Serydynski 3) Scott Bruneau 4) Rey Lovelace 5) Chris DeMoura 6) Craig Pianka 7) Mike Taschereau 8) Austin Blais 9) Ed Gannon III 10) Randy Moretti 11) Dave Smith 12) Bob Henry 13) Jimmy Belmont 14) Vinny Pangelinan 15) Steve Potter 16) Ray Negley 17) Doug Rioux 18) Jeff Ellis19) A J Solomon 20) Paul Lallier 21) Ron Barbosa Jr 22) Scott Serydynski 23) Gerard Berthelette 24) Daryl Perry.
We heard that new Seekonk Speedway Race Director Frank Scgambato, Jr. is demanding that the competitors get onto the track access road as soon as they are called by him to do this. When they didn’t last Saturday night, the new boss put those that didn’t respond were sent back to the end of the field. Regardless of where they we supposed to go.