Waterford, CT (September 27, 2014) – The final Saturday night race event of the season was held at Waterford Speedbowl with a seven division race program on the card. In NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing Keith Rocco of Berlin won the SK Modified® feature while Jason Palmer, also from Berlin, won the Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Ed Gertsch Jr. of East Haven returned to Victory Lane after a long hiatus in the Street Stocks, Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon took the night’s Mini Stock race and Paul Buzel of Trumbull continued a hot streak in the SK Light Modifieds. Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott won another INEX Legend Cars feature and set a track record, while Taylor Bowser of Taunton, MA won in the visiting Mini Cup series event. The final event of the year takes place next Saturday and Sunday when the track hosts Finale Weekend headlined by the Valenti Modified Racing Series. A Friday practice session precedes the big event, which sees thirteen race divisions in action.
Rocco found the winner’s circle for the eleventh time of the year in SK Modified® racing. He checkered a fast paced and non-stop 35-lap race that took under nine minutes to complete from start to finish. Rob Janovic Jr. used the outside lane to grab the lead from pole position starter Jeff Gallup when the race began. He was pulling out to a comfortable advantage while Ted Christopher applied pressure to Gallup for second.
Rocco started in ninth position and quickly moved into contention, already in sixth on lap-3. He jumped to the outside lane to move into the top-five, and rocketed under Christopher out of turn two on lap-9. The following lap, Rocco made the move on Gallup and took second as they raced to turn three.
Rocco ran down Janovic’s lead by lap-16 and immediately began to apply pressure with a determined drive to the front. He darted outside Janovic in turn three on lap-20, attempting a crossover move out of turn four that Janovic held off. The following lap, Rocco made the same move stick and was able to find room to Janovic’s inside down the front chute. As they raced to turn one he completed the move and became the new leader for lap-22.
Once clear of Janovic, Rocco had smooth sailing through the finish. Janovic wound up second and Joe Gada used the outside lane to climb to third. Rocco already secured the division’s 2014 championship, his second in a row and fourth overall.
Palmer turned in an impressive performance in the 30-lap Valenti Auto Mall Late Model feature. He won for the third time of the year, beating back all challenges over the duration of the race. He took the lead on lap-10 from Anthony Ryan Jr., winner the previous Saturday. Once out front, Palmer retained his lead over three restarts in the second half of the race including the final two over Keith Rocco. Rocco finished second and unofficially clinched his second consecutive division championship. Bruce Thomas Jr. finished third.
The 25-lap Street Stock race got off to a rocky start but Gertsch shined during a closing eighteen lap run. Patience and perseverance paid off in the beginning for Gertsch, the 2003 division champion, as eight caution flags and attrition piled up. Gertsch was near the front throughout, inheriting the lead when Dwayne Dorr exited the race with a flat tire following a lap-3 restart. Once racing settled in, Gertsch cruised to record his first win since 2004. Gertsch is in his first full season competing in the division since 2004. Chris Meyer was second and Chris “Moose” Douton finished third. Josh Galvin survived a rough race but was able to salvage a tenth place finish, good enough to unofficially secure his first track championship.
One yellow flag slowed Cassidy’s romp to victory in the night’s 25-lap Mini Stock race. He took the lead following the only restart of the race which came on lap-4 and never looked back, taking his seventh win of the year. Ray Christian III was second and Garrett Denton, the division point leader, was third after starting the race in last. Denton leads Cassidy by 29-points in the title chase, which will be decided in next Sunday’s feature for the division, part of the track’s two-day Finale Weekend event.
Buzel won for the third straight time in SK Light Modified action. He marched his way to the front in the opening circuits of the 25-lapper, using a power move to take command from leader and first-year driver Calvin Therrien. Buzel led comfortably until he faltered on a lap-18 restart and missed a shift. He briefly lost the lead to Corey Barry before rallying, reclaiming the position on lap-20. Barry wound up finishing second and Randy Chuchill Jr. was third. Barry takes a 39-point bulge over Churchill to next Saturday’s Finale Weekend race.
Christopher won for the 25th time of the year in the INEX Legend Cars division, claiming the 25-lap race. The victory set a new single season record for wins at the track in its 64-year history. Christopher surpassed the previous record of 24 wins, set by Keith Rocco last year. Christopher is the division champion for the year.
The 20-lap race for the Mini Cup series was checkered by Bowser, who turned in a dominating performance. She was chased to the finish by Luke LeBrun. The youth division competes regularly at Seekonk Speedway.