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WATERFORD — In a 50-lap feature, starting position can be irrelevant. At least that was the case for Ray Christian III of Uncasville in the 50-lap Don Caddick Late Model Memorial Saturday at the New London Waterford Speedbowl.
Despite having the fastest car in time trials, Christian started 10th in the 20-car field. He didn’t stay 10th for very long. By lap 30, he was in the Top 3. A few laps later, Christian jack-knifed underneath both Shawn Monahan and Matt Lowinski-Loh to take the lead for keeps.
In other Speedbowl action, Doug Curry used a mid-race restart to vault him to his third straight win, Tyler Chapman made an amazing third-to-first move midway through the race to win the 25-lap Truck feature and Pete Zaikarite blew away the field in the X-Car feature.
Christian’s task, however, was much more difficult in a race that was interrupted by 12 caution flags. “We started 10th and then dropped back to 12th or 13th,” Christian said. “Because of all the cautions, it was tough to move up.”Christian eventually found a way. By a lap 29 caution, he was third. Then he steam-rolled his way past both Lowinski-Loh and Monahan, who had led for 25 laps, to charge into the lead. Monahan wandered off the grove, but recovered to finish fourth. Lowinski-Loh was second and Jaret Curtis, who had one of the fastest cars during the second half of the race, rallied to finish third. Christian collected $2,250 for the win, plus bonus money. It was his fifth win of the year.
Point leader Jason Palmer missed time trials because of a prior commitment, started last in the field and was involved in a late altercation. He finished 15th.
Curry found himself in second place midway through the 40-lap Street Stock race when he went head-to-head with Ryan Waterman on a restart. Curry rocketed into the lead on the outside and stayed threw to romp to his third win in a row. Curry also is the Street Stock point leader.
“Some people say your first win is the hardest, and then they get easier, but that’s not the case,” Curry said. “This was the hardest one so far.”
Waterman held on for second, but said he didn’t have enough car left at the end of the race to go after Curry. “I used it all up, battling with Nick Hovey,” Waterman said. “I didn’t have anything left for Doug.”
Al Stone finished third. “I didn’t have the car tonight to run up front,” Stone said. “I’m lucky to be on the podium.”
Chapman just didn’t win his first Truck race of the seasont, he also made the move of the race, going from third to first to take the lead from Jim Boyle. Boyle made a late rally and almost carved his way underneath Chapman on the final lap, but held on for the win.
After being disqualified from a victory in the X-car division, Zaikarite drove with something to prove in the X-Car feature, which was the first leg of the Fall Shootout Series. He exploded at the start and was the fastest bullet in the chamber. Cameron Liebal was second and Christian Herman third. “We just had a fast car,” Zaikarite said. “It was fun to drive it.”
Note: The scheduled features in the Mini-Stocks, Open Street Stocks and Super X-Cars were not run because of curfew and will be made up at a later date.
Racing resumes Wednesday with the season finale of Wild and Wacky Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m. Championships will be determined in the Bandolero, Legend and X-Car divisions. Ed Ryan Jr. already has locked up his second straight Super-X car title.
