Image by TK Race Photo)
WATERFORD – Troy Talman took his pole opportunity in the SK Modifieds® and capitalized on it by jumping out to an early lead over Rob Janovic Jr. Eric Berndt continuously tried to make the bottom lane work to get by Janovic, but instead surrendered third to Anthony Flannery. Flannery then tried to make the bottom work but couldn’t, resulting in Todd Owen now passing into third. It was Owens turn to try the low groove on Janovic but attempt after attempt from lap 10 would prove fruitless until 5 to go when Owen cleared for second. Talman was able to run for cover while this transpired behind him, scoring his first career victory at the Speedbowl.
The Late Models also went green to checkered, and Ray Christian III would not be denied after what transpired the week prior. Christian dove underneath the front row of Charles Bailey III and PJ Evans almost immediately, giving him the opportunity to run away with up to a straightaway lead at most. Jason Palmer, who was held up in 2-by-2 traffic early on, broke free with Brody Monahan hot on his tail. Monahan made an attempt at Palmer with 10 to go but wasn’t able to maintain the momentum and fell off the trail. Christian’s redemption came after a late yellow bunched up the field in the last event.
After a few very clean weeks in the Street Stocks, expectations were high for the 60 lap main event planned. Aaron Plemons ran for cover from his pole starting position to claim the early lead while Ed Gertsch Jr., Shawn Gaedeke, and Tony Macrino battled for second. Plemons and Gertsch would settle comfortably in the top 2 spots as Macrino would eventually work by Gaedeke on lap 21. A debris caution for some sheet metal around the halfway point didn’t seem to affect Plemons, as he once again rocketed out to the lead. Macrino kept battling tough with Plemons through the latter half of the race, while Al Stone III worked from the rear in a borrowed car to as high as second at one point. The final restart would hurt Stone as he fell back in the pack, but even with Macrino chipping away at Plemons back bumper, it wasn’t enough to stop him from his dominance leading all 60 laps to win his first of the year.
Johnny O’Sullivan had a few bad luck outings in the SK Lights this season, but he made sure nobody was going to stop him on his quest to find victory lane. O’Sullivan, Isaiah Newcomb, and Sami Anderson pulled away from the field while the rest were locked in intense battles. Hard contact by Zack Sangermano would bring out the first caution of the event, giving Newcomb a chance to take down O’Sullivan. Tyler Chapman spent much of the race trying to work his way to the front but didn’t have the grip to make it stick. An incident relegating Evan Bourgeois and Anderson to the rear would bring Jake Hines into the mix. Hines would move up into second giving O’Sullivan a run for his money but couldn’t get the job done. O’Sullivans win is his first of the season, and marks the 6th different winner in as many events for the division.
After a strong heat race by Mini Stock veteran Nick Pappacoda, he set the pace early in the feature while Jared Roy, John Bavolacco, and Chris Garside worked their ways through traffic. A caution for a minor spin on lap 7 put Roy in the position to take down Pappacoda a mere 3 laps later. Bavolacco lost a few positions in traffic while Garside took advantage of the same situation but all the while it was Roy in the lead. With 7 laps on the board, Bavolacco was able to get back by Garside and even tracked down Roy but ran out of laps as Roy would win his first of the season.
Next up at the Speedbowl, the Northeastern Midget Association is in town for the second time this season for Speedbowl Saturday Nights, along with the SK Modifieds®, Street Stocks, SK Lights, and Trucks. For complete details, visit www.speedbowlct.com, keep up with us on Facebook at The New London-Waterford Speedbowl, or on Instagram and Twitter @SpeedbowlCT.
Unofficial Results
SK Modifieds® (35 Laps): 1. 2-Troy Talman[1]; 2. 81-Todd Owen[5]; 3. 51-Rob Janovic Jr[2]; 4. 11CT-Eric Berndt[3]; 5. 09-Kyle James[6]; 6. 8-Chase Cook[7]; 7. 09FL-Brian Norman[8]; 8. 25-Anthony Flannery[4]
Late Models (30 Laps): 1. 93CT-Ray Christian III[4]; 2. 17-Jason Palmer[6]; 3. 6-Brody Monahan[8]; 4. 12CT-PJ Evans[2]; 5. 33-Jaret Curtis[7]; 6. 94CT-Charles Bailey III[1]; 7. 68-Derek Ramstrom[10]; 8. 88-Chase Curtis[3]; 9. 29MA-Joshua Hedges[5]; 10. 1-Chase Cook[9]; 11. 9-Keith Scalia[12]; 12. 78-Emma Monahan[11]
Street Stocks (60 Laps): 1. 67-Aaron Plemons[1]; 2. 13-Tony Macrino[7]; 3. 83-Ed Gertsch Jr[3]; 4. 9-Shawn Gaedeke[5]; 5. 74-Joseph Arena[10]; 6. 28-Austin Flanagan[13]; 7. 12-Al Stone III[4]; 8. 30-Jaysin Beal[6]; 9. 80X-Tyler Trott[14]; 10. 13RI-Corey Fanning[9]; 11. 66-Charles Beal[8]; 12. 56-Ike Chima[16]; 13. 80-Norm Root III[12]; 14. 22T-Timothy Poulin[11]; 15. 56CT-Sean Riley[15]; 16. 21-Tom Musante[2]
SK Lights (25 Laps): 1. 51-John O’Sullivan III[2]; 2. 22-Isaiah Newcomb[1]; 3. 78-Evan Bourgeois[6]; 4. 47-Zack Sangermano[7]; 5. 07-Tom Abele Jr[5]; 6. 16CT-Ethan Durocher[8]; 7. 21-Sami Anderson[4]; 8. 12-Dennis Krupski[11]; 9. 42-Stephen Kelogiannis[10]; 10. 41CT-Tyler Chapman[3]; 11. 91-Jake Hines[12]; 12. 16-Nickolas Hovey[9]
Mini Stocks (25 Laps): 1. 1CT-Jared Roy[3]; 2. 42-John Bavolacco[6]; 3. 83-Christopher Garside[7]; 4. 88-Bill Sylvia[1]; 5. 25-Charles Canfield[5]; 6. 6-Nicholas Pappacoda[2]; 7. 37-Corey Caddick[10]; 8. 19-David Dorr[4]; 9. 72-David Lee[8]; 10. 28-Erica Canfield[11]; 11. 81-Stacey Zentek[13]; 12. 11-Jason Kokoszka[15]; 13. 73-Eric Julian[14]; 14. 91-Raymond Herman Sr[12]; 15. 12-Aiden Sullivan[16]; 16. 94-Christopher Ivory[9]