The Waterford Speedbowl again beat out Mother Nature this Wednesday evening with a five-division Wild ‘n Wacky racing program. Anthony Flannery of East Hampton won his fifth straight Legends Cars victory at the track and has claimed all three Wednesday events held this season. Taylor Martin of New Hampshire won her second straight Bandolero race.
The 20-lap Legends Cars event started with trouble on the opening lap among the leaders. Down the backstretch after taking the green flag, Carl Blandina dropped off the pace from the third position. The field stacked up behind him, collecting third place points contender Giovanni Giarratana.
Flannery took charge when the race restarted. He used the outside lane to power through the top four and take over the lead from Ed Field on lap three. Field settled into second position, with Jason Palmer in third and Dana Dimatteo in fourth. The top four runners opened up some distance from the competition as the race remained under green through halfway at lap 10. Field began to close back in on Flannery’s bumper looking strong. Caution waved when Peter Portante spun between turns one and two on lap 13.
Over the final seven laps Flannery withstood restart challenges from both Field and Palmer. He cruised to the win, his third straight Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday event win and fifth consecutive overall victory in the division at the track. Flannery is fifteen years old. Dimatteo moved by both Field and Palmer to finish second, Field was third and Angelo Belsito was fourth. Palmer rounded out the top five.
Martin took the lead in the early laps of the 20-lap Bandolero race, distancing herself from the field to take her second consecutive win in the class. She won the green-to-checkered race easily over Chris Lomartire and Nick Sowa Martin, from New Hampshire, is a twelve year old Windham Middle School student.
Waterford Speedbowl 5/19 Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Tony Flannery, East Hampton; 2. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 3. Edward Field, Deep River; 4. Angelo Belsito, Auburn; 5. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 6. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 7. Carlo Blandina, Milford; 8. Richard White III, North Stonington; 9. Dave Garbo JR, Stonington; 10. Troy Talman, Oxford; 11. Joey Campbell, Berlin; 12. Joey Mucciaeciaro, Wolcott; 13. Jake Spillers, Ashburnham; 14. Tom Pinson, Colchester; 15. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington
Point Standings after three events: 1. Flannery, 165; 2. Dimatteo, 142; 3. Blandina, 128; 4. Field, 126; 5. Pantani, 120; 6. Giarratana, 114; 7. White, 104; 8. Spillers, 94; 9. (tie) Mucciacciaro, Campbell, 86
Bandolero’s (20-laps): 1. Taylor Martin, Windham; 2. Chris Lomartire, Millbury; 3. Nicholas Sowa, Middletown; 4. Kenneth Morin JR, Old Saybrook; 5. Tyler Chalue, Dudley; 6. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 7. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley; 8. Chace Wood, Danielson; 9. Rachel Forte, Douglas; 10. Jordan Lamothe, Woodstock; 11. Nicholas Matera, Warwick
Point Standings after three events: 1. Martin, 158; 2. Lomartire, 142; 3. Chalue, 124; 4. Forte, 122; 5. Morin, 104; 6. Kaz Grala, 101; 7. Sowa, 86; 8. Carpenter, 80; 9. Dimatteo, 70; 10. Stolte, 68