Under warm and sunny skies, the Waterford Speedbowl completed Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday with more great racing from the mid-week warriors. Anthony Flannery of East Hampton matched the weather and continued his hot streak, winning his six straight Legends Cars victory including all four Wednesday events held in 2010. Kaz Grala of Westborough, Massachusetts was the winner of the Bandolero race.
Giovanni Giarratana was the leader from the green flag in the 20-lapper for the Legends Cars. He raced ahead of Dennis Pantani, Ed Field, Dana Dimatteo and Anthony Flannery in the opening laps. Flannery tucked under Dimatteo for the fourth spot on lap five, and Alessandro Vitelli pulled up from the sixth spot to join the top five in a breakaway from the field.
Flannery continued marching forward, racing under Field on lap seven to take over third place. Caution waved just one lap later for newcomer Matt Carpenter who spun in turn four. Flannery went by Pantani for second on the restart, but only two laps could be completed when Mike Beebe spun out of turn two and collected others, including Joey Campbell.
Following that caution Flannery took over, racing outside of Giarratana following the restart. Only one more lap was completed before Carpenter spun again in turn four. Vitelli moved to third with Field in fourth on the restart. Vitelli was able to pass by Giarratana on the restart, and as the pair battled for the spot Flannery was able to check out and win by three lengths. Vitelli finished in second just ahead of Giarratana, Field was fourth and Pantani was fifth.
The 20-lap Bandolero race saw Nick Sowa lead lap one with Taylor Martin and Chris Lomartire moving in to the second and third positions behind. Martin raced to the inside of Sowa as the field worked lap two and moved by for the lead, bringing Lomartire in her tire tracks. Grala had moved up to fourth by lap five and began to pick his way through the top runners.
First Grala moved by Sowa, then by Lomartire on lap eight and set sight on Martin. He closed to her bumper and made a move to the low side down the backstretch as they raced to lap ten. Martin was never more than two car lengths back over the second half of the caution free race but could not mount a counter move on Grala. He won his second race of the year over Martin. Sowa moved by Lomartire for third at the finish.
Waterford Speedbowl 5/26 Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday Results:
Legends Cars (20-laps): 1. Anthony Flannery, East Hampton; 2. Alessandro Vitelli, Woodbridge; 3. Giovanni Giarratana, Newington; 4. Ed Field, Deep River; 5. Dennis Pantani, Branford; 6. Dave Garbo Jr., Stonington; 7. Richard White, North Stonington; 8. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 9. Jake Spillers, Ashburnham, MA; 10. Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott; 11. Tim Pinson, Colchester; 12. Matt Carpenter, Auburn, MA; 13. Nick Ladyga, Voluntown; 14. Dana Dimatteo, Farmington; 15. George Whitney, Westbrook; 16. Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA; 17. Joey Campbell, Berlin; 18. Carl Blandina, Milford; 19. Mike Beebe, Old Saybrook
Point Standings after four events: 1. Flannery, 220; 2. Field, 170; 3. Dimatteo, 166; 4. Pantani, 162; 5. Giarratana, 160; 6. Blandina, 144; 7. White, 142; 8. Spillers, 128; 9. Mucciacciaro, 118; 10. Garbo, 112
Bandolero’s (20-laps): 1. Kaz Grala, Westborough, MA; 2. Taylor Martin, Windham, NH; 3. Nicolas Sowa, Middletown; 4. Chris Lomartire, Millbury, MA; 5. Joey Ternullo, Middletown; 6. Tyler Chalue, Dudley, MA; 7. Garrett Denton, Hope Valley, RI; 8. Kenneth Morin Jr., Old Saybrook; 9. Jordan Lamothe, Woodstock; 10. Andrew Carpenter, Auburn, MA; 11. Chace Wood, Danielson; 12. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA; 13. Nicholas Matera, Warwick, RI
Point Standings after four events: 1. Martin, 206; 2. Lomartire, 186; 3. Chalue, 164; 4. Grala, 156; 5. Forte, 150; 6. Morin, 140; 7. Sowa, 132; 8. Carpenter, 112; 9. Ternullo, 108; 10. Denton, 104