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04/07/2013 |
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STEVE MASSE
SCORES VALENTI MODIFIED RACING SERIES OPENER
AT WATERFORD SPEEDBOWL |
 Steve
Masse of Bellingham, Massachusetts won the
hotly-contested 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing
Series feature at the Waterford Speedbowl on Sunday
afternoon. It was the first race in an aggressive
2013 schedule for the successful touring series,
which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary.
The century-distance grind was the centerpiece of
the Connecticut speedplant’s 2013 Budweiser
Blast-Off weekend.
Pole sitter Max Zachem led a 26-car field to green,
but it was Louie Mechalides quickly assuming the
point during the early circuits. With 77-laps
remaining, a stout Richard Savary took command
followed by Todd Annarummo.
Savary continued building a healthy lead until
tangling with lapped traffic on the front- stretch
and was forced pitside. He recovered to notch a
respectable 11th-place.
Masse, who had come from deep into the field,
entered the top-5 in the closing circuits making
several bids for the lead. A fast-approaching
Anthony Nocella, Rowan Pennink, and Mike Willis Jr
followed him.
With only 3-circuits remaining he briefly slipped-by
leader Annarummo just as the final caution waved,
setting the stage for final a 2-lap dash.
Masse edged Annarummo for the win. Rounding-out the
top-5 was Nocella, Pennink, and Mike Holdridge.
“We had a great car all-weekend; it was on rails,”
stated Masse from victory lane. “The key was saving
everything until the end. We were patient and it
paid-off with the car being great when it-counted.”
Masse dedicated his win to the late Chuck Montville,
a popular longtime car owner on the Valenti Modified
Series trail who passed-away unexpectedly on April
4th.
Second-place finisher Annarummo may have had
something for the winner, but driving too deep into
the first-turn before the crucial final restart
possibly halted his bid for victory. “I drove
very-low into the turn trying to clean my tires
right-before that last restart. I think I may have
picked-up something up. The car wasn’t as-good after
that.”
Scoring a third-place podium finish, Nocella was
elated with his performance. “This is just awesome
to finish in the top-3,” he said. “We decided to try
this series last year, and really enjoy-it. To start
the season like this is a huge plus. My family,
crew, and sponsors worked really-hard to get me
here, so this top-3 is for them also.”
The Valenti Modified Racing Series next visits New
Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway on Saturday evening,
April 20th.
For more information visit us on the web at
www.modifiedracingseries.com.
Race Summary:
Race # 1 Waterford Speedbowl
Entrants: (33)
Distance: 100 laps
Time of Race: 52:54:559
Margin of Victory: 0.335
Best Lap Time: 14.085
Best Speed: 95.847 (Nocella)
Lead Changes: (3)
Lap Leaders: Mechalides (1-22) Savary (23-64
Annarummo (65-95) Masse (96-100)
Caution Laps: 14, 30, 64, 66, 72, 83, 98
VALENTI MODIFIED SERIES
(100); 1. Steve Masse, Bellingham, MA.,
2. Todd Annarummo, Swansea MA., 3. Anthony Nocella,
Woburn, MA., 4. Rowan Pennink, Huntington Valley
PA., 5. Mike Holdridge, Madison, CT., 6. Louie
Mechalides, Tyngsboro. MA., 7. Mike Willis Jr.,
Grantham NH., 8. Norm Wrenn, Nashua NH., 9. Dana
Smith, Sunapee NH., 10. Keith Rocco, Meriden, CT.,
11. Richard Savory, Canton, MA., 12. Jeff Pearl,
Salem, CT., 13. Jacob Dore, Sanford ME., 14. Tom
Barrett Jr., Millis MA., 15. Jeff Rocco, Meriden,
CT., 16. Max Zachem, Preston, CT., 17. Arthur Heino
Jr., Newport NH., 18. Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT.,
19. Dennis Charette, Southington, CT., 20. Dave
Schneider, Northport NY., 21. Melissa Fifield,
Wakefield, NH., 22. Rob Goodenough, Swanzey, NH.,
23. Todd Owen, Somers, CT., 24. Dave Etheridge,
Portland, CT., 25. Jim Dolan, Bethel, CT., 26. Timmy
Jordan, Plainfield, CT. |
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Source: David Dykes / Valenti Modified Racing Series
Posted: April
7, 2013 |
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