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10/06/2013 |
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NOCELLA PAVES
HIS WAY TO FIRST CAREER VMRS WIN |
 20-year
old Anthony Nocella, of Woburn, MA, driving his
family owned Nocella Paving sponsored modified,
drove to victory Saturday night, winning the Valenti
Modified Racing Series, 100-lap ‘DAV Memorial’ race,
at Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, MA. The win was
Nocella’s first VMRS victory.
Nocella, a third year civil engineering student,
joins Richard Savary, Todd Patnode, and Ryan Preece
as first-time winners this season.
Nocella started 13th in a 24-car field and stayed
out of trouble. He was running third on lap-71 when
leaders Chris Pasteryak and Tommy Barrett made
contact knocking Barrett out of the race and
Pasteryak to the rear of the field.
Nocella fought off the constant challenges of Steven
Masse the rest of the way to secure the victory.
Masse finished runner-up with a fast closing Les
Hinckley settling for third. Series point-leader
Rowan Pennink and Dwight Jarvis rounded out the
top-five positions.
Post race Nocella explained, “It’s awesome to win in
a modified. We’ve been good this year and also
struggled some. We took the last couple of races off
to regroup. We put all kinds of new stuff on the car
and it was good. Best car I’ve had here.”
Nocella knew it was not going to be easy with Masse
looking over his shoulder. “ I just had to beat him
at everything. I knew it was going to be tough. I
tried to go as hard as I could on those last
restarts. I’d get a little bit of a lead and then he
was right there. He was shoving me around the track
toward the end. Just tried to keep it low and make
him work harder on the outside.”
The first competitor to greet Nocella in victory
lane was Masse.
Masse acknowledged Nocella’s win in victory lane.
“He had a fast car. If I couldn’t get the win
tonight I’m glad he did. I want do dedicate this
race to my Dad (Pete) who got me started in racing.
He’s been sick this past year. I know it’s not a win
but I want to dedicate this race to him.”
Les Hinckley finished a very strong third leaving
some to wonder what might have been had another
yellow flag flown.
“We were really good in the heat race,” explained
Hinckley. “It was good early then it got way too
tight. I was a little nervous in the back. It was
hairy with guys hanging around. When it was 30-laps
to go, you had to go. These guys had a good race
going up front but we were fast. Would have liked
another caution. We had plenty left but
congratulations to them.”
10-caution flags and a red flag on lap-34 slowed the
race when Todd Annarummo, of Swansea, MA, battling
for the lead, piled into the concrete wall at full
throttle. Annarummo was not injured.
Sixth through tenth place finishers were, Norm
Wrenn, Dana Smith, Jeff Rocco, Todd Owen, and Mike
Willis Jr.
The race, including a lengthy delay after the
Annarummo crash, took one-hour, 14-minutes to
complete.
32 teams entered the event. 24 cars started the race
with 15 cars finishing on the lead lap.
Qualifying heat races were won by Hinckley,
Annarummo, and Chris Pasteryak, with Jon McKennedy
winning the 15-lap consolation race.
Next Event : Lee USA Speedway Lee NH Oct 12th
and 13th.
Race No.15 of 17-
Seekonk Speedway
Entrants 32 (24 starters)
Distance: 100-laps
Time of Race: 1:14:14.450
Best Lap Time: 12.124
Best Speed : 98: 878 (Savary)
Lead Changes: 3
Lap Leaders: 1-30 (Annarummo) 31-70 (Chris
Pasteryak) 71 (Barrett) 72-100 (Nocella)
Cautions: Lap 4, 24,30,32, 34(red)
53,68,68,70,71,73.
Unofficial Order of Finish: Nocella, Masse,
Hinckley, Pennink, Jarvis, Wrenn, Smith, Rocco,
Owen, Willis, Zachem. Charlie Pasteryak, Houlihan,
Chris Pasteryak, Mead, Sherman, Kopec, Mechalides,
Barrett, Pearl, Savary, Patnode, McKennedy,
Annarummo.
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Source: John Spence / Valenti Modified racing Series
Posted: October
6, 2013 |
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