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NOCELLA IN
VICTORY LANE AGAIN
AT OXFORD |
 After
starting 10th in a 16-car field, Anthony Nocella, of
Woburn, MA, took the lead on lap-63, received
pressure from Jon McKennedy, of E. Chelmsford, MA,
and Todd Patnode, of Swanzey, NH, for a period, then
went on to score his third Valenti Modified Racing
Series win of the season, Saturday night, August 27,
at Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford Maine.
The win was Nocella’s second this year at the famed
racetrack. He shared top honors with McKennedy in
June in twin 50-lap segments driving a car formally
owned and driven by McKennedy. Nocella ties Andy
Seuss with 5-wins each in the VMRS win column.
Rookie Colbey Fournier, Berkley, MA, held the early
lead until Woody Pitkat, Sturbridge, MA, powered by
on lap-16 and was the car to beat for the next 23
circuits.
Northport, NY, driver Dave Schneider passed Pitkat
on lap-39, and held it until Nocella took command on
lap-63. It was Nocella the rest of the way in front
of a large ‘Oxford 250’ crowd on hand for Sundays
43rd annual event.
“It always seems like I have a pretty good car here.
I like this style track. We just rode for a while
and saved it for a run to the front. It was pretty
much perfect the whole race,” Nocella said in
victory lane.
The strategy plan worked for the driver of the
family owned Nocella Paving # 92, “We knew we wanted
to be a little tight at the beginning. We went nice
and easy to keep the right front underneath it and
save as much of it as we could and still go forward.
A couple of those yellows and we got to the front,”
Nocella said.
Point leader McKennedy finished runner-up. “It was a
good points night. The last 25 laps it got real
tight. I had nothing left. Second is still good.”
Patnode, off a win at Monadnock, ran strong and
rounded out the top three.
“We had a pretty good car. At the beginning I
thought we had a good piece so we paced ourselves
and it got extremely tight and I couldn’t turn. We
came in under caution and it was too loose. I’m
thankful we ran where we did. The crew did a great
job.”
Schneider settled for fourth with Canaan, NH,
veteran Donnie Lashua rounding out the top five.
Chris Pasteryak, Rob Richardi, Joe Doucette,
Fournier, and George Sherman, finished sixth through
tenth.
Heat Winners: (1) Fournier (2) Schneider
Next event: Stafford Springs Motor Speedway Sept 2,
2016
Saturday August 27, 2016
Oxford Plains Speedway
Distance: 100-laps
Entries: (17)
Cautions: 3
Time of Race: 39:45:491
Average Speed: 57.067
Best Lap Time: 15.688 (Fournier)
Best Speed: 86.053 (Fournier)
Margin of Victory: 1.048
Points: (Top Five)
August 28, 2016
McKennedy: 576
Willis: 462
Pasteryak: 459
Patnode: 431
Schneider: 396
Order of Finish: (1) Nocella, (2) McKennedy,
(3) Patnode, (4) Schneider, (5) Lashua, (6)
Pasteryak, (7) Richardi, (8) Doucette, (9) Fournier,
(10) Sherman, (11) Pitkat, (12) Dion, (13) Dixon,
(14) Willis, (15) Cantara, (16) Mead.
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Source:
John Spence / Valenti Modified Racing Series
Posted:
August 28, 2016 |
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