Results From New London/Waterford Speedbowl 5/22/21

WATERFORD — Andrew Molleur of Shelton needed only one word to describe his 35-lap Modified victory at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl Saturday — “Redemption.”

“At the final race last year, I led almost every lap but I messed up at the end and I didn’t get the win,” Molleur said in victory lane. “So I was determined tonight not
to let that happen again.”

There was plenty of determination in the rest of the Speedbowl divisions. Jordan Haley led every lap in the 30-lap feature to grab his first every Late Model win. Chris Garside battled through a green-white checker finish to capture his first ever Mini-Stock win while Ryan Waterman dominated the 25-lap Street Sock feature.

John O’Sullivan grabbed two victories. He won the SK Lite Modified race in a wild finish and also pulled down his third straight win in the Legends.
Allen Coates pulled away from Emma Monahan to win the 25-lap Truck feature. It was the 88th career victory at the Speedbowl for Coates.

Most of the determination came for Molleur on two late restarts. He selected the outside groove and was able to pull away from Tony Membrino on both occasions.

“My car was good on the outside,” Molleur said. “I gave it everything I had on those restarts.”
Todd Owen, who started 10th, finished second while Joe Gada finished third — the third time he has been in the Top 3 in three races.

Hadley had won at the Speedbowl in three divisions — the X Cars, Mini Stocks and Street Stocks — but jumping into a Late Model was a huge step.
He rocketed his way to an early lead and never faltered despite two late restarts.
“This is like a dream,” Hadley said. “The car was great.”
He needed to be great to stop the two-race win streak of Jason Palmer, who finished second over Tyler Tomassi.

Waterman had an early opportunity in the Street Stocks and he made sure he took advantage of it.
Waterman started fifth in the 25-lap feature, but when the two drivers in the front row, Shawn Gaedeke and Jason Chicolas, got tangled up and drifted to the outside of the track, Waterman had plenty of room to make a breath-taking move.

He sizzled his way from fifth to first and dominated the rest of the race for his second win of the year.

“The door was open and I just walked in,” Waterman said. “It was my kind of race.”
Chris “Moose Douton finished second for the second consecutive week and Eric Lutz grabbed third, his best finish at the Speedbowl.

Garside prevailed in a final two-lap shootout against multi-time champ Charles Canfield and was happy to survive it.

“I didn’t want to see that last caution flag because my car was going away,” Garside said. “But I had enough left at the end. Whenever you can beat a driver as good as Charles Canfield, it’s an amazing accomplishment.”

Jared Roy rallied from deep in the field to finish third.

O’Sullivan was running third in the Lite Modified feature when the top two cars driven by Jason Chapman and Charlie McDougall got crossed up at the front of the field and wound up in the Turn 2 wall.
O’Sullivan inherited the lead and maintained it for his first Lite Modified win at the Speedbowl and the second of his career.

“In this division, if you can keep your nose clean, you will be there at the end,” O’Sullivan said.
Paul “Buddy” Charette was second and Wayne Burroughs third.

It was O’Sullivan’s second win of the day. He was a runaway winner in the 15-lap Legends race for the third win of his career.

Coates was running side by side with Monahan late in the 25-lap Truck race when Monahan spun on the inside, vaulting Coates into the lead. Then he held off Ken Cassidy down the stretch to post the win.

“I feel bad for Emma because she was driving a great race,” Coates said. “She is going to get her share of wins.”

The action continues Wednesday with a five-division show starting at 7 p.m. The X Cars, Super-X Cars, Bandoleros, Legend Cars and Vintage Midgets.

35-lap SK Modifieds: 1. Andrew Molleur, Shelton; 2. Todd Owen, Somers; 3. Joe Gada, Salem; 4, Tony Membrino Jr., Southington; 5. Mike Christopher Jr. Wolcott; 6. Tim Jordan, Plainfield; 7. Paul Buzel, Trumbull; 8. Rob Janovic Jr., Waturbury; 9. Adam Gada, Bozrah; 10. Paul Laplane, North Attleboro, Mass.
30-lap Late Models: 1. Jordan Hadley, Waterford; 2. Jason Palmer, Berlin; 3. Tyler Tomassi, West Greenwich RI; 4. Ray Christian, Uncasville; ; 5. Charles Bailey III, Lisbon; 6. Isaiah Newcomb, Plymouth, Mass.; 7. Keith Scalia, North Branford; 8. Mike Benevides, Westerly, RI; 9. Charles Bailey IV, Lisbon; 10. Jason Williams, Lisbon.

25-lap SK Lite Modifieds: 1. John O’Sullivan, Salem; 2, Paul Charette, Woodstock; 3. Wayne Burroughs, Oakdale; 4. Anthony Marvin, Colchester; 5. Mike Mitchell, Cumberland, RI; 6. Corey Caddick, Richmond RI; 7. Michael McCarthy, North Oxford, Mass;; 8. Jason Chapman, Ellington; 9. Charlie McDougall, Naugatuck; 10. Alan Tirrell, North Stonington.

25-lap Street Stocks: 1. Ryan Waterman, Danielson; 2. Christopher Douton; Niantic; 3. Eric Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y.; 4. Aaron Plemons, Uncasville; 5. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, Mass.; 6. Bo Norman, Clinton; 7. Jon Porter, East Lyme; 8. Michael Malbaum, Moosup; 9. Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin; 10. Doug Curry, Groton.

25-lap Mini Stocks: 1. Chris Garside, Groton; 2. Charles Canfield, East Haven; 3. Jared Roy, Sterling; 4. Tom Silva, Groton; 5. JJT Suprenant, Central Village; 6. Joe Bavolacco, Stratford; 7. Nick Pappacoda, North Branford; 8. John Bavolacco, Stratford; 9. Kevin Moore, Moosup; 10. Pete Zakalrite, East Windsor

25-lap Speedbowl Trucks: 1. Allen Coates, Ledyard; 2. Ken Cassidy, Lisbon; 3. Jim Boyle, East Windsor; 4. Emma Monahan, Waterford; 5. Joshua Stringer, Dayville; 6. Jeff Karns, Waterford; 7. Joe Coates, New London;; 8. Rick Ashlaw, Manchester; 9. Tyler Chapman, Mystic; 10. Kendall Metcalf, Stonington.

15-lap Legends: 1. John O’Sullivan III, Salem; 2. Jordan Chruchill, Lisbon; 3. Scott Limkemann, Lebanon; 4. Brody Monahan;, Waterford; 5, Reese Bogue, Groton.

Source: Matt Buckler/Waterford PR