The next-to-last Thursday Night Thunder program of the season hit the track at New London-Waterford Speedbowl and five race winners were honored at night’s end, plus one championship was unofficially claimed.  Joey Ternullo of Middletown scored the INEX Legend Cars win, Wayne Shifflett of Preston took the X-Car feature and Bill Reiman of Southington won the Super X-Car race.  In the INEX Bandolero youth racing class, two races were held and Hailey Desaulniers of Windham won her first career event at the track and Anthony Marvin of Colchester picked up the other race win.   With just one event remaining on the Thursday Night Thunder season, Chaplin’s Nickolas Hovey wrapped up his first Bandolero division title.  The remaining championship battles will head into the final week

 

Ternullo claimed his fourth checkered flag of the Thursday series for the INEX Legend Cars with a late race push in the night’s 25-lap feature.  He watched Mikey Flynn race out to an early lead from the pole starting position, then slowly closed in from second as the event moved past halfway without incident.  By lap-18 the top four cars were lined up nose to tail, and on lap-19 the caution flag waved for the first time for a two car spin near the back of the field.  Flynn got a good restart to momentarily hold his lead, however Ternullo found room on the bottom of the track to slowly work his way past into the top spot.  By lap-23 Ternullo completed the pass and went on to the win.  Mike Blaskey also got by Flynn to finish runner-up to Ternullo, while Flynn hung on for third.  Jordan Churchill overcame mechanical problems early in the night to finish the feature and hold his lead in the championship standings over Blaskey heading into the final Thursday event of the year.

 

The first 20-lap INEX Bandolero race turned out to be a nail biter.  Desaulniers led from green through checkered flags to land her first-ever Speedbowl win after starting the race in the pole position, however it did not come easily.  She had Nickolas Hovey and Anthony Marvin, the division’s two winningest drivers, shadowing her for each of the twenty laps just inches apart.  Desaulniers withstood a late restart on lap-18 with Hovey lined up to her but she powered ahead, then held off a charging Marvin through the final corners to finish off the victory.  Marvin was second.  Hovey finished third which was good enough to unofficially secure the season championship for the division. 

 

The nightcap for the division had trouble getting going, as three early caution flags kept the race slowed and single file restarts were mandated by officials for the remainder of the 20-lapper.  When racing settled in, Ethan Durocher showed the way but he was quickly challenged by Marvin.  Contact between the two on the fourth lap actually caused Desaulniers to spin further back, bringing out the fourth yellow flag of the race. Marvin blasted into the lead when racing resumed and went on to an easy victory.  Durocher finished second and Ethan placed third.

 

Shifflett came out on top with a late race maneuver in a green to checkered flag 25-lap X-Car feature. Shifflett trailed point leader Dave Gargaro Jr. as the pair made their way to the front.  Gargaro took the lead early but it was Shifflett who stayed within striking distance, capitalizing when Gargaro was unable to keep as quick a pace out front.  Shifflett made the move with just two laps remaining to get by Gargaro and claim the win.  Gargaro was second and holds control of the points lead over Christopher Thomas.  Christopher Lee placed third.

 

Reiman was the benefactor of a mid-race scuffle for the lead in the 25-lap Super X-Car race.  Leader Jaysin Beal went off the backstretch and second place Shawn Gaedeke was penalized to the rear of the pack. Reiman inherited the lead and held on through two restarts the rest of the way.  Point leader Brian Norman was second and Kevin Moon borrowed a ride when his car failed earlier in the night, and finished third. Norman holds a slim six-mark advantage in the championship standings heading into the final event.

 

On Saturday the Speedbowl welcomes the Northeast Street Stock Tour for the division’s inaugural visit to the shoreline oval  The division competes in a 30-lap feature race and joins a full card of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing.  The SK Modifieds^®, Limited Sportsman, Mini Stock and SK Light Modifieds will also be on hand in addition to the INEX Legend Cars.  

Unofficial New London-Waterford Speedbowl Thursday Night Thunder 8/27 Results & Championship Standings:

 

INEX Legend Cars (25-laps):  1. Joey Ternullo, Middletown;  2. Michael Blaskey, Waterbury;  3. Cornelius Flynn, Hampden, MA;  4. Andrew Molleur, Shelton;  5. Jordan Churchill, Lisbon;  6. Noah Korner, Canton, MA;  7. Dennis Pantani, Branford;  8. Cassandra Cole, Westbrook;  9. Tim DePizzol, North Franklin;  10. David Lespinasse, Milford;  11. Glenn Korner Jr., Canton;  12. Rachel Forte, Douglas, MA;  13. Joshua Zentek, East Haven

 

Championship Standings after 17 of 18 events (top-ten):  1. Churchill, 500;  2. Blaskey, 482;  3. Molleur, 462;  4. Ternullo, 445;  5. John O’Sullivan, 407;  6. Lespinasse, 373;  7. Cole, 3423;  8. Pantani, 314;  9 Flynn, 310;  10. N. Korner, 278

INEX Bandoleros Race #1 (20-laps):  1. Hailey Desaulniers, Windham;  2. Anthony Marvin, Colchester;  3. Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin;  4. Ethan Simmons, Pawcatuck;  5. Nicholas Oloski, Salem;  6. Brendon Tymon, Shelton;  7. Ethan Durocher, Plainfield;  8. Jeffrey Darrah, Bethel;  9. Andrew Morin, Old Saybrook

 

INEX Bandoleros Race #2 (20-laps):  1. Marvin;  2. Durocher;  3. Simmons;  4. Hovey;  5. Tymon;  6. Oloski;  7. Desaulniers;  8. Morin;  9. Darrah

 

Championship Standings after 17 of 18 events (top-five):  1. Hovey, 520;  2. Durocher, 478;  3. Simmons, 478;  4. Desaulniers, 477;  5. Morin, 416

 

 

 

X-Cars (25-laps):  1. Wayne Shifflett, Preston;  2. David Gargaro Jr., Cranston, RI;  3. Christopher Lee, Waterford;  4. Christopher Thomas, Waterford;  5. Eddie Loomis, Plainfield;  6. Ray Herman, Waterford;  7. William Rheaume, Uncasville;  8. Bruce Sperry, Waterford;  9. Rick Majcher, Taftville;  10. Craig Tavernier, Moosup;  11. C.P. Burdick, Deep River;  12. Michael Olsen, Deep River;  13. Matt Westover, Norfolk, VA;  14. Dylan Cabral, Richmond, RI;  15. Richard Mollo, Seymour;  16. Tom Sheehan, Baltic;  17.  Chuck McDonald, Groton;  18. Kim Bickford, Griswold;  19. Garrett Kuhn, Waterford;  20. Randy Johnston, Westerly, RI;  21. Justin Cunningham, Groton;  22. David Grengs, Ledyard;  DNS – Richard Nye, Stonington

 

Championship Standings after 17 of 18 events (top-ten):  1. Gargaro, 501;  2. Thomas, 487;  3. Rheaume, 458;  4. Lee, 446;  5. Johnston, 439;  6. Shifflett, 423;  7. Eric Finkbein Jr., 393;  8. Burdick, 391;  9. Loomis, 366;  10. Mollo, 356

 

 

 

Super X-Cars (25-laps):  1. Bill Reiman, Southington;  2. Brian Norman, Clinton;  3. Kevin Moon, Exeter, RI;  4. Ray Reed, Norwich;  5. Don Berge, Uncasville;  6. Shawn Gaedeke, Southington;  7. Peter Pollard, Old Lyme;  8 Jaysin Beal, Ledyard;  9. Shane Peele, Wales, MA;  10. Dan Moon, Exeter, RI;  11. Duke Place, Charlestown, RI;  12. Keith Scalia, Branford;  13. Ed Gould, Warwick, RI;  14. Ray Phillips, Canterbury;  15. James Maher, Shelton;  16. Dave Yardley, Berlin; DNS – Matt Carlson, Griswold

 

Championship Standings after 17 of 18 events (top-ten):  1. Norman, 490;  2. Reed, 484;  3. K. Moon, 469;  4. Shafer, 432;  5. Gaedeke, 421;  6. Todd Taylor, 387;  7. Beal, 357;  8. Reiman, 346;  9. Kevin Finkbein, 233;  10. Peele, 228

 Source: New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR