Waterford Notes: Ken Cassidy Likely Clinches Short Track National Title

WATERFORD – In 2010 Waterford Speedbowl Mini Stock division driver Ken Cassidy Jr. finished third in the NASCAR Division IV national short track standings. Last year he finished second in the standings.

The singular goal this year from day one of the racing season at the Waterford Speedbowl was to move up that next spot to a national championship.

Saturday Cassidy, of Lisbon, was confident he had accomplished that feat.

Cassidy finished to Jeffrey Cembruch in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature, which likely clinched the Division IV national title for him.

The final day to record finishes for the standings is Sunday. Cassidy’s closest competition in the standings, Bobby Frisch from Rockford (Ill.) Speedway was 46 points behind coming into the weekend.

“I’ve been studying it pretty good,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think he can make 46 points up. I figured the most he could gain was 15 points a race. This was the goal since the beginning of the year so I’ve been keeping good track. It’s awesome. The last couple years it’s been within reach. Finally we were able to pull it off.”

In 18 starts this year Cassidy has 11 victories and has averaged a third place finish. Drivers are ranked for the top-14 finishes in the National Finalists program for non-premier division rankings.

It was the first victory of the season for Cembruch, of Wallingford. Ray Christian III of Norwich was third.

In the 25-lap Street Stock race it was Walt Hovey Jr. of Chaplin scoring the victory. Hovey inherited the lead after Corey Hutchings was penalized for wrecking race leader Josh Galvin. Josh Wood of Palmer, Mass. was second and Michael Caprio of New Haven third.

In the first 30-lap Late Model feature, Anthony Flannery of East Hampton led every lap on the way to his first victory of the season. Dillon Moltz of Waterford was second and Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton third.

In the second Late Model feature it was Moltz scoring his seventh win in 15 starts this year. Jeff Smith of Old Lyme was second and Rich Staskowski of Hope Valley, R.I. third.

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