End Run: Steve Masse Makes Late Move To Win Valenti Modified Racing Series Opener At Waterford

WATERFORD – Riding the outside lane to passes has never been much of a habit for Steve Masse.

Steve Masse

But Sunday at the Waterford Speedbowl the Bellingham, Mass. driver made the outside groove his friend.

Masse passed Todd Annarummo for the lead on the outside with four laps left then held on through a restart with two laps left to win the 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series season opener at the Budweiser Blastoff at the Waterford Speedbowl.

Annarummo of Swansea, Mass. held on for second and Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Mass. was third.

“It was really fun,” Masse said of his pass for the lead. “Over the years, for some reason, I like to pass on the inside and it’s really hurt me, people always come down and I usually rip off my right front tire. But this race was a little different. I had my head on straight and we were able to use the outside and really make way throughout the whole field. I saved my tires and it paid off.”

And it was almost near disaster when Masse attempted to go inside on Annarummo with eight laps left. Coming off of turn four, Annarummo’s car jumped up the track and got sideways resulting in contact between the two at the front. Both drivers were able to wrangle in their rides before wrecking or losing positions.

“I got really scared when I got underneath him and he got loose,” Masse said. “I thought he was going to go around. I didn’t have any plans. I just figured whatever opened up I was going to take. I think he got loose coming off the corner because I wasn’t even trying to pass him that time. I was trying to see how the car felt underneath him and I closed real quick and got into him a little bit.”

Said Annarummo: “When he rolled up alongside me, I had been by myself most of the day, I just got real throttle tight. I just couldn’t race him when he was out there. Second place, we’re ecstatic.”

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