WATERFORD – The biggest focus point in Jason Palmer’s quest to win his first Late Model championship at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl is about Keith Rocco behind him in the finishing order.
That mission went perfectly for the Berlin driver Saturday at the Speedbowl.
Palmer left Rocco deep behind him in rolling to his fourth victory of the season in the 30-lap Late Model feature Saturday at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
“The car was good,” said Palmer, who sits atop the standings, 30 points ahead of second place Rocco. “It was really turning good on the bottom. I had excellent drive off [the corners]. I really can’t complain at all. The thing was great. It hasn’t been this good in a long time.”
Rocco, of Wallingford, was second and Jeff Smith of Old Lyme third.
Palmer went the lead by Jim Banfield after a restart with 18 laps remaining and never trailed again.Rocco went to second past Smith with nine laps remaining, but had nothing in chasing down Palmer out front.
“I told [my spotter Shawn Waddell], let me know when [Rocco] breaks to second and then I’ve got to turn the heat back up,” Palmer said. “I was trying to save a little in case we got a caution. But it worked out alright.”
Said Rocco: “All the wrong lanes tonight, but that’s racing. That’s what makes this fun and that’s what gives everybody a chance.”
Ed Gertsch Jr. of East Haven held off the charges of Allen Coates to win the 25-lap Limited Sportsman feature.
Coates, of Ledyard, was second and Al Stone III of Durham third.
“It’s a big deal,” Gertsch said. “We raced here a lot in the early 2000’s, won a championship in 2003. And the competition level since then has increased ten-fold. The technology has just closed up. To gain any kind of track position is very difficult. I was pretty discouraged coming into tonight. We’ve been struggling. We’ve got a lot of top-fives, we’ve been knocking on the door. Today, the last practice, we tried a couple things and bam, we came to life. And I wasn’t taking no for answer.”
Jordan Hadley of Waterford won the 25-lap Mini Stock feature.
Charles Canfield of East Haven was second and Nate Taylor of Wauregan third.
Did the 15 end up getting dq’d for bad fuel? Or did they let him go.
He’s listed as last place and zero points, so he got a dq for something.
Looks like Forrigno and a few others also got DQ’d.
Joey Ferrigno, the real popular guy??? say it aint so Joe
Wide Country,
I’m pretty sure Joey Ferrigno (or Forrgino as you mentioned) didn’t get DQ’ed, but rather just didn’t start the Limited Sportsman event at Waterford. Pretty sure he was set to start an Al Stone III backup car but did not.