Kyle James (Photo: Tiesha DiMaggio/Vault Crew Productions)
A year ago at finale weekend at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, Kyle James was declared the track’s SK Modified champion after winning the final event of the season at the track.
Though not longer the celebration started, it abruptly ended when James was told that because of a mistake by race officials in the final event, Keith Rocco had actually won the championship by one point.
Sunday James made sure there would be no drama before the feature began.
By winning his heat race, and gaining five points, James, of Ashaway, R.I., clinched the 2018 SK Modified championship at the Speedbowl. James went to the feature with an insurmountable 33-point advantage in the standings over Todd Owen in the standings.
Owen and Rob Janovic Jr. who came into the weekend tied for second place in the standings, 33 points behind James. Owen and James each won heat races to earn five points. Janovic earned four points in his heat race for a second place finish.
And making sure there was no drama worked out well for James, who spun early in the event and ended up finishing 23rd of 24 cars in the 80-lap SK Modified feature Sunday, 38 laps down from the leaders.
“We had to do this math crap again,” said James, who had eight victories in 16 starts this year at the Speedbowl. “I don’t know, it kind of sucks. It’s done. It’s over. … I’ve got to thank my crew. These guys stand behind me week after week. … I can’t do it without them and I have to thank them the most.”
Owen, of Somers, got his fifth in 16 starts this year, but ended up second in the standings by nine points to James.
Ronnie Williams of Tolland was second in the SK Modified feature and Janovic third. Janovic ended up third in the standings, 14 points behind James.
Yeah he made sure there was no drama by having the heat race handed to him by Jordan backing off out of turn 4 so James could secure the win.
Yeah he made sure there was no drama by having his heat race handed to him when Jordan let up coming out of turn 4 allowing James to secure the win.
Frank,
Even if Jordan would have won the heat race, James would have still gained four points, which would have still clinched the title before the start of the feature. James would have went to the feature with a 32-point lead and holding the tiebreaker over Owen. 32 points for a win. James wouldn’t have had to even start the feature even if Owen won his heat and James finished second in his.
looks like we might have a Christopher / Narducci / Rufrano fued coming next spring if Bryan moves up to SK’s
Pretty cool to see the two identical 81’s running first and second with the 82 right behind. Didn’t see how the two wrecked in turn 4. The 41 ran in the back for a while and then put on a show with Owen. Good race all around. Too bad no one was there to see it.
I would have been there had it not been for the ticket price. I’m a diehard fan but $50 for an SK race was too much for me.
Diehard fan myself but I wasn’t happy about paying $50. Having the MRS or tour type race would have made it more worth it. Unfortunately it seems they cared more about the back gate which they did well with. Full fields in all divisions. The pro stocks and sk’s put on the best races of the weekend in my opinion.