THOMPSON – One can best describe Ryan Waterman as a man of many wins and few words.
Sunday at Thompson Speedway, in ultra-dramatic style, Waterman, of a Danielson, used a last corner pass of Larry Barnett to win the 20-lap Street Stock feature and steal away the championship from Barnett in the process.
And then it was low-key Waterman on display in perfect fashion.
“It didn’t look good there for a minute,” Waterman said.
Barnett, of Moosup, was second and Corey Fanning of Mapleville, R.I. was third. It was Waterman’s third victory of the season.
Barnett, the division’s all-time winningest driver, came into the race with a four point lead over Waterman, with Al Stone III sitting third in the standings, five points off the lead.
At one point or another during the wild 20 lap feature, each of the three drivers was in a position to win the championship.
Under the Thompson Speedway points format, the race winner earns 55 points with second place earning 48 points. Getting the win for Waterman gave him a three point advantage over Barnett in the final standings.
On lap seven Waterman went by Aaron Plemons for the lead. Two laps later contact from Plemons in a battle for second place sent Barnett spinning in turn three and to the rear of the field. It put Waterman in position for the title.
On the lap nine restart Fanning got by Waterman for the lead in turn two, with Waterman fighting back under Fanning off turn four. Waterman completed the pass for the lead on lap 10.
On lap 13 contact from Fanning sent Waterman spinning out of the lead in turn four. Fanning was penalized, moving Stone to the lead and putting him in a position could have won him the championship.
On the lap 13 restart Barnett went from sixth to third. Caution flew on lap 14 for a stopped car in turn four.
With Stone leading, Barnett in second and Waterman third, on the first attempt at lap 14 restart, Waterman had hard contact with Jon Porter, who spun.
On the second attempt at a lap 14 restart, caution was quickly back out for a stopped car. The third attempt at lap 14 restart brought the caution out again for debris.
On the fourth attempt at a lap 14 restart, Sean Petlock spun on the frontstretch coming to green. As the caution was flying, then race leader Stone ended up in the turn two wall, moving Barnett to the lead for the restart.
On the fifth attempt at a lap 14 restart, Barnett was able to quickly get away from Waterman.
With Barnett leading and Waterman in second, caution flew for a two-car wreck in turn four on lap 17. Waterman stayed with Barnett after the restart. On the final lap Waterman got under Barnett into turn three and came off of turn four with the lead.
“The beginning of the race it looked pretty good but me and [Fanning] got together,” Waterman said. “Then I bent up a little stuff on [Jon Porter] when he spun. But we’re here and we did it.”
Tyler Chapman of Ellington won the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature. Nickolas Hovey of Chaplin was second and Meghan Fuller of Auburn, Mass. third. Chapman was the division champion.
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