Nocella Scores Beech Ridge 100 For Second VMRS Win
Scarborough, ME. – Anthony Nocella drove the family owned ‘Nocella Paving’ # 92 to victory Saturday night, August 1, in the Valenti Modified Racing Series sanctioned race at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME. The race format was Twin 50
lap features.
The victory was the second series win for the 22-year old driver from Woburn, Massachusetts’s. Nocella is the eighth different driver to win at Beech Ridge.
Nocella started the first 50-lap feature 4th in a 24-car lineup and raced around the front of the field showing a strong car that landed in victory lane.
Nocella had a good car all night. He spoke of the first feature, scored ‘monza-style’, a point system from the two races that determines the finish.
“Got the car going pretty good in that first feature. The car was good up top (outside) we ran hard late in that one. Ran in second until half-way or so. He (Jon McKennedy) ran me nice and clean. Ran him hard for five or six laps on the outside and once I cleared him I could do my own thing. I was able to set my own pace.”
McKennedy, of East Chelmsford, MA, settled for second, followed by Manchester, CT, veteran Mike Holdridge, Todd Szegedy, of Ridgefield, CT, and Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, CT, fifth.
The second 50-lap race was hotly contested at the front of the field from the drop of the green flag. Once in front, Richard Savary set a torrid pace until a late race caution created a restart with Pitkat now in second place from his 16th starting position.
Pitkat, on the restart, made a daring cross-over move exiting the second turn to take the lead but contact with Savary thwarted that effort with both drivers forced from the front of the field and Todd Patnode, of Richmond, NH, rolling into victory lane.
Patnode was followed across the line by Dennis Perry, of Pawcatuck, CT, Norm Wrenn, of Nashua, NH, Todd Annarummo, of Swansea, MA, and Chris Pasteryak, Jewett City, CT, rounding out the top five.
The final point standings between the two races showed Nocella coming out on top of the final tabulations.
Said Nocella, “we started 20th and some of the slower cars made it tough. You had to keep changing lanes. I think we had a little better car the second half but it was tough getting back up through.
The twin 50’s you definitely run the car hard in both segments I think. But it makes it exciting for the fans and that’s good.”
Race Summaries:
Race #1
Margin of Victory: 1.392
Average Speed: 57.013
Best Speed: 78.440 (Mike Holdridge)
Best Lap Time: 15.283
Race # 2
Margin of Victory: 1.104
Average Speed: 40.953
Best Speed : 76.960
Best Lap By: Richard Savary
Best Lap Time: 15.577
Unofficial Order of Finish
1. Anthony Nocella
2. Todd Szegedy
3. Todd Annarummo
4. Jon McKennedy
5. Chris Pasteryak
6. Mike Holdridge
7. Norm Wrenn
8. Todd Patnode
9. Russ Hersey
10. Dennis Perry
11. Donnie Lashua
12. Brandon Dion
13. Richard Savary
14. Woody Pitkat
15. Mike Willis
16. Dan Meservey Jr
17. George Sherman
18. Colbey Fournier
19. Kevin Ianarelli
20. Jean Paul Cyr
21. Rob Richardi
22. Dave Schneider
23. Carl Medeiros
24. Josh Cantara