Nocella & McKennedy Share Maine Twin 50’s Again

Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photos by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape

Scarborough, ME-- For the second time this season, at speedways in the State of Maine, Anthony Nocella, of Woburn, Massachusetts, and Jon McKennedy, of E. Chelmsford, Massachusetts, each captured Valenti Modified Racing Series Twin 50-lap feature races this time at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, in Scarborough, on Saturday.




Earlier this season, in June, the pair pulled off the feat at Oxford Plains Speedway.




Both races were caution flag free and run off in 13-minutes.




In the first 50-lap go, Nocella started 12^th in a 19 car field, and smoothly worked his way to the front besting early race leader Richard Savary, of Canton, MA, and Todd Annarummo, of Swansea, MA, at the checkered flag.




The win was Nocella’s fourth of the season and his sixth VMRS win.

“ We wanted to take our time a bit and save the tires,” Nocella said in victory lane. “50-laps you have to work for it especially coming from the back. Just tried to pace ourselves. When we realized no cautions my spotter said you better get going so we went for it,” Nocella said.

Woody Pitkat, of Sturbridge, MA, and McKennedy, rounded out

the top five.

In the second 50-lap race, McKennedy rolled off in the seventh starting spot quickly making his way to the point with Nocella in hot pursuit from his 11^th starting position. Annarummo moved into third where he would finish. McKennedy would nail down his seventh win of the year and 22^nd career series victory.

For McKennedy the beat goes on.“ In the first race we started further back and finished fifth so we made some changes for the second race and obviously the car was really good. The starting spot obviously helped. We got the lead and I set my own pace.”

Nocella was runner-up “Decent car but going hard the first time the car got free we got to him and got along side but I couldn’t get by him. The guys gave me a good car. It was a good run, concluded Nocella.

Annarummo drew a few laughs from the podium. “I got the same trophy. (third place) One each for the kids so they don’t have to fight over it,” said a smiling Dad pleased with a second top three finish.

Les Hinckley, of Windsor Locks, CT, and Donnie Lashua, of Canaan, NH, finished fourth and fifth

Bill Dixon and Savary nabbed heat races.

Next event: Lee USA Speedway October 8 & 9

Beech Ridge Motor Speedway

Scarborough, ME.

Race 1 (50-Laps)

Entries- (20) 19- cars started race

Did Not Start: Matt Mead # 77 (Engine)
Cautions: None

Time of Race: 13:05:496

Average Speed: 77.754

Best Lap Time: 14.977 (Savary)

Best Speed: 80.043 (Savary)

Margin of Victory: 0.841

Unofficial Order Of Finish: (Race # 1) 1. Nocella, (2) Savary, (3) Annarummo,

(4) Pitkat, (5) McKennedy, (6) Kay, (7) Cantara, (8) Ianarelli, (9) Lashua, (10) Hinckley, (11) Schneider, (12) Willis Jr, (13) Fournier, (14) Haley, (15) Doucette, (16) Richardi, (17) Dixon, (18) Dion, (19) Sherman.

Race 2 (50-Laps)

Entries- (20) 17-cars started race

Did Not Start: Brandon Dion (Engine) George Sherman (Engine)
Cautions: None

Time of Race: 13:07:884

Average Speed: 76.907

Best Lap Time: 15.343 (McKennedy)

Best Speed: 78:133 (McKennedy)

Margin of Victory: 0.945

Unofficial Order of Finish: (Race #2) 1. (McKennedy, (2) Nocella, (3) Annarummo, (4) Hinckley, (5) Lashua, (6) Fournier, (7) Pitkat, (8) Schneider, (9) Savary, (10) Cantara, (11) Doucette, (12) Willis Jr, (13) Haley, (14) Richardi, (15) Dixon, (16) Kay, (17) Ianarelli