Anthony Nocella Makes First Trip To Speedway 51 a Victorious One.

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Speedway 51, Groveton, N.H.

   With event #3 in the record books for the Valenti Modified Racing Series, Woburn MA driver Anthony Nocella probably can't wait for the return to the tight 1/4 mile speedway.

Nocella outdistanced a potent field of modifieds by pacing his Nocella Paving #92 and picking off competitors until overpowering race leader Jeff Gallup of Agawam MA on lap 75. From that point on all Nocella had to do was protect his valuable number one position.

   As Rob Richardi Jr. of Taunton MA and Dana Smith of Sunapee NH brought the field down to the green flag of John Spence Jr, Richardi was off and running holding the lead for 23 laps before surrendering it to Gallup. Gallup tried to check out on the field leading by as much as ten car lengths over a snarling pack behind him, but a lap 70 yellow flag closed the field up.  Nocella used the inside second row restart to his advantage, first cruising by Mike Willis Jr. of Grantham NH for second place then setting up and passing Gallup for the lead.
 Nocella commented, "It was a tough one, our first time here. I knew it was a tough track to pass on, kinda tight. We just set our own pace at the beginning and tried to keep the thing nice and straight. I know these tires, its not a bad tire, you just cant hammer on them start to finish, which I like because you have to use a little strategy instead of just drive through each other. We started on the outside and its a hard place to get down to the bottom. I started to get loose around halfway but I knew they were going pretty hard up in front of me, and I figured if I could keep mine straight they were going to be worse at the end, and they started to be. I had pressure at the end but my spotter is awesome, he gives me just the right amount of info to keep me nice and calm. They might be right on you but they still have to get along side you. We're really happy with this win and can't thank the Valenti Modified Racing Series enough."

    Gallup would have an exciting race holding the point through four caution flags and 52 laps until being overhauled by Nocella. Gallup would hold on to the runner up spot following Nocella across the stripe 0.388 seconds behind.

  "I got lucky on the last couple of restarts, I had a really good car at the beginning of the race, I was able to move up then fell back for a while, then came back up and was able to finish second. It was a pretty wild race. We burnt off the right rear the last 25 laps and had to hang on at that point, but the leaders came back to me, they kinda slowed up and I was able to get back to them."  

   Fifteen year old Sammy Rameau of Westminster MA ran well all race long, starting third on the grid, ran in the top ten all race long, got spun out late in the race and recovered to finish third on the podium.

   "The car was great all day and I had no problems. Momentum is everything here on the outside. If you're on the inside you kinda get trapped, thats what happened most of the race, we were caught in 5th for a long time but just waited it out. In most of these races if you can make it to the end you'll end up in a good spot. I'm really happy for our team and our sponsors, this means a lot. Rubbing is racing and I'm not going to mention any names but there were some people being rougher than they should have been and I just gave it right back to them. It is what it is. I got spun out and made my way back. Me and all my team never gave up and never will. Now its off to Waterford, next race."

   Rob Richardi Jr. and Mike Willis Jr. rounded out the top five.

   Hard charger of the event was the Lee USA speedway winner, Mike Douglas Jr. who started eighteenth and pressured Nocella for the lead late in the race to finish 6th.

   Heat winners were Rob Richardi Jr. and Dana Smith

Summary

Track-Speedway 51. Groveton,N.H.    

Track Length- 0.250 mile

Entry's-19

Race Leaders-(1-22) #12ma---(23-74) #4---(75-100) #92

Cautions-8---laps1,1,39,52,69, 70,98,98

Margin of Victory-0.388

Best Lap Time-12.608

Best Speed-71.383

Best Lap by-33me.-Bill Dixon

Time of Race-52:19.195

Unofficial Finish

1---92-Anthony Nocella

2---4-Jeffrey Gallup

3---6-Sammy Rameau

4---12-Rob Richardi Jr.

5---83-Mike Willis Jr.

6---23- Michael Douglas Jr.

7---16-Colbey Fournier

8---93-George Sherman

9---33me-Bill Dixon

10--14-Dana Smith

11--45-Dan Meservey Jr.

12--17-Donnie Lashua

13--77-Matthew Mead

14--81-Josh Cantana

15--27-Derek Robbie

16--63-CJ Bolton

17--47-Dylan Rock

18--Roy Seidell Jr.

DNS-7X- Scott MacMichael

Next Event- New London Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford,CT. June 24th 

by Jim Snape

photos by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape