WATERFORD - With only a handful of events currently on his schedule for the 2010 racing season, Doug Coby has to make the most out of what he has.

Sunday he got all he could get out of the Waterford Speebowl.

Coby, of Milford, easily held off Matt Hirschman over the closing laps to win the Modified Racing Series Budweiser Blastoff 100 at Waterford.

It was Coby's second victory in as many Modified Racing Series starts at Waterford. He won in his series debut last May at the track.

Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa., was second and Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. third.

The Czarnecki Brothers Racing team that Coby drives for is currently planning on running the two more MRS events at Waterford this season, in August and September, in addition to running at Lee USA Speedway in July and at the Turkey Derby at Wall (N.J.) Stadium in November.

"It's a great win for this team," Coby said. "These guys worked so hard on this car. We can only run about four or five shows this year and we hope to win every one that we do."

Coby started ninth and was up to leader Jon McKennedy's bumper by lap 34. On lap 45 Coby used the outside lane off of turn 2 to take over the top spot.

"Too early," Coby said. "I planned it out in my mind that I wanted to be leading with 15 to go." Jon was really tight and he would open up the bottom. I probably could have got under there but if I had gotten on the bottom I probably would have had to use too much of my car. So I figured if I got around him on the top that he wouldn't be able to keep his car down. It was way too early. I don't really like to lead races until there's 10 to go."

Coby biggest challenge the rest of the way came from Rowan Pennink, who moved past Hirschman for second on lap 74. Pennink ran all over Coby's bumper, but couldn't find a lane around him.

"Rowan's got a great car," Coby said. "I was just trying to hold the bottom. I figured there was so much junk on the track that he really couldn't go up top and if he went up top I kind of made the car a little wider than I needed to. I know he had a good car but I think we had the car to beat."

Pennink slowed on a lap 91 restart with mechanical issues, moving Hirschman to second place. Hirschman had nothing for Coby over the closing laps.

Hirschman was driving an SK Modified in the event for Norwalk car owner Bob Horn.

"Real fun to race with these guys," Hirschman said. "It's actually an [SK Modified] motor in there and we're racing against [Modified Tour Type motors]. We're not even in their league as far as power goes but it ran good and it handles well."

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WATERFORD - The most successful SK Modified driver in Connecticut in 2009 picked up right where he left off last season.

Keith Rocco, who finished second in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings in 2009, opened the 2010 season by cruising to victory in the 60-lap SK Modified feature at the Budweiser Blastoff Sunday at the Waterford Speedbowl.

Rocco, who also competes full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway, had a track high SK Modified victories last season at Waterford.

Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry was second and Jeff Pearl of Salem third.

The race was marred by 10 cautions.

Rocco started from the pole Sunday at Waterford and went virtually unchallenged, leading every lap of the event.

"After a long winter and a lot of hard work, we'll take whatever we can get," Rocco said. "It's a long season, I think everybody knows that we can win from the back, there's no question about that."

Ceravolo looked like he had a car to battle with Rocco in the early going, but Rocco was able to easily pull away from him on every restart over the last half of the race.

"Good car, but not a fantastic car," Ceravolo said. "I think I had a better 30-lap car than a 60-lap car. It's fun racing here though, fun racing with Keith. It was just a good race. I hope we can battle like this all year."

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WATERFORD - NEMA driver Chris Leonard made up for a miserable Saturday in the best way possible Sunday.

Leonard put the mechanical issues of Saturday far behind him by kicking off Budweiser Blastoff weekend at the Waterford Speedbowl with his first career victory in the 25-lap NEMA Midget race.

Leonard's team rallied from motor problems during the first practice Saturday and then suspension issues after the second practice.

"I didn't even know if the car was going to go in the heat," Leonard said.

But go it did. Leonard, of Nashua, N.H., started from the pole and led to wire-to-wire.

"The car was unbelievable," said Leonard, who is in his third season in the division. "Yesterday we had motor problems. We got that fixed. Went out in the heat, finished second, we had a good run. The crew is the best, in the garage all week working on the car. I couldn't ask for a better crew."

Russ Stoehr of Lakeville, Mass. was second.

"The car wasn't quite as good as it was [Saturday], but there's no taking away from [Leonard], they were on rails today, they had a great car and they deserved the win," Stoehr said. "We'll just try and build on this good finish and go forward."

Erica Santos of Franklin, Mass. was third. The caution free race took 5 minutes and 56 seconds to run.

"It seemed like it was a half hour out there," Leonard said.

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WATERFORD - Bad omen?

Hmmm, the song blaring out of the car speakers as we pulled into the Waterford Speedbowl was Garbage's "Only Happy When It Rains."

Ok fine, no more mentioning rain.

Yeah, it's race day, race day, race day in Waterford, and there's no truth to the rumor that Santa Claus is the grand marshal here for today's Budweiser Blastoff.

Saying there's a chill in the air in Waterford is like saying Jimmie Johnson is kind of an alright Sprint Cup Series driver. Yes, it's cold in Waterford. Cold, gray, dreary, windy. Good times.

But the forecast says there won't be any rain, or snow, until later tonight.

The pit party has concluded and it's a scheduled noon start for the six-race show here today with the NEMA Midgets set to kick off the festivities.

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Gresham Motorsports Park Logo

Clay Rogers dominated the Racing Electronics USARacing Pro Cup 250 Presented By Live Oak Plantation at Gresham Motorsports Park Saturday. For Rogers, who won the last USAR race held at the track in 2007 when it was still Peach State Speedway, it was business as usual.

“Even though it’s a different track, it still drives a lot like the old Peach State – just with new a Gresham wrapper on it,” said Rogers in Victory Lane after beating Benny Gordon to the line by 0.470-second margin.
“This track has a lot more grip than the old one, but you still have to drive it the same. I’ve been with two different teams since I last won here, but it still feels just as good to win this time as it did the last.”

Rogers started 10th on the grid after Caleb Holman won the pole with a new track record for the USAR division with a 17.770 second lap in qualifying. The race was quickly short-circuited on the first lap when outside pole sitter Stephen Naase pounded the outside wall and then careened across the track into the inside front stretch barrier.

Back under green, the race was again stopped when Matt Lofton and Bryan Silas tangled heading into Turn 1 on Lap 18. Two subsequent cautions and a round of pit stops put Rogers in the lead for the first time on Lap 54.

Over the next 50 laps, several drivers including A.J. Frank, John Gibson and Gordon all took turns in the lead before Rogers muscled his way back to the point for good on Lap 123.

From there, Rogers survived several restarts building leads of as much as a half lap before a late caution with just seven circuits remaining allowed Gordon to close to Rogers’ back bumper for one final restart.

Rogers again showed he was the man to beat roaring away over the final five laps to take the win – his third at in USAR competition at GMP – over Gordon, Gibson, Frank and Jeff Agnew. Tyler Young, Ryan Heavner, David Wilson, Logan Ruffin and Larry Barrett completed the Top-10 finishers.

“I knew I had a great car, but I hated to see that last caution come out,” said Rogers. “I knew that Benny (Gordon) had fresher tires and I could hear him revving his motor at me before the restart. I guess he was mad at me because I got into him earlier in the race, but then again, it wouldn’t be a race if Benny wasn’t mad at somebody about something. Tonight it was my turn.”

In the Outlaw Late Model main event, Jason Bates won his second-consecutive GMP feature besting Mike Davidson, David Murphy, Hoyt Stephens and Terry Martin at the checkered flag. Bates also won the season-opening Outlaw Late Model feature at GMP on March 13.

Shawn Campbell was the winner in the Renegade Street Stock headliner with Vernon Hicks, Nathaniel Carlisle and Doug Sexton in his wake at the checkered flag.

The Mini-Stocks made their first appearance of the season at Gresham Motorsports Park a memorable one as Spanky Hicks repeated his win in last year’s World Crown 300 Mini-Stock final. B.J. Thrasher, Ken Candiotti, Sr., Tim Greer and Blake Freeman completed the Top-5.

Next up at Gresham Motorsports Park will be Year One Cruise Night and the debut of the Funopolis ‘FanTastic’ Challenge on Saturday, April 17. The Pro Late Models – the division that headlined the 2009 World Crown 300 last November – will make their first 2010 GMP appearance in a 100-lap main event. Also on tap for the GMP April 17 show will be main events in the Outlaw Late Model, Renegade Street Stock, Mini Stock and Truck divisions.

At intermission, Year One Cruise Night – Year One muscle cars, hot rods, classics and trucks will tool their way over to GMP for a great night of stock car racing and parade laps during intermission. Meanwhile, the Funopolis FanTastic Challenge – where adult fans can race a Funopolis Go Kart on the GMP front straight for prizes, free Funopolis coupons and free GMP race tickets – will also be one of the featured events at intermission.

Adult Grandstand Tickets for the action packed April 17 GMP show are just $20, Seniors and Active Military Personnel are $18 while Children 6-12 are $10. Children 5 and under will be admitted free.

Event Results

Racing Electronics USAR 250 Presented By Live Oak Plantation

1. Clay Rogers
2. Benny Gordon
3. John Gibson
4. A.J. Frank
5. Jeff Agnew
6. Tyler Young
7. Ryan Heavner
8. David Wilson
9. Logan Ruffin
10. Larry Barrett
11. Brandon Sweet
12. Caleb Holman
13. Tom Powers
14. Matt Lofton
15. Billy Bigley, Jr.
16. Bill Plemons, Jr.
17. J.P. Morgan
18. Ronnie Souders, Jr.
19. Bryan Silas
20. Andrew Gordon
21. Tom Powers, Jr.
22. Stephen Nasse

- Gresham Motorsports Park Press Release

It was a history making night on multiple levels for Darrell Wallace Jr. Saturday at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C.

Wallace, from Mobile, Ala., won the K&N Pro Series East season opening Kevin Whitaker Chevorlet 150 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

Wallace, making his debut in the division, became the youngest driver in K&N Pro Series East history to win an event. Wallace, at 16 years, 5 months and 19 days, bettered the record as the youngest driver previously set by Brett Moffitt at 16 years, 9 months and 27 days when he won at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in 2009.

Wallace is the first African-American driver to win a K&N Pro Series East event and also the first member of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program to win in the division.

The race was extended to 156 laps because of a late caution. Wallace held off pole-sitter Cole Whitt on the final restart to hang on for the victory. Wallace led 22 laps in the race. Andrew Smith of Pooler, Ga. was second and Jody Lavender of Hartsville, S.C. third.

Ryan Truex, the 2009 series champion, led a race-high 127 laps but was involved in two late race wrecks and fell to 15th.

Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Mass., the Thompson International Speedway Super Late Model champion in 2009, had a career best seventh place finish. Before Saturday Ramstrom's best finish in the division was 12th, which he accomplished twice in three previous starts.

Scott Bouley of Middlebury was the top state finisher at 14th. Matt Kobyluck, the 2008 series champion, was 16th, a lap down from the leaders. Last year's series runner-up, Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass., was 17th in the 30-car field.

(Photo: NASCAR - Peter Taylor/Getty Images)

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It was another Jimmie Johnson win last week at Bristol. Johnson, who led 84 laps, made his winning pass with just six to go. He captured his third win of the season and 50th in his career. In other news, in the final week before NASCAR abandoned the embattled wing, Cup teams tested the new spoiler at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. General reaction was positive out of the sport’s regulars. And finally JGR announced this week that Denny Hamlin would undergo surgery on a torn ACL. Casey Mears has been brought on as a relief driver while Hamlin recovers. The NASCAR week that was March 21 to 27, 2010.

New spoiler may backfire, lead to record-breaking year for Jimmie Johnson

Front Row drivers ecstatic about being in top 35

Is Tony Stewart NASCAR’s Smartest Owner?

Social media and NASCAR

RCR trainer has eye on the ball

Vintage Insiders

Cheating is a Team Sport

The Race Track Gourmet

**Remember if you have a NASCAR blog or website and would like a recent article you wrote featured in this section email me and you could be part of next week’s NASCAR Week That Was. Please only send stuff you have written.**