BERNDT ROCKETS FROM LAST TO FIRST TO WIN BLAST OFF 74; FIERCE COMPETITON AND SUNNY SKIES SET THE STAGE FOR 2025
For immediate release from the New London-Waterford Speedbowl
BERNDT ROCKETS FROM LAST TO FIRST TO WIN BLAST OFF 74; FIERCE COMPETITON AND SUNNY SKIES SET THE STAGE FOR 2025
WATERFORD – The 74th year of the Speedbowl Blast Off with some great weather and even better racing, with history being made along the way. Andrew Molleur
got off to the early lead in the SK Modifieds® but didn’t hang on long as Troy Talman dove in early taking Paul Kusheba with him. The field spread out with Kusheba pressuring the Talman machine and was able to get by, but only for 3 laps. Talman took the top spot back over on a lap 23 restart but in his mirror spelled trouble. Eric Berndt had to start the feature from last place after a technical infraction in the heat race. By lap 30, he was already in the lead. Berndt picked up his third Blast Off win in four years by a considerable margin, even after lapped traffic and a 13 to go restart got thrown his way.
Devin Deshaies left Michael Bennett in his rearview mirror at the drop of the green in the Late Models, but that 
stint would only last 5 laps until the caution flew. Bennett tried taking advantage of the situation as he stuck into the lead but Deshaies clawed for it back with Emma Monahan also in the mix. Just short of halfway, Monahan and Shawn Gaedeke got together bunching up the field once more. Brody Monahan used this opportunity to come from his last place starting spot into third where he’d peck away at the bumper of Bennett on the final lap to move into second. Deshaies coasted to the finish line for his first Late Model win at the ‘Bowl.
It looked like Nickolas Hovey had the SK Light race in his back pocket as he ran away from defending champion Evan Bourgeois and Tyler Chapman. Chapman kept on Bourgeois until a caution with 9 to go allowed him to pass. Bourgeois, in a battle with Eddie Gomarlo would draw the caution, giving Hovey his first challenge of the day. Chapman got the advantage on the restart that saw Hovey slip back into the field, where he would go on to score the win. Rookie Kevin Davis Jr. finished second and Hovey rebounded into third.
The Street Stocks rolled out for their 25-lap main event with a returning Jordan Hadley on the pole and leading from wire to wire. Him, defending champion Aaron Plemons, and 5-time Champion Al Stone III left the rest of the field in the dust. As the laps ticked down, Ike Chima worked over his competitors to slip into the top 5, and Stone was able to take down Plemons on the final lap to finish second.
Tyler Chapman picked up where he left off in 2024 with a dominating performance in the Trucks. He made quick work of Brad Caddick and made a sizable
gap in only four laps when the caution flew. The middle portion of the race ran clean and green until three to go when Chapman would get tested. First, Caddick would fall off the pace allowing Charles Beal to enter the mix. Then contact with two to go would get Beals truck out of shape allowing defending champion Brad Strickland to get a nose ahead while Chapman drove away to win.
While Corey Caddick had the early stages of the Mini Stocks covered, a hornets nest for the runner up spot was in full force. Over a handful of drivers jockeying for position and it was Ray Christian III to be the first to break out with Andrew Krzeminski right behind him. Caddick had some mechanical woes on the following restart and had to drop off the pace, giving Christian the top spot. Krzeminski was able to pull away from Bill Sylvia and Nick Pappacoda (who had to start last) and reel in Christian as the laps ticked down but couldn’t make a move. Christian’s return to the Mini Stocks wrapped up in victory lane.
Last years Legend Car Blast Off winner Zachary Martinez was looking to repeat after a strong start to the 25 lap race with Dylan Freeman in his personal
space. It didn’t last as long as he’d hoped, with the car falling off the pace on lap 5. 2024 champion PJ Evans, now with the lead, had a new set of challenges. Brandon Martinez turned the heat up on Evans and was able to get by. Brandon held off the competition on a couple late race restarts to pick up his first trophy since 2020.
Gregg Prevost III made history by winning the first ever Crown Vic race held on the shoreline oval. Ben LeVangie got off to the early lead but on lap 5 Prevost would get a nose down low and stay there for 15 of the 20 laps. The two raced clean and green like that until the drop of the checkered flag where Prevost had the advantage.
Chris Pasteryak was welcomed home after a dominating performance in the 75 Lap Modified Racing Series main, picking up his first win at the ‘Bowl since 2015. Doug Meservey Jr. dominated the Pro 4 Modifieds and Tom Harwood was able to get by Zig Geno to win the New England Dwarf Car Series race.
Up next is Military Appreciation Night! A six-division program featuring the SK Modifieds®, Late Models, SK Lights, Street Stocks, Legend Cars, and Crown Vics. To
keep up with the Speedbowl, please visit our website at www.SpeedbowlCT.com, follow us at The New London-Waterford Speedbowl on Facebook, or @SpeedbowlCT on Instagram and X.
Unofficial Results
SK Modifieds® (74 Laps): 1. 11CT-Eric Berndt[17]; 2. 57-Paul Kusheba IV[2]; 3. 25-Anthony Flannery[5]; 4. 09-Keith Rocco[6]; 5. 6MA-Troy Talman[3]; 6. 81-Todd Owen[8]; 7. 51-Rob Janovic Jr[7]; 8. 77-Chase Cook[9]; 9. 35-Andrew Molleur[1]; 10. 94-Justin Gaydosh[10]; 11. 9-Paul Buzel[16]; 12. 47-Timmy Jordan[12]; 13. 27-Adam Gada[14]; 14. 9CT-Joseph Ternullo[4]; 15. 81X-Joshua Zentek[11]; 16. 22RI-Carl Kivisto[15]; 17. 52-Anthony Forino[13]
Late Models (30 Laps): 1. 64-Devin Deshaies[1]; 2. 31-Brody Monahan[11]; 3. 19-Michael Bennett[2]; 4. 55MA-Randy Cole Jr[10]; 5. 2-Douglas Curry[3]; 6. 31CT-Joey LeMay[6]; 7. 19CT-Kyle Gero[7]; 8. 09-Shawn Gaedeke[5]; 9. 39-Christopher Douton[8]; 10. 50RI-Michael Benevides[9]; 11. 78-Emma Monahan[4]
SK Lights (25 Laps): 1. 07-Tyler Chapman[3]; 2. 10-Kevin Davis[5]; 3. 16-Nickolas Hovey[2]; 4. 76-Edward Gomarlo[6]; 5. 14-Kali Trapp[8]; 6. 21-Sami Anderson[1]; 7. 12-Amanda Slater[12]; 8. 11-Robert Bloxsom III[7]; 9. 79-Adrianna Kimmer[10]; 10. 18-Anthony Raccio[11]; 11. 19-John Brunelle[9]; 12. 4-RJ Surdell[13]; 13. 9-Teagan D’Agata[14]; 14. 78-Evan Bourgeois[4]
Street Stocks (25 Laps): 1. 12-Jordan Hadley[1]; 2. 52-Al Stone III[3]; 3. 67-Aaron Plemons[2]; 4. 80-Norm Root III[4]; 5. 56-Ike Chima[8]; 6. 43-William Rheaume[6]; 7. 74-Joseph Arena[7]; 8. 3-Adam Coutu[5]
Trucks (25 Laps): 1. 81-Tyler Chapman[3]; 2. 84JR-Brad Strickland[7]; 3. 30-Charles Beal[5]; 4. 07-Austin Long[4]; 5. 30CT-Jaysin Beal[10]; 6. 29-Duane Noll[9]; 7. 52-Chris Palamar[2]; 8. 33-Jake Coutu[11]; 9. 54-Cameron Varricchio[8]; 10. 25-David Venice[13]; 11. 16-Brad Caddick[1]; 12. 99-Milania Shilosky[6]; 13. 00-Ryan Bannister[12]
Mini Stocks (25 Laps): 1. 93-Ray Christian III[5]; 2. 53-Andrew Krzeminski[8]; 3. 88-Bill Sylvia[3]; 4. 6-Nicholas Pappacoda[18]; 5. 25-Charles Canfield[6]; 6. 19-David Dorr[4]; 7. 50-David Lee[15]; 8. 83-Christopher Garside[2]; 9. 28-Erica Canfield[9]; 10. 73-Eric Julian[7]; 11. 92-Sean Olden[12]; 12. 16-Tim Dorr[11]; 13. 81-Stacey Zentek[14]; 14. 22-Hailey Beal[17]; 15. 23-Matt Pinson[19]; 16. 27X-Corey Caddick[1]; 17. 11-Jason Kokoszka[13]; 18. 91-Tom Jones Jr[16]; 19. 05-Randy Churchill Jr[10]
Legend Cars (25 Laps): 1. 12RI-Brandon Martinez[8]; 2. 91-Riley Paul[5]; 3. 12X-PJ Evans[3]; 4. 00-Nicholas Chaber Jr[14]; 5. 11-Dustin Gagne[11]; 6. 5-Aubry Wasko[9]; 7. 7X-Patrick Smith[4]; 8. 58-Thomas Sansoucy[7]; 9. 42-Cal Anderson[10]; 10. 44-Parker Davis[16]; 11. 53-Hunter Cavallaro[12]; 12. 57-KJ Rocco[19]; 13. 12-Nicholas Massirio[18]; 14. 26-Sydney Cook[13]; 15. 79-Aiden Kimmer[15]; 16. 65-Wade Oemcke[6]; 17. 05-Dylan Freeman[1]; 18. 77-Dennis Pantani[20]; 19. 14Z-Zachary Martinez[2]; 20. (DNS) 25-Jordan Churchill
Crown Vics (20 Laps): 1. 24-Gregg Prevost III[2]; 2. 10-Ben Levangie[1]; 3. 9-Tyrese Mello[3]
Modified Racing Series (Top 5): 1. Chris Pasteryak; 2. Brett Meservey; 3. Dylan Izzo; 4. Joey Mucciaccairo; 5. Brian Robie
Pro 4 Modifieds (Top 5): 1. Doug Meservey Jr.; 2. Brett Meservey; 3. Ryan Morgan; 4. Craig Phillips; 5. Jack Dumas
New England Dwarf Car Series 1. 29-Tom Harwood[7]; 2. 57-Zig Geno[4]; 3. 0NO-Chris Sullivan[3]; 4. 8-Bob Poloski[2]; 5. 72-Kenny Scott Jr[5]; 6. 23-Jeremy Rodimon[1]; 7. 55-Katie Buxton[6]
(Images by TK Race Photo)
