MAURIELLO WINS RACE, REED MODIFIED CHAMP AT WALL STADIUM SATURDAY

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MAURIELLO WINS RACE, REED MODIFIED CHAMP AT WALL STADIUM SATURDAY

Story By: Jeff Gravatt/Wall Stadium – Photos By: John John Lane/RacersGuide.com

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Eric Mauriello of Howell quickly turned a bad season into a good one Saturday afternoon as he won his second straight Downs Ford Modified stock car 40-lap main event of the season. Jackson’s Steven Reed also had plenty of reason to celebrate as his third place finish nailed down the 2016 Driving Championship for the division.

After being postponed for two consecutive Saturday evenings by rain the Saturday afternoon event saw Mauriello jump to the lead at the outset with Derek Hopkinson of Toms River offering plenty of challenges. When Hopkinson had trouble a quarter of the way through the contest Kenny Matlach of New Hyde Park, N.Y. advanced to second with Reed and fellow title contender Chas Okerson of Freehold taking over third and fourth.

Mauriello was able to cruise in for the win while Matlach fought off Reed for the runner-up spot. Okerson and Chad Churilla wrapped up the top five.

“These two wins mean a lot to us,” Mauriello said. “They give us momentum going into the Spooky Spectacular and the Turkey Derby.”

After the race Reed said that winning the title was a team effort.

“My father, my mother and everyone who supports this car deserve credit for the title,” Reed said. “This second championship means just as much as the first. I am very proud of everyone involved.”

Jarret DiGiantomasso of Jackson powered to the lead of the Snap On Sportsman 30-lapper with just a few laps remaining to win his first ever race in the division. Dom Fattarusso of Brick chased him through for second with early leader Matt Langbein of Laurence Harbor third and Mayetta’s Tyler Truex fourth. Howell’s Kevin Davison won his second Sportsman title by finishing fifth. Title contender Ricky Collins of Willow Grove, Pa. saw his race end early in a crash on lap 11. Collins was credited with 16th.

Fred Cannock of Port Monmouth won his first main event of the season in the Surfside Collision 4 Cylinder Stock 25-lap feature race over Brick’s Jason Lane, Christian LaCicero of Lavallette, Wall’s TJ Graves and Brick’s Ronnie Mullen. Todd Pilla of Beachwood used a seventh place finish to nail his first championship. Both Pilla and contender Brian Osborn of Howell who finished tenth battled adversity throughout the final points awarding race.

Mike Alcaro of West Milford won the 25-lapper for the Green Flag Driving Experience Legend Cars over Long Island based racers Kevin Nowak and Richie Davidowitz. Louie Keraitis of Toms River nailed down the championship by finishing fourth with Nick Van Wickle of Edgewater Park fifth.

Shanon Mongeau of Manchester won his third main event for the Elite Maintenance Limited Late Models. Mike Tillett of Bayville crossed the finish line second to secure the 2016 driving title. Brian Doyle of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Jackson’s Glen Conk and Ray Minieri completed the top five.

Scott Riggleman of Manchester was the surprise winner of the O’Shea’s Auto Repair Factory Stock 25-lapper after every car in the original top five failed post race tech inspection. John Bowers of Pt. Pleasant, Scott Maher of Brick, Howell’s John Carpenter and Wall’s Rob Longo finished second through fifth. Original winner Jerry Stanzione of Keansburg, newly crowned champion Joe Mongeau of Brick, Wall’s Richie Byrne, Elliot Wohl and Mike Montano all suffered disqualifications.

With the 2016 title chases completed post-season events now take center stage at the third mile high-banked paved oval. The annual “Spooky Spectacular,” featuring the Modifieds in twin 50-lap races, is set for Saturday October 29. Pit area gates will open at 11:00 a.m.; grandstands will open at 2:00 p.m., qualifying is set for 2:45 p.m. and the first main event will take the green flag at 4:00 p.m.

The “Turkey Derby” will then wrap up the 2016 season during the daylight hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Once the “Turkey Derby” is contested all attention will be focused on the 2017 season, which will begin with practice sessions in April.

Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400, the website is wallspeedwayracing.com and email address is CKMotorsports@aol.com.

MODIFIED FEAUTE – 40 Laps – 1. ERIC MAURIELLO, HOWELL, 2. Kenny Matlach, 3. Steven Reed, 4. Chas Okerson, 5. Chad Churilla, 6. Andrew Krause, 7. Ron Frees, 8. Zack Alspach, 9. Trevor Alspach, 10. Derek Hopkinson, 11. Shaun Carrig, 12. Rob Hyer, 13. Shawna Ingraham, 14. Adam LaCicero

CHAMPION: STEVEN REED, JACKSON

SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 30 Laps – 1. JARRET DIGINATOMASSO, JACKSON, 2. Dom Fattarusso, 3. Matt Langbein, 4. Tyler Truex, 5. Kevin Davison, 6. Robby Walton, 7. Blake Barney, 8. Nick Shaw, 9. John McCormack, 10. Chris Owsik, 11. Michael Carr, 12. Todd Dige, 13. Dave Bailey, 14. Roland DeMartino, 15. Joe Cocca, 16. Ricky Collins, 17. Kenny Van Wickle, 18. Donnie Ericson, 19. Jon Laureigh, 20. Tim Stephan, 21. Kenny Green, 22. Mike Brennan

CHAMPION: KEVIN DAVISON, HOWELL

4 CYLINDER STOCK FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. FRED CANNOCK, PORT MONMOUTH, 2. Jason Lane, 3. Christian LaCicero, 4. TJ Graves, 5. Ronnie Mullen, 6. Jay Conrad, 7. Todd Pilla, 8. Chuck McDonald, 9. Jeff Loesch, 10. Brian Osborn, 11. Richard Smith, 12. Darianne McLaren, 13. Darren Burdge, 14. Mike Lavery, 15. Frank Ciancitto

CHAMPION: TODD PILLA, BEACHWOOD

LEGEND CARS FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. MIKE ALCARO, WEST MILFORD, 2. Kevin Nowak, 3. Richie Davidowitz, 4. Louie Keraitis, 5. Nick Van Wickle, 6. Robert French, 7. Peter Bruno, 8. Jim Sylvester, 9. Luke Marzano, 10. Vinny Delaney, 11. Malcolm Campbell, 12. Steve Woytysiak, 13. Tom Stavola, 14. Jim Van Wickle, 15. Roger Nickerson, 16. Chris Gall

CHAMPION: LOUIE KERAITIS, TOMS RIVER

LIMITED LATE MODEL FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. SHANON MONGEAU, MANCHESTER, 2. Mike Tillett, 3. Brian Doyle, 4. Glen Conk, 5. Ray Minieri, 6. Greg Gastelu, 7. Michelle Moorman, 8. Howie Conk, 9. Bill Vanderveen

CHAMPION: MIKE TILLETT, BAYVILLE

FACTORY STOCK FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. SCOTT RIGGLEMAN, MANCHESTER, 2. John Bowers, 3. Scott Maher, 4. John Carpenter, 5. Rob Longo, 6. Eric Bodenschatz, 7. Gerry Koenig, 8. Tim O’Shea, 9. Ron Booth, 10. Whitey Miller, 11. Tom Rajkowski, 12. Tony Bartone, 13. Tim Majek, 14. Matt Badessa, DQ Jerry Stanzione, Joe Mongeau, Richie Byrne, Elliot Wohl, Mike Montano

CHAMPION: JOE MONGEAU, BRICK

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