Kobyluck Repeats Busch East Series Victory At Hometown Waterford Speedbowl; Olsen Extends Point Lead Over Sean Caisse To 44 Points With Three Races Remaining
WATERFORD, Conn. – Matt Kobyluck, whose home and shop are located within a few miles of the Waterford Speedbowl, gave his hometown fans and family a victory to celebrate for the second year in a row by winning Saturday night’s Big Y World Class Market 150 NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series race. He took the lead from Busch Pole winner Sean Caisse on a lap 30 restart and only surrendered it briefly on three other restarts for the rest of the distance. Caisse dropped from contention for the win when he and Kobyluck made side-to-side contact on the back straight on a lap 56 restart.
Bryon Chew, driving despite a serious non-racing leg injury, finished a strong second with Brian Hoar third. Point leader Mike Olsen was fourth and Mike Johnson fifth. Caisse came back from the incident with Kobyluck to take sixth. Kip Stockwell, Charles Lewandoski, Ruben Pardo, and Dion Ciccarelli completed the top ten.
Kobyluck averaged 49.079 miles per hour as seven caution periods slowed the action for 61 laps. After the final three-lap dash to the finish, Kobyluck’s margin was 0.462 seconds over Chew. Caisse, using the new NASCAR Grand National Division “spec” engine for the first time in competition, posted a track record speed to win the Busch Pole, his fourth of the season. Tim Cowen improved the most places from start to finish to earn the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award, while Kobyluck was 23 places better than his last race finish to take the Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award. The checkered flag saw 21 cars still on the track with 13 of them on the lead lap.
Kobyluck, who started second, led 118 laps and earned the maximum 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. In addition to Caisse, Olsen and Chew were also credited as lap leaders, worth five bonus points for each. Olsen increased his point lead from 34 to 44 with three races to go by placing two spots ahead of Caisse. Chew took third in the point race by nine points over Hoar, with Kobyluck only two points further back in fifth. Ruben Pardo edged one point in front of Dion Ciccarelli in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contest.
The next race for the Busch East Series is the New Hampshire 125 at Loudon, N.H., on Saturday, September 16. That event begins a streak of three races in three weeks at major race facilities to decide the 2006 title.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH EAST SERIES
Big Y World Class Markets 150s
Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn., Saturday, August 19, 2006
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Hometown
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
2
40
Matt Kobyluck
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
150
$7,800
2
4
99
Bryon Chew
Mattituck, N.Y.
Buzz Chew/Elbow East Chevrolet
150
$3,200
3
5
45
Brian Hoar
Williston, Vt.
Goss Dodge Dodge
150
$2,800
4
6
61
Mike Olsen
N. Haverhill, N.H.
Little Trees Chevrolet
150
$2,300
5
3
96
Mike Johnson
Salisbury, Mass.
Johnson Lumber Ford
150
$2,100
6
1
44
Sean Caisse
Pelham, N.H.
Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet
150
$2,800
7
11
16
Kip Stockwell
Braintree, Vt.
Stockwell Racing Chevrolet
150
$1,700
8
9
01
Charles Lewandoski
Stafford Springs, Conn.
Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet
150
$1,600
9
7
12
Ruben Pardo*
Mexico
Supercuts Dodge
150
$1,500
10
16
84
Dion Ciccarelli*
Severn, Md.
Jamerson Motorsports/Star Sales Ford
150
$1,475
11
12
3
Joey McCarthy
Randolph, N.J.
STI Motorsports Chevrolet
150
$1,450
12
10
33
Tracy Gordon
Strong, Maine
The Woodworks/Archer Corp. Ford
150
$1,425
13
19
15
John Salemi
Nashua, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
150
$1,400
14
20
24
Patrick Dupree*
Onchiota, N.Y.
Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet
148
$1,375
15
22
83
Ray Ciccarelli
Ellicott City, Md.
Chron's & Colitis Foundation Ford
147
$850
16
17
10
Pierre Borque*
Ottawa, Ont.
driving.ca/canada.com Chevrolet
146
$1,325
17
15
5
John Freeman*
Huntersville, N.C.
Freeman's Stereo & Video Chevrolet
143
$1,250
18
26
75
Tim Cowen
Ashland, Oh.
Cowen Logistics Ford
143
$1,725
19
23
14
Joe Masessa
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Skin Cancer Foundation Chevrolet
142
$1,200
20
18
26
Scott Bouley
Thomaston, Conn.
Towne & Aurell Excavating Chevrolet
139
$1,175
21
9
30
Jeff Anton
Russell, Mass.
Engineered Floors Chevrolet
105
$1,150
22
25
97
Brent Cross*
Cortland, N.Y.
Cummings Auto Machine Chevrolet
73
$1,150
Vibration
23
13
67
Jamie Aube
Bow, N.H.
Red Line Synthetic Oil Chevrolet
68
$650
Engine
24
21
8
Rich Gould*
N. Brunswick, N.J.
Nassau Painting Chevrolet
20
$1,150
Rear End
25
14
41
Mark Durgin
Lynn, Mass.
Mannings USA Chevrolet
11
$650
Transmission
26
27
54
Roger Carter
Concord, N.C.
Isiah10.com Chevrolet
8
$650
Engine
27
24
25
Jeremy Clark*
Cortland, N.Y.
Drake Oil Chevrolet
3
$1,150
Vibration
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 7 minutes, 51 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 49.079 mph
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.462 seconds
CAUTION PERIODS: 7 for 61 laps
LEAD CHANGES: 9 among 4 drivers
LAP LEADERS: Causse 1-13, Kobyluck 14, Caisse 15-29, Kobyluck 30-54, Caisse 55, Kobyluck 56-74, Olsen 75-76, Kobyluck 77-120, Chew 121, Kobyluck 122-150
BUSCH POLE AWARD: Sean Caisse, Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet (14.800 seconds @ 91.216 miles per hour) – track record
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Tim Cowen, Cowen Truck Line Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Matt Kobyluck, Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
UNOFFICIAL BUSCH EAST SERIES POINT STANDINGS (wins)
1. Mike Olsen (2) 1355
2. Sean Caisse (3) 1311
3. Bryon Chew (1) 1179
4. Brian Hoar 1170
5. Matt Kobyluck (2) 1168
6. Mike Johnson 1116
7. Joey McCarthy 1078
8. Charles Lewandoski 1041
9. Jeff Anton 972
10.Ruben Pardo 968
11.Kip Stockwell 964
12.Dion Ciccarelli 927
13.John Salemi 882
14.Scott Bouley 869
15.John Freeman 864
NEXT RACE: New Hampshire 125, New Hampshire Intl Speedway, Loudon, N.H., Sat., Sept. 16
