Flockhart, Gardella, Payne WTS winners
DiGiantomasso, Sutphin, Constandi complete Saturday's victory lane
BY WALTER ELLIOT
Correspondent

WALL TOWNSHIP - Kevin Flockhart of Jackson outlasted Dave Cranmer to win his second NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modified main this season at Wall Township Speedway Saturday night.

Byran Gardella of Brick and Joey Payne of Fair Lawn captured their respective INEX Legends Cars and Keenan Motors American Three Quarter Midget Racing Association features. Charlie DiGiantomasso of Jackson and Robert Sutphin of Brick won their first street stock and RMP Modified Affordable Division features. Joe Constandi of Flemington won his second Value Towing Factory Stock feature.

Flockhart came from the sixth starting spot to catch pole-sitter Cranmer within their feature's first 18 laps. The Crestwood Jewelers/Boardwick Racing Engines No. 12 Sisco-Chevrolet driver ousted Cranmer nine laps later and put a .930-second victory margin on Jimmy Blewett after 40 laps.

"The long cautions cooled my tires," said Flockhart of his 10th career Wall WAAS modified victory. "I'm sorry about what happened with Jason Treat - I thought I had more room."

Flockhart was referring to his lap-17 contact with Treat that sent the latter spinning to ninth place. Cranmer, still seeking his first career victory, faded to seventh.

Three accidents sidelined heat winners Michael Bohn and Tommy Farrell, defending track champion John Blewett III and three other drivers by lap three. Jimmy Blewett, Steve Reed, Alan Creveling and Justin Gumley rounded out the top six of 11 finishers. Jimmy Blewett and Gumley won May 26's twin 35-lap features.

Gardella successfully defended his 40-lap Legends Cars race crown by repelling Dan Roslin by .155 seconds the last seven laps. The 2005 class champ has been entering his ServiceMaster 600 Racing/Yamaha No. 14NJ in selected races this year.

Gardella, Roslin and 17 other finishers' placings remain unofficial as of deadline pending a protest. Defending class champ and May 26 feature winner Steve Stull was the first of eight nonfinishers.

Gardella apologized for running into poleman Ryan Flores' rear bumper. Race officials black-flagged Flores' No. X15 for the dangling bumper on lap 29. Flores, who moved from Sea Girt to work at NASCAR Nextel Cup car owner Jack Roush's Mooresville, N.C., headquarters, set a 14.784-second mark on the banked, paved one-third-mile oval in time trials.

Payne, whose full midget schedule keeps him from making all ATQMRA races, won the seventh of his last nine WTS features. The No. 26 Spitfire/Suzuki GSXR pilot got the drop on Chris Deritis and pulled to a 1.44-second victory margin after 25 laps. Current points leader Bob Watkins Jr. placed third among 12 finishers. The TQs are to return July 7.

DiGiantomasso split the heats with John McCormack and went on to win his first career street stock feature over Harry Schaefer and Rich Mongeau. The No. 38 Metric Chevy Monte Carlo driver credited C&T Lawn Sprinklers and eight other sponsors plus his family and crew for his first WTS victory lane visit in any division since 2001. Last Week's feature winner Gregg Miranda finished 11th.

Sutphin capitalized on Ron Buck's lap-11 miscue to win his first career RMP MAD main. The Van Wickle NAPA No. 50 Troyer-RMP Chevy driver last won a NASCAR WAAS modified main in 1998. Class titlist and last week's feature winner Danny Bohn took third among 13 finishers.

Constandi, aboard his No. 21 Fratesi Masony/1-888- VALUE-TOW Monte Carlo, held off charging heat winners Vern McLaughlin and Felix Ciattarelli in the factory stock night cap. Ciattarelli's car was found underweight, elevating Tom Fratesi and 16 other finishers one place. May 26 winner Richard Petey took 11th place.

Sportsman racers rejoin Wall's five regular divisions 6 p.m. Saturday. The Four-Cylinder Supermodifieds' debut and double features for teenage Legends Cars drivers headline the Wall Sunday Series at noon June 10. Call (732) 681-6400 or visit wallspeedway.com for details.