Kobyluck Defends Waterford Win
Matt Kobyluck entertained more than 500 guests with a thrilling hometown victory in the Big Y World Class Markets 150 Busch East Series race at Waterford Speedbowl Saturday night.
Kobyluck took the lead from Sean Caisse on a lap 30 restart, and crossed the checkers having led 118 laps of the 150-lap distance. It was the second win this season for the driver of the No. 40 Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet.
“Fortunately, I know what you have to have to win. I just drove a smart race, and tried to bide my time and not to burn up my tires,” said Kobyluck, who won last years event at Waterford Speedbowl.
“I really had to wheel the car here tonight, because it wasn’t as good as the car we won with last year. The one we planned on bringing was tore up at Adirondack so we had to bring a different car. This car has been to victory lane before – we won with it at Seekonk – and it is a good short track car, but we worked on it pretty hard today.”
Kobyluck kicked off the day with a qualifying effort of 80.885 mph (14.821 seconds). Kobyluck sat atop of the speed charts until Caisse bested him by 2/100th’s of a second.
“We thought no one was going to be able to touch it, and then Sean went out there and out-qualified us. That was a little discouraging because I thought, by far, that was the fastest anyone had ever gone around here before.”
Caisse and Kobyluck paced the field to green, but Caisse was able to pull out to a big advantage at
Kobyluck stands by his winning ride at Waterford. (Ken Spring Photo)
the start. “I don’t know what he was thinking, but he took off on the restart point. It made me look like I was sleeping at the start.”
A caution at lap nine tightened the field up once again for a restart on lap 14 when Kobyluck was able to put his Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet out front for one lap. Caisse was able to regain the lead on lap 15, where he remained until a restart at lap 30 when Kobyluck jumped to the point.
“(Sean) was monkeying around and lunging at the double orange line on the wall. NASCAR has said that when we get to that point and the inside guy doesn’t go – the inside guy can fire and go. That’s what I did – I fired and went – and I got the lead.”
Tensions rose during a lap 55 restart when Caisse made a bid for the lead. The duo went through turns one and two running side-by-side. Going down the backstretch, the two made contact, and Caisse went into the wall.
“It was one of those vicious things that was a racing deal,” Kobyluck explained. “The contact was initiated by him. I think he got free on the outside. I don’t know what else could have caused that, but when that happens, there is absolutely nothing you can do to separate yourself from someone when they are leaning on your right rear. It was turning me back into him. Unfortunately, he got the worse end of that.”
Kobyluck lost the lead to Mike Olsen following a lap 72 restart. The two were running door-to-door and Olsen beat out the Uncasville, CT-driver at the line by just inches. They continued their tight battle for two more laps with Kobyluck settling out front at lap 77, where he remained until lap 121 when Bryon Chew as able to go by him on a restart. Chew led only one lap before Kobyluck had his Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet out front again.
“On that restart it was raining. I couldn’t believe they were going to restart the race. I thought everyone was going to wreck going down into turn one. We got down in there, and I slipped up the track and Bryon slipped up the track. Bryon had a good car on the restarts. If I could run two or three laps I could get away from him, but on that initial start he was able to get away from me.”
And that’s why Kobyluck didn’t like seeing the final caution wave at lap 143. It set-up a three-lap dash to the checkers. Despite Chew’s challenges, Kobyluck was able to pull away and take the win.
“I was just on a mission to seal the deal. I drove it like I stole it,” Kobyluck said.
