WATERFORD, CT :: Donny Lia dominated the Mr. Rooter 161 from the Waterford Speedbowl but he wasn’t the driver celebrating in victory lane. Instead it was Bobby Santos getting soaked by his crew in celebration.

Lia went out last in qualifying and took the pole away from Santos. He led 132 laps, but wasn’t able to lead the last one.

Santos dove to the bottom of turn three. He slammed into the left side nerf bar on Lia’s Mystic Missle machine. Both drivers got sideways and slid their way through turns three and four with Santos emerging ahead.

“I about got put in the outside wall about three or four times,” said Santos. “I made a pass that I don’t think any other person in that pits wouldn’t have done.”

Santos started to pull away from the rest of the field as Lia, Tommy Barrett, and Woody Pitkat battled for second half a straightaway behind. Barrett came out of that battle as the winner and started to eat into Santos’ lead.

Barrett had a chance on a restart after Timmy Solomito and Ron Silk crashed in turn three on lap 145, but Barrett had a flat tire on the restart that caused him to lose quite a few spots. Barrett ended up in the turn one wall a lap later bringing out the caution once again.

For the third straight year this race came down to a green-white-checkered finish, but this time it was Santos and Lia instead of Doug Coby and Ryan Preece. Santos took the inside on the restart and cleared Lia by the time they came off turn two.

Lia made it back to Santos’ back bumper in turn three and gave the Tinio Racing machine two hard shots in the back, but Santos was able to hang on and take down the victory.

“He said he was up on the outside of me one time and I didn’t give him much room,” said Lia. “(And) he was turning right through the corner before the restart.”

Lia, Ted Christopher, Justin Bonsignore, and Patrick Emerling completed the top five.

Results:

1. Bobby Santos

2. Donny Lia

3. Ted Christopher

4. Justin Bonsignore

5. Patrick Emerling

6. Ryan Preece

7. Woody Pitkat

8. Keith Rocco

9. Ron Yuhas Jr.

10. Doug Coby

11. Jamie Tomaino

12. Glen Reen

13. Dave Salzarulo

14. Ken Heagy

15. Wade Cole

16. Rowan Pennink

17. Jimmy Zacharias

18. Gary McDonald

19. Ron Silk

20. Derek Ramstrom

21. Timmy Solomito

22. Shawn Solomito

23. Tommy Barrett Jr.

24. Matt Hirschman

25. Eric Goodale

26. Spencer Davis

27. Melissa Fifield

28. Craig Lutz