Christopher, Hutchings, Sylvester, Foster & Brice Score Aug. 31 Wins at SMS
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway returned to Friday night NASCAR racing with fireworks on the track and high in the night time sky with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Fireworks Extravaganza program. Ted Christopher ended Woody Pitkat’s five-race winning streak and won his second SK Modified feature of the 2007 season, Corey Hutchings won the Late Model feature, Josh Sylvester won his second consecutive SK Light feature, Sean Foster won the Limited Late Model feature, and Jim Brice won the DARE Stock feature.
The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green flag with Willie Hardie charging from third to the lead on the opening lap. Ted Christopher quickly moved his way by both Lloyd Agor and Keith Rocco to move into second. A caution with 7 laps complete slowed the field and gave Christopher the opportunity to move by Hardie for the lead on the restart. The top-5 ran in line until lap-19 when Hardie fell back several spots from second as Rocco, Woody Pitakt, Jeff Malave, Kerry Malone, and Brad Hietala all moved by. Hietala was on the move in the middle stages of the race, working his way up to second behind Christopher. Several late caution periods set up a five-lap dash to the finish. Christopher was not to be headed as he led the final five laps to pick up his second SK Modified® feature win of the 2007 season. Hietala came home second, with Pitkat, Owen, and Hardie rounding out the top-5.
The 30-lap Late Model feature took the green flag with Michael Bennett pacing the field in the early laps. Bennett began to stretch out his lead over the field as the race took on a long green flag run from the start. Woody Pitkat was second with Corey Hutchings behind him in third place. A caution with 14 laps complete erased Bennett’s lead. Hutchings got around Pitkat for second on the restart, but Bennett was once again setting sail out front. Hutchings ran Bennett down and after several laps of hounding the back bumper of Bennett, Hutchings was able to finally get the lead on a lap-20 restart. Several late caution periods kept the field in close contact, but it was all Hutchings at the checkered flag as he picked up his second victory of the season. Jim Peterson finished second with Dillon Moltz, Bennett, and Ryan Posocco rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light feature saw Josh Sylvester victorious for the second week in a row in a wild finish. David Webb took the early race lead and he held he lead until lap-8, when Alan Provost powered past Webb on a restart to take over the race lead. Provost ran strong while out front and appeared poised to take down his second feature win of the season. Glen Reen was on a charge over the final laps of the race, mowing his way towards the front of the field. On the final lap of the race, Reen made a bonsai move to the inside of Provost as they were coming to the checkered flag. Reen touched wheels with Provost and they both headed into the wall, which collected the third place car of Brit Andersen and the fourth place of Raymond Grassetti and handed the lead and the win to Josh Sylvester. Chris Matthews finished second, with Mark Bakaj, Scott Nordman, and Heather DesRochers rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model feature took the green with Lori-Jo Rzeszutek taking the early lead. Charlie Newman overtook Rzeszutek on a lap-4 restart, and he held the lead until lap-10 when he got loose in turn 1 and Andrew Durand took over the lead. Durand then held the lead until lap-18 when on a restart, he didn’t come up to speed and there was a wreck that collected the top-4 cars and handed the lead to Sean Foster, who was running fifth. Foster led the final two laps to pick up his fourth victory of the 2007 season and extend his points lead. Paul Conte finished second, with Lori-Jo Rzeszutek, Michael Chaves, and Corky Hinze rounding out the top-5.
The 15-lap DARE Stock feature saw Jim Brice drive to his first victory of the 2007 season after see-saw battle between himself and Jesse Hinze for the lead. Hinze took the lead from the pole and Brice quickly settled into line behind him. Brice moved to the lead on lap-4 and had to contend first with Hinze and then with Tom Stirk for the race lead. Norm Sears was the hard charger in the closing laps of the race and he closed in on Brice’s bumper, but was not able to make a pass as Brice took the victory. Todd LaPorta finished third, with Bill Dunn fourth and Carla Botticello fifth. For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Ted Christopher, Plainville
2) Brad Hietala, Ellington
3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
4) Todd Owen, Somers
5) Willie Hardie, Jr., Willington
6) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
7) Scott Bouley, Middlebury
8) Jim Larsen, East Hartland
9) John Cleary, Madison
10) Keith Rocco, Wallingford
11) Wade Mattesen, Tolland
12) Ronnie Silk, Norwalk
13) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
14) Pete Pavone, Jr., Southbury
15) Jeff Malave, South Windsor
16) Curt Brainard, Canton
17) Fran Siana, Enfield
18) Kenny Horton, Guilford
19) Kerry Malone, Needham, Ma
20) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
21) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
22) Jim Smith, Woodstock
23) Lloyd Agor, New Milford
24) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
25) Stash Butova, Uncasville
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Corey Hutchings, Salem
2) Jim Peterson, Palmer, Ma
3) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
4) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
5) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
6) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
7) Mike Mordino, Southington
8) Doug Blowers, Jr., Brighton, Ma
9) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
10) Rick Charette, Ellington
11) Scott Foster, Jr., Willington
12) Steve McQuillan, Bolton
13) Kyle Nosal, Higganum
14) Mark Lewis, Southington
15) David St. Amant, Wallingford
16) Bobby Leone, East Windsor
17) Billy Snow, III, Berlin
18) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
19) John Warren, Chicopee, Ma
20) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
21) Scott Cook, Uncasville
22) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
2) Chris Matthews, Stafford
3) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
4) Scott Nordman, Woodstock
5) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
6) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
7) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
8) David Webb, New Milford
9) Kyler Cafro, Colchester
10) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
11) Alan Provost, Monson, Ma
12) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
13) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
14) Brit Andersen, Branford
15) Aaron Goff, Stafford Springs
16) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
17) Chris Bakaj, Farmington
18) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
19) Jay Goff, South Windsor
20) Jason Moore, West Springfield, Ma
21) Rich Hammann, Tolland
22) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
23) Michael Lane, Middlefield
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Sean Foster, Ellington
2) Paul Conte, Plainville
3) Lori-Jo Rzeszutek, Hadley, Ma
4) Michael Chaves, South Windsor
5) Corky Hinze, Farmington
6) Peter Martin, Plainville
7) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Ed Charette, Jr., Plainville
9) Greg Butler, Jr., East Hampton
10) Darrin Havanec, Storrs
11) Barry Thomasen, Plainville
12) Charlie Newman, Stafford Springs
13) David Capriati, Chicopee, Ma
14) Glenn Bartkowski, Vernon
15) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
16) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
17) Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
18) Rick Lanagan, III, Enfield
19) Pete Cayer, Bristol
20) Michael Nadeau, Enfield
21) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
22) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
23) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
24) Paul E. Jensen, East Hampton
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Jim Brice, Manchester
2) Norm Sears, Manchester
3) Todd Laporta, Waterbury
4) Bill Dunn, Prospect
5) Carla Botticello, Manchester
6) Tom Stirk, West Haven
7) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
9) Jeff Jolly, North Haven
10) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
11) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
12) Scott Roy, Bloomfield
13) Steve Berardi, Broad Brook
14) Rob Lawrence, Stafford Springs
15) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
16) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
17) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
18) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
19) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
20) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
21) Dan Gallo, Enfield
22) Albert Saunders, Stafford
23) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
24) Dan Flannery, Ellington
25) Megan Bienkowski, Berlin
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR