Ruocco, Bennett, Matthews, Ferrigno & Wood Score Wins at SMS

By admin September 15, 2007 Stafford

Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway was back in action with Friday night NASCAR racing with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event. Chris Matthews secured the 2007 SK Light championship in grand style by winning the SK Light feature for his fifth feature win of the 2007 season. Frank Ruocco took the SK Modified® feature win for his third feature win of the season, Michael Bennett was a first time winner in the Late Model feature, Joey Ferrigno was a first-time winner in the Limited Late Model feature, and Don Wood was a first-time winner in the DARE Stock feature. The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green with Willie Hardie setting the early pace from the pole. Jeff Malave followed closely behind Hardie, but would give way to Frank Ruocco. Hardie would hold the race lead until lap-15 when Ruocco moved past to take over the top spot. Woody Pitkat, who earlier won 5 features in a row and is in the running for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship, dropped off the pace on lap-19. Pitkat would go a lap down as he had carburetor issues under the hood of his car. Several caution periods through the middle stages of the race slowed the action and eliminated cars from the race. Ruocco charged to the lead with Ted Christopher on his bumper. Christopher stayed glued to Ruocco’s bumper, but Malave was also still in the mix and he made a strong move to the outside of Christopher with 5 laps to go. Christopher and Malave’s side by side battle gave Ruocco all the margin he needed as he scored his third feature win of the 2007 season. Malave got by Christopher on the final lap for second place, with Christopher, Brad Hietala, and Lloyd Agor rounding out the top-5 at the finish.

·         September 14 SK Modified®  Results

·         Updated 2007 SK Modified® Points

·         September 14 Late Model  Results

·         Updated 2007 Late Model Points

·         September 14 Limited Late Model  Results

·         Updated 2007 Limited Late Model Points

·         September 14 DARE Stock  Results

·         Updated 2007 DARE Stock Points

The 30-lap Late Model feature took the green with Wayne Coury, Jr. setting the early pace out front. Michael Bennett held second in the early going, but he fell back to fourth on a lap-6 restart that saw Jim Peterson take the lead from Coury. Peterson would hold the lead until lap-12 when on a restart, Dillon Moltz moved to the inside of Peterson only to have Bennett make a spectacular three-wide move coming off turn 4 to emerge as the new race leader. Once out front, Bennett began to pull away from Coury, but just past the half-way point Coury began to close back in on Bennett. Coury and Bennett ran nose to tail over the final 10 laps of the race with Coury nearly making the pass for the lead several times. Bennett was too strong to be overtaken and he scored his first career victory. Coury finished second, with Woody Pitkat, Peterson, and Moltz rounding out the top-5.

The 20-lap SK Light feature saw Chris Matthews clinch the 2007 Stafford Motor Speedway SK Light track championship in grand style by scoring his fifth feature victory of the year. George Nocera, Jr. took the lead at the green and he led the race until lap-11 when Matthews made his move to the front on a restart. Brit Andersen was on the move after the restart, working his way from fifth to second on lap-14. Andersen was fast, but not fast enough to run Matthews down at the front of the field. Rounding out the top-5 behind Matthews and Andersen was Josh Sylvester, Raymond Grassetti, and Nocera.

The 20-lap Limited Late Model feature took the green flag with Ed Charette taking the early lead. Charette held the lead until lap-5 when Davis moved out front. Contact between Charette and Davis with 7 laps complete brought the yellow out and sent Davis spinning and Charette to the rear of the field for rough riding. This put Joey Ferrigno into the lead ahead of Andrew Durand, Charlie Newman, and Rick Lanagan. Ferrigno was slowly extending his lead lap by lap and he went on to record his first career Limited Late Model feature victory. Durand finished second, with Lanagan, Sean Foster, and Newman rounding out the top-5.

The 15-lap DARE Stock feature took the green with John Kasper taking the early lead. Kasper’s lead was short lived as Don Wood quickly moved past Kasper to take over the top spot. Dan Flannery moved past Kasper for second on lap-9 and brought Norm Sears with him past Kasper. The top-4 cars then ran in line to the checkered flag as Wood scored his first career victory by holding off Dan Flannery and Norm Sears, who were both glued to Wood’s bumper over the final laps of the race. Rounding out the top-5 behind Wood, Flannery, and Sears was Kasper and Rob Lawrence.

For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR