Dillon Moltz Wins N.E. Dodge Dealers 100 for Extra Distance Sweep at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway returned to racing action on Friday, August 22nd with the 14th Annual New England Dodge Dealers Late Model 100. Stafford’s Late Model division took center stage with their second extra distance event of the 2008 season on tap and it was Dillon Moltz taking down the victory ahead of Ryan Posocco. Moltz’s victory was a repeat of his 100-lap victory in June and cements him as the Late Model extra distance king of the 2008 season. Frank Ruocco nailed down his second win of the season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Mark Bakaj scored his third win of 2008 in 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Carla Botticello scored her first career Limited Late Model victory in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Scott Roy took down win number two of the 2008 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event.
The 100-lap Late Model saw Dillon Moltz cement himself as the king of the extra distance race by scoring an extra distance sweep by outdueling Ryan Posocco and Michael Bennett in a wild finish. The N.E. Dodge Dealers Late Model 100 took the green with Scott Cook setting the early pace. Cook led the first 8 laps before giving way to Dillon Moltz for the lead on lap-9. Moltz then held the race lead until lap-62 when Woody Pitkat moved to the front of the field. Pitkat’s time out front was short as Moltz took the lead back on lap-68. Moltz was still in front of the field when the caution came out with 94 laps complete and set up a wild finish. On the lap-95 restart, Michael Bennett moved from third to the lead in a power move with Moltz falling back to second and Ryan Posocco third. Bennett drifted up the track on lap-97 and Moltz moved back to the lead with Posocco in tow. Posocco was not able to get by Moltz over the final 2 laps and Moltz took the checkered flag for his fourth victory of the 2008 season. Posocco finished second with Pitkat, Bennett, and Dave Wray rounding out the top-5.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, it was Frank Ruocco taking down his second feature win of the 2008 season by outlasting Keith Rocco and Ted Christopher over the final laps of the race. Corey Hutchings took the early lead from the pole and he held the race lead up to lap-16 when Todd Owen moved to the front. Owen led until lap-21 when Keith Rocco moved to the front. Rocco held the lead until lap-33 when Frank Ruocco made a pass for the lead in turn 2. Rocco tried several moves to get back to the front, but Ruocco was too strong to be overtaken and he took the checkred flag for his second feature victory of the 2008 season. Rocco finished second with Ted Christopher, Owen, and Jeff Malave rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified feature saw Mark Bakaj pick up his third feature victory of the 2008 season. Mike Lane took the lead and led the first three laps of the race before Chris Matthews moved to the front on a lap-4 restart. Matthews held the lead until the caution came out with 9 laps complete as Alan Provost took the lead on the lap-10 restart. Provost held the lead until the caution came out with 13 laps complete. Mark Bakaj took the lead from Provost on the lap-14 restart. Several times Matthews seemed to have a run on Bakaj for the lead, but he couldn’t complete a pass as Bakaj was able to hold on for his third win of the 2008 season. Matthews finished second with Joe Allegro, Jr., Provost, and Lane rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello wired the field, leading from green to checkered to score her first career victory in the Limited Late Model division. Botticello took to the outside to pass polesitter Shawn Thibeault on the first lap and began to stretch her lead out. Thibeault ran second with David Capriati third until lap-7 when Capriati took over second. Bill Davis was charging his way through the field, moving into third place. The caution came out with 16 laps complete for an accident that eliminated Capriati and several other cars from contention. Botticello held Davis off over the final four laps of the race to take her first career Ltd. Late Model victory. Davis finished second, with Sean Foster, Andrew Durand, and Darrin Havanec rounding out the top-5. The 15-lap DARE Stock feature saw Scott Roy drive to his second feature victory of the 2008 season. The race took the green flag with Victoria Bergenty leading the first three laps before Todd LaPorta moved to the front of the field on lap-4. LaPorta held the lead until a green white checkred restart situation. Roy moved by LaPorta for the lead on a lap-14 restart with Don Wood also getting by LaPorta. Roy was able to hold off Wood to the checkered flag for his second feature win of the 2008 season. Wood finished second with LaPorta, Dan Flannery, and Norm Sears rounding out the top-5.
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