Bakaj, Foster, Casagrande, Sears Score CARQUEST Fall Final Sat. Wins
Allegro, Davis, Sears Clinch Track Championships
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway kicked of its 36th Annual CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend on Saturday, October 11th with qualifying for the Camping World East Series and the Whelen Modified Tour, as well as hosting qualifying for its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions, and feature events for the SK Lights, Limited Late Models, and DARE Stocks.
In Camping World East Series Coors Light Pole qualifying, it was Brian Ickler setting the fast time with a new track record of 19.376 seconds. It was a good day in qualifying for Stafford SK Modified regulars Ted Christopher and Woody Pitakt, who time trialed 4th and 5th respectively. Matt Kobyluck, the 2008 Camping World East Series champion, will start 6th.
In Whelen Modified Tour Coors Light Pole qualifying, it was Mike Stefanik setting the fast time of� 18.158 seconds.� After the Coors LIght Pole redraw, Stefanik redrew the top starting position and he will be joined on the front row by championship leader Ted Christopher, who time trialed 7th fastest.
Christopher’s championship rival, Matt Hirschman, will start tomorrow’s 150-lap event from the 13th position.
The 20-lap SK Light feature took the green with Kyle Spencer leading the first three laps before Ted Cain moved to the front on lap-4.� A caution with 9 laps complete halted the field and set up a restart that saw Cain make contact with Heather DesRochers that sent DesRochers up the track. DesRochers recovered, but behind her Chris Matthews and Raymond Grassetti crashed and brought the caution out.� Cain was sent to the rear for rough riding, while Grassetti was done for the race and Matthews restarted at the back of the pack.� DesRochers held the lead until lap-12 when Chris Bakaj moved to the front.� Bakaj held the race lead the rest of the way to take his second win of the 2008 season.� Jay Goff finished second, with Joe Allegro, Jr., Tony Santangelo, and DesRochers rounding out the top-5. Allegro’s third place finish was enough to lock up the 2008 SK Light Modified track championship.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model feature came down to a wild finish between Sean Foster and Shawn Thibeault that had the grandstand rocking.� Michael Nadeau led the first lap with Thibeault moving to the front on lap-2. Foster was charging his way towards the front, moving into the top-3 by the halfway point of the race.� Foster took second on lap-14 and gave chase to Thibeault.� The two cars made contact on the last lap with Thibeault driving through the turn 1 grass and coming out of turn 2 still in the lead.� Foster made a move to the bottom groove in turn 3 and came off the final corner with the race lead and he took the checkered flag.� Andrew Durand also got by Thibeault on the final corner to take second, with Bill Davis and Michael Chaves rounding out the top-5.� Davis’ fourth place finish was enough to clinch the 2008 Limited Late Model track championship.
The 15-lap DARE Stock feature went green with Cliff Saunders setting the early pace.� Saunders held the lead until a lap-8 restart that saw Kyle Casagrande power into the race lead.� Casagrande held off a hard charge from Dan Flannery over the final laps of the race to take down his second feature victory of the 2008 season.� Flannery finished second, with John Kasper, Robert Thompson, and Don Wood rounding out the top-5.� Norm Sears finished seventh, whichi was good enough to clinch his third consecutive DARE Stock track championship, a feat that had previously been accomplished by only Phil Rondeau and Ryan Posocco.
The 8-lap Paradiso-Muska Shoot-Out saw Sears cap off his championship season in grand style by taking the checkered flag.� Sears started shotgun on the field in the 12-car event and charged his way through the field to the lead on lap-4.� Kyle Casagrande followed Sears through the field, but couldn’t get around Sears for what would have been his second feature victory of the day.� Rounding out the top-5 behind Sears and Casagrande was Todd LaPorta, Bill Dunn, and Matt Chiarizio.
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 LIGHT (20)
1) Chris Bakaj, New Britian
2) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
3) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
4) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
5) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
6) Shawn Brule, West Thompson
7) Ted Cain, Plymouth
8) Chris Matthews, Stafford
9) Mike Lane, Middlefield
10) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
11) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
12) Todd Clark, Bristol
13) Rick Burwood, Enfield
14) Steve Zukowski, Wallingford
15) Neil Provost Jr., Union
16) John Walmsley, Scotland
17) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
18) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
19) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
20) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
21) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Sean Foster, Ellington
2) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
3) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
4) Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
5) Michael Chaves, South Windsor
6) Michael Nadeau, Enfield
7) Ed Charette, Jr., Plainville
8) Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
9) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
10) Dave Yardley, Iii, Meriden
11) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
12) Charlie Newman, Stafford Springs
13) Lori-Jo Rzeszutek, Hadley, Ma
14) Stacey Botticello, Manchester
15) Barry Thomasen, Plainville
16) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
17) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
18) Carla Botticello, Manchester
19) Duane Noll, Monroe
20) John Bergenty, Plainville
21) Darrin Havanec, Storrs
22) Corky Hinze, Farmington
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Dan Flannery, Ellington
3) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
4) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
5) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
6) Scott Roy, Windsor
7) Norm Sears, Andover
8) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
9) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
10) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
11) Tom Stirk, West Haven
12) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
13) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
14) Jim Brice, Manchester
15) Tony Membrino, Jr., Southington
16) Mike Como, Jr., Warren, Ma
17) Tim Leduc, Longmeadow, Ma
18) Dennis Eschenbrenner, Plainville
19) Seth Wallace, East Hartford
20) Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
21) Bill Dunn, Prospect
22) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
23) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
24) Peter Bourque, Stafford Springs
25) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
26) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
27) John Lampro, Jr., Enfield
PARADISO-MUSKA SHOOT-OUT (10)
1) Norm Sears, Andover
2) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
3) Todd Laporta, Waterbury
4) Bill Dunn, Prospect
5) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
6) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
7) Scott Roy, Windsor
8) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
9) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
10) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
11) Dan Flannery, Ellington
12) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway, PR