Andersen, Durand & Wood Score First SMS Feature Events of 2009 at Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Saturday
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway’s 2009 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season and the chase for track championships got underway with its first feature events of the year. Brit Andersen powered to victory in his return to Stafford’s SK Light Modified competition, while Andrew Durand outlasted defending Limited Late Model champion Bill Davis to take the first victory for the new Stafford Speedway 602 Limited Late Model Spec Engine. Don Wood wired the field to take the checkered flag in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, it was Earl Pelletier leading the field to the green flag. Pelletier led the first two laps of the race before Brit Andersen moved to the front. Andersen began to slowly pull away from Pelletier and had a half-straightaway lead when the caution flew with 8 laps complete. Andersen continued to be the dominant car, pulling away from the competition through several caution periods. The final caution of the race came out with 3 laps to go and Andersen briefly lost the lead to Tony Santangelo, but was able to get back by Santangelo and race to the victory. Santangelo finished second, with Ted Cain, Earl Pelletier, and Jay Goff rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, there was a lead change at the green flag as Michael Chaves moved past Charlie Newman. Chaves held the race lead until lap-10 when a hard charging Andrew Durand moved by Chaves in turn 1. A late caution set up a three-lap dash to the finish that saw Durand and last year’s Limited Late Model champion Bill Davis duel for the lead. Davis kept even with Durand on lap-18, but Durand cleared Davis on lap-19 and went on to collect the checkered flag. Durand’s victory was the first win for the new Stafford 602 Limited Late Model Spec Engine. Rounding out the top-5 behind Durand and Davis was Dennis Botticello, Carla Botticello, and Jesse Hinze.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, the race belonged to Don Wood. Wood took the lead at the drop of the green flag and he led all 15 laps to take the checkered flag. The win did not come easy to Wood as Jeff Jolly was hounding the back bumper of Wood over the final 5 laps of the race, but was unable to make a pass on Wood. Bill Dunn finished third, with Albert Saunders fourth and Kyle Nosal 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.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR