Rocco, Posocco, Santangelo, Thibeault, Thompson & LaPorta Score May 15th Whelen Event Night Feature Wins at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway returned to racing action with Whelen Event Night on Friday, May 15. Taking down feature victories were Keith Rocco in the SK Modified® feature and Ryan Posocco in the Late Model feature. Tony Santangelo scored his second consecutive SK Light Modified feature win, while Shawn Thibeault took his first career Limited Late Model feature victory. With two DARE Stock feature events on the card, Robert Thompson and Todd LaPorta drove to CARQUEST Victory Lane.
The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green flag with the action at the front of the pack fast and furious. Keith Rocco moved to the lead on lap-2 after riding side by side with Curt Brainard for the first lap. Frank Ruocco made a bid for the lead on lap-3, taking the lead from Rocco in turn 3 only to have Rocco pull the crossover move and retake the lead coming out of the fourth turn.
Rocco held the lead until lap-12 when Ted Christopher made a move to the inside of Rocco in turn 4. Christopher and Rocco ran nose to tail until lap-23 when Rocco made a bottom shot move on Christohper in turn 1 to retake the lead. Rocco began to stretch his lead out over Christopher, but his lead was erased when the caution came out with 37 laps complete for a spin by Nichole Morgillo.
On the restart, Christohper was judged to have jumped the restart and was penalized one lap. That put Woody Pitkat alongside Rocco for the restart. After several more caution periods, it was down to a green white checkered finish. Pitkat hung tough on the outside of Rocco, but he came up a half car length short at the checkered flag. Rounding out the top-5 behind Rocco and Pitkat was Ruocco, Jeff Malave, and Curt Brainard.
The 30-lap Late Model feature came down to a wild three-car duel between Jim Peterson, Dillon Moltz, and Posocco. Tom Fearn took the lead at the drop of the green flag and he held down the top spot for the first 9 laps before Peterson dove to the inside of Fearn and took the lead on lap-10. Moltz was riding in third behind Peterson and Fearn, while Posocco was busy charging through the field after an early race spin left him at the tail end of the field.
A caution with 25 laps complete set up a five lap shoot-out to the finish. On the restart, the cars of Peterson and Moltz made contact, which got both cars slightly out of shape and opened up the bottom groove for Posocco to go from third to first. Posocco held strong once he got to the lead and he led the final 5 circuits to cap off his worst to first run after his early spin. Peterson finished second, with Moltz, Scott Cook, and Fearn rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified began with Brit Andersen taking a hard ride into the turn 2 wall after he touched tires with the car of Tommy Membrino, Jr. with one lap completed. Harry Wheeler took the early race lead, and over the first five laps of the race, he built up a small lead over the second place tandem of Earl Pelletier and Ted Cain. By the halfway point of the race, Tony Santangelo had moved by both Pelletier and he pulled a train of 8 cars up to the bumper of Wheeler. A caution with 12 laps complete slowed the action and put the cars back into a double file restart.
There was a pileup of cars in turn 2 underneath the DiamondVision screen on the restart that collected 7 cars who were running at the rear of the field. On the restart, Santangelo moved from third to first and brought Cain with him by Wheeler. Cain was glued to the back bumper of Santangelo, searching for a way to make a pass for the lead. Several times Cain pulled to the inside of Santangelo, but he was unable to make a pass stick. Santangelo stayed steady out front and he led the final 8 laps of the race to take his second consecutive feature victory. Cain finished second, with John Montesanto, Michael Gervais, Jr., and Jay Goff rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model feature took the green flag with Jeff Hubbell leading the first three laps before giving way to Dave Yardley, III. Yardley held the race lead until a restart on lap-9 when Shawn Thibeault charged by Yardley to take the race lead.
Dennis Botticello was the car on the move in the second half of the race as he worked his way up to second and ran Thibeault down. Botticello tried both the high and low grooves to find a way around Thibeault, but was not able to make the pass. Thibeault held off Botticello to the checkered flag to record his first career victory at Stafford Motor Speedway. Botticello finished second, with Andrew Durand, Carla Botticello, and Yardley rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature that was picked up from lap-2 on May 8th, Robert Thompson streaked past Melissa Blowers to take the early race lead. Once he was into the lead, Thompson began to stretch his lead out, but his lead was erased with 7 laps complete by the caution flag. Thompson was up to the challenge on the restart and he powered back to the lead. Don Wood and Albert Saunders were locked in a great duel for second behind Thompson. Thompson again began to stretch his lead out, but it was erased once again by the yellow flag on lap-13, setting up a green white checkered flag finish. Thompson again powered into the lead and he led the final two laps to take the victory. Saunders overtook Wood for second place, with Cliff Saunders and Kyle Casagrande rounding out the top-5 behind Wood.
In the regularly schedule DARE Stock feature event, Todd LaPorta took the lead at the green and Matt Chiarizio moved into second. LaPorta and Chiarizio ran nose to tail and began to pull away from the field, but their margin was erased by the caution flag with 8 laps complete. With the race back under green, LaPorta powered out front with Chiarizio right behind him. The race was red flagged with 12 laps complete after Jim Brice took a hard spin into the turn 1 wall. LaPorta continued to hold the lead on the restart with Jeff Jolly charging from fourth up to second. Chiarizio began to slide back, but the battle was on at the front of the field between Jolly and LaPorta. LaPorta was able to hold off Jolly’s charge as he wired the field to take his first victory of the 2009 season. Jolly finished second, with Tom Stirk, Robert Thompson, and Albert Saunders 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
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Wallingford
2) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
3) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
4) Jeff Malave, Manchester
5) Curt Brainard, Canton
6) Tom Bolles, Ellington
7) Matt Gallo, Kensington
8) Brad Hietala, Ellington
9) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
10) Sean Foster, Ellington
11) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, MA
12) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
13) Nichole Morgillo, Yalesville
14) Michael Speeney, Newtown, PA
15) Ted Christopher, Plainville
16) Wade Mattesen, Tolland
17) Brett Gonyaw, Manchester
18) Doug Coby, Milford
19) Todd Owen, Somers
20) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, NY
21) Kenny Horton, Guilford
22) Rich Hammann, Tolland
23) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
24) Chris Matthews, Stafford
25) Chris Jones, New Milford
26) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
2) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
3) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
4) Scott Cook, Uncasville
5) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
6) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
7) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
8) Mike Mordino, Southington
9) Adam Gray, Belchertown, MA
10) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, MA
11) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
12) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
13) Brian Chapin, Three Rivers, Ma
14) Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, MA
15) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
16) Tony Lafo, Higganum
17) Billy Snow, Jr., Berlin
18) Alan Provost, Monson, MA
19) John Kasper, Wilbraham, MA
20) Rick Charette, Vernon
21) Dave Wray, Meriden
22) Corey Hutchings, Salem
23) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
2) Ted Cain, Plymouth
3) John Montesanto, North Branford
4) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
5) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
6) John Hanafin, Quincy, MA
7) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
8) Erica Santos, Franklin, MA
9) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, MA
10) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
11) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
12) David Webb, New Milford
13) Paul Colla, Jr., Portland
14) Todd Clark, Bristol
15) Steven Greer, Harwinton
16) Josh White, Ellington
17) Rick Williams, Haddam
18) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
19) Shawn Brule, West Thompson
20) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
21) Brit Andersen, Mooresville, NC
22) Heather DesRochers, Granby, MA
23) Frank Cardile, Bolton
LTD. LATE MODEL (20)
1) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
2) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
3) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
4) Carla Botticello, Manchester
5) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
6) Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
7) Dan Flannery, Ellington
8) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
9) Norm Sears, Andover
10) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
11) Barry Thomasen, Plainville
12) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
13) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
14) Pete Cayer, Bristol
15) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
16) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
17) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
18) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
19) Charlie Newman, Stafford Springs
20) Michael Chaves, South Windsor
DARE STOCK FROM MAY 8th (15)
1) Robert Thompson, Springfield, MA
2) Albert Saunders, Stafford Springs
3) Don Wood, Palmer, MA
4) Cliff Saunders, Stafford Springs
5) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
6) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
7) Kyle Nosal, Higganum
8) Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
9) Tom Stirk, West Haven
10) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
11) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
12) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
13) Donovin Secore, Vernon
14) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
15) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
16) Brian Routhier, East Hampton, MA
17) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
18) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
19) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, MA
20) Bill Dunn, Prospect, CT
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
2) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
3) Tom Stirk, West Haven
4) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
5) Albert Saunders, Stafford
6) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
7) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
8) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
9) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
10) Kyle Nosal, Higganum
11) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
12) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
13) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
14) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
15) Brian Routhier, East Hampton, Ma
16) Donovin Secore, Vernon
17) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
18) Jim Brice, Manchester
19) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
20) Dennis Eschenbrenner, Plainville
21) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell