Keith Rocco Wins 36th Annual Coors Light SK Modified® 100 at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — After two soggy weeks, Stafford Speedway returned to racing under bright and sunny skies with the 36th Annual Coors Light SK Modified® 100. Keith Rocco and Ted Christopher put on a duel for the ages in the extra distance event, with Rocco coming out as the winner for the second time this year. Ryan Posocco took his second victory of the season in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Brit Andersen won his second race of 2009 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Kevin Gambacorta took his second consecutive victory of the year in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Cliff Saunders picked up his first career victory in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
The 36th Annual Coors Light SK Modified® 100 took the green with Brad Hietala, Tom Bolles, and Richie Pallai, Jr. at the front of the field. Hietala and Bolles ran side by side for several laps before Hietala got clear to the lead. Pallai made a power move by Bolles on a lap-5 restart and they dueled for the race lead.
A caution with 26 laps complete slowed the action and set up a restart. On the restart, Hietala and Pallai made contact, sending Pallai towards the wall where he collected Bolles and brought the caution back out. This put Matt Gallo and Jeff Malave on the front row with Matt Gallo and Doug Coby behind them. Rocco quickly took the race lead from Gallo, but Pallai hit head on into the turn 1 wall to bring the caution back out one lap after the restart.
Rocco held the lead on the restart, with Ted Christopher, who was involved in an early race spin with Woody Pitkat on lap-4, moving into second. Coby held third, with Gallo and Eric Berndt making up the top-5. Rocco held the lead until lap-38, when Christopher moved to the front. Coby continued to run in third place, with Berndt and Malave making up the remainder of the top-5.
With the exception of a caution period with 52 laps complete for a spin by Woody Pitkat, the top-5 cars ran in line until lap-65, which is when the race turned into a great duel between Christopher and Rocco. On lap-65 Rocco moved by Christopher to take the lead only to have Christopher go with a crossover move to get back to the front. But the caution came out before lap-66 could be completed, which put Rocco on the point for the restart.
From lap-66 to lap-80, Christopher and Rocco exchanged the race lead five times with spectacular, breathtaking passing. On lap-80, Rocco moved by Christopher for the lead, but Christopher again used the crossover move to his advantage to retake the lead. Christopher was able to stay out front until lap-85, when Rocco went back by. Rocco pulled Christopher by several car lengths and he maintained that lead over the final 15 laps to take his second feature victory of the 2009 season. Christopher finished second, with Coby, Malave, and Jimmy Blewett rounding out the top-5.
The 30-lap Late Model took the green with Walt Wosko, Jr. taking the early lead. Tom Butler quickly worked his way by Wosko and he brought Scott Cook, Jim Peterson, and Ryan Posocco by Wosko. Posocco methodically worked his way past Peterson and Cook and he settled into line behind Butler.
The combination of Butler and Posocco began to pull away from Peterson, who continued to run third. Posocco ran behind Butler until lap-17 when he moved to the front of the field. Posocco pulled out to a three or four car length lead over Butler and maintained that distance to the checkered flag to pick up his second feature victory of the 2009 season. Butler came home second, with Peterson, Jim Mavlouganes, and Cook rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified went green with Fred Nees, Jr. pacing the field ahead of Harry Wheeler and Erica Santos. The action was slowed by an early caution and on the restart, Tommy Membrino, Jr. powered into the race lead, with Michael Gervais, Jr. and Brit Andersen in tow.
The top-3 cars ran in line until the caution came back out with 17 laps complete. On the restart, Andersen powered past Membrino on the outside to take over the lead. Membrino stayed glued to Andersen’s bumper and he made a move to the outside in the final corner, but Andersen had too much momentum in his favor coming off the corner and he took the checkered flag in his return to SK Light competition at Stafford after sitting out for several weeks due to a crash. Membrino finished second, with Gervais, John Montesanto, and Santos rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model took the green with Dan Flannery at the head of the field. He held the race lead until lap-6 when Kevin Gambacorta moved to the front. Jesse Hinze was running in third behind Gambacorta and Flannery, with Norm Sears and Andrew Durand making up the rest of the top-5.
The race was halted with 10 laps complete for a spin by Jeff Hubbell. Gambacorta continued to hold the lead back under green, but the caution slowed the action two laps later. Gambacorta again powered into the lead on the restart, with Durand moving up to second. Hinze continued in third, with Carla Botticello and Dennis Botticello moving into fourth and fifth.
Durand couldn’t chase Gambacorta down over the final laps as Gambacorta scored his second consecutive victory. Durand finished second with Hinze, Carla Botticello, and Dave Yardley, III rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature took the green flag with Bill Dunn setting the early pace ahead of Cliff Saunders, Kyle Casagrande, and Stephanie Berardi. Casagrande quickly worked his way past Saunders for second and he was about to take the lead from Dunn when the caution came out with 5 laps complete, putting Dunn back out front for the restart.
Saunders charged from third to the lead on the restart, going by both Dunn and Casagrande. Casagrande’s good run ended with a spin in turn 2 on lap-11, which brought the caution back out. Another caution a lap later set up a three-lap dash to the finish.
Saunders charged into the lead on the restart with Dunn and Jeff Jolly behind him. Saunders was too strong out front to be overtaken and he took the checkered flag to record his first career victory at Stafford Motor Speedway. Dunn finished second, with Jeff Jolly, Kyle Nosal, and Matt Chiarizio 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® (100)
1. Keith Rocco, Wallingford
2. Ted Christopher, Plainville
3. Doug Coby, Milford
4. Jeff Malave, Manchester
5. Jimmy Blewett, Howell, Nj
6. Kenny Horton, Guilford
7. Curt Brainard, Canton
8. Wade Mattesen, Tolland
9. Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
10. Todd Owen, Somers
11. Matt Gallo, Kensington
12. Sean Foster, Ellington
13. Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
14. Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
15. Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
16. Paul Charette, Woodstock
17. Kirk Zervas, Winthrop, Ma
18. Rich Hammann, Tolland
19. Nichole Morgillo, Yalesville
20. Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
21. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
22. Frank Hirt, Danbury
23. Eric Berndt, Cromwell
24. Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
25. Michael Speeney, Newtown, Pa
26. Brad Hietala, Ellington
27. Tom Bolles, Ellington
28. Dave Salzarulo, Monson, Ma
29. Chris Jones, New Milford
LATE MODEL (30)
1. Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
2. Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
3. Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
4. Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
5. Scott Cook, Uncasville
6. Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, Ma
7. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
8. Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
9. Brian Chapin, Three Rivers, Ma
10. Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
11. Rick Charette, Vernon
12. Dave Wray, Meriden
13. Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
14. J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
15. Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
16. Tony Lafo, Higganum
17. John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
18. Alan Provost, Monson, Ma
19. Victor Pomerleau, Enfield
20. Mike Connelly, Feeding Hills, Ma
21. Ed Gertsch, Jr., East Haven
22. Mike Mordino, Southington
23. Dillon Moltz, Waterford
SK LIGHT (20)
1. Brit Andersen, Mooresville, Nc
2. Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
3. Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
4. John Montesanto, North Branford
5. Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
6. Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
7. Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
8. John Hanafin, Quincy, Ma
9. David Webb, New Milford
10. Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
11. Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
12. Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
13. Lauren Cooper, Southbury
14. Shawn Brule, West Thompson
15. Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
16. Josh White, Ellington
17. Rick Williams, Haddam
18. Steven Greer, Harwinton
19. Frank Cardile, Bolton
20. Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
21. Ted Cain, Plymouth
22. Todd Clark, Bristol
23. Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
24. Chris Drouin Jr., Bristol
LTD. LATE MODEL (20.
1. Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
2. Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
3. Jesse Hinze, Farmington
4. Carla Botticello, Manchester
5. Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
6. Dennis Botticello, Suffield
7. Dan Flannery, Ellington
8. Norm Sears, Andover
9. Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
10. Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
11. Scott Roy, Windsor
12. Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
13. Keith Minchella, Springfield, Ma
14. Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
15. Michael Wray, Northford
16. Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
17. Joe Nogiec, Bristol
18. Brian Clement, Wethersfield
19. John Morgillo, Jr., Yalesville
DARE STOCK (15)
1. Cliff Saunders, Stafford
2. Bill Dunn, Prospect
3. Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
4. Kyle Nosal, Higganum
5. Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
6. Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
7. Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
8. Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
9. Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
10. Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
11. Donovin Secore, Vernon
12. Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
13. John Lampro, Jr., Enfield
14. Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
15. Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
16. Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
17. Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
18. Andrew Hayes, Enfield
19. Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
20. Jim Brice, Manchester
21. Albert Saunders, Stafford