Rocco, Moltz, DesRochers, Durand & Saunders Score June 19th Summer Blast-Off/CARQUEST Dealer Night Feature Victories at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway provided fireworks on the track and in the air with the Summer Blast-Off / CARQUEST Dealer Night race program. Keith Rocco drove to his second consecutive victory of the 2009 season and his third overall win in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Dillon Moltz took his third win of the season in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Heather DesRochers wired the field in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature for her first career victory, Andrew Durand picked up his third victory of the 2009 season in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Albert Saunders picked up his first career victory in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature a week after his twin brother won his first career DARE Stock feature.
The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green with Dave Salzarulo holding down the lead from the pole position. Todd Owen was all over the back of Salzarulo for the lead, but he couldn’t muster up enough momentum to make a pass. The duel between Salzarulo and Owen allowed Frank Ruocco to close in on the front two.
A caution with 14 laps complete slowed the action and set up a restart. Ruocco moved by both Owen and Salzarulo on the restart to take over the race lead. Keith Rocco moved from fifth to second behind Ruocco, dropping Owen to third and Salzarulo to fourth.
Rocco went to the outside of Ruocco on lap-21 and he made a pass for the lead in the outside groove on lap-22. Mark Bakaj was on the move after the restart, moving by Salzarulo for fourth on lap-23 and he took third place from Owen on lap-29. At the front of the field, Rocco was stretching his lead out over Ruocco lap by lap. Rocco led the final 29 laps of the race to pick up his second consecutive SK Modffied® feature victory of the 2009 season. Ruocco finished second, with Bakaj, Owen, and Salzarulo rounding out the top-5.
The 30-lap Late Model took the green with J.J. Hill setting the early pace. Dillon Moltz was quickly on the move at the drop of the green and he took the lead from Hill on lap-5. After spins by Jim Peterson and Mike Mordino slowed the action, Moltz continued to hold the lead on a lap-11 restart. Michael Bennett moved by Hill for second. Scott Cook and Tom Fearn also moved by Hill, dropping him from second back to fifth in the running order.
Moltz was on a mission at the front of the field, pulling away from Bennett and the rest of the field. But his lead was erased by the caution when Adam Gray spun in turn 1 with 26 laps complete. Moltz powered back into the lead on the restart with Ryan Posocco moving from third to second. Posocco gave chase to Moltz, but was unable to run him down as Moltz scored his third win of the 2009 season. Posocco finished second, with Bennett, Fearn, and Hill rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified went green with Heather DesRochers taking the lead ahead of Jay Goff, Earl Pelletier, and John Hanafin. An early caution slowed the action with 3 laps complete, but DesRochers was up to the task on the restart, powering away from Hanafin.
When the caution came back out at the half-way point of the race, Michael Gervais, Jr. had moved past Hanafin for second, with Tony Santangelo in fourth behind DesRochers. DesRochers was again strong on the restart as she quickly stretched out her lead over Gervais, with Santangelo getting by Hanafin for third.
The action was slowed one last time with 16 laps complete by a spin by Harry Wheeler in turn 4. DesRochers again pulled away from the field as she had done all race long and outpaced Gervais to the checkered flag to record her first career SK Light Modified victory with a wire to wire performance. Rounding out the top-5 behind DesRochers and Gervais was Hanafin, Santangelo, and Shawn Brule.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model took the green with Dan Flannery holding down the early lead ahead of Bill Davis, Andrew Durand, and Norm Sears. Durand quickly dispatched of Davis for second and set his sights on Flannery for the race lead.
Durand was able to make his move for the lead on a lap-6 restart. Flannery settled into second, with Sears taking third away from Davis. Lap by lap, Durand stretched out his lead over Flannery and he went unchallenged to the checkered flag, his third victory of the 2009 season. Flannery came home second, with Sears, Davis, and Dave Yardley, III rouding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature took the green with Melissa Blowers powering into the lead from the pole position ahead of Barry Fluckiger. The top-2 ran in line until lap-7 when Fluckiger began to backslide through the field as Matt Chiarizio, Bill Dunn, Albert Saunders, and Don Wood all went by.
The action really heated up at lap-12 as the top-5 cars were nose to tail with two wide racing. Saunders made a move to the inside of Dunn for second place and he began to run Blowers down. Saunders caught Blowers on the white flag lap and he made a move to take the lead in turns 1 and 2. Wood followed Saunders past Blowers to drop her into a battle for third with Cliff Saunders. Cliff Saunders edged out Blowers at the line for third as Albert Saunders recorded his first career DARE Stock victory. Dunn rounded out the top-5 behind Albert Saunders, Wood, Cliff Saunders, and Blowers.
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) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
3) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
4) Todd Owen, Somers
5) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, Ma
6) Tom Bolles, Ellington
7) Ted Christopher, Plainville
8) Doug Coby, Milford
9) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
10) Jeff Malave, Manchester
11) Matt Gallo, Kensington
12) Wade Mattesen, Tolland
13) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
14) Brad Hietala, Ellington
15) Kenny Horton, Guilford
16) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
17) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
18) Chris Matthews, Stafford
19) Nichole Morgillo, Yalesville
20) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
21) Michael Speeney, Newtown, Pa
22) Sean Foster, Ellington
23) Curt Brainard, Canton
24) Jimmy Smith, Woodstock
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
2) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
3) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
4) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
5) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
6) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
7) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
8) Dave Wray, Meriden
9) Brian Chapin, Three Rivers, Ma
10) Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, Ma
11) Ed Gertsch, Jr., East Haven
12) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
13) Tony Lafo, Higganum
14) Tracy Brouillette, Prospect
15) Scott Cook, Uncasville
16) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
17) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
18) Mike Mordino, Southington
19) JIm Mavlouganes, Bethany
20) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
21) Rick Charette, Vernon
22) Victor Pomerleau, Enfield
23) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
24) Alan Provost, Monson, Ma
25) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
2) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
3) John Hanafin, Quincy, Ma
4) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
5) Shawn Brule, West Thompson
6) David Webb, New Milford
7) Brit Andersen, Mooresville, Nc
8) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
9) Frank Cardile, Bolton
10) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
11) Steven Greer, Harwinton
12) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
13) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
14) Josh White, Ellington
15) Rick Burwood, Enfield
16) Paul Colla, Jr., Portland
17) Ted Cain, Plymouth
18) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
19) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
20) Chris Drouin Jr., Bristol
21) John Montesanto, North Branford
22) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
23) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
LTD. LATE MODEL (20)
1) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
2) Dan Flannery, Ellington
3) Norm Sears, Andover
4) Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
5) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
6) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
7) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
8) Keith Minchella, Springfield, Ma
9) Carla Botticello, Manchester
10) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
11) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
12) Scott Roy, Windsor
13) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
14) Pete Cayer, Bristol
15) John Morgillo, Jr., Yalesville
16) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
17) Michael Wray, Northford
18) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
19) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Albert Saunders, Stafford
2) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
3) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
4) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
5) Bill Dunn, Prospect
6) Matt Chiarizio, Stafford Springs
7) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
8) Kyle Nosal, Higganum
9) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
10) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
11) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
12) Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
13) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
14) Jim Brice, Manchester
15) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
16) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
17) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
18) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
19) John Lelas, III, Guilford