Frank Ruocco Wins 6th Annual CARQUEST SK® 150 at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway returned to action with the biggest SK Modified® event of the 2009 season, the 6th Annual CARQUEST SK® 150. Frank Ruocco came up the big winner, as he led the final 130-laps to score his first SK Modified® feature victory of the 2009 season. In other NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action, Dillon Moltz took down his fourth win of the 2009 season in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Brit Andersen took his fourth win of the 2009 season in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Norm Sears took his first career Limited Late Model feature win in 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Albert Saunders became the first repeat DARE Stock feature winner of the 2009 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
The CARQUEST SK® 150 took the green with Matt Gallo going to the outside of Dave Salzarulo to take the lead. Salzarulo settled into second, with Brad Hietala, Frank Ruocco, and Tom Bolles making up the top-5.
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By lap-20, Ruocco had moved up to second and he went past Gallo to take the race lead on lap-21. As Ruocco held the race lead, the car that was charging through the field was Eric Berndt. By lap-50, Berndt had worked his way from the back of the grid to third place. After a caution, Berndt moved into second on a lap-60 restart and began to put on a great battle with Ruocco for the race lead. Lap after lap, Berndt would try the low and high grooves, but to no avail as Ruocco was too quick to be overtaken.Just as Berndt had charged up to second, Todd Owen was now the car on the charge. Owen was fifth on the lap-60 restart and by lap-80 he had run down the top-2 cars and sat in third place. The top-3 remained the same until a lap-99 restart that saw Owen move by Berndt for second. And just as Berndt had challenged Ruocco for the lead, Owen was doing the same, but again, Ruocco was too quick to be overtaken. Berndt’s great run ended on lap-108 when he spun coming out of turn 2.
Over the final 42 laps, Owen kept trying Ruocco for the lead, but he was unsuccessful in making a pass for the lead as Ruocco was able to stay out front all the way to the checkered flag. Owen finished second, with Bolles, Woody Pitkat, and Zach Sylvester rounding out the top-5.
The 30-lap Late Model took the green with Adam Gray taking the early lead. Michael Bennett quickly moved into second place and began a great duel with Gray for the lead. Bennett was able to make the pass on lap-6 to move out front. Gray began to slide back through the field as J.J. Hill, John Kasper, Ryan Posocco, and Dillon Moltz all went by.
The cars of Posocco and Hill made contact while racing for second and spun with 15 laps complete to bring the caution out. This moved Moltz to the outside of Bennett for the restart. Bennett took the lead back under green, but Moltz would make the move to take over the lead on lap-19. Jim Peterson was now in third place, with Kasper and Scott Cook making up the top-5.
Peterson took second from Bennett on a lap-21 restart, but that was as far forward as Peterson would get as Moltz slowly pulled away to take his fourth win of the season. Peterson finished second, with Bennett, Woody Pitkat, and Tom Fearn rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified went green took the green with Kyle Spencer taking the early race lead. Brit Andersen was on the charge in the early laps, but his charge to the front was interrupted with a spin to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
Spencer continued to lead on the restart, with Tommy Membrino, Jr. second and John Montesanto and Michael Gervias, Jr. behind him. Spencer held the race lead until lap-15 when Montesanto took over the race lead. Andersen was back on the charge after his early spin and he was up to third place behind Montesanto and Spencer.
Andersen took second on lap-16 and then stalked out Montesanto before taking the lead on lap-19. Andersen led the final two laps of the race to take his fourth win of the 2009 season. Montesanto finished second, with Membrino, Spencer, and Gervais rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model took the green flag with Bill Davis taking the early lead. Davis led the first two laps before Norm Sears took over the top spot. Kevin Gambacorta moved into second behind Sears and was applying heavy pressure for the lead. Gambacorta spun on lap-6 but was able to keep moving and the race stayed under green. The caution did come out the next lap when Michael Wray went up in smoke in turn 2.
Sears continued to hold the lead on the restart with Dave Yardley, III and Andrew Durand behind him. Durand rode behind Yardley for several laps before he moved into second. Sears and Durand were running nose to tail dueling for the lead when the caution came back out with 15 laps complete. Sears took the lead on the restart, but Durand was keeping pace with Sears. Carla Botticello spun in turn 3 with 19 laps complete to set up a green-white-checkered restart. Sears again powered into the lead on the restart and he was able to drive to his first career victory. Durand finished second with Shawn Thibeault, Dan Flannery, and Yardley rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature took the green with Andrew Hayes taking the early lead. Bill Dunn was hot on Hayes’ heels, and he almost had a pass made for the lead on lap-3, but Hayes moved back out front to keep the lead. Albert Saunders was third, with Tony Membrino, Jr. and Duane Provost making up the top-5.
At the 10-lap mark, Hayes continued to hold the race lead with Dunn, Saunders, Membrino, and Provost behind him. Saunders got by Dunn for second and he moved by Hayes for the lead on lap-14. Saunders led the final two laps to take his second win of the 2009 season. Dunn finished second, with Membrino, Don Wood, and Kyle Casagrande 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