Christopher, Posocco, Andersen, Gambacorta & Fluckiger Score August 14th USG Event Night Victories at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway returned to action with five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions taking to the track for USG Event Night on Friday, August 14th. Ted Christopher was the winner in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Ryan Posocco was the winner in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Brit Andersen was the winner in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Kevin Gambacorta won the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Barry Fluckiger was the winner in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green with Doug Coby taking the early lead ahead of Matt Gallo, Tom Bolles, Curt Brainard, and Todd Owen. Frank Ruocco was quickly on the move and Ted Christopher was right behind Ruocco as they both worked their way into fifth and sixth place by lap-5.
Coby held the race lead until lap-10 when Gallo went to the outside of Coby to take the lead on a restart. Coby settled into second, but was able to retake the lead from Gallo on lap-13 when Gallo drifted up the track in turn 4. Coby then stayed out front until lap-20 when Christopher took over the top spot, bringing Woody Pitkat and Ruocco with him by Coby.
The top-4 then ran in line until lap-35 when Ruocco was able to move by Pitkat to take second place. Ruocco followed Christopher to the checkered flag as Christopher nailed down his fourth win of the 2009 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Christopher and Ruocco was Pitkat, Coby, and Bolles.
The 30-lap Late Model took the green flag with Michael Bennett sliding into the turn 1 wall to bring the caution out. Adam Gray took the lead back under green with Brian Chapin, Ryan Posocco, Tom Butler and Dillon Moltz behind him.
The top-5 ran in line until the caution came back out with 12 laps complete for a spin by Dave Wray. On the restart, Butler brought the caution back out after coming to a stop in turn 3 with a flat tire.
Gray continued to hold the lead on the next restart, with Moltz moving into second. Gray held the lead until lap-19 when Moltz moved to the front of the field. The caution came back out with 22 laps complete when Moltz spun after contact with Gray. Gray was sent to the rear of the field for rough riding, which put Woody Pitkat and Posocco on the front row for the restart.
As the field came to the green, Pitkat’s car dropped off the pace, which bottled up the inside line and brought the yellow back out. Posocco was now the race leader, with Tom Fearn to his outside for the restart.
Posocco would lead the final 8 laps of the race to take down his fourth win of the 2009 season. Fearn finished second, with Chapin, Mark St. Hilaire, and John Kasper rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap SK Light Modified went green with Jay Goff taking the early lead. Goff held the lead through the first five laps of the race before there was an 8-car pileup on the backstretch to bring the yellow out.
Kyle Spencer blasted past Goff to take the lead on the restart. Heather DesRochers settled into second place behind Spencer, with Goff falling back to third. Brit Andersen was on the charge after receiving a rough riding penalty. He moved into fifth place on lap-8 and by lap-12 he was in third place behind Spencer and DesRochers. Andersen moved by DesRochers for second on lap-16 and he took the lead from Spencer on lap-17.
Andersen pulled away over the final three laps to take his fifth win of the season. Spencer finished second, with DesRochers, Michael Gervais, Jr., and Goff rounding out the top-5.
The 20-lap Limited Late Model took the green with Jeff Hubbell taking the early lead ahead of Jesse Hinze. Hubbell led the first four laps of the race before the caution came out for a spin by Norm Sears, Chris Cook, and Rob Russell. On the restart, Hinze was able to overtake Hubbell for the lead. The caution came back out with 5 laps completed for a spin involving the cars of Bill Davis, John Morgillo, Jr., and Dave Yardley, III.
Hinze took the lead on the restart with Dan Flannery moving into second. Kevin Gambacorta followed in the tracks of Flannery to move into third, with Carla Botticello and Shawn Thibeault making up the top-5. The order remained the same when the caution came back out with 10-laps complete for a spin by Rob Dow.
Flannery moved to the lead on the restart, but the caution came back out one lap later for a spin by Thibeault. Flannery continued to hold the lead on the restart, with Gambacorta moving into second. Gambacorta took several runs at Flannery, but each time Flannery was able to hold Gambacorta off. On the final lap of the race, Gambacorta was able to make a move to the inside of Flannery in turns 3 to take the lead and the checkered flag ahead of Flannery. Rob Dow finished third, with Dave Yardley, III and George Nocera, Jr. rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature took the green with Kyle Nosal setting the early pace. Nosal led the first four laps before Bill Dunn moved to the lead on lap-5. Barry Fluckiger moved into second behind Nosal, and it looked like Dunn was strong enough to take his first feature victory of the 2009 season until the caution came out with 14 laps complete, setting up a green white checkered finish.
Dunn powered back into the lead, but Fluckiger stayed right on Dunn’s bumper. Coming off turn 4 to the checkered flag, Fluckiger was able to move to the inside and take the lead and the win, his second of the 2009 season. Dunn finished second, with Don Wood, Duane Provost, and Robert Thompson ounding 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) Ted Christopher, Plainville
2) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
4) Doug Coby, Milford
5) Tom Bolles, Ellington
6) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
7) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
8) Keith Rocco, Wallingford
9) Matt Gallo, Kensington
10) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
11) Nichole Morgillo, Yalesville
12) Curt Brainard, Canton
13) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
14) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
15) Wade Mattesen, Tolland
16) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
17) Fran Siana, Enfield
18) Chris Matthews, Stafford
19) Todd Owen, Somers
20) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, Nj
21) Sean Foster, Ellington
22) Keith Carzello, Enfield
23) Willie Hardie, Jr., Willington
24) Jeff Malave, Manchester
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
2) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
3) Brian Chapin, Three Rivers, Ma
4) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
5) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
6) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
7) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
8) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
9) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
10) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
11) Ed Gertsch, Jr., East Haven
12) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
13) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
14) Victor Pomerleau, Enfield
15) Scott Cook, Uncasville
16) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
17) Tony Lafo, Higganum
18) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
19) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
20) Dave Wray, Meriden
21) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Brit Andersen, Mooresville, Nc
2) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
3) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
4) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
5) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
6) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
7) Ted Cain, Plymouth
8) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
9) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
10) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
11) Todd Clark, Bristol
12) Rick Williams, Haddam
13) Shawn Brule, West Thompson
14) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
15) Josh White, Ellington
16) David Webb, New Milford
17) Steven Greer, Harwinton
18) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
19) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
20) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
21) Frank Cardile, Bolton
22) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
LTD. LATE MODEL (20)
1) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
2) Dan Flannery, Ellington
3) Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
4) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
5) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
6) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
7) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
8) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
9) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
10) Pete Cayer, Bristol
11) Michael Wray, Northford
12) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
13) Bill Davis, Monson, Ma
14) Carla Botticello, Manchester
15) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
16) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
17) Marc Russell, Oxford, Ma
18) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
19) John Morgillo, Jr., Yalesville
20) Norm Sears, Andover
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
2) Bill Dunn, Prospect
3) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
4) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
5) Robert Thompson, Springfield, Ma
6) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
7) Todd LaPorta, Waterbury
8) Jim Brice, Manchester
9) Donovin Secore, Vernon
10) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
11) Brian Routhier, East Hampton, Ma
12) Dylan Hinze, Farmington
13) Seth Wallace, East Hartford
14) Albert Saunders, Stafford
15) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
16) Nicholas Salva, Prospect
17) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
18) Kyle Nosal, Higganum
19) Melissa Blowers, Cromwell
20) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
21) Tom Stirk, West Haven
22) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
23) Stephen Daddio, Seymour
24) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford