Rocco, Pitkat, Cain, Wray & Casagrande Score May 28th TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Feature Victories at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions were joined on Friday, May 28th by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for the 20th Annual TSI Harley-Davidson 125. Keith Rocco continued his winning ways by taking his second consecutive and third overall victory of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Woody Pitkat picked up his second win of 2010 in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Ted Cain picked up his second win of 2010 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Michael Wray was a first time career winner in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Kyle Casagrande became the first DARE Stock feature repeat winner of the 2010 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature with a last lap pass for the win.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Brit Andersen led the first lap of the race, but he gave way to Todd Owen on lap-2. Zach Sylvester and Ted Christopher went for spins with 3 laps complete to bring the caution out. The field completed two more laps before the caution came back out for a spin by Chris Jones. Andersen was sent to the rear of the field for rough riding.
Adam Skowyra and Frank Hirt got together on the restart to bring the yellow back out. Owen continued to hold the lead back under green with Jeff Baral and Eric Berndt side by side for second. Berndt went around in turn 2 to bring the yellow back out with 8 laps complete. On the restart, Baral powered his way past Owen to take over the lead. Baral and Mark Bakaj were side by side for second place and on lap-11 Bakaj got loose, which backed up the entire field and allowed Baral to pull out to a large lead. With Bakaj’s misfortune, Frank Ruocco was now into second, Keith Rocco was third, Owen was fourth and Bakaj fell back to fifth.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Rocco rode behind Ruocco until lap-20 when he made the move for second. Once Rocco moved into second, he slowly began to chip away at the large lead that Baral had built up. It took Rocco 10 laps to erase Baral’s lead and on lap-31 he dove to the inside of Baral to take over the race lead. Once Rocco was in the lead, he drove away from Baral to take his second consecutive and third victory of the 2010 season at Stafford. Baral finished second, with Ruocco, Bakaj, and Owen rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Alan Provost led the field to the green and he took the early race lead ahead of John Kasper, Adam Gray, Mark St. Hilaire, and Tom Fearn. The caution came out with 2 laps complete as Dillon Moltz spun on the backstretch and Tony Lafo went around in turn 1. Scott Cook was given the black flag for contact with Moltz and Michael Bennett was given the black flag for contact with Lafo. Under caution, Moltz drove into the side of Cook’s car and he was held on pit road as the field went back to green on the restart. Moltz was able to get off pit road ahead of the race leader and remained on the lead lap.
Provost held the race lead until lap-6 when Woody Pitkat moved to the front of the field. Jim Peterson followed Pitkat by Provost as did Corey Hutchings, dropping Provost from the lead back to fourth place. Keith Rocco would also move by Provost several laps later to drop Provost back to fifth place. The top-5 then ran in line until lap-17 when Hutchings got by Peterson for second. A spin by Fernando Ilha brought the yellow out with 20 laps complete and slowed the action.
Pitkat took the lead on the restart with Hutchings, Peterson, Rocco, and Gray behind him. The field completed two more laps before the caution came back out with 23 laps complete for a spin by Kasper.
Pitkat again took the lead ahead of Hutchings, Peterson, Rocco, and Gray, but they were only able to complete two more laps before the caution came back out for a 4-car incident in turn 4 involving Provost, Mark St. Hilaire, Tom Fearn, and John Kasper.
Pitkat again took the lead back under green with Hutchings, Peterson, Rocco, and J.J. Hill behind him. Hill got around Rocco to take fourth, but he spun with 27 laps complete to bring out the caution. Rocco was black flagged for rough riding. Pitkat again took the lead with Peterson getting to the inside of Hutchings to take over second. Moltz was fifth on the restart and he moved into third, dropping Hutchings from second back to fourth. Hutchings slid back another spot as Michael Bennett also got past. But it was all Pitkat at the front and he took his second feature victory of the 2010 season ahead of Peterson and Moltz. Bennett and Hutchings rounded out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Kyle Spencer led the field to the green and he led the first three laps before giving way to Ted Cain on lap-4. Tommy Barrett, Jr. was in third behind Cain and Spencer with Earl Pelletier and Chad Trombley rounding out the top-5.
Barrett rode behind Spencer until lap-7 when he made the pass to take over second place. The action was slowed with 9 laps complete when Shayne Prucker spun. Cain was still the leader back under green, but Barrett was applying heavy pressure in a great duel for the race lead. Trombley moved up to third, with Erica Santos fourth and Matt Galko in fifth. The action was slowed with 12 laps complete for a spin by Rick Williams.
Cain and Barrett continued their duel for the lead on the restart, with Cain able to get clear to the lead. Barrett was all over Cain and he made a pass for the lead, but just as he made the pass, the caution came out for a spin by Tony Santangelo and he had to move back to second for the restart.
Barrett hung tough on the restart in the outside groove for a lap on the restart, but Cain was able to once again get clear into the lead. Trombley, Galko, and Santos were still making up the remainder of the top-5. The cars of Pelletier and David Webb went around with 15 laps complete to bring out the caution and set up a 5-lap sprint to the finish.
Barrett again tried his hardest to make the high line work on the restart, but Cain was able to again clear to the lead after a lap and a half of side by side racing. Barrett took one final shot on the final lap, but he came up just short at the checkered flag as Cain took his second win of the 2010 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Cain and Barrett was Trombley, Santos, and Galko.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Duane Provost took the lead from Michael Wray at the start and he led the first 6 laps before Wray went back out front on lap-7. At the halfway point, it was Wray in the lead with Dave Yardley into second. George Nocera was in third, with Kevin Gambacorta fourth and Provost was in fifth.
By lap-15, Wray was still out front, with Yardley, Gambacorta, Nocera, and Dan Flannery making up the top-5. On the final lap of the race, Gambacorta spun on the backstretch and collected the car of Carla Botticello. The yellow/checker was displayed to Wray as he scored his first career victory. Flannery made a nice charge in the final 5 laps to take second, with Yardley, Nocera, and Shawn Thibeault making up the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Josh Wood took the lead at the green flag with Nick Salva moving into second behind him. Stephanie Berardi, Andrew Hayes, and Steve Daddio rounded out the top-5 behind Wood and Salva. Two caution periods in the first 4 laps slowed the action as Don Wood, Donovin Secore, and Kyle Casagrande spun with 2 laps complete and Kelsey Rottino spun with 4 laps complete.
As the field took the restart on lap-5, Salva’s great run came to an end as his car billowed smoke from under the hood and brought the yellow back out. Wood continued to lead back under green with Daddio moving into second ahead of Hayes, Cliff Saunders, and Jeff Jolly. Kaitlyn Brice spun with 7 laps complete to bring the caution back out. Wood was again the leader back under green with Daddio in second. Hayes was now third with Jolly and Saunders behind him. Kyle Casagrande was the car on the move, as he restarted 8th and quickly worked his way up to fifth on lap-10.
The race changed on the final lap as Wood and Daddio came together while racing for the lead and the win and both cars spun in turn 2. The race stayed green and Casagrande was able to move by Jolly and he came back around to take the checkered flag ahead of Tony Membrino, Jr., Hayes, Jolly, and Cory Casagrande.
For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Jeff Baral, Enfield
3) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
4) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
5) Todd Owen, Somers
6) Matt Gallo, Kensington
7) Sean Foster, Ellington
8) Ted Christopher, Plainville
9) Jeff Malave, Manchester
10) Chris Jones, New Milford
11) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
12) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
13) Curt Brainard, Canton
14) Brit Andersen, Branford
15) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
16) John Montesanto, North Branford
17) Chris Jensen, Wolcott
18) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
19) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
20) Frank Hirt, Danbury
21) Dan Avery, Somers
22) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
23) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
2) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
3) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
4) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
5) Corey Hutchings, Salem
6) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
7) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
8) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
9) Tracy Brouillette, Prospect
10) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
11) Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, Ma
12) Tony Lafo, Higganum
13) Scott Cook, Uncasville
14) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
15) Keith Rocco, Meriden
16) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
17) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
18) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
19) Alan Provost, Monson, Ma
20) Fernando Ilha, New Britain
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Ted Cain, Plymouth
2) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Ma
3) Chad Trombley, Bethany
4) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
5) Matt Galko, Meriden
6) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
7) John Hanafin, Quincy, Ma
8) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury
9) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
10) Frank Cardile, Bolton
11) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
12) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
13) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
14) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
15) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
16) David Webb, New Milford
17) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
18) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
19) Rick Williams, Haddam
20) Todd Clark, Bristol
21) Josh White, Ellington
22) Stephen Greer, Harwinton
23) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
24) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
25) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Michael Wray, Northford
2) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
3) Dan Flannery, Ellington
4) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
5) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
6) Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
7) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
8) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
9) Robert Farrington, Jr., Belchertown, Ma
10) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
11) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
12) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
13) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
14) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
15) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
16) Carla Botticello, Manchester
17) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
3) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
4) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
5) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
6) Albert Saunders, Stafford
7) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
8) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
9) Donald Cook, Agawam, Ma
10) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
11) James Carroll, West Hartford
12) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
13) Steve Daddio, Seymour
14) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
15) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
16) Nick Salva, Prospect
17) Donovin Secore, Vernon
18) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR