Galko, Flannery & Saunders Twins Score CARQUEST Fall Final Saturday Feature Victories at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway kicked off its final race event of the 2010 season with feature events for its SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions. Matt Galko won the SK Light feature and the SK Light track championship, Dan Flannery won the Limited Late Model feature and the Limited Late Model track championship, and Albert Saunders won the DARE Stock feature while Tony Membrino, Jr. became the DARE Stock track champion. Cliff Saunders was the winner of the 8-lap Paradiso-Muska DARE Stock Shoot-Out.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Tony Santangelo took the early lead from the pole. Jay Goff was second behind Santangelo with Matt Galko moving into third. Victoria Bergenty was fourth and Heather DesRochers was fifth when the caution came out with 2 laps complete as David Webb spun and kicked dirt onto the racing groove.
On the restart, Galko charged into the lead but the caution came back out one lap later as Erica Santos went around in turn 1. SK Light points leader Tommy Barrett, Jr. was also involved, which eliminated his championship hopes as he was finished for the race.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
Galko was the leader back under green with Goff and Kyle Spencer behind him. Brit Andersen was on the charge and he worked his way through traffic to move into third place behind Galko and Spencer. Spencer’s car was dumping fluid and he was black flagged, moving Andersen into second. The caution came out with 15 laps complete to check the track for fluid.
Back under green, Galko was back in the lead, but Earl Pelletier went around in turn 4 and brought the caution back out. Galko again took the lead back under green, but David Webb got into the wall and brought the caution back out with 18 laps complete, setting up a green white checkered finish. Galko took the lead and led the field around for the final two laps to win the race and the 2010 SK Light Championship in grand style. Joey Cipriano finished second, with Goff, Tommy Membrino, Jr., and Ted Cain rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, before the field could complete the first lap, Keith Minchella and Rob Farrington got hooked together and brought out the caution flag.
Duane Provost took the early lead and led the first two laps before Shawn Thibeault moved to the lead on lap-3. Rob Dow followed Thibeault by Provost, as did Andrew Druand, Dan Flannery, and Dave Yardley. Durand began to slowly fade backwards as Flannery moved into third place with Yardley right behind him in fourth. George Nocera, Jr. was now in fifth as Thibeault continued to hold the race lead at the halfway point of the race.
Nocera would get around Yardley for fourth, while Thibeault was setting a blistering pace out front, pulling away from Dow and Flannery. Thibeault was cruising towards victory, but Chris Cook and Carla Botticello spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out and set up a green white checkered finish.
On the restart, Nocera and Thibeault got into each other and washed up the track, which allowed Flannery to move from third to the race lead. Flannery led the field around for the final lap to take the victory and the Limited Late Model track championship. Joe Nogiec finished second, with Jesse Hinze, Yardley, and Durand rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, Albert Saunders went to the outside of Stephanie Berardi at the start of the race to take the early lead. Berardi settled in to second with Vince Gambacorta and Stephen Daddio behind them. Cory Casagrande was on the charge and quickly worked his way through traffic and moved into second place. Saunders had built up a large lead, but that lead was erased by the caution for a spin by Cassandra Secore.
On the restart, Saunders kept the lead with Salva and Cory Casagrande dueling for the second position. Salva took the spot, then lost it to Casagrande, and then moved back into second and that was the order when Secore spun again with 13 laps complete to set up a green white checkered finish.
On the restart, Don Wood went around on the backstretch and collected the car of Vince Gambacorta to bring the caution back out. The next restart saw Saunders again power into the lead with Casagrande moving into second as Salva slid up the hill. Casagrande closed in on Saunders’ bumper, but Saunders had enough car to stay in front of Casagrande and he took down his first win of the 2010 season. Casagrande finished second, with Daddio, Salva, and Jeff Jolly rounding out the top-5. Tony Membrino, Jr. became the 2010 DARE Stock track champion with his 7th place finish.
In the 8-lap Paradiso-Muska DARE Stock Shoot-Out, Cliff Saunders took the early lead ahead of Albert Saunders, Josh Wood, and Jeff Jolly. Albert Saunders faded back to fifth place as Josh Wood moved into second with jolly and Nick Salva behind him. Jolly and Salva got together and spun to bring the yellow out with 4 laps complete.
Back under green, Saunders and Wood were side by side for the lead with Casagrande in third. Casagrande moved by Wood for second on lap-6 while Saunders continued to hold the lead. With 7 laps complete, Jolly made contact with Salva, which spun both cars into the turn 1 wall to set up a one-lap sprint to the checkered flag.
Saunders led the field around for the final time to take the victory. Don Wood made a charge into second, with Stephen Daddio, Cory Casagrande, and Josh Wood 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