Rocco, Cipriano, Casagrande & Casagrande Score July 1st First Niagara Night Feature Wins at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway was back in action on Friday, July 1st with a new event sponsor in First Niagara for the First Niagara Independence Day Fireworks Celebration. Keith Rocco was the big winner of the night as he doubled up by winning both the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event and the 30-lap Late Model feature, Joey Cipriano took his third feature win of the season in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Cory Casagrande was the winner of the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Cory’s brother Kyle Casagrande nailed down his third win of the season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Sean Foster led the field from the pole position, but he went around in turn 2 on the very first lap to bring the caution out. Collected in the incident were the cars of Richie Pallai, Jr. and Mark Bakaj, who were both towed off the track.
Dan Avery was the leader back under green with Tom Bolles, Todd Owen, Eric Berndt behind him. Woody Pitkat was side by side with Curt Brainard for the fifth position, with Pitkat taking the spot. Owen moved past Bolles for second, which also brought Berndt past Bolles. The caution came out with 4 laps complete for a spin by Mike King.
Avery took the lead back under green with Owen in second. Berndt was holding third with Pitkat fourth and Ted Christopher was now into fifth. Keith Rocco made a strong move to the inside of Christopher on lap-9 to move into fifth. Berndt got around Owen for second and he moved by Avery for the lead on lap-11, but the caution came out for a spin by Glen Reen, which negated Berndt’s move.
On the restart, Avery and Berndt were side by side for the lead with Pitkat and Owen side by side for third. King and Vinny Anglace spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 12 laps complete.
Berndt took the lead on the restart with Pitkat in second. Avery was third with Rocco and Owen behind him, but the caution came back out one lap after the restart for a multicar incident on the backstretch that involved Christopher, Foster, Frank Ruocco, Heather DesRochers, and Nichole Morgillo.
Berndt took the lead back under green with Rocco making a strong move in turn 3 to pull to the inside of Pitkat in a duel for second. Rocco and Piktat ran side by side for a lap before Rocco was able to complete the pass. Rocco again was able to make a strong move in turn 3 to move past Berndt to take the lead on lap-16. Behind Rocco, Ryan Preece made contact with Berndt in turn 4, which got Berndt loose and behind Berndt, both Avery and Pitakt spun to bring the caution out. Preece was sent to the rear of the field for the contact with Berndt.
Rocco took the lead on the restart, but Berndt was glued to his back bumper in second. Owen was right behind Berndt in a three-car train. Bolles was now into fourth place with Brainard right behind him in fifth place. The caution came back out with 25 laps complete for a spin by Morgillo in turn 1 to slow the action. Kirk Zervas and Michael Gervais, Jr. spun on the frontstretch on the restart to bring the caution right back out.
Rocco took the lead on the restart with Berndt, Owen, Brainard, and Ruocco in line behind him. The caution came back out with 26 laps complete as DesRochers came to a stop in turn 3 and Bolles, John Montesanto, and Anglace spun in turn 1.
Rocco took the lead on the restart with Berndt hanging tough on the outside for a lap before falling back into line behind Rocco. Brainard moved into third, with Pitkat in fourth and Owen fifth. Preece, who was sent to the rear of the field earlier, was recovered from his penalty and was in sixth place behind Owen. Preece charged his way by Owen and then he got by both Brainard and Pitkat to move into third place behind Rocco and Berndt.
Rocco led Berndt and Preece around for the final circuits to take his fourth win of the 2011 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Rocco, Berndt, and Preece was Pitkat and Brainard.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Walt Wosko, Jr. took the lead at the green and immediately opened up a lead over Mark St. Hilaire in second. Ryan Posocco was third, with Keith Rocco and Adam Gray behind him. Posocco made a move to the inside of St. Hilaire on lap-4 to take over second. Posocco’s move allowed Rocco to also get by St. Hilaire. Rocco continued to charge towards the front as he went by Posocco in the next corner. The caution came out with 5 laps complete for Scott Cook, who came to a stop in the middle of turns 3+4. Cook got a push start and was able to continue in the feature.
On the restart, Rocco made a strong run on the outside of Wosko to take over the lead. Posocco got loose in turn 2 and fell back several spots. Posocco then nearly spun through the backstretch grass but was able to keep going and the race stayed green. Tom Fearn was black flagged for contact with the Posocco car.
Rocco began to stretch out his advantage over Wosko, who was continuing to hold down the second position just ahead of Woody Pitkat. Wosko held second until lap-11 when Pitkat went by in turn 4. Jim Peterson would also get past Wosko to drop him from second back to fourth, just in front of Dillon Moltz, who was running fifth.
The cars ran in order until lap-24 when Moltz was able to move by Wosko to take over fourth place. Moltz’s pass opened the door for Adam Gray to follow Moltz past Wosko. Gray then made a move on Moltz to take over fourth on lap-26. Moltz was fading as Wosko, Posocco, Patrick Townsend, Corey Hutchings, J.J. Hill, Tom Fearn, and John Kasper all got by Moltz.
It was all Rocco at the front of he field as he led the rest of the way to pick up his second consecutive Late Model feature victory. Pitkat finished second, with Peterson, Gray, and Wosko rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Cody Gneiting took the early lead but the caution came out with one lap complete for a spin by Paul Tommasino. Back under gren, Gneiting took the lead with Frank Cardile, Matt Galko, Zach Aszklar, and Jay Goff behind him. The caution came back out with 5 laps complete for debris on the track.
Gneiting again took the lead back under green, but Cardile made a run to the high side of Gneiting to pull alongside Gneiting. There was a multicar incident on the frontstretch that collected the cars of Shayne Prucker, Dylan Kopec, Tony Membrino, Jr., Tommy Membrino, Jr., Dylan Liseo, Harry Wheeler, Tony Santangelo, and Tommy Barrett, Jr., which brought out the red flag with 6 laps complete.
Gneiting took the lead back under green with Cardile and Aszklar behind him. Joey Cipriano and Galko were side by side for fourth place with Cipriano taking the spot. Cipriano then moved by Aszklar to move into third place on lap-11. Cardile pulled to the inside of Gneiting to take the lead on lap-12 but his lead was short lived as Cipriano made a move to Cardile’s inside on lap-13 to take the lead. Cardile came back strong to the outside of Cipriano, but he fell back into line behind Cipriano with Aszklar, Galko, and Gneiting behind him.
Cipriano led the final 7 laps to take his third SK Light feature victory of the 2011 season. Cardile finished second, with Galko, Aszklar, and Gneiting rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Jesse Hinze took the lead at the green with Duane Provost and George Nocera, Jr. behind him. Norm Sears was fourth and Shawn Thibeault charged up into the fifth position in the early laps.
Hinze and Provost were continuing to run in the front two spots but the aciot was heating up behind the lead duo. Sears, Nocera, and Dan Flannery were fighting hard for the third position, with Sears getting loose in turn 2 and hitting the wall to bring the caution out with 10 laps complete.
Hinze took the lead on the restart, but Provost was hanging tough in the outside groove and Provost moved to the lead on lap-12 while working the high groove. Nocera was third behind Provost and Hinze with Cory Casagrande and Thibeault making up the top-5. Nocera lost two spots as both Thibeault and Kevin Gambacorta got by, dropping him from third back to sixth place.
Thibeault made a pass on Hinze to take over second place on lap-18 and he caught up to Provost on the final lap. Entering turn 3, Thibeault made contact with Provost, which sent Provost spinning. Thibeault took the checkered flag but he was penalized for the contact to the last car on the lead lap, making Casagrande the winner. Gambacorta was second, with Hinze, Nocera, and Flannery rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Vince Gambacorta took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Nick Salva sliding into second. Kris Fluckiger was third, but he was overtaken by Albert Saunders, who also went by Salva for second on lap-4. Saunders’ pass on Salva opened the door for Kyle Casagrande to follow him by Salva.
Salva continued to slide backwards as Don Wood, Josh Wood, and David Arute all were able to move past. Saunders took the lead from Gambacorta on lap-7 with Casagrande moving into second behind Saunders. Saunders held the lead until lap-12 when he had trouble getting by the lapped car of Al Jurczyk, which gave Casagrande an opportunity to take the lead and Casagrande capitalized on the opportunity. Saunders was glued to Casagrande’s bumper in the closing laps, but he was unable to make a pass as Casagrande took down his third feature win of the 2011 season. Albert Saunders finished second, with Don Wood, Josh Wood, and Vince Gambacorta 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
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
3) Ryan Preece, Berlin
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) Curt Brainard, Canton
6) Todd Owen, Somers
7) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
8) Matt Gallo, Kensington
9) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
10) Tom Bolles, Ellington
11) John Montesanto, North Branford
12) Vinny Anglace, Ansonia
13) Michael King, Agawam, Ma
14) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
15) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
16) Dan Avery, Somers
17) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
18) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
19) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
20) Chris Matthews, Stafford
21) Kirk Zervas, Winthrop, Ma
22) Sean Foster, Willington
23) Ted Christopher, Plainville
24) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
25) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
3) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
4) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
5) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
6) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
7) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
8) Corey Hutchings, Salem
9) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
10) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
11) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
12) Scott Cook, Uncasville
13) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
14) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
15) Tony Lafo, Higganum
16) John Pysher, Brimfield, Ma
17) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury
2) Frank Cardile, Bolton
3) Matt Galko, Meriden
4) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
5) Cody Gneiting, Broad Brook
6) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
7) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
8) Jesse Ruocco, Cheshire
9) Bobt Charland, Stafford
10) Rick Williams, Haddam
11) Paul Tommasino, Meriden
12) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
13) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Ma
14) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
15) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
16) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
17) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
18) Dylan Kopec, Palmer, Ma
19) Stephen Greer, Harwinton
20) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
3) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
4) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
5) Dan Flannery, Ellington
6) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
7) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
8) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
9) Marshall Usher, Monson, Ma
10) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
11) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
12) Carla Botticello, Manchester
13) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
14) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
15) Norm Sears, Andover
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Albert Saunders, Stafford
3) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
4) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
5) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
6) David Arute, Tolland
7) Nick Salva, Prospect
8) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
9) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
10) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
11) Brandon Michael, Cranville, Ma
12) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
13) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
14) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
15) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
16) Doug Phelps, Jr., New Salem, Ma
17) James Carroll, West Hartford
18) Al Jurczyk, Brimfield, Ma
19) David Macha, Columbia