PRACTICE: Berndt Fastest At Stafford
Led Rain-Delayed CARQUEST Fall Final Practice Session
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway veteran Eric Berndt led the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour field in practice Saturday afternoon at the half mile in advance of Sunday’s CARQUEST Fall Final.
Berndt, from Cromwell, Conn., posted a fast lap of 18.346 mph (98.114 mph) during the 60-minute practice session that was delayed more than 90 minutes by morning rain at the track.
Eric Beers (18.397/97.938), points leader Ron Silk (18.399/97.831), Erick Rudolph (18.402/97.815) and Donny Lia (18.465/97.482) rounded out the five fastest cars during the practice session, which saw a light mist move in toward the end.
Silk’s main championship challenger Todd Szegedy was seventh on the speed chart and defending race winner Bobby Santos was eighth.
Qualifying is scheduled for today at 4 p.m. Berndt’s lone career pole came at Stafford in 2009.
NWMT Stafford 10/2/11 Practice
Pos No. Name Sponsor Speed Time
1 46 Eric Berndt Cape Cod Agts/North End Auto Parts 98.114 18.346
2 45 Eric Beers Horwith Frghtlnr/John Blewett Inc. 97.938 18.379
3 6 Ron Silk T.S Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm 97.831 18.399
4 98 Erick Rudolph Mohawk N.E./Original Pizza Logs 97.815 18.402
5 11 Donny Lia Spectro Performance Oils 97.482 18.465
6 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner 97.424 18.476
7 2 Todd Szegedy Wisk Detergent/A&J Romano Const. 97.376 18.485
8 4 Bobby Santos Mystic Missile 97.360 18.488
9 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology 97.313 18.497
10 9 Tom Rogers Jr.* MissMarianaLee.com 97.103 18.537
11 36 Ted Christopher Al-Lee Installations 96.957 18.565
12 8 Glenn Tyler Jayfor/Gallagher Enterprises 96.821 18.591
13 3 Matt Hirschman Cape Cod Copper/LI Mod Maniac 96.821 18.591
14 10 Ed Flemke Jr. Ron Bouchard’s Auto/Roush Yates 96.774 18.600
15 16 Mike Stefanik Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises 96.613 18.631
16 39 Richie Pallai Jr. Bosch Spark Plugs 96.437 18.665
17 58 Eric Goodale Perimeters for the Home 96.355 18.681
18 40 Ryan Preece American Lamp Recycling/Mizzy Const. 96.329 18.686
19 07 Patrick Emerling* Emerling Chevrolet 96.252 18.701
20 79 Chris Kopec Hill Enterprises/Coors Light 96.051 18.740
21 17 Glen Reen Silberman Heating & Cooling 96.031 18.744
22 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Manufacturing 95.734 18.802
23 50 Kevin Goodale Riverhead Building Supply 95.486 18.851
24 88 Bryon Chew* Buzz Chew Chevrolet/GT Vodka 95.334 18.881
25 52 Doug Coby Reynolds Auto Wrecking 95.122 18.923
26 33 Wade Cole Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil 94.727 19.002
27 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/MacLad Drywall 94.627 19.022
28 22 Chuck Hossfeld Jerry Gradl Motors 94.093 19.130
29 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscape/TRC Electric 92.884 19.379
30 38 Glenn Griswold* Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil 92.874 19.381
*Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR