Preece, Stuart, Charland, Wood, & Secore Score TSI Harley-Davidson 125 presented by G-Oil Feature Wins
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the house for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Presented by G-Oil. Taking down weekly feature wins on the night were Ryan Preece in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Jay Stuart in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Chase Bob Charland in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Josh Wood in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Dave Secore in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Tom Bolles led the first lap on the outside of Zach Aszklar but Aszklar came back strong and retook the lead on lap-2. Ryan Preece spun in turn 4, but he quickly got his car moving and the race stayed green. Doug Coby was third with Curt Brainard and Dan Avery side by side for fourth place. Avery got the spot while Frank Ruocco and Todd Owen both followed Avery by Brainard.
Avery got around Brainard and he got a good run to the inside of Coby to take over third place on lap-8 but the caution came out for a spin by Sean Foster in turn 2. Bolles took the lead on the restart, but his lead only lasted one more lap as Avery went to the front on lap-9. The caution came back out one lap later for a spin by Todd Owen in turns 1+2.
Avery and Aszklar were side by side for the lead on the restart, but Avery quickly got clear of Aszklar and Keith Rocco moved into second. Eric Berndt was third, with Ryan Preece in fourth and Woody Pitkat in fifth. With 14 laps complete, Rowan Pennink and Tom Bolles came together in turn 2 with Pennink’s car climbing up and over Bolles’ car and coming to a stop against the turn 2 wall to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete.
On the restart, Avery and Rocco stayed sie by side for a lap before Avery got clear into the lead. Berndt moved into second with Rocco and Coby side by side for third. Aszklar spun in turn 2 but he was able to get his car moving again and the race stayed green. Coby took third from Rocco and both Woody Pitkat and Preece were able to get by Rocco as Rocco fell from second back to sixth place. Aszklar spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with half the race completed.
Back under green, Avery was able to keep the lead by a nose over Berndt, with Coby and Pitkat side by side for third and Rocco in fifth place behind the two lead duos. The action settled down 3 laps after the restart with avery in front of Berndt and coby while Preece got by Pitkat to take over fourth place. Pitkat and Rocco were now dueling side by side for fifth place with Ted Christopher right behind them on lap-25. Owen and Foster were recovered from their earlier spins and were right behind Christopher.
Preece was continuing his charge to the front of the field after his early race spin, doing his work in the outside groove. He got by Berndt to take over second on lap-29 and he immediately began to pressure Avery for the race lead. Preece was working Avery over, but Avery was able to keep Preece behind him. This allowed Berndt and Coby to close in on Avery and Preece to make it a four way fight for the lead with 6 laps to go.
Avery was able to hold Preece off until lap-38 when Preece made a bottom shot move going into turn 1 to take over the race lead. Preece lead the field back to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the 2013 season after spinning early in the race. Avery slid back to fifth place as Berndt, Coby, and Pitkat all got by Avery after Avery slid up the track in turn 4 coming to the white flag and that was how they came to the checkered flag behind Preece.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Michael Scorzelli took the lead at the green but Cory Casagrande spun in turn 3 to bring the caution out with 1 lap complete.
The restart saw Rick Charette get around Scorzelli to take over the lead. Mark St. Hilaire pulled alongside Scorzelli and they were racing side by side for second, just in front of Jay Stuart and Jim Mavlouganes. Andrew Durand lost a tire and drifted up the track and hit the wall on lap-5, but he was able to keep going and the race stayed green. The caution did come out with 7 laps complete for Jim Peterson and Tom Fearn, who came together in turn 3.
Charette got a good start and pulled away with Stuart slotting into second. Mavlouganes was third, with Adam Gray and St. Hilaire behind him. J.J. Hill was sixth, with Woody Pitkat, Peter Portante, Mike Quintiliano, and George Nocera, Jr. behind him.
Fearn was already back into the top-10 when he went by Nocera on lap-10 while Stuart was the race leader and pulling away from Mavlouganes and Gray. Charette fell back to fourth in line and St. Hilaire and Pitkat were right behind him.
At the midway point of the race, Stuart had a half straightaway lead over Mavlouganes and Gray, who had a similar margin over Pitkat and St. Hilaire, who were dueling side by side for fourth place. Pitkat took the spot with 10 laps to go and Hill, Fearn, and Quintiliano all followed Pitkat by St. Hilaire.
At the front of the pack it was all Stuart as he took the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2013 season and his first win since the 2005 season at Stafford with a dominating run. Mavlouganes finished second, with Gray, Pitkat, and Hill rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Joey Ferrigno went around Dylan Campbell at the start to take the lead. Tony Santangelo was alongside Campbell in a fight for second, with Rich Hammann and Jason Lafayette behind him. Santangelo also got by Campbell on the high side as did Hammann and Lafayette as Campbell was sliding back through the field.
Ferrigno had built a large lead over Hammann in the first 6 laps but that lead was erased when Troy Talman, Glenn Griswold, and Rick Williams spun in turn 3. On the restart, Hammann was able to keep pace with Ferrigno and they were side by side for a lap before Hammann powered by Ferrigno to take over the lead. Ronnie Williams was up to third behind Ferrigno with Bob Charland and Tony Membrino, Jr. now making up the top-5 as the field hit the halfway point of the race.
The top-5 cars of Hammann, Ferrigno, Charland, Membrino and Williams were now nose to tail and beginning to dice for position, but Dylan Menditto and Fred Nees, Jr. spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out and slow the action at the front of the pack with 12 laps complete.
Ferrigno took the lead on the restart with Charland making an amazing three wide move to move into second. Hammann was third with Membrino and Williams behind him. Chase Dowling was up to sixth place, with Talman, Griswold, Lafayette, and Jay Goff making up the top-10. This was the order when Dylan Menditto spun to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete.
On the restart, Ferrigno and Charland were side by side for the lead and they remained side by side for two laps before Charland was able to get clear into the lead. Hammann was also able to get around Ferrigno on the outside groove and he took second on lap-18. Membrino was fourth, with Williams looking all over his back bumper but the caution came out for a spin by Todd Douillard in turn 1 to set up a green white checkered finish.
On the restart, Ferrigno nearly made a three-wide move on Charland and Hammann but backed out. Ferrigno took second from Hammann but the caution came out for a spin by Jay Goff in turn 4 to set up a second green white checkered finish.
Ferrigno and Charland werw side by side on the restart, but in turn 4, Williams moved into second. Ferrigno got loose on the last lap and slid back to fourth while Charland took the checkered flag for his first win of the 2013 season. Williams finished second, with Hammann, Ferrigno, and Membrino rounding out the top-5.
In the 25-lap Limited Late Model Xtra Mart Xtra D feature event, Albert Saunders led the field to the green and he took the early lead. Jesse Hinze settled into second behind Saunders, with Josh Wood quickly moving into third. Don Wood was fourth and Andrew Hayes was fifth with David Arute and Justin Bren side by side for sixth place.
With 3 laps complete, Hinze got a bit high coming out of turn 2 and he and Don Wood got together and spun to bring the caution out. Josh Wood took the lead on the restart with Saunders settling into second. Hayes was third, with Austin Bessette fourth and Arute fifth. Bren spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the yellow back out with 5 laps complete.
Josh Wood took the lead again on the restart with Hayes getting around Saunders for second place. Arute was fourth and Bessette and Hinze were dueling for fifth place, with Bessette taking the spot. Saunders was glued to the back bumper of Hayes while Wood was pulling away at the front of the field. Arute continued to run in fourth and Bessette was fifth. D.J. Burnham was sixth and he was beginning to close in on Bessette in fifth at the midway point of the race. Bessette spun in turn 2 and Don Wood came to a stop on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 12 laps complete.
On the restart, Wood took the lead again with Hinze getting by Hayes for second. Arute’s car got out of shape and he slid back through the field and he was circulating slowly around the track. Behind Wood was Saunders, Bessette, Burnham, and Joe Nogiec. Burnham made contact with Bessette and sent him around in turn 3 to bring the caution out with 19 laps complete.
Wood again took the lead on the restart with Hinze and Hayes continuing their great duel for second. Burnham, who was sent to the rear of the field for the contact with Bessette, was now back up to fourth with Saunders and Bessette behind him. Wood led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of the 2013 season in domination fashion. Hayes held off Hinze for second, with Burnham and Saunders rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Ryan Fearn took the lead at the green flag and set the pace ahead of Brandon Michael, Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Vince Gambacorta, and Kelsey Rottino. The caution came out with 2 laps complete for a spin by Bryan Iwaniuk.
Back under green, Fearn and Michael got a good restart while Gambacorta and L’Etoile made slight contact, allowing Kris Fluckiger to slide into third with Rottino and Dave Secore behind him. L’Etoile’s car began to smoke going down the backstretch with 4 laps complete, which brought the caution back out.
Fearn took the lead again back under green with Michael moving into second. Fluckiger was third, but one lap after the restart, Michael got high coming out of turn 2 and clapped the wall and came to a stop to bring the caution out.
On the restart, Fluckiger was able to stay even with Fearn for the race lead. They ran side by side for a full lap and when they came back to the start/finish line they came together and both cars spun. With both cars spinning, there was a melee behind them that collected several cars and brought the caution out. The new order was Secore in the lead, followed by Cliff Saunders, Doug Phelps, Fran Siana, Stacey Botticello, Gus Coelho, Gambacorta, and Jeremy Lavoie. All other cars were pulled behind the wall.
Secore took the lead on the restart with Siana taking a peek to the inside of Saunders for second, but he settled into line in third. Phelps was fourth just in front of Botticello, but he got loose on lap-7 and he slipped back several spots. Lavoie was now up to fifth behind Botticello as Secore continued to lead Saunders and Siana.
Lavoie got around Botticello to move into fourth on lap-9 but he was now a half straightaway behind the top-3 cars with 6 laps to go. Saunders made a move to the inside of Secore for the lead on lap-13, but his car got loose and Secore was able to pull away by several car lengths.
Saunders quickly reeled Secore back in and he made one last ditch effort on the final lap coming out of turn 4, but he couldn’t get his car to stick and he got loose and Secore took the checkered flag to pick up his first career victory. Siana finished third behind Secore and Saunders, with Lavoie and 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) Ryan Preece, Berlin
2) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
3) Doug Coby, Middletown
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) Dan Avery, Somers
6) Keith Rocco, Meriden
7) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
8) Danny Cates, Chaplin
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Ted Christopher, Plainville
11) Sean Foster, Willington
12) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
13) Matt Galko, Meriden
14) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
15) Curt Brainard, Canton
16) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
17) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, Ma
18) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
19) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
20) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
21) Tom Bolles, Ellington
22) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Jay Stuart, Preston
2) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
3) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
6) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
7) Mike Quintiliano, Shelton
8) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
9) Peter Portante, Plainville
10) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
11) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
12) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
13) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
14) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny
15) Art Caruso, Windsor
16) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
17) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
18) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
19) Rick Charette, Vernon
20) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
21) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Bob Charland, Stafford
2) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
3) Rich Hammann, Tolland
4) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
5) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
6) Chase Dowling, Roxbury
7) Troy Talman, Oxford, Ma
8) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
9) Jason Lafayette, Somers
10) Payton Henry, Willington
11) Rick Dyer, Shelton
12) Tyler Hines, North Haven
13) Dylan Campbell, Southborough, Ma
14) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
15) Geoff Boisjolie, East Hampton, Ma
16) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
17) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn
18) Todd Douillard, Palmer, Ma
19) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
20) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
21) Rick Williams, Haddam
LIMITED LATE MODEL (25)
1) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
2) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
3) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
4) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
5) Albert Saunders, Stafford
6) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
7) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
8) David Arute, Tolland
9) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
10) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
2) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
3) Fran Siana, Springfield, Ma
4) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
5) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
6) Stacey Botticello, Manchester
7) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
8) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilberham, Ma
9) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
10) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
11) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
12) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
13) James Carroll, West Hartford
14) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
15) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
16) Frank L’etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
17) David Comeau, Palmer, Ma
18) Bryan Iwaniuk, Middletown
Point Standings
2013 STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY SK MODIFIED® CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FOLLOWING TSI HARLEY-DAVIDSON 125 PRESENTED BY G-OIL
FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013
RACE 5 OF 19
POS DRIVER POINTS +/-
1 RYAN PREECE 216 26
2 WOODY PITKAT 190 -26
3 DANNY CATES 186 -30
4 TED CHRISTOPHER 184 -32
5 DOUG COBY 182 -34
6 KEITH ROCCO 178 -38
7 TODD OWEN 176 -40
8 SEAN FOSTER 174 -42
9 DAN AVERY 166 -50
10 ROWAN PENNINK 158 -58
11 FRANK RUOCCO 144 -72
12 GLEN REEN 116 -100
13 CURT BRAINARD 114 -102
14 ERIC BERNDT 110 -106
15 JOEY CIPRIANO, III – R 100 -116
16 TOM BOLLES 94 -122
17 MICHAEL GERVAIS, JR. 94 -122
18 SHAWN THIBEAULT – R 92 -124
19 ZACH ASZKLAR – R 92 -124
20 BRIAN SULLIVAN 88 -128
21 MICHAEL BENNETT 86 -130
22 TOMMY MEMBRINO, JR. 80 -136
23 MATT GALKO 60 -156
24 DAVID SALZARULO 52 -164
25 JOE WILLIAMS – R 52 -164
26 RIT DULAC – R 18 -198
27 KURT LENAHAN 12 -204
28 JEFF ROCCO – R 8 -208
29 RAYMOND GRASSETTI 2 -214
30 LANCE CONLEY 2 -214
R = ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE
50 POINTS ARE AWARDED FOR FIRST, DISTRIBUTION IS THEN DECREASED BY 2 POINTS PER POSITION.
2013 STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY LATE MODEL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FOLLOWING TSI HARLEY-DAVIDSON 125 PRESENTED BY G-OIL
FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013
RACE 5 OF 19
POS DRIVER POINTS +/-
1 WOODY PITKAT 236 12
2 TOM FEARN 224 -12
3 JIM MAVLOUGANES 212 -24
4 JAY STUART 206 -30
5 ADAM GRAY 204 -32
6 CORY CASAGRANDE – R 194 -42
7 J.J. HILL 182 -54
8 KEVIN GAMBACORTA 160 -76
9 MARK ST. HILAIRE 134 -102
10 PETER PORTANTE 126 -110
11 JIM PETERSON 122 -114
12 DENNIS BOTTICELLO 120 -116
13 ANDREW DURAND – R 116 -120
14 MICHAEL SCORZELLI – R 114 -122
15 ED RICARD 108 -128
16 PAUL VARRICCHIO, JR. 96 -140
17 RICK CHARETTE 94 -142
18 GEORGE NOCERA, JR. -R 92 -144
19 ART CARUSO 78 -158
20 MIKE QUINTILIANO 74 -162
21 PETER THICKETT 64 -172
22 TODD OWEN 40 -196
23 RYAN POSOCCO 36 -200
24 MICHAEL BENNETT 28 -208
25 TONY LAFO 20 -216
26 KYLE CASAGRANDE 20 -216
27 SKIP BREUNIG 18 -218
2013 STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY SK LIGHT MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FOLLOWING TSI HARLEY-DAVIDSON 125 PRESENTED BY G-OIL
FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013
RACE 5 OF 19
POS DRIVER POINTS +/-
1 CHASE DOWLING – R 222 2
2 TONY MEMBRINO, JR. 220 -2
3 TROY TALMAN – R 218 -4
4 BOB CHARLAND 214 -8
5 RICH HAMMANN 196 -26
6 JAY GOFF 196 -26
7 RONNIE WILLIAMS 172 -50
8 GLENN GRISWOLD 152 -70
9 JOEY FERRIGNO 146 -76
10 TONY SANTANGELO 136 -86
11 JASON LAFAYETTE – R 134 -88
12 DYLAN CAMPBELL 124 -98
13 DYLAN MENDITTO – R 122 -100
14 SHAYNE PRUCKER 120 -102
15 PAYTON HENRY 120 -102
16 TODD DOUILLARD – R 112 -110
17 GEOFF BOISJOLIE – R 106 -116
18 FRED NEES, JR. 92 -130
19 WESLEY PRUCKER – R 78 -144
20 KEITH MCDERMOTT – R 48 -174
21 TYLER HINES 40 -182
22 RICK WILLIAMS 32 -190
23 RICK DYER 30 -192
2013 STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY DARE STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FOLLOWING TSI HARLEY-DAVIDSON 125 PRESENTED BY G-OIL
FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013
RACE 5 OF 19
POS DRIVER POINTS +/-
1 KRIS FLUCKIGER 218 2
2 JEREMY LAVOIE 216 -2
3 JOHNNY WALKER 214 -4
4 DAVE SECORE, JR. 202 -16
5 KELSEY ROTTINO 176 -42
6 DAVID COMEAU – R 172 -46
7 FRANK L’ETOILE, JR. – R 170 -48
8 STACEY BOTTICELLO 152 -66
9 VINCE GAMBACORTA 150 -68
10 BRANDON MICHAEL 146 -72
11 FRAN SIANA 144 -74
12 GUS COELHO, JR. 144 -74
13 JAMES CARROLL 124 -94
14 RYAN FEARN – R 116 -102
15 CLIFF SAUNDERS – R 112 -106
16 ANDREW MARCHESE 108 -110
17 DOUG PHELPS 98 -120
18 ALEXANDRA FEARN – R 94 -124
19 TREVOR BERRY 70 -148
20 BRYAN IWANIUK – R 68 -150
21 ALLISON COELHO – R 66 -152
22 PAUL VARRICCHIO, SR. 40 -178
23 DONOVIN SECORE 34 -184
24 BRANDON HUGHES – R 18 -200
25 STEPHEN DUDZIC – R 16 -202