Tommy Barrett, Jr. Wins Inaugural Valenti Modified Racing Series 80
The Valenti Modified Racing Series made its first of three visits during the 2013 season to Stafford Motor Speedway for the Inaugural VMRS 80. Tommy Barrett, Jr. took the checkered flag to become the very first repeat Valenti Modified Racing Series winner at Stafford Motor Speedway.
The race took the green flag with Keith Rocco streaking into the lead, but before the field could get through the first two corners, Tim Jordan got turned into the frontstretch wall and damaged his right front tire to bring the caution out before a lap could be completed.
Back under green, Rocco took the lead with Tommy Barrett, Jr. slotting into second behind him. Dave Etheridge was third, with Ryan Preece moving into fourth, just ahead of Mark Bakaj. Jeff Rocco, Eric Goodale, Woody Pitkat, Max Zachem, and Steve Masse made up the top-10 in the early laps of the race.
Etheridge went by Barrett on lap-6 and he brought Preece with him as Barrett fell from second back to fourth place. Rocco also got by Barrett for third, with Bakaj continuing to run in fifth place. The order at the front nearly shuffled on lap-10 as Preece made a run to the inside of Etheridge, but Preece made the pass stick on lap-11 to take over the race lead. Max Zachem came to a stop on the backstretch to bring the yellow out with 20 laps complete.
Preece took the lead back under green, but his car dropped off the pace suddenly on lap-23 while leading and he came to pit road where his crew went under the hood. This put Etheridge into the lead with Barrett, Keith Rocco, Jeff Rocco, Masse, Bakaj, Goodale, and Richard Savary the running order behind him on lap-25.
Etheridge was slowly pulling away from the field lap by lap and on lap-38, Keith Rocco slowed on the frontstretch and he had to limp his car back to pit road, dropping him from third place and ending a great night early. With Rocco’s retirement, Etheridge now had nearly a full straightaway lead over Barrett in second, who had nearly a full straightaway lead over the quartet of Jeff Rocco, Masse, Goodale, and Rowan Pennink.
With 30 laps to go, Etheridge still had a sizeable lead over Barrett, who was still way ahead of Jeff Rocco, Masse, Goodale, and Pennink. Closing in on Pennink were Bakaj, Savary, and Louie Mechalides. As Etheridge came up on the car of Matt Mead to put him a lap down, Etheridge couldn’t get by and Barrett was starting to slowly close the gap to Etheridge with 25 laps to go. With 59 laps complete, Jeff Rocco’s car slowed and brought the caution out, bunching up the field and erasing the large gaps that Etheridge and Barrett had built up over the rest of the field.
On the restart, Barrett powered his way past Etheridge and into the race lead. Goodale was third, with Masse fourth and Pennink in fifth. Savary was sixth, with Mechalides, Dan Meservey, Jr., Woody Pitakt, and Dylan Kopec making up the top-10 with 15 laps to go. Debris on the track brought the caution back out with 71 laps complete, setting up a 9-lap dash to the finish.
Barrett took the lead back under green with Etheridge slotting into second. Masse took to the high groove to get by Goodale and move into third, but Kopec, Dana Smith, and Anthony Nocella spun in turns 1+2 to bring the caution back out with 73 laps complete.
Barrett again took the lead back under green with Masse getting by Etheridge to move into second. Goodale was fourth behind Etheridge and Savary was fifth. Masse was all over the back of Barrett, applying heavy pressure for the lead, but Barrett was able to stay out front as they took the two to go signal.
Barrett led Masse back to the checkered flag to become the first two-time Valenti Modified Racing Series winner at Stafford. Etheridge finished third, with Goodale and Savary rounding out the top-5.
VALENTI MODIFIED RACING SERIES – Valenti Modified Racing Series 80 Unofficial Results
Friday, June 21, 2013
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford, CT
Lap length: 0.5 miles
1) Tommy Barrett, Jr.
2) Steve Masse
3) Dave Etheridge
4) Eric Goodale
5) Richard Savary
6) Dan Meservey, Jr.
7) Eddy Spiers
8) Woody Pitkat
9) Norm Wrenn
10) Louie Mechalides
11) Rowan Pennink
12) Todd Owen
13) Matt Mead
14) Dylan Kopec
15) Mark Bakaj
16) Anthony Nocella
17) Danny Cates
18) Max Zachem
19) Dana Smith
20) Jeff Rocco
21) Keith Rocco
22) Tom Bolles
23) Ryan Preece
24) Brad VanHouten
25) Ted Christopher
26) Tim Jordan
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR