Stergios Monadnock Lites Winner
Winchester, NH — P.J. Stergios “kind of got lazy” but rallied in plenty of time to win the NEMA Lites feature at the Northeastern Midget Association’s Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial Saturday night at Monadnock Speedway. It was his third win of the season and the fourth for the car.
Starting eighth, Stergios, in the family 11, needed 12 laps to assume command. Andy Barrows continued his run of podium finishes with a second followed by Kenny Johnson (Johnson 46), Danny Cugini (Cugini 51) and Kevin Hutchins (Hutchins 27).
A Stergios-Barrows duel was the highlight, the latter coming from the ninth starting spot to second just before the third yellow flew on lap 22. Barrows, coming off a victory at Star Speedway actually took the lead as the two battled before caution flew again with seven laps left.
“I was a little nervous,” said Stergios. “He was outside on the restart and I wanted to give him enough room and I think I slowed myself down.” It was, however, an inside move into three that put Barrows in the lead. He was still there when the final caution showed.
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“I had him,” offered Barrows, claiming the final caution “messed up my rhythm. I stepped up my game and he stepped up his game.”
Stergios dispatched Barrows through one and two – “that’s where the car was best all day,” he said – and went to an almost three second edge at the checkered. The fastest lap of the race – a 12.570 by Stergios – came shortly after he took the lead back.
Barrows was left to thwart the challenge of Kenny Johnson, the latter rallying at the end.
Paul Bigelow, Hutchins and Logan Rayvals all led before Stergios took command.
The point leader going in Carl Medeiros Jr. lost his steering and crashed in his heat. He drove the Scrivani 21 in the feature.
Rayvals and Paul Bigelow were heat winners.
RESULTS: 1, PJ Stergios, 2. Andy Barrows, 3. Kenny Johnson, 4. Danny Cugini, 5. Kevin Hutchins, 6. Richie Morrocco, 7. Paul Bigelow, 8. Logan Rayvals, 9. Scott Bigelow, 10. Kevin Park, 11. Megan Cugini, 12. Carl Mederios, 13. Avery Stoehr, 14. Steve Powers.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR