Rocco, Fearn, Dowling, Wood & Lavoie Score July 12th Girls Night Out/Mid-Season Stretch Feature Wins
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with a special Girls Night Out program featuring each division racing an extra two laps as part of the 5-Star Series Mid-Season Stretch. Keith Rocco scored his first victory of the 2013 season in the 42-lap SK Modified® feature, Tom Fearn picked up his third win of the 2013 season in the 32-lap Late Model feature, Chase Dowling scored his second consecutive victory and fourth overall win of the 2013 season in the 22-lap SK Light Modified feature, Josh Wood picked up his third win of the 2013 season in the 22-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Jeremy Lavoie took down his third win of the season in the 17-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 42-lap SK Modified® feature event, Sean Foster took the lead at the green as the outside lane didn’t get a good start. Tom Bolles got turned into the frontstretch wall and his car came to a stop on the backstretch as he was sparking heavily and Doug Coby lost contact with the pack, but the caution came out with 1 lap complete for Bolles and allowed Coby to get caught back up to the rear of the field. Ted Christopher came to pit road and pulled behind the wall under the caution.
The field was two by two for the next several laps back under green with Foster and Curt Brainard side by side for the lead. Foster got clear of Brainard and Michael Bennett moved into second as Brainard was on the outside of Dan Avery in a fight for third place. The caution came back out with 6 laps complete as Zach Aszklar spun in turns 1+2.
Foster again took the lead with Brainard and Bennett side by side for second. Todd Owen and Avery were side by side behind Brainard and Bennett. Brainard cleared Bennett and Owen was now third. Owen took second from Brainard on lap-10 and he took the lead from Foster on lap-11. Keith Rocco moved by Foster to move into second on lap-12 with Foster, Brainard, and Glen Reen lined up behind him.
Rocco got around Owen in turns 3+4 to take over the race lead on lap-14. Owen came back and nearly repassed Rocco, but he couldn’t make the pass stick. Foster was still third, with Reen moving around Brainard to take over fourth. Reen almost had Foster passed for third on lap-19, but Foster was able to keep Reen behind him. The caution came back out with 20 laps complete for spins by Aszklar and Joey Cipriano in turn 4.
Rocco took the on the restart while Owen slotted into line right behind him. Rene moved into third, but he bobbled on lap-22 and Foster moved by him to take over the position. Eric Berndt was now side by side with Reen for fourth with Rowan Pennink and Avery side by side behind them.
Owen made a move to the inside of Rocco for the lead on lap-25 and he was able to complete the pass on lap-26. Berndt was now third with Pennink right on his bumper in fourth. Pitkat was side by side with Foster for fifth place and he took that spot from Foster.
Back up front, Rocco went back by Owen to retake the lead on lap-27. Berndt was third, with Pennink, Pitkat, Cipriano, Avery, Foster, and Ryan Preece lined up behind him. Owen was beginning to look to the low side of Rocco in the corners in a bid for the lead, but Rocco was able to maintain the lead.
Rocco led Owen back to the checkered flag to pick up his first victory of the 2013 season. Berndt finished third, with Pennink and Pitkat rounding out the top-5.
In the 32-lap Late Model feature event, George Nocera, Jr. took the lead at the green flag with Michael Scorzelli charging his way up to second. Rick Charette settled into third with Kevin Gambacorta behind him. Gambacorta got around Charette and Charette began to fade back through the field as Andrew Durand and Cory Casagrande moved into fourth and fifth.
On lap-9, Nocera’s car dropped off the pace in the front of the pack in turn 2 and Casagrande got into the back of Nocera and spun. Nocera’s car then came to a stop at the entrance to pit road to bring the caution out with 10 laps complete. The restart order was Gambacorta and Scorzelli on the front row, Tom Fearn and Andrew Durand in row 2, and Adam Gray and J.J. Hill in row 3.
Gambacorta took the lead back under green with Fearn moving into second. Gray was side by side with Scorzelli for third with Durand in fifth. Gray got around Scorzelli and took third while Durand made contact with Scorzelli before he moved into fourth. Scorzelli settled into line in fifth place as Gambacorta continued to lead Fearn and Gray. Durand spun in turn 2 after contact from Casagrande to bring the caution out with 15 laps complete. Casagrande was sent to the rear of the field for the contact with Durand.
Fearn took the lead on the restart with Gray moving into second place. Gambacorta settled into third, with Hill getting by Scorzelli for fourth. Woody Pitkat, who started last after coming from Loudon where he qualified his Whelen Modified Tour ride in seventh place, followed Hill by Scorzelli and then he took the spot from Hill as Hill fell back behind Scorzelli.
Gray and Fearn took turns swapping the lead and the two cars were virtually locked nose to tail when the caution came back out with 21 laps complete for Durand, who spun in turns 3+4.
Fearn took the lead back under green with Pitkat moving into second and applying heavy pressure tot eh back bumper of Fearn. Durand bounced off the frontstretch wall but kept going and the race stayed green. Gray was third behind Fearn and Pitkat with Gambacorta and Peterson rounding out the top-5. Scorzelli spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 23 laps complete.
Fearn again took the lead on the restart with Pitkat going to the outside of Fearn and Gray nearly making it three-wide for the lead. Fearn cleared Pitkat and Gray was now side by side with Pitkat for second. Gray took the spot on lap-25 and the top-3 were now single file with Peterson and Mark St. Hilaire lined up behind Fearn, Gray, and Pitkat.
Gray was all over the back of Fearn for the lead but he wasn’t able to make a pass. Gray was beating Fearn’s back bumper up, but he couldn’t complete the pass. Gray made one final bid coming to the checkered flag and both Fearn and Gray got sideways coming to the checkered flag but it was Fearn who got to the flag first to pick up his third iwn of the 2013 season. Pitkat finished third, with Peterson and St. Hilaire rounding out the top-5.
In the 22-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Payton Henry took the lead at the green with Rick Williams charging his way into second. Rich Hammann and Williams were then side by side for second with Williams starting to fall back through the field. Tyler Hines and Hammann were side by side for second before Hines moved to the lead on lap-5 and Hammann moved into second. Griswold was third, but he got around Hammann on lap-9 to move into third. Henry was fourth with Chase Dowling up to fifth at the midway point of the race.
Dowling powered his way by Hammann to move into third on lap-12 and he continued his charge going by Griswold for second on lap-13. Hines had a lead of several car lengths but Dowling was quickly eating into that lead and closing down the gap to Hines. Hammann got out of shape on lap-15 and he fell back to eighth place.
Dowling caught Hines and he made his move to take over the lead on lap-17. Ronnie Williams was charging his way through the field and he was up to third place with Tony Membrino, Jr. in fourth with Griswold falling back to fifth place.
Dowling led the field back to the checkered flag to pick up his second consecutive and fourth overall win of the 2013 season. Hines finished second, with Williams, Membrino, and Griswold rounding out the top-5.
In the 22-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Brian Clement took the lead at the green with don Wood moving into second. Andrew Hayes took over third, with Josh Wood pulling alongside Justin Bren for fourth. David Arute was right behind the duo of Wood and Bren in sixth. Wood took fifth and Arute moved into sixth on lap-4 as Bren fell back to seventh.
Don Wood was applying heavy pressure for the lead but Clement was able to stay out front. That changed on lap-9 as Don Wood was finally able to make a pass on Clement to move into the race lead. Josh Wood moved into second, Arute took over third, and Hayes moved up to fourth as Clement fell back to fifth place.
Josh Wood took the lead from his father don on lap-13 and Arute got by Don Wood for second on lap-15. Hayes was fourth in line, with Jesse Hinze and Duane Provost lined up right behind him as Josh Wood was beginning to stretch out the lead over Arute.
Josh Wood led Arute back to the checkered flag for his third win of the 2013 season. Hayes came home in third, with Don Wood and Hinze rounding out the top-5.
In the 17-lap DARE Stock feature event, Stacey Botticello took the lead at the green with Fran Siana pulling alongside Kelsey Rottino in a fight for second. David Comeau was fourth and Brandon Michael was side by side with Frank L’Etoile, Jr. for fifth. Comeau moved into third and Siana was making a move for the lead on turn 3 when he made contact with Botticello and both cars spun and Botticello’s car collected the car of Johnny Walker to bring the caution out with 2 laps complete. This put Rottino out front with Michael second, L’Etoile third, and Jeremy Lavoie into fourth for the restart.
Rottino and Michael ran side by side for the race lead back under green with Rottino taking the lead after two laps of racing door to door. Lavoie moved into second with Cliff Saunders moving into third as Michael fell back to fourth place. L’Etoile was fifth, but Dave Secore was applying pressure for that spot with Kris Fluckiger and Siana behind him with 7 laps complete in the race.
Lavoie made a move to the inside of Rottino on lap-8 to take over the race lead and Saunders followed him by Rottino as Rottino fell back to third. Michael was fourth, with Secore, Fluckiger, L’Etoile, and Siana lined up single file behind him.
Saunders was looking for a way to get by Lavoie, but Lavoie was able to keep Saunders behind him. L’Etoile got out of shape on lap-16, allowing Siana to take seventh place from him. Saunders made one final bid for the race lead, but Lavoie was able to fend off his challenge and he took down his third win of the 2013 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Lavoie and Saunders was Rottino, Michael, and Secore.
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® (42)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Todd Owen, Somers
3) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
4) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa
5) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
6) Joey Cipriano, Waterbury
7) Dan Avery, Somers
8) Ryan Preece, Berlin
9) Sean Foster, Willington
10) Doug Coby, Middletown
11) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
12) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
13) Curt Brainard, Canton
14) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
15) Danny Cates, Chaplin
16) Matt Galko, Meriden
17) David Salzarulo, Monson, Ma
18) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
19) Ted Christopher, Plainville
20) Tom Bolles, Ellington
LATE MODEL (32)
1) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
2) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
4) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
5) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
6) Rick Charette, Vernon
7) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
8) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
9) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
10) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
11) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
12) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny
13) Art Caruso, Windsor
14) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
15) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
16) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (22)
1) Chase Dowling, Roxbury
2) Tyler Hines, North Haven
3) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
4) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
5) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
6) Payton Henry, Willington
7) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
8) Rich Hammann, Tolland
9) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn
10) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
11) Troy Talman, Oxford, Ma
12) Bob Charland, Stafford
13) Dylan Campbell, Southborough, Ma
14) Rick Williams, Haddam
15) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
16) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
17) Mike Parolo, Feeding Hills, Ma
18) Pete Lopuch, West Redding
19) Geoff Boisjolie, East Hampton, Ma
LIMITED LATE MODEL (22)
1) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
2) David Arute, Tolland
3) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
4) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
5) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
6) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
7) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
8) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
9) Albert Saunders, Stafford
10) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
11) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
12) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
13) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
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DARE STOCK (17)
1) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
2) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
3) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
4) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
5) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
6) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
7) Fran Siana, Springfield, Ma
8) Frank L’etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
9) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
10) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilberham, Ma
11) James Carroll, West Hartford
12) Allison Coelho, Wilbraham, Ma
13) Bryan Iwaniuk, Middletown
14) Stacey Botticello, Manchester
15) David Comeau, Palmer, Ma
16) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
17) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs