Steve Masse Wins 4th Annual Shark Cycle 80 at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — The Valenti Modified Racing Series made its second of three visits during the 2013 season to Stafford Motor Speedway for the 4th Annual Shark Cycle 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 Ted Christopher and Keith Rocco side by side for a lap before Christopher got clear of Rocco. Norm Wrenn was third with Zane Zeiner fourth and Dan Meservey fifth. Ryan Preece was on the charge moving from 11th to sixth in the first five laps. Rocco got around Christopher to take over the lead on lap-6 and Preece got around Meservey to move into fifth.
Tommy Barrett did a half spin in turn 4 on lap-12 but he recovered and rejoined at the rear of the field as the race stayed green. Preece was continuing to run strong as he moved by Zeiner to take over fourth and he was closing in on Wrenn for third at the lap-17 marker of the race. Christopher went back around Rocco to take over the lead on lap-18 while Wrenn, Preece, and Steve Masse were lined up in a 3-car train about a half straightaway behind the lead duo. The action slowed to a crawl with the caution coming out with 23 laps complete for Mark Bakaj, who came to a stop against the frontstretch wall.
Rocco took the lead back under green with Christopher behind him. Christopher went back around Rocco on lap-26 to retake the lead and Preece was now in the lead mix with Christopher and Rocco. Preece and Rocco ran side by side for a lap before Rocco got clear of Preece. Wrenn was fourth and Zeiner was fifth and applying heavy pressure to the rear bumper of Wrenn.
Christopher was beginning to stretch out his lead over Rocco ever so slightly and Preece was applying pressure to Rocco’s bumper. Preece nearly made a pass on lap-31 but he settled back into line behind Rocco. The caution came back out with 32 laps complete for spins in turn 3 by Barrett, Todd Owen, and Max Zachem.
Rocco took the lead back under green with Christopher right behind him in second. Preece was third with Wrenn fourth and Eric Goodale was up to fifth. Masse and Zeiner were side by side for sixth place and right behind them was Kenny Barry. Zachem, Barrett, and David Schneider spun in turn 3 to bring the caution back out with 36 laps complete.
Rocco again took the lead back under green with Christopher in second. Preece was third with Masse fourth and Wrenn fifth. Christopher pulled alongside Rocco for the lead on lap-38 but Rocco was strong in the outside groove and he held Christopher off to maintain the race lead. Christopher was looking to make a pass for the lead but the caution came back out with 41 laps complete as Rowan Pennink lost a left rear tire and Zachem spun on the frontstretch.
Back under green the order was Rocco, Christopher, Preece, and Masse. Goodale was fifth but he lost that spot to Zeiner on lap-44 while Masse got around Preece to move into third. After several laps of trying, Christopher was able to get his car in front of Rocco to take over the lead on lap-46. Rocco was hanging strong on the outside of Christopher and he had the lead at the line on lap-47 and he cleared Christopher on lap-48. Mike Holdridge brought the caution out with a spin in turn 4 with 51 laps complete.
Back under green Christopher and Rocco resumed their side by side fight for the lead on the restart, but with 52 laps complete, Christopher touched wheels with Rocco and Rocco spun to bring the caution out. Christopher was immediately black flagged to the rear of the field for the contact with Rocco. This put Preece and Masse on the front row with Wrenn and Zeiner on the second row.
Masse decided to restart from the outside of the front row and he took the lead back under green. Preece was second with Wrenn, Zeiner, and Goodale lined up behind him. Once Masse was out in front he began to pull away from Preece in second. Preece had his hands full with Wrenn, who was applying pressure to Preece’s bumper for second. Preece was able to hold off Wrenn’s challenges while Masse was still inching his way away from Preece. The car of David Bitondo came to a stop on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 72 laps complete.
Masse took the lead back under green with Preece, Wrenn, and Barry lined up behind them. Dave Etheridge made a move around Zeiner to move into fifth place but Masse was already beginning to stretch his lead out over Preece just as he had done on the previous green flag run. Masse pulled away from Preece and took the checkered flag ahead of Preece, Wrenn, Barry, and Etheridge.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR
VALENTI MODIFIED RACING SERIES – Shark Cycle 80 Unofficial Results
Friday, August 30, 2013
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford, CT
Lap length: 0.5 miles
1) Steve Masse
2) Ryan Preece
3) Norm Wrenn
4) Ken Barry
5) Dave Etheridge
6) Zane Zeiner
7) Richard Savary
8) Keith Rocco
9) Ted Christopher
10) Dan Meservey, Jr.
11) Chris Pasteryak
12) Charlie Pasteryak
13) Max Zachem
14) Louie Mechalides
15) Jeff Malave
16) Bobby Drown
17) Matt Mead
18) Eric Goodale
19) Tommy Barrett, Jr.
20) Dave Bitondo
21) Mike Holdridge
22) Rob Goodenough
23) Rowan Pennink
24) David Schneider
25) Todd Owen
26) Mark Bakaj