Preece, Fearn, Ferrigno, Bren, Walker, & DiMatteo Score June 6th TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Feature Wins at Stafford Speedway
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. Taking down NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly feature wins on the night were Ryan Preece for the third consecutive race in the SK Modified® feature, Tom Fearn in the Late Model feature, Joey Ferrigno in the SK Light Modified feature, Justin Bren picked up his first career victory in the Limited Late Model feature, Johnny Walker in the DARE Stock feature, and Dana DiMatteo was a first time winner in the Legend Cars feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event that was resumed from lap-9 from May 23rd, Joey Cipriano resumed the race lead with Eric Berndt all over his back bumper. Behind Berndt, Todd Owen was fending off challenges from both Ryan Preece and Woody Pitkat. Preece went around Owen on lap-11 to move into third and he then took to the outside groove on lap-14 to make a pass on Cipriano to move into second.
Owen fell back to fourth, just in front of Tony Membrino, Jr., and Keith Rocco. Berndt moved to the lead on lap-15 and then Preece went y Berndt on lap-16. Berndt came back to t e inside of Preece on lap-18, but Preece was able to keep Berndt behind him for the time being. The caution came out with 18 laps complete for Doug Coby, who came to a rest in a shower of sparks in turn 3.
Preece took the lead on the restart while Cipriano briefly challenged Berndt for second before settling back into third. Rocco was fourth with Pitkat running in fifth. With 10 laps to go, Preece and Berndt were pulling away from the duo of Cipriano and Rocco, who in turn both had a comfortable margin back to the two cars of Pitkat and Sean Foster.
Preece led Berndt to the checkered flag to pick up his third consecutive victory to begin the 2014 season. Cipriano finished third, with Rocco and Pitkat rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Dennis Botticello took the early race lead, but J.J. Hill was all over his back bumper. Hill took a look to the inside of Botticello on lap-2 in turn 1, but Botticello was able to stay out front. Michael Bennett was third, with Michael Scorzelli fourth and Kevin Gambacorta was fifth. Mark Heim did a 360 spin on the backstretch on lap-3, but he never came to a stop and was able to get going again and the race stayed green.
Scorzelli took to the outside groove to move around Bennett on lap-4 to take over third place. Kyle Casagrande came to a stop in the middle of turns 3+4 backwards against the fence to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
Botticello took the lead back under green with Hill second. Tom Fearn moved up to third, with Jim Mavlouganes in fourth and Adam Gray was now up to fifth. Fearn made a move around Hill on lap-13 to move into second and the caution came out with 13 laps complete for a spin by Mark Heim in turn 2.
Botticello bobbled on the restart, which jammed the line up behind him. Fearn moved into the race lead and Gray made a spectacular 3-wide move going into turn 1 to get back up to fifth place as Botticello slotted into second with Mavlouganes third and Jay Stuart fourth.
Stuart got by Mavlouganes to move into third on lap-18 as Fearn continued to lead Botticello. Mavlouganes was applying heavy pressure to Botticello in a fight for second, but that duel had to be put on hold as the caution came out with 20 laps complete for Heim, who spun in the middle of turns 1+2.
Fearn took the lead on the restart with Stuart moving into second. Gray followed right behind Stuart and moved up to third with Botticello falling back to fourth. A multicar incident in turn 2 involved the cars of Mavlouganes, Bennett, Hill, Gambacorta, Scorzelli, and Cory Casagrande brought the caution out with 22 laps complete.
Fearn took the lead back under green while Gray was side by side with Stuart in a duel for second. They spent a lap side by side before Gray took the spot. The two cars touched on the backstretch and Gray spun, which collected the car of Botticello and brought the caution out with 23 laps complete.
Fearn again took the lead with Josh Wood moving into second. Stuart was third with Cory Casagrande and Scott Cook lined up behind him. Heim spun in turn 1 to bring the caution back out with 26 laps complete.
Fearn and Stuart again took the top-2 spots while behind them, Cory Casagrande was up to third, Wood fell back to fourth, and Hill was making a 3-wide move to get past both Scott Cook and Scorzelli to move into fifth place. Fearn led Stuart back to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the season. Cory Casagrande finished third, with Wood and Hill rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Paul French streaked into the lead at the drop of the green flag to take the early race lead. Rit Dulac took second with Branden Dion in third. Todd Douillard got around Bob Charland to move into fourth and Charland settled into fifth place. The top-5 ran in line for the first half of the race before the order began to shuffle.
Dion got around Dulac and Joey Ferrigno followed suit as Dulac fell back to fourth. Dulac then spun in the middle of turns 1+2 to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete.
French powered back into the lead on the restart with Ferrigno pulling alongside Dion for second. French was driving the high line, which left the door open for Ferrigno to make a move on the bottom. Ferrigno made his move in turn 3 on lap-17 to move to the front of the pack. The caution then came out for a multi-car accident in turn 1 that involved the cars of Glenn Griswold, Jeremy Sorel, Rich Hammann, and several others.
French again got a great restart, but it was a little too good as it was called back. The next restart attempt saw Ferrigno take command with Charland side by side with French behind him. Charland got clear of French on lap-18 and then tried to set about reeling Ferrigno in. Ferrigno was too strong for Charland to catch him and he picked up his first win of the 2014 season. French finished third behind Ferrigno and Charland, with Stephen Kopcik and Jay Goff rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Justin Bren got around Paul Arute at the drop of the green to take the early race lead. Arute settled into second with Austin Bessette right behind him in third. Jesse Hinze was fourth and Norm Sears was fifth. The order changed on lap-4 as Bessette moved up to second, Sears to third, Hinze to fourth, and Albert Saunders moved up to fifth as Arute faded back to 12th place.
The top-5 settled into a groove and ran in line until the caution came out with 9 laps complete for Joe Nogiec, who spun in turn 1.
Bren took the lead on the restart with Sears moving into second. Albert Saunders moved up to third and Duane Provost moved up to fourth as Bessette slid backwards outside the top-5. Andrew Hayes was now in fifth but he got around Sears for fourth place on lap-14 as Provost charged his way into second and Albert Saunders was third. The caution came back out with 14 laps complete for Nogiec, who spun and came to a stop on the infield grass just coming out of turn 2.
Bren again took the lead on the restart with the inside line moving towards the front. Albert Saunders pulled alongside Provost for second and he took the spot on lap-16. Sears was now side by side with Provost and he moved into third on lap-17. Provost continued to slide backwards in the outside groove as Hayes got by to take fourth and David Arute got by to move into fifth place on lap-18.
At the front of the field, Bren had opened his lead up over Saunders to several car lengths. He led Saunders back to the checkered flag to pick up his first career victory. Sears finished third, with Hayes and David Arute rounded out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Andy Marchese streaked into the lead at the start of the race with Alexandra Fearn moving up to second. Gus Coelho started up front, but he fell back to fifth in the opening laps as Johnny Walker and Brandon Michael both got past.
After a caution, Marchese resumed the race lead with Walker moving up to second. Frank L’Etoile had charged his way through the field to move into third, with Jeff Jolly fourth and Ryan Fearn moving into fifth as Alexandra Fearn fell back to sixth.
Walker made a move around Marchese for the race lead on lap-9 and L’Etoile followed him by as Marchese fell back to third. Marchese then spun in the middle of turns 1+2 after contact with Ryan Fearn to bring the caution out with 10 laps complete.
Walker took the lead on the restart with L’Etoile second. Jolly moved up to third with Dave Comeau in fourth. Walker was strong out front and he led the field back to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2014 season.
In the 20-lap Legend Cars feature, Joey Ternullo took the lead at the green while Chris Fuller stumbled a bit and fell back several spots. Mike Christopher, Jr. quickly moved into second behind Ternullo with Mikey Flynn, Dana DiMatteo, and Kyle Rogers making up the early top-5.
With 5 laps complete, Ternullo had a several car length lead over Christopher, but the caution came out for Flynn and Cory DiMatteo, who both spun in turn 1.
Ternullo got the jump on Christopher on the restart, but Flynn spun coming to the green flag to bring the caution right back out.
Ternullo again took the lead on the restart with Christopher right behind him. Dana DiMatteo was third, with Rogers in fourth and Jordan LaMothe moving up to fifth. Connor Holderbach spun in turn 3 of the mini-mile to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
Ternullo took the lead back under green with Dana DiMatteo getting by Christopher to move into second place. Rogers and LaMothe were still fourth and fifth. Ternullo was still the race leader at the halfway point of the race but he wasn’t able to pull away from DiMatteo and build a lead like he had earlier in the race.
Ternullo held the lead until lap-13 when DiMatteo made a move for the lead in turns 3+4 of the mini-mile. Once DiMatteo took over the lead, he immediately pulled away by several car lengths. Christopher got around Ternullo to move into second and Noah Korner was also able to get by Ternullo to drop Ternullo from the lead back to fourth place. As soon as Korner made his move, Ternullo came right back and retook the spot. As Ternullo got past Korner, Korner fell back several spots outside the top-5.
DiMatteo led the field back to the checkered flag unchallenged as he took his first win of the 2014 season. Christopher finished second, with Ternullo, Rogers, and LaMothe 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.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Ryan Preece, Berlin
2) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
3) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury
4) Keith Rocco, Berlin
5) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
6) Sean Foster, Willington
7) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
8) Matt Galko, Meriden
9) Ted Christopher, Plainville
10) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
11) Chase Dowling, Roxbury
12) Todd Owen, Somers
13) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
14) Tom Bolles, Ellington
15) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
16) Dan Avery, Somers
17) Curt Brainard, Canton
18) Doug Coby, Middletown
19) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa
20) Nick Boivin, Belchertown, Ma
21) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
2) Jay Stuart, Preston
3) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
4) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
5) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
6) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny
7) Scott Cook, Uncasville
8) Michael Bennett, Willington
9) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
10) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
11) Mark Heim, Ware, Ma
12) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
13) Peter Thickett, Watertown
14) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
15) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
16) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
17) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
2) Bob Charland, Stafford
3) Paul French, Andover
4) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
5) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
6) Branden Dion, Taunton, Ma
7) Jodi Johnson, Medway, Ma
8) Nick Salva, Prospect
9) Robert Palmer, Lisbon
10) Rit Dulac, Plantsville
11) Jeremy Sorel, Westfield, Ma
12) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
13) Tyler Hines, North Haven
14) Rich Hammann, Tolland
15) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
16) Todd Douillard, Palmer, Ma
17) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn
18) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
19) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
20) Geoff Boisjolie, East Hampton, Ma
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Justin Bren, Palmer, Ma
2) Albert Saunders, Stafford
3) Norm Sears, Andover
4) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
5) David Arute, Tolland
6) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
7) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
8) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
9) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
10) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
11) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
12) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
13) Paul Arute, Tolland
14) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
15) R.J. Surdell, Manchester
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
2) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
3) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
4) David Comeau, Palmer, Ma
5) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
6) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
7) Allison Coelho, Wilbraham, Ma
8) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilbraham, Ma
9) Doug Phelps, Jr., New Salem, Ma
10) John Carpenter, Danielson
11) Nicole Chambrello, Kensington
12) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
13) Paul Bourdon, Jr., Jewett City
14) Trace Beyer, Brewster, Ny
15) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
16) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
17) Bill Mcneil, Preston
18) Scott Fanning, Mapleville, RI
LEGEND CARS (20)
1) Dana Dimatteo, Farmington
2) Mike Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
3) Joey Ternullo, Jr., Middletown
4) Kyle Rogers, Waterbury
5) Jordan LaMothe, Woodstock
6) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
7) Chris Fuller, Boylston, Ma
8) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
9) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, Ma
10) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
11) Caterina LaBella, Plainville
12) Noah Korner, Canton
13) Connor Holderbach, Wolcott
14) Richie Coy, Haskell, Nj
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR