Szegedy Becomes Sixth Different Winner with Stafford Win
Stafford Springs, CT. – Todd Szegedy took the lead on lap 59 and was never headed winning the Valenti Modified Racing Series sanctioned ‘Town Fair Tire 80’ Friday night, June 20, at Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut.
Szegedy becomes the sixth different winner this season. The Stafford win is his second career VMRS victory. His first was July 7, 2012 at Monadnock Speedway.
Szegedy, of Ridgefield, CT., started third in a 26-car field, moved to second on the opening lap, dropped as low as fourth at one point but was back to second when Ted Christopher, of Plainville, CT., took the lead on lap 44.
The race then became then a classic battle between two long time Stafford competitors that brought the large crowd alive.
Szegedy talked about his strategy chasing after Christopher.
“It looked like he was tight in the center and it was messing my center up and I wasn’t able to get the good run. I had to set him up a little bit. I knew he was going to be tough to pass.. he always is. He knows what he’s doing. He came down on me a little bit which is normal. I stayed on the throttle and rode him up a little bit. It was good hard racing. He did everything he could to hold me back. We just had a stellar car.”
When Szegedy took the lead, he pulled away from Christopher to secure the win.
“ I just wanted to get away. I didn’t want to take the chance. Started to laps cars and he is a master at using lap cars as picks. I wanted to get as much distance as I could. The car stayed underneath me.”
Christopher finished second followed by Keith Rocco, Berlin, CT, Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA, and Eric Goodale, of Wading River, NY, making up the top five.
Sixth through tenth were Tommy Barrett Jr, Justin Bonsignore, Steve Masse, Chris Pasteryak, and Richard Savary.
34 cars entered the Stafford event. Qualifying heat races were claimed by Szegedy, Christopher, and Rocco, with Richard Savary winning the 15-lap consolation race.
26 cars started the 80-lap event. 19 drivers finished on the lead lap. 3 caution flags slowed the race. 36 minutes 36 seconds was the official time to complete 80-laps.
Another Friday night venue is on the schedule as the series heads back to New Hampshire on June 27. Lee USA Speedway will host the 100-lap green flag event.
Stafford Motor Speedway
June 20, 2014
Entrants (34)
Distance 80-laps
Time of Race: 36:36:711
Margin of Victory: 1.648
Best Speed: 96.241
Best Lap Time: 18.703
Lead Changes: Christopher (1-10) Goodale (11-43) Christopher (44-58) Szegedy (59-80)
Cautions: Laps- (3) 43,50,50
Unofficial Order Of Finish: (1) Szegedy (2) Christopher (3) Rocco (4) Pennink (5) Goodale (6) Barrett (7) Bonsignore (8) Masse (9) Pasteryak (10) Savary (11) Nocella (12) Solomito (13) Preece (14) Zachem (15) Etheridge (16) Abele Jr (17) Meservey Jr (18) Malave (19) Wrenn (20) Mead (21) Schneider (22) Kopec (23) Smith (24) Owen (25) Carey Jr (26) Willis Jr.
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR