NEMA Lites Midget “Iron Mike” Memorial to Stergios at Monadnock
WINCHESTER, NH — After damaging and replacing a shock just before the feature, P.J Stergios, (#11), from Candia, N.H., “Just guessed on the set up for the race” and it paid off as he claimed his second feature of the 2014 season. Kevin Hutchens, (#27), followed in second and two-time 2014 winner, Scott Bigelow, (#32), was third.
After a string of four Team Bigelow wins in 2014, the streak was snapped as Stergios took a very good handling machine to the front on lap fifteen from his twelfth starting spot.
After lap one, Richie Morrocco, (#25), took the point followed by Christian Briggs, (#44), Jake Smith, (#93), Anthony Payne, (#21), and Hutchens.
Hutchens, showing early strength, moved steadily from his sixth starting spot to the point in six laps and held it until lap 15 when Stergios took over.
A lap eight caution from a Christian Briggs spin slowed the field for the first of two yellows caused by the #44. The shuffled running order at the restart was Hutchens, Ryan Krachun, (#29), from his ninth starting spot; Stergios, Smith and Morrocco.
The next lap had Bigelow move into the top five setting Morrocco down to sixth. After running third a number of laps, Stergios powered past both Krachun and Hutchens for the final lead change of the race on lap fifteen.
Also on lap fifteen, Bigelow was able to move past Smith for forth. The second Briggs spin happened on lap sixteen and on the restart, brother Paul Bigelow, (#31), also passed Smith for fifth.
The order stayed the same save for the #51 of Danny Cugini moving into the top five on lap twenty three and Scott Bigelow slipping by Krachun for third.
At the checkers, it was Stergios, Hutchens, S. Bigelow, Krachun and Cugini.
Winner Stergios was happy with the “set-up guess” after the shock change and said he was “very mindful of what line to pick going through traffic.”
After Kevin Hutchens finished second, he said the car “was on rails at the beginning, but developed a push at the end.” He added, “Had so much fun running side by side lap after lap, I really enjoyed it.”
Third place Scott Bigelow and a constant push off turn four all day but said, “You need a lot of patients here and I use a lot today.”
The next Lites event will be at Twin State Speedway in Claremont, N.H. on June 28 for the “Whelen Family Night”
The 26th lap:
– The Scrivani #21 Lite sported a new motor for the Monadnock event after a failure last race at Wiscasset.
– After the last race two weeks ago, Christian Briggs made wholesale changes to the front end of the #44 with new shocks, new springs and a re-alignment.
– Big thank you to Carole Stoehr – Ware for stuffing the fan appreciation bags with give-a-way souvenirs prior to driver introductions.
Sources: Bill Van Slyke/ NEMA PR