Membrino, Saunders, Fearn, DiMatteo, & Ouellette Score NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler Saturday Feature Victories at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway opened its doors for racing in 2016 with feature events for its SK Light, Limited Late Model, DARE Stock, and Legend Cars divisions as well as the Mr. Rooter Truck Series as part of the Saturday NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler Weekend festivities. Tony Membrino, Jr. took the checkered flag in the 20-lap SK Light feature, Al Saunders was the winner of the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Alexandra Fearn won the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, Dana DiMatteo won the 20-lap Legend Cars feature, and Bert Ouellette won the 25-lap Mr. Rooter Truck Series feature.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Ted Cain and Todd Douillard ran side by side for the first lap in a battle for the lead and they were still side by side for the second lap. Douillard got clear to the lead on lap-3 with Tony Membrino, Jr. following him by Cain before the caution came out for Andrew Les, who spun in turn 4.
Membrino took the lead on the restart with Douillard behind him in second. Joey Ferrigno moved into third with Cain falling back to fourth, just in front of Vinny Anglace, Jr. Joe Graf, Jr. spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 6 laps complete.
Membrino took the lead on the restart with Ferrigno working his way by Douillard to move into second. Cain was fourth with Anglance all over his bumper in fifth. Anglace took to the outside groove and he was able to get around Cain to move into fourth on lap-11 as Ferrigno was beginning to look to Membrino’s inside for the lead. Ferrigno got to the inside of Membrino on lap-11 and then on lap-12 he pulled even with Membrino at the line. Membrino got back clear of Ferrigno on lap-14 before the caution came back out for Les, who spun in turn 4.
Membrino and Ferrigno resumed their duel for the lead back under green with Ferrigno poking his nose to the inside of Membrino in turns 3+4 but couldn’t make his car stick. Ferrigno gathered himself and was looking to get back on the inside of Membrino, but Membrino was just strong enough to keep Ferrigno behind him. Membrino held Ferrigno off to the checkered flag to pick up the win. Anglace got around Douillard on the final lap to take third with Cain rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Doug Phelps spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out before the field could complete a lap. Albert Saunders powered his way to the lead on the restart with Robert Bloxsom, III in second. Paul Arute quickly moved into third with Duane Provost and Jeremy Lavoie behind him. The caution came back out with 3 laps complete for spins on the frontstretch by Bryan Narducci and R.J. Surdell.
Saunders took the lead back under green with Provost moving by Bloxsom to move into second. Arute was fourth but he lost that spot to Justin Bren on lap-5. Arute continued to lose positions as he fell from fourth all the way back to 10th and he dropped off the pace and brought his #82 machine to pit road on lap-11.
Provost was still giving chase to Saunders at the front of the field with Bloxsom in third. Bren was fourth with Lavoie fifth and Frank L’Etoile, Jr. up to sixth in his Limited Late Model debut. Saunders and Provost were beginning to pull away from Bloxsom in third to settle the race between themselves. Saunders led Provost to the checkered flag with Bloxsom, Bren, and Lavoie rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, the sister and brother tandem of Alexandra Fearn and Ryan Fearn streaked away from the pack at the drop of green to take the top two spots. Dan Dembek slotted into third with Dave Secore, Jr. right on his bumper in fourth and Zack Robinson was fifth.
At the midway point of the feature Ryan Fearn was given the black flag for dumping fluid on the track which moved Dembek into second. SEcore was still right on his back bumper now in third, while Robinson was caught by Trace Beyer and they were now locked in a side by side duel for fourth place with 10 laps complete. Ryan Fearn’s misfortune gave Alexandra Fearn a comfortable lead over Dembek, who was starting to inch away from Secore in third.
With 12 laps complete Robinson spun in turn 4 and collected the car of Nicole Chambrello to bring the first caution of the race out and slow the action. Dembek was now alongside Alexandra Fearn at the front with Secore and Beyer in the second row and Brandon Michael and Tyler Trott made up the third row for the restart.
Alexandra powered into the lead with Secore moving into second but the caution came back out with 13 laps complete for Bryan Granger, who spun and came to a stop in turn 4.
Fearn again powered her way to the lead with Secore slotting into second. Beyer took third and Johnny Walker was working the outside of Dembek for fourth. Fearn took the checkered flag with Dembek and Beyer making up the podium positions behind her. Dembek nipped Walker by a nose at the checkered flag to take fourth place.
In the 20-lap Legend Cars feature, Brett Crowther took the lead with Teddy Hodgon slicing his way up to second. Hodgdon took the lead from Crowther on lap-2 and Dana DiMatteo followed him through as Crowther fell back to third. Noah Korner spun in turns 3+4 to bring the caution out.
Hodgdon, DiMatteo, and Crowther took the top-3 spots back under green with Ryan DeCandia moving into fourth and Joey Ternullo, Jr. fifth. DiMatteo was knocking on the back bumper of Hodgdon for the lead but Hodgdon was able to keep DiMatteo at bay. Crowther spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
DiMatteo made a great move to the inside of Hodgdon to take over the lead on the restart. Alex McCollum was also able to get by Hodgdon to drop him back to third. Korner was recovered from his earlier spin and he got around Hodgdon to drop him to fourth before the caution came back out with 9 laps for a spin by DeCandia in turns 1+2.
McCollum got a good run on the inside of DiMatteo to move into the lead on the restart but he quickly surrendered the lead to Korner. Hodgdon was third with DiMatteo falling back to fourth before the caution came back out with 11 laps complete for spins by Steve Chapman and Scott Limkeman.
On the restart, Sean Fitzmaurice spun before the field completed a lap to bring the caution out. The next restart saw Korner get a good start and power into the lead. McCollum was right on his bumper in second with Hodgdon getting by DiMatteo to move into third. Crowther rounded out the top-5 with 7 laps to go. Crowther and Ternullo came together and spun to bring the caution out with 15 laps complete.
Korner and McCollum resumed their duel for lead but they could only complete one lap before the caution came back out for Ternullo, who spun in turn 4.
Korner took the lead with McCollum and Hodgdon fighting side by side for second. McCollum won that battle and DiMatteo was able to also get by Hodgdon to drop him back to fourth. The cars of Fitzmaurice and Glenn Korner got together and spun to bring the caution back out with 19 laps complete.
On the restart, Korner and McCollum came together and spun to bring the caution out. The next restart saw Jonathan Puleo spin to bring the caution out. The third restart saw DiMatteo take the elad with Ternullo Hodgdon, Kroner, and McCollum lined up behind him. DiMatteo led the field to thoe checkered flag with Ternullo, and Korner making up the podium positions. McCollum beat Hodgdon by a nose to take fourth.
In the 20-lap Mr. Rooter Truck Series feature, Frank Dumicich, Sr. took the lead at the green flag with Gerard Giordano, Jr. and Frank Dumicich, Jr. side by side for second. Andy Lindeman was fourth and Allen Coates was fifth. Dumicich, Jr. got by Giordano on lap-3 to move into second and Lindeman followed him through to take over third and drop Giordano back to fourth. Eric Finkbein, Jr. spun in turn 3 to bring the caution out with 5 laps complete.
Dumicich, Jr. got a good run on the outside of Dumicich, Sr. to take over the lead on the restart. Dumicich, Jr. immediately began to pull away while Lindeman was applying heavy pressure to Dumicich, Sr. for second. Dave Koenig brought the caution back out with 7 laps complete with a spin in turn 3.
The field completed one lap before the caution came out for Brendan Shea, who came to a stop on the backstretch and Lindman took a spin through the frontstretch grass but he was able to get his fourth place back for the restart as he spun after the caution flag had been displayed for Shea.
Dumicich, Jr. took the lead with Dumicich, Sr. moving into second on the restart. Lindeman and Giordano were side by side for third and one lap later Lindeman went 3-wide with Dumicich, Sr. and Giordano in a fight for second bu thte caution came out for Finkbein, who spun in turn 1.
Debris on the frontstretch slowed the restart and on the next restart Dumicich, Jr. took the lead with Dumicich, Sr. and Lindeman side by side for second. Giordano was fourth and Josh Stringer was fifth before he spun in turn 3 to bring the caution back out with 11 laps complete.
Lindeman got a good run on the outside of Dumicich, Jr. to move into the lead on the restart and Dumicich, Sr. also got around Dumicich, Jr. to drop him from the lead back to third. Allen Coates was now fourth with Bert Ouellette right on his bumper in fifth. Lindeman quickly pulled out to a lead of several truck lengths over Dumicich, Sr. with 10 laps to go.
Dumicich, Jr. was now applying heavy pressure to Dumicich, Sr. for second, which was allowing Lindeman to slowly stretch out his lead. The action behind Lindeman was fast and furious as Ouellette, Dumicich, Jr. and Dumicich, Sr. were 3-wide dueling for second. Dumicich, Jr. came out the winner as he took second with 6 laps to go. Ouellette wasn’t going away quietly as he got back by Dumicich, Jr. on lap-20 to move back up to second. Allen Coates lost an engine in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 20 laps complete and erase the large lead that Lindeman had built up with all the side by side racing going on behind him.
Ouellette took the lead on the restart and immediately opened up a lead over Dumicich, Jr. with Giordano, Stringer, and and Koenig making up the top-5. Ouellette led the field back to the checkered flag with Dumicich, Jr., Giordano, Stringer, and Koenig 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 atwww.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Tony Membrino, Jr., Berlin
2) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
3) Vincent Anglace, Ansonia
4) Todd Douillard, Palmer, Ma
5) Ted Cain, Plymouth
6) David Arute, Tolland
7) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
8) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
9) Keith Caruso, Millbury, Ma
10) Sean Mandel, Marlborough
11) Joe Graf, Mahwah, Nj
12) Carlos Gray, East Hartford
13) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
14) Andrew Les, Boston, Ma
15) Paul French, Andover
16) Albert Wisialko, Westwood, Ma
17) Nathan Pytko, Douglas, Ma
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Albert Saunders, Stafford
2) Duane Provost, Palmer, Ma
3) Robert Bloxsom, III, Stratford
4) Justin Bren, Palmer, Ma
5) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
6) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
7) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
8) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
9) Bryan Narducci,
10) David Tefft, Southampton, Ma
11) Doug Phelps, Jr., New Salem, Ma
12) Paul Arute, Tolland
13) R.J. Surdell, Manchester
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
2) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
3) Trace Beyer, West Dover, Vt
4) Dan Dembek, Hampden, Ma
5) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
6) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
7) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
8) Michael Hopkins, Springfield, Ma
9) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
10) David Macha, Sr., Columbia
11) Paul Bourdon, Jr., Jewett City
12) Dan Kennedy, Tewksbury, Nj
13) Chris Sanford, Hamden
14) Bryan Granger, Keene, Nh
15) Zack Robinson, Putnam
16) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
17) Nicole Chambrello, Kensington
18) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
19) Robbie Sears, Stafford Springs
20) Jake Higginson, Waterbury
LEGEND CARS (20)
1) Dana DiMatteo, Farmington
2) Joey Ternullo, Jr., Middletown
3) Noah Korner, Canton
4) Alex McCollum, Phillipsburg, Nj
5) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
6) Jonathan Puleo, Branford
7) Andrew Quealy, Plainville
8) Sean Fitzmaurice, Woodstock
9) Glenn P Korner, Canton
10) Brett Crowther, Belchertown, Ma
11) Mark DeCandia, Chaplin
12) Steve Chapman, Ellington
13) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook
14) Scott Limkemann, Oakdale
MR. ROOTER TRUCK SERIES (25)
1) Bert Ouellette
2) Frank Dumicich, Jr.
3) Gerard Giordano, Jr.
4) Josh Stringer
5) Dave Koenig
6) Frank Dumicich, Sr.
7) Andy Lindeman
8) Trevor Lee Dyer
9) Shayne Young
10) Cassandra Coates
11) Allen Coates
12) Kyle Nosal
13) Eric Finkbein, Jr.
14) Brendan Shea
15) Caleb Cashman