Zack Robinson Wins Midstate Site Development Street Stock 30 at Stafford; Rocco, Saunders, Sullivan, & Durand Also Score Feature Wins
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted its second event of the 2020 season with the Street Stock division taking center stage with the extra distance Midstate Site Development Street Stock 30. The Street Stocks raced for total posted awards of over $5,000 with defending Street Stock champion Zack Robinson taking home the winner’s share of $700 with contingency bonuses from Big Haus USA, New England Racing Fuel, Sunoco Brand, and Del’s Vinyl Siding and Bob’s Painting that pushing that winning total up to $900. Keith Rocco and Andrew Durand both made it 2 for 2 in 2020 as they won the SK Modified® and Limited Late Model features respectively while Al Saunders won the Late Model feature and Brian Sullivan won the SK Light feature.
In the 30-lap Casagrande Builders Street Stock event, Brandon Michael took the lead at the green with Adrien Paradis, III in second. The field was only able to complete one lap before Meg Fuller and John Orsini made contact with Fuller spinning into turn 1 to bring the caution out. Orsini was disqualified from the feature for the contact with Fuller by NASCAR Officials.
Michael and Paradis went side by side for the lead on the restart with Paradis taking the lead after Michael got loose in turn 4. Zack Robinson went by Michael to move into second on lap-3 and Michael would lose third to Jason Lafayette on lap-4. Moose Douton was up to fifth behind Michael with 5 laps complete as Robinson held the race lead. Douton spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 9 laps complete and Robinson still leading Paradis.
Robinson took the lead back under green with Lafayette taking second from Paradis. Al Stone, III was up to fourth with Travis Hydar in fifth. Paradis got back around Lafayette to retake second before the caution came out for a spin by Tyrone Crews with 11 laps complete. Hydar spun one lap after the restart to bring the caution right back out. The next restart saw Lafayette and Chris Meyer get into the turn 2 wall with several other cars, including Shawn Gaedeke, Tess Beyer, and Daltin McCarthy, hitting the turn 2 wall to bring the yellow right back out before a lap could be completed.
Robinson resumed his place at front of the field with Stone getting by Paradis to move into second. Meg Fuller was up to third after her early race misfortune and Douton was back up to fourth after his early race spin. Nickolas Hovey’s car came to a stop in the middle of turns 1+2 to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete.
Robinson charged back into the lead on the restart with Fuller taking second. Douton moved up to third with Paradis falling back to fourth. Stone was fifth with Hydar right behind him in sixth. Bill Staves got into the turn 4 wall to bring the caution out with 18 laps complete.
Robinson again took the lead on the restart with Fuller right behind him in second. Douton was third with Paradis fourth, but Douton got loose on lap-20 and Paradis was able to move into third. Hydar followed Paradis by Douton to drop him back to fifth place while Robinson and Fuller were starting to pull away with all the activity behind them.
Douton lost several more spots on lap-27 as Stone and Lafayette moved into fifth and sixth to drop Douton to seventh while Robinson and Fuller were continuing to stretch out their advantage to settle the race between themselves.
Fuller couldn’t get close enough to Robinson to make a bid for the lead as Robinson scored his first win of the season. Paradis finished third with Hydar and Lafayette rounding out the top-5.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Glen Reen took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Teddy Hodgdon in second. Michael Christopher, Jr. took second from Hodgdon on lap-4 and he immediately began pressuring Reen for the race lead. Christopher took the lead on lap-6 with Reen slotting into second. Tony Membrino, Jr. was third in line with Woody Pitkat and Hodgdon now side by side for fourth. Pitkat won that battle and Ronnie Williams got by Hodgdon to move into fifth and drop Hodgdon back to sixth. Membrino moved into second on lap-11 and Pitkat and Reen were now side by side for third with Christopher setting the pace out front.
Pitkat took third on lap-13 with Williams in fourth and Reen back to fifth while Christopher and Membrino were out front. A multicar incident coming out of turn 4 involving Jeff Malave, Todd Patnode, and John Catania brought the caution out with 14 laps complete.
Catania and Mikey Flynn got into the turn 3 wall on the restart to bring the caution right back out. The next restart saw Christopher back in the lead with Membrino hot on his tail when several cars went spinning through the frontstretch grass, including Andrew Molleur, Bryan Narducci, David Arute, and Matt Gallo to bring the caution back out before a lap could be completed.
Christopher took the lead on the restart with Williams taking second from Membrino after two laps of side by side racing. Keith Rocco was now fighting for third with Membrino and Williams took the lead from Christopher but just as he made his move the caution came out for spins on the backstretch by Flynn and Tyler Hines. The caution put Christopher back into the lead for the next restart.
Christopher again took the lead back under green with Williams in second and Rocco and Membrino side by side for third. Williams made a move to the inside of Christopher on lap-18 and they ran side by side for the lead with Williams taking the lead by a nose at the line on lap-19. Williams cleared Christopher on lap-20 and his pass for the lead opened the door for Rocco to follow him by Christopher and drop Christopher back to third in line. Reen spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 21 laps complete.
Dan Wesson spun into the turn 1 wall on the restart to bring the caution right back out. Williams held off a challenge to his outside from Rocco on the restart to maintain the race lead but only a lap could be completed before the caution came back out with 22 laps complete for spins on the backstretch by Gallo and Marcello Rufrano.
Williams again fended off a challenge from Rocco to maintain the lead back under green. Christopher and Rocco were side by side for second with Pitkat in fourth and Todd Owen in fifth. Several cars spun on the frontstretch, including Stephen Kopcik, Bryan Narducci, Chase Dowling, and Flynn to bring the caution back out with 24 laps complete.
Williams went through the infield on the restart, putting Christopher into the lead with Pitkat moving in to second before the caution came back out one lap later for Rufrano, who came to a stop against the wall in the middle of turns 3+4.
Christopher took the lead with Todd Owen side by side with Pitkat for second. Owen took second on lap-26 and Pitkat was now side by side with Rocco for third place. Rocco cleared Pitkat on lap-28 and the top-5 cars were now lined up single file with Christopher leading Owen, Rocco, Pitkat, and Cory DiMatteo. Owen was applying heavy pressure to the back bumper of Christopher but he had to contend with Rocco, who pulled to Owen’s outside and was fighting for second place. Owen got clear of Rocco on lap-31 and he made a move to the inside of Christopher on lap-33 to take over the race lead.
With 5 laps to go Owen was still in command with Rocco all over his back bumper. Christopher was third with Pitkat fourth and Michael Gervais, Jr. now up to fifth. Rocco took the lead from Owen on lap-39 with a move in turn 1 that saw Owen drift up the track and fade back to fifth in line. Rocco won the race to the line to score his second consecutive win of the season with Pitkat, Christopher, Gervais, and Owen rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Michael Wray set the early pace with Darrell Keane taking second. Marc Curtis got into the backstretch wall and Rick Lanagan spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 1 lap complete.
The field completed one lap before Paul Varricchio spun through the frontstretch grass to bring the caution back out. Wray took the lead with Tom Fearn, Al Saunders, Darrell Keane, Tyler Leary, and Michael Bennett all lined up behind him. John Blake spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 5 laps complete.
Wray again took the lead back under green with Fearn in second. Saunders made a move to the inside of Fearn on lap-7 to take over second and Fearn spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 6 laps complete.
Wray took the lead on the restart but Saunders took the lead from him on lap-8 with a pass going into turn 3. Keane was third in line with Leary fourth and Adam Gray was up to fifth. Just behind Gray was Paul Arute, Bennett, Wayne Coury, Jr., Ed Ricard, and Rick Lanagan.
At the halfway point of the race, Saunders was still in command with Wray giving chase from second. Keane and Leary had pulled away from Gray in fifth with Arute, Bennett, and Coury in a group by themselves before Ricard and Lanagan rounded out the top-10.
Saunders was starting to stretch out his advantage over the trio of Wray, Keane, and Leary with 10 laps to go while Bennett was now up to sixth with Coury, Arute, Lanagan, and Dave Wray making up the top-10.
Saunders led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the season. Wray finished second with Keane, Leary, and Gray rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Todd Douillard took the lead at the drop of the green with Andrew Les giving chase. Steven Chapman spun to bring the caution out with 2 laps complete.
Douillard charged into the lead on the restart with Les in second. Cassandra Cole quickly came up to third but she slid back to fifth as Amanda West took third and Brian Sullivan charged his way up to fourth. Les moved into the lead on lap-5 before Sami Anderson spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 5 laps complete.
Les took the lead on the restart with West, Sullivan, Douillard, and Alexander Pearl lined up behind him. West charged into the lead on lap-8 and she brought Sullivan with her into second as Les dropped back to third. Sullivan then took the lead from West on lap-10 while Les was still third and Pearl was locked in a heavy duel with Robert Bloxsom, III for fourth place. The caution came out for a multi-car incident involving the cars of Norm Sears, Wesley Prucker, and Alina Bryden.
Sullivan took the lead back under green with West in second. Les and Bloxsom were side by side for third with Pearl in fifth. Just behind Pearl was the side by side duo of Kyle Ellwood and Bob Charland. Douillard spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 15 laps complete.
West took the lead from Sullivan on the restart with Bloxsom taking third, Mark Bakaj fourth, and Charland fifth. Les didn’t come up to speed on the restart and he slid back to 10th place. Sullivan came back strong to the inside of West and he retook the lead on lap-18.
Sullivan held West off to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the season and the first Stafford victory of his career. Charland finished third with George Bessette, Jr., and Bloxsom rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Devon Jencik took the lead at the green flag with Lucas Leone right behind him in second. Alexandra Fearn was third in the early going with Gary Patnode in fourth and Steven Martel in fifth. Matt Clement took fifth from Martel on lap-3 while Fearn was looking to the inside of Leone for second.
Fearn took second on lap-4 and her move opened the door for Patnode to follow her by Leone and take over third place. Patnode took second from Fearn on lap-6 and just as he made that move, Clement went from fourth to second. Damian Palardy spun in the middle of turns 3+4 to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
Clement took the lead on the restart with last week’s winner Andrew Durand moving up to second. Fearn and Patnode were side by side dueling for third with Leone in fifth. Jay Clement spun in turn 4 to bring the caution flag back out with 12 laps complete.
Durand and Clement went side by side for the lead on the restart with Durand getting clear to the lead on lap-14. Clement settled into second with Jeremy Lavoie now up to third. Fearn was fourth with Leone in fifth. Fearn got by Lavoie on lap-15 with a move going into turn 3 to take third place back as Durand continued to lead Clement at the front of the pack. Lavoie slid back to sixth as Leone took fourth and Patnode moved into fifth.
Clement made a monster run coming off turn 4 to the checkered flag but he came up a nose short of beating Durand to the line as Durand made it 2 for 2 in 2020. Fearn finished third with Leone and Patnode 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.
MIDSTATE SITE DEVELOPMENT STREET STOCK 30 (30)
1) Zack Robinson, Putnam
2) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
3) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
4) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
5) Jason Lafayette, Somers
6) Al Stone, III, Durham
7) Larry Barnett, Moosup
8) George Yuska, S. Glastonbury
9) Chris Douton, Niantic
10) David Macha, Sr., Columbia
11) Kyle Johnson, Manchester
12) Chris Danielczuk, Goshen
13) Bill Staves, Windsor Locks
14) Vincent Picciotti, Wind Gap, PA
15) Chris Phelps, New Salem, MA
16) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
17) Tyrone Crews, Piscataway, NJ
18) Jason Finkbein, Manchester
19) Chris Meyer, North Franklin
20) Brandon Michael, Granville, MA
21) Daltin McCarthy, Oxford, MA
22) Tess Beyer, Stratton, VT
23) Shawn Gaedeke, Oakdale
24) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
25) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Berlin
2) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
3) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
4) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
5) Todd Owen, Somers
6) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
7) Tony Membrino, Jr., Wolcott
8) David Arute, Stafford Springs
9) Troy Talman, Oxford, Ma
10) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, Ma
11) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, Ma
12) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
13) Matt Gallo, Kensington
14) Bryan Narducci, Colchester
15) Jonathan Smith, Trumbull
16) Jeff Malave, Manchester
17) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
18) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
19) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
20) Todd Patnode, Swanzey, NH
21) Tyler Hines, North Haven
22) Matt Vassar, Plantsville
23) John Catania, Agawam, MA
24) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
25) Chase Dowling, Midland, NC
26) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
27) Daniel Wesson, Monson, MA
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Al Saunders, Stafford
2) Michael Wray, Northford
3) Darrell Keane, Enfield
4) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA
5) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
6) Michael Bennett, Willington
7) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield
8) Paul Arute, Northridge, MA
9) Rick Lanagan, Broad Brook
10) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
11) Dave Wray, Durham
12) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
13) Jordan Hadley, Waterford
14) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
15) Trace Beyer, Stratton, VT
16) John Blake, North Haven
17) Marc Curtis, Brookfield, MA
18) Duane Provost, Palmer, MA
19) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
20) R.J. Surdell, Willington
21) Gary Theriault, Enfield
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Brian Sullivan, Tolland
2) Amanda West, Colchester
3) Bob Charland, Stafford
4) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
5) Robert Bloxsom, III, Stratford
6) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
7) Alexander Pearl, Salem
8) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
9) Derek Debbis, Oakdale
10) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
11) Nick Anglace, Oxford
12) Andrew Les, Palmer, MA
13) Bert Ouellette, Ellington
14) Jon Puleo, Branford
15) Peter Bennett, Cromwell
16) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook
17) Todd Douillard, Palmer, MA
18) Alina Bryden, West Springfield, MA
19) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, NY
20) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
21) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
22) Charles McDougall, Derby
23) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
24) Norm Sears, Andover
25) Zach Aszklar, Newtown
26) Steven Chapman, Ellington
27) Chris Matthews, Stafford
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA
2) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
3) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
4) Lucas Leone, Southington
5) Gary Patnode, New Hartford
6) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
7) Devon Jencik, Canton
8) Chris Cook, Mason, NH
9) Jay Clement, Wethersfield
10) Steve Martel, Barkhamsted
11) Rich Hammann, Tolland
12) Damian Palardy, Willington
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR