Joey Polewarczyk Wins Granite State Pro Stock Series Casagrande Builders 75 Feature at Stafford Speedway
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway welcomed the Granite State Pro Stock Series to the track for their first visit to Stafford as part of NAPA Opening Day festivities with the Casagrande Builders 75.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series took the green flag with Eddie MacDonald taking the lead from polesitter Josh King on the very first lap of the race. Derek Griffith was third in the early going with Joey Polewarczyk and D.J. Shaw making up the top-5. Shaw got around Polewarczyk on lap-4 to move into fourth and Derek Gluchacki took fifth as Polewarczyk slid back to seventh in line before the caution flew with 4 laps complete.
MacDonald took the lead on the restart with Griffith moving up to second. Gluchacki took third with Polewarcyk fourth and Shaw fifth. Casey Call was sixth while King slid all the way back to seventh in line. The caution came back out with 11 laps complete as Mike O’Sullivan got into the turn 1 wall and Craig Bushey also had damage to the rear of his car after coming to a stop backwards on the track in the middle of turns 1+2.
MacDonald took the lead back under green while Polewarczyk and Shaw both got by Gluchacki to move into second and third place. Gluchacki was stuck in the outside groove and continued to slide backwards as Call took fourth and Dave Darling moved into fifth. Polewarczyk took the lead from MacDonald on lap-15 at the line while Gluchacki slid all the way back to 12th place before he could get back in line. Cory Casagrande was up to sixth and starting to apply pressure to Darling for fifth place.
Call slid up the track in turn 1 on lap-19 which allowed both Darling and Casagrande to move up to fourth and fifth as Call got back in line in sixth place. With 25 laps complete, the order was Polewarczyk, Shaw, MacDonald, Casagrande, and Darling. 6th through 10th was Devin O’Connell, Mike Mitchell, Griffith, Gabe Brown, and Call.
Casagrande worked his way by Darling to move into third place on lap-34 as Polewarczyk continued to lead the race with Shaw running in second place.
With 35 laps to go, Polwarczyk held a 1.5 second lead over Shaw with Casagrande, Darling, and MacDonald making up the top-5. O’Connell was still sixth with Mitchell, Griffith, Brown, and Angelo Belsito making up the top-10.
As the field began to navigate lapped traffic, Polewarczyk was continuing to slowly stretch out his lead over Shaw while Darling got back by Casagrande to move into third place with MacDonald in fifth in a four-car train dueling for second place.
Casagrande was starting to apply heavy pressure to Shaw for second and he nearly made a pass for second on lap-55. Casagrande came back the very next lap and he made the pass on Shaw to move into second. Casagrande’s move opened the door for Darling and MacDonald to follow him by Shaw and drop Shaw from second back to fifth.
Polewarczyk cruised to the checkered flag to win the Casagrande Builders 75. Casagrande finished second with Darling, MacDonald, and Griffith rounding out the top-5.
GRANITE STATE PRO STOCK SERIES CASAGRANDE BUILDERS 75 (75)
1) Joey Polewarczyk, Hudson, NH
2) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs, CT
3) Dave Darling, Seekonk, MA
4) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA
5) Derek Griffith, Hudson, NH
6) Devin O’Connell, Madison, CT
7) D.J Shaw, Center Conway, NH
8) Gabe Brown, Center Conway, NH
9) Derek Gluchacki, Dartmouth, MA
10) Angelo Belsito, Auburn, MA
11) Mike Mitchell, Cumberland, RI
12) Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket, NH
13) Mike Scorzelli, Feura Bush, NY
14) Kevin Casper, Somerset, MA
15) Josh King, Vernon, VT
16) Tyler Tomassi, Warwick, RI
17) Alexander Pearl, Salem, CT
18) Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
19) Casey Call, Pembrooke, NH
20) Bobby Pelland, West Warwick, RI
21) Adam Gray, Belchertown, MA
22) Craig Bushey, Fletcher, VT
23) Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA
24) Rick Duzlak, Hinsdale, MA
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR