Pitkat, Bennett, Barrett, Flannery & Saunders Score Town Fair Tire 150 Feature Victories at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway hosted the Whelen Modified Tour as well as its usual card of five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing divisions as part of the 20th Annual Town Fair Tire 150 program. Woody Pitkat won his second race of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Michael Bennett romped to his second Late Model feature win of 2010 in the 30-lap feature, Tommy Barrett, Jr. scored his fourth consecutive and sixth overall win of 2010 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Dan Flannery scored his fifth win of the 2010 season in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Cliff Saunders picked up his first victory of the 2010 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, there was a melee at the green flag that involved a host of cars mid-pack including Keith Rocco, Ted Christopher, Jeff Baral, Raymond Grassetti, John Montesanto, Mike Gervais, Jr., and several others. On the restart, Kurt Lenahan and Keith Rocco spun around in turn 2, but were able to keep going and the race stayed green. Eric Berndt took the lead with Mark Bakaj, Chris Jones, Dan Avery, Josh Sylvester, and Woody Pitkat behind him.
Jones was able to move by Bakaj to take over second and his pass kicked Bakaj to the high side and allowed Avery, Pitkat, and Frank Ruocco to all find their way by Bakaj, dropping him back to sixth place. The caution came back out with 11 laps complete for Tom Bolles and Kirk Zervas, who both spun and hit the wall in turns 1+2.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Berndt took the lead back under green with Pitkat moving by Jones for second. Pitkat got to the inside of Berndt on lap-14 and he took the lead from Berndt on lap-15. Chris Jensen lost his right rear tire with 16 laps complete to bring the caution back out.
On the restart, Pitkat powered to the lead with Berndt in hot pursuit. Jones dropped off the pace, which shuffled the running order behind Pitkat and Berndt. Ruocco was now third, with Todd Owen fourth and Avery fifth. Keith Rocco was now back up to sixth place after his early spin and several trips to pit road. The running order remained the same until lap-25 when Avery and Rocco both moved past Owen to drop Owen from fourth back to sixth. Owen would lose the sixth position to Ted Christopher on lap-27.
Pitkat and Berndt were running bumper to bumper and pulling away from the Ruocco, Avery, Rocco, Christopher, and Owen train. Several times Berndt closed in on Pitkat’s rear bumper, but he was not able to get by. Rocco spun with a tire rub to bring the caution out with 37 laps complete and set up a sprint to the finish.
Berndt was all over Pitkat over the final 3 laps but he could not find a way past as Pitkat took down his second feature victory of the of the 2010 season. Berndt finished second, with Ruocco, Avery, and Christopher rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Adam Gray took the lead ad the drop of the green with Tom Fearn moving into second and Corey Hutchings moving into third. Michel Bennett settled into line in fourth and Woody Pitkat moved into fifth. Hutchings moved by Fearn for second on lap-4 and he brought Bennett with him as Fearn fell back to fourth place. The caution came out with 4 laps complete as Tony Lafo spun in turn 2.
Gray kept the lead back under green with Bennett moving by Hutchings for second place. Pitkat moved inot fourth and Scott Cook moved up to fifth. Bennett continued his charge to the front, taking the lead from Gray on lap-6. Bennett’s pass opened the door for Hutchings, Pitakt, Cook, and Keith Rocco to all move by Gray, dropping him from the race lead back to sixth place.
At the halfway point of the race, Bennett was thoroughly in control, opening up a half-straightaway lead over Hutchings with Pitkat, Rocco, and Gray making up the top-5 running order. The race stayed green to the checkered flag and Bennett cruised to his second victory of the 2010 season, pulling away from Hutchings to score a dominating win. Rounding out the top-5 behind Bennett and Hutchings was Rocco, Pitkat, and Dillon Moltz.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Kyle Spencer charged into the lead with Jay Goff behind him. Frank Cardile took a hard hit into the turn 1 wall with 1 lap complete to bring the caution out. On the restart, Goff hung tough in the outside groove and he went by Spencer to take over the race lead. Harry Wheeler spun in turn 3 and Ted Cain and Steve Greer spun in turn 1 with 4 laps complete to bring the yellow flag out.
Spencer took the lead on the restart with Joey Cipriano moving into second. Goff fell back to third place with Zach Aszklar and Tommy Barrett, Jr. making up the top-5. Aszklar quickly moved by Goff for third and Barrett took to the high groove and went past Goff for fourth place on lap-7. Cipriano moved to the race lead on lap-9 and the caution came out with 9 laps complete for Spencer, who spun and hit the wall.
Cipriano took the lead back under green, but Barrett was on the charge and he went by Cipriano for the lead on lap-11. Matt Galko moved into third, Dylan Liseo was fourth and Erica Santos moved into fifth. The race ran green to the finish and Barrett scored his fourth consecutive and sixth overall feature win of the 2010 season.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the lead at the green and led the first lap before the caution came out for Kevin Gambacorta, who stalled on the backstretch. Botticello was the leader back under green with Dan Flannery moving by Jesse Hinze for second place. Duane Provost was fourth with George Nocera, Jr. charging into fifth place.
Nocera moved by Provost for fourth on lap-7 and he brought Andrew Durand and Shawn Thibeault with him by Provost, dropping him from fourth back to seventh in the order. At the front of the pack, Flannery and Hinze had closed up the gap to Botticello and it was now a three-car fight for the race lead at the halway point of the race.
Botticello was able to hold Flannery off until lap-15 when she drifted up the track just enough to allow Flannery to get alongside. Flannery moved ahead of Botticello on lap-16 to take over the race lead while Hinze continued to hold third, with Nocera, Durand, and Thibeault behind him. Durand spun with 17 laps complete in turn 4 to bring the caution out and set up a 3 lap dash to the finish.
Flannery took the lead back under green with Botticello, Hinze, Thibeault, and Nocera lined up behind him. Flannery pulled away by several car lengths and nailed down his fifth victory of the 2010 season. Botticello finished second with Hinze, Thibeault, and Nocera rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Stephanie Berardi led the field to the green but she was quickly overtaken by Cliff Saunders. Vince Gambacorta was second with Albert Saunders, Tony Membrino, Jr., and Andrew Hayes behind them. With 3 laps complete, Don Cook and James Carroll spun with several other cars in turn 4 to bring the yellow flag out.
On the restart, Cliff Saunders took the lead with his brother Albert moving up to second. Membrino moved up to third place with Kyle Casagrande and Hayes making up the top-5 as Gambacorta slid back through the field. The top-4 cars were locked in a nose to tail fight and stayed single file until the caution came out with 11 laps complete for a spin by Mike Mordino.
The restart saw Albert Saunders get a run on the outside of Cliff Saunders to take over the race lead. Cliff settled into second with Kyle Casagrande and Membrino side by side for third. Membrino got the better of that battle as Casagrande fell back into a three-wide battle with Cory Casagrande and Jeff Jolly. Jolly spun with 14 laps complete to bring the caution out and set up a green white checkered finish.
The Saunders twins raced side by side and took the white flag still side by side. Albert slid up the hill on the final corner, allowing Cliff to take the victory ahead of Membrino, Kyle Casagrande, Cory Casagrande, and Albert Saunders.
For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR