Williams, Gray, Pearl, Lavoie, & Downey Score Lincoln Tech Open 80 Weekly Feature Wins at Stafford Speedway
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted another round of Stafford Weekly Racing on Friday, August 19th with Open Modified cars on hand for the Lincoln Tech Open 80. Ronnie Williams scored his second win of the season in the SK Modified® feature, Adam Gray notched his sixth win of 2022 in the Late Model feature, Alexander Pearl took down his third win of 2022 in the SK Light feature, Jeremy Lavoie was also a winner for the third time in 2022 in the Limited Late Model feature, and Travis Downey became a 3-time winner this season in the Street Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Jon Puleo took the lead at the green flag and he led the first three laps before Ronnie Williams took to the outside lane and went around Puleo to move into the lead on lap-4. Troy Talman also got by Puleo to take second and drop Puleo back to third, just in front of Bryan Narducci and Cory DiMatteo.
With 10 laps complete, Williams was still in command followed by Talman, Puleo, Narducci, and DiMatteo. Tyler Hines spun in turn 2 which collected the car of Keith Rocco and brought the caution out with 10 laps complete. Marcello Rufrano was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Rocco.
Talman took the lead from Williams on the restart but Williams came back with a crossover move one lap after the restart to retake the lead. Narducci was up to third with Puleo fourth and DiMatteo in fifth. With 25 laps complete, the top-5 remained the same with Williams leading the quartet of Talman, Narducci, Puleo, and DiMatteo. Michael Gervais, Jr. was sixth, followed by Andrew Molleur, Noah Korner, Todd Owen, and Michael Christopher, Jr.
Williams led Talman and the rest of the field to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of the 2022 season. Narducci finished third with Puleo and DiMatteo rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, John Blake and Paul Varricchio, Jr. ran the first lap side by side for the lead with the caution coming out just after the completion of the first lap as Michael Bennett spun in turn 1 with Adon Burrell coming to a stop to avoid hitting Bennett.
Andrew Durand went from fourth to first on the restart to take over the lead with Varricchio in second. John Blake and Andrew Molleur were side by side for third with Adam Gray and Paul Arute dueling side by side for fifth. Molleur moved up to second on lap-3 with Varricchio falling back a spot to third. Blake took fourth with Michael Wray moving into fifth. Blake worked his way to the inside of Varricchio on lap-6 and he took over third place on lap-7. Wray moved into fourth on lap-8 with Wayne Coury, Jr. taking fifth. Up front, Molleur was applying heavy pressure to Durand for the lead and Molleur was able to take over the lead on lap-9. Tom Fearn brought his car to a stop on the infield coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution out with 10 laps complete.
Molleur took the lead back under green with Durand slotting into second. Adam Gray moved up to third with Blake fourth and Wray in fifth. Gray took second from Durand on lap-14 just before Bennett spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 14 laps complete. Darrell Keane was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Bennett.
Molleur and Gray ran door to door for a lap after the restart before Molleur got clear into the lead on lap-16. Gray came back to the inside of Molleur on lap-17 and he took the lead at the line. Blake and Durand were door to door for third with Blake takind the spot and Gambacorta moving up to fourth to drop Durand back to fifth jus before the caution came back out with 18 laps complete for Paul Arute, who did a half-spin in turn 1.
Gray took the lead on the restart with Molleur glued to his back bumper in second. Blake was third with Gambacorta back up to fourth and Durand fifth. Gambacorta moved into third on lap-21 with Durand falling back to fourth. Bennett took fourth from Durand on lap-24 and that move allowed Fearn to follow him by and take fifth and drop Durand back to sixth. Chase Cook got into the turn 4 wall to bring the caution flag back out with 24 laps complete.
Gray took the lead back under green with Gambacorta working his way to the inside of Molleur for second. Molleur was able to fend off Gambacorta’s challenge and he maintained second. Fearn was fourth in line with Bennett in fifth as Gray continued to lead. Gray led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his sixth win of the 2022 season. Molleur came home second with Gambacorta, Fearn, and Bennett rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Jason Chapman took the lead at the drop of the green with Tyler Chapman getting around Cassandra Cole on lap-2 to move into second. Cole was wheel to wheel with Frank L’Etoile, Jr. for third with Alexander Pearl in fifth. Cole held L’Etoile off for third with Pearl coming up to fourth and he then took third from Cole on lap-4. Bob Charland was up to fifth behind Cole while Jason Chapman continued to lead his twin brother Tyler.
Charland took fourth from Cole on lap-7 with L’Etoile trying to follow him by but Cole was able to hold off his challenge. Nick Anglace went 3-wide with Cole and L’Etoile for fifth on lap-11 and he was able to take fifth with L’Etoile sixth and West seventh. Up front, Pearl was trying the outside groove against Tyler Chapman and he took second on lap-13 and he nearly took the lead from Jason Chapman on lap-14. The caution came out with 13 laps complete for L’Etoile, who spun coming out of turn 4.
Pearl took the lead on the restart with Jason Chapman slotting into second with Tyler Chapman in third. The caution came back out one lap after the restart for a multi-car incident in turn 2 involving Joey Ferrigno, Alina Bryden, Derek Debbis, Chris Bagnall, and L’Etoile. Ron Midford, Jr. was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Debbis.
Pearl took the lead back under green with Tyler Chapman taking second. Anglace was third with Jason Chapman falling back to fourth and West in fifth. Pearl led Tyler Chapman to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the 2022 season. Anglace finished third with Jason Chapman and Amanda West rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Jay Clement took the lead on the first lap from polesitter Ari Jencik. With one lap complete, Jencik and Damian Palardy made contact and got into the turn 1 wall while Matt Clement brought his car to a stop on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 1 lap complete.
Jay Clement took the lead on the restart but before he could complete the second lap, Jeremy Lavoie shot to the front to take the lead at the line. Lavoie’s time out front was short as Alexandra Fearn took the lead from Lavoie in turn 2 on lap-3. Rich Hammann took second with Lavoie settling into third place with Jay Clement in fourth and Devon Jencik fifth.
Jencik took fourth from Jay Clement on lap-6 and his move brought Kevin Cormier into fifth as Clement slid back to seventh place. At the halfway point of the race, Fearn was still in command with Hammann and Lavoie right behind her in a 3-car train for the lead. Jencik was fourth with Cormier and Gary Patnode lined up behind him in another 3-car train. Lavoie got around Hammann to take second place on lap-12 while Trinity Provost spun coming out of turn 4, but she was able to get her car going again and the race stayed green.
As they completed lap-17, Lavoie made a move to the inside of Fearn and he was able to take the lead. Hammann also got around Fearn to take second with 2 laps to go. Lavoie led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the 2022 season. Hammann held off Fearn for second with Cormier and Patnode rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, Travis Hydar started fourth and immediately pulled alongside Nickolas Hovey at the drop of the green flag in the fight for the lead. Hydar took the lead on lap-2 with Adrien Paradis, III coming up to second and Travis Downey third. Hovey slid back to fourth, just in front of Bobby Stirk, III. Stirk went by Hovey to take over fourth place on lap-5 just before the caution flew with 5 laps complete for debris on the frontstretch.
Hydar took the lead on the restart with Downey taking second. Paradis was third with Stirk fourth and Hovey fifth. Tyler Trott and Hovey made contact and both cars spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 6 laps complete.
Downey and Hydar went door to door for the lead back under green with Downey taking the lead by a nose at the line but the caution came back out for Jaden Lage, who took a hard hit into the turn 4 wall.
Downey took the lead on the lap-8 restart with Hydar and Stirk behind him. Bert Ouellette took fifth and then fourth on lap-9 with Paradis sliding back to fifth. Hydar couldn’t get close enough to Downey over the final 10 laps as Downey took down his third win of the 2022 season. Stirk finished third with Ouellette and Paradis 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.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
2) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
3) Bryan Narducci, Colchester
4) Jon Puleo, Branford
5) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
6) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
7) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
8) Noah Korner, Avon
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
11) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
12) Keith Rocco, Berlin
13) David Arute, Stafford Springs
14) John Sandberg, South Windsor
15) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
16) Tyler Hines, North Haven
17) Curt Brainard, Canton
18) R.J. Marcotte, Millville, Ma
19) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, Ma
20) Nick Halkowicz, Shelton
21) Tyler Jones, New Milford
22) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
23) Chris Jones, New Milford
24) Anthony Bello, Newtown
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
2) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
3) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
4) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
5) Michael Bennett, Willington
6) John Blake, North Haven
7) Michael Wray, Durham
8) Darrell Keane, Enfield
9) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
10) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA
11) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield
12) Chase Cook, Norwich
13) Paul Arute, Northbridge, MA
14) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Alexander Pearl, Salem
2) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
3) Nick Anglace, Seymour
4) Jason Chapman, Ellington
5) Amanda West, Colchester
6) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
7) Bob Charland, Stafford
8) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
9) Chris Matthews, Stafford
10) Tyler Alkas, Berlin
11) Tyler Barry, Griswold
12) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook
13) Norm Sears, Coventry
14) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks
15) Anthony Forino, Waterbury
16) Andy Marchese, Tolland
17) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
18) Charles McDougall, Wallingford
19) Brandon Hunt, Windsor
20) Ron Midford, Jr., Ellington
21) Ed Chicoski, New Hartford
22) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
23) Todd Clark, Bristol
24) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
25) Derek Debbis, Oakdale
26) Chris Bagnall, Norfolk
27) Alina Bryden, West Springfield, MA
28) Brett Casey, Meriden
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
2) Rich Hammann, Tolland
3) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
4) Kevin Cormier, Agawam, MA
5) Gary Patnode, New Hartford
6) Matt Scappini, Litchfield
7) Devon Jencik, Canton
8) Jay Clement, Wethersfield
9) Dana Wray, Durham
10) Trinity Provost, Holland, MA
11) Ari Jencik, Canton
12) Damian Palardy, Willington
13) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted
2) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
3) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
4) Bert Ouellette, Ellington
5) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
6) Jason Lafayette, Somers
7) Sam Calvo, East Berlin
8) Chris Danielczuk, Goshen
9) Pat Grady, Berlin
10) David Macha, Jr., Columbia
11) Rob Sears, Stafford Springs
12) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
13) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
14) Jaden Lage, East Longmeadow, MA
15) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
16) Bill Cote, Belchertown, MA
17) Cindy Stirk, Naugatuck
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Speedway PR