Dowling, Wood, & Fluckiger Score CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Saturday Feature Victories at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway opened its doors for racing in 2013 with feature events for its SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions as part of the Saturday CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend festivities. Stafford’s three NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions were joined by the Northeast Mini Stock Tour for a total of four feature events on the day to kick off the new season. Chase Dowling took the checkered flag in the 20-lap SK Light feature in his first career Stafford start, Josh Wood was the winner of the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature for the second year in a row, Kris Fluckiger won the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, and Emerson Cayer was the winner of the 25-lap Northeast Mini Stock Tour feature event.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Joey Ferrigno took the lead at the green, but Rick Williams spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out before a lap could be completed. On the restart, Ferrigno took the lead ahead of Tony Membrino, Jr. as Bob Charland spun in turn 2. The entire field avoided Charland and the race stayed green but it was only for one lap as Tyler Hines took a hard hit into the turn 1 wall to bring the caution back out. Just as the caution came out, Ferrigno spun at the front of the pack. But because the caution had already come out, Ferrigno was able to keep the number one position for the restart with Membrino alongside.
The field took the green flag with Ferrigno back in the lead ahead of Membrino, Shayne Prucker, Ronnie Williams, and Glenn Griswold. The caution came back out with three laps complete for a spin by Dylan Menditto.
Back under green, Ferrigno was in front with Membrino looking to get by to take over the lead. Prucker was third, with Troy Talman and Charland making up the top-5. Williams was back to sixth, with Griswold, Cam McDermott, Chase Dowling, Payton Henry and Rich Hammann making up the top-10.
Ferrigno got out of shape coming out of turn 2 on lap-8, which allowed Membrino to take over the race lead. Prucker moved into second and he made a dive to the inside of Membrino in turn 3 in a bid for the lead, but the two cars made contact and spun, which also collected Ferrigno. This put Talman into the lead with Charland, McDermott, Chase Dowling, Griswold, and Henry lined up behind him.
Talman took the lead back under green with McDermott, Charland, Dowling, and Griswold lined up behind him. The field was only able to complete one lap before the caution came back out as Todd Douillard spun in turn 1 and Wesley Prucker came to a stop in turn 3.
Talman and McDermott were side by side for the lead back under green with McDermott edging ahead of Talman at the line. The next lap saw McDermott move into the lead but the caution came back out with 11 laps complete for spins by Geoff Boisjolie, Todd Douillard, and Shayne Prucker.
The restart order was now McDermott and Dowling on the front row, Talman and Charland in the second row, and Goff and Hammann in the third row. McDermott took the lead on the restart, but Dowling was staying glued to his back bumper. Charland was third, with Talman and Goff riding in line behind him. McDermott drove up the track a bit in turn 4 on lap-15, allowing Dowling to move by and take over the race lead. McDermott came back strong to the inside of Dowling and they were side by side for the lead on lap-16. They remained side by side on lap-17 with McDermott edging ahead. Dowling made a run to the inside of McDermott in turns 3+4 and they were once again side-by-side coming to the line to complete lap-18. Dowling got a good run and moved in front of McDermott on lap-19 and he led the final lap to take down his first win in his very first start at Stafford in the SK Light division. McDermott finished second, with Charland, Talman, and Goff rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Josh Wood went from third to first at the drop of the green while his father Don Wood settled into second. D.J. Burnham was third behind Don Wood, with Jesse Hinze in fourth and Andrew Hayes in fifth. David Arute was sixth, with Duane Provost, Chris Cook, Glenn Bartkowski, and Austin Bessette making up the early top-10.
The order began to shift on lap-8 as Burnham got by Don Wood for second and Arute was all over the back of Hayes looking to take over fifth place. Hayes was able to fend off Arute’s challenges, but their duel allowed Provost to catch up to the duo and make it a three-car fight for fifth place.
Josh Wood was continuing to set the pace ahead of Burnham, with Don Wood and Hinze behind him. Arute was still hounding Hayes for the fifth spot, while Provost was still right there with Hayes and Arute. Hayes went around Hinze for fourth place on lap-13 and Arute was looking to make the same pass, but the caution came out with 13 laps complete as Brian Clement, Bartkowski, and Justin Bren spun in turns 1+2.
On the restart, Josh Wood took command while Burnham didn’t quite come up speed and he fell back to fifth as Don Wood, Hinze, and Arute all got by Burnham. With 2 laps to go, Josh Wood was still out front but Arute was all over the back of Don Wood for second. Arute made the move by Wood to take over second, but just as he made the move, the caution came out for a spin by Cliff Saunders, putting Arute back into third for the green white checkered restart.
Josh Wood took the lead at the green with Arute moving by Don Wood to take over second. Don Wood was able to get by Burnham for third as Burnham drifted up the track a bit on the final lap. Josh Wood led Arute to the checkered flag to repeat his Sizzler victory of one year ago. Don Wood finished third, with Hinze and Provost rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, Trevor Berry took the lead at the green flag with Dave Secore slotting into second. Fran Siana, on his return to the DARE Stock division, took a spin through the grass at the completion of the first lap, but he was able to get moving and the race stayed under green flag conditions. Johnny Walker and Kris Fluckiger were side by side for third, with Walker taking the spot from Fluckiger on lap-3. Walker was just about to fall into the clutches of Brandon Michael and Jeremy Lavoie, but the caution came out with 3 laps complete for a spin by Bryan Iwaniuk in turn 4.
On the restart Fluckiger got by Berry for the race lead, but he caution came back out with 5 laps complete for spins by Paul Varricchio, Jr. and Allison Coelho. Fluckiger again powered into the lead on the restart, with Walker moving up to second. Lavoie moved up to third, while Berry was stuck in the outside groove in a side by side battle with Michael for fourth place. Michael took the place on lap-7 and Secore was also able to get by Berry before he settled into line in sixth place, just ahead of Kelsey Rottino. James Carroll spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 7 laps complete.
Lavoie got a good jump on Fluckiger at the initial start, but Fluckiger inched his way back ahead of Lavoie at the line to complete lap-8. Michael settled into third, with Walker fourth and Secore in fifth place. With three laps to go, Fluckiger was still in front of Lavoie and Michael while Secore was looking to make a run on the outside of Walker for fourth place. Walker spun after contact with Rottino to bring the yellow out with 12 laps complete and set up a 3-lap dash to the finish. Rottino was penalized to the rear of the field for the contact with Walker.
Lavoie powered by Fluckiger on the restart to take over the race lead. Michael was third, with Secore and David Comeau and Frank L’Etoile side by side for fourth place. Ryan Fearn spun on the backstretch with 14 laps complete to set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Lavoie and Fluckiger were side by side for the race lead on the restart while Secore spun in turn 3 to bring the caution back out. On the second green-white-checkered restart, Fluckiger powered into the lead with Berry and Michael lined up single file behind him. Rottino moved into fourth and L’Etoile was fifth, but it was all Fluckiger as he took the checkered flag. Berry finished second, with Michael, Rottino, and Walker, who got by L’Etoile on the final lap, rounding out the top-5.
In the 25-lap Northeast Mini Stock feature, Eric Bourgeois and Mark Panaroni were side by side for the first lap before Bourgeois got clear into the lead. Emerson Cayer started fourth and was quickly into second behind Bourgeois. Cayer took the lead from Bourgeois on lap-3 while Cris King moved into third behind Bourgeois. Danny Field was up to fourth and Toby Wells was fifth.
The order shifted on lap-5 as King, Field, Wells, and Glen Thomas were all able to move by Bourgeois, who fell from second back to sixth place. Cayer had a large lead built up by lap-10, which is when Field moved by King to take over second place. Wells made the move by King for third on lap-12 and Thomas was right behind. Wells completed the pass on lap-13 and Thomas followed him by, dropping King from third back to fifth in a single lap.
Cayer continued to hold the race lead, but behind him Wells was making a move to get by Field and take over second place on lap-17. Field’s car seemed to be fading as Wells immediately began to pull away and Thomas was closing in on Field in a fight for third place.
Wells reeled in Cayer in the closing laps, but he ran out of time as he came up just a car length short at the checkered flag. Field finished third, with Thomas, and King 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.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR