Cates, Pitkat, Dowling, Bessette, & Walker Score Town Fair Tire Military Appreciation Night Feature Wins
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway was back to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with a nod to the United States Armed Forces with Town Fair Tire Military Appreciation Night. Taking down feature wins on the night were Danny Cates in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Woody Pitkat in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Chase Dowling in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Austin Bessette in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Johnny Walker in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Zach Aszklar took the lead at the green. Danny Cates and Michael Gervais, Jr. dueled side by side for second before Cates took the spot. Cates then moved by Aszklar on lap-4 to take over the race lead. Ted Christopher was quickly charging his way through the field, as he cracked into the top-5 in fourth place and Woody Pitkat was following him towards the front of the pack.
On lap-7 Christopher was making a move to take over second place, but a multicar incident in turn 2 involving Sean Foster, Michael Bennett, Glen Reen, and several other cars brought the caution out.
Cates took the lead on the restart with Christopher moving into second. Todd Owen was third, with Ryan Preece and Aszklar behind him. Pitkat was about to move by Aszklar for fifth place, but Michael Bennett stalled coming off pit road and the caution came out.
Cates again took the lead on the restart, but the field could only complete one lap before Foster spun through the frontstretch grass to bring the yellow flag back out.
Cates took the lead on the restart, while Preece and Christopher were locked in a side by side fight for second. Christopher got the better run on the outside of Preece and took the spot on lap-11. Pitakt was fourth behind Preece, with Owen right on his bumper in fifth place.
Cates was continuing to lead, but positions were shuffling behind him as Preece moved by Christopher to take second, and Pitkat followed him by to move into third. Owen was fifth behind Christopher, with Frank Ruocco right on his bumper in sixth place. Shawn Thibeault came to a stop on the backstretch with 16 laps complete to bring out the caution.
The restart saw Cates side by side with Preece for the lead and Pitkat and Christopher side by side for third for two full laps before Cates got clear into the lead. Pitkat and Preece were now side by side for second, with Owen fourth, Ruocco fifth, and Christopher back to sixth. Pitkat got the better of the fight with Preece and took second on lap-22.
Preece nearly had a move completed on Pitkat for second place on lap-26, but Pitkat was able to keep Preece behind him as Cates continued to lead the race. Owen was fourth behind Cates, Pitkat, and Preece, while Ruocco and Christopher were still behind Owen in fifth and sixth with 10 laps to go.
The running order remained the same when the caution came out with 36 laps complete for a spin by Tommy Membrino, Jr. in turns 3+4. The order for the restart was Cates and Pitkat on the front row, Preece and Owen in the second row, Ruocco and Christopher in the third row, Rowan Pennink and Doug Coby in the fourth row, and Eric Berndt and Keith Rocco in the fifth row.
Cates took the lead back under green with Preece moving into second. Pitkat was third, with Ruocco fourth and Christopher fifth. Preece closed in on Cates’ bumper for the white flag lap with Pitkat right on his bumper in third. Cates was able to keep the lead to the checkered flag to pick up his first SK Modified® victory at Stafford. Preece, Pitkat, Ruocco, and Christopher rounded out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Rick Charette took the lead and began to set the pace Jay Stuart quickly worked his way into second and he was making a move for the race lead when Andrew Durand spun coming off turn 4, which collected several cars behind him and brought the caution out with 3 laps complete to put Charette back in front for the restart.
Charette took the lead on the restart with Stuart slotting quickly into second place. Cory Casagrande was third in line, with Woody Pitkat and Adam Gray behind him. Stuart made a move for the lead on lap-5 and Casagrande followed him by Charette to drop Charette back to third, just in front of Pitkat and Gray. Pitkat wasted little time in making the move by Charette and his pass opened the door for a train of cars to all move by Charette. Charette fell back to 11th place before he was able to get his car back in line.
Stuart and Casagrande had several car lengths on Pitkat in third, who had a half straightaway over Gray, Fearn, and Jim Mavlouganes, who were nose to tail for fourth through sixth place. J.J. Hill was beginning to make some moves for position as he took seventh place away from Mark St. Hilaire on lap-11.
At the halfway point of the feature, Casagrande had closed up to Stuart’s bumper for the lead with Pitkat slowly closing down the distance to Casagrande. The top-3 were a half straightaway in front of Gray in fourth, with Fearn, Mavlouganes, and Hill behind them.
Casagrande made a move for the lead on lap-19, but he got loose in turns 3+4 and Pitkat used that opportunity to take over second. Pitkat then got to the inside of Stuart on lap-21 and he moved to the front with Casagrande following him by Stuart. Gray was now closing in on Stuart for third place while Fearn was still several car lengths behind Gray in fifth place.
Casagrande stayed right with Pitkat over the final laps, but he wasn’t able to make a move as Pitkat picked up his first win of the 2013 season. Gray finished third, with Fearn and Hill rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Glenn Griswold took the lead at the green with Joey Ferrigno behind him in second, but the caution came out with 1 lap complete as Ronnie Williams got into the backstretch wall and spun to the grass.
Joey Ferrigno and Griswold were side by side for the lead back under green with Tony Santangelo moving into third place. Jason Lafayette was fourth, but he and Santangelo touched wheels on lap-4, which got both cars slightly out of shape and dropped them back in the field. Ferrigno got loose on lap-5 coming out of turn 2, which allowed Griswold to pull out to a sizable lead over Ferrigno in second. Rich Hammann was now third, with Troy Talman, Jay Goff, Bob Charland and the side by side duo of Chase Dowling and Dylan Menditto behind them.
At the halfway point of the race, Griswold had a nearly half straightaway lead over Hammann in second. Dowling was making good time in the outside groove and he was up to third, with Talman and Ferrigno behind him. Dowling was putting heavy pressure on Hammann for second while Griswold continued to set the pace. Dowling made a crossover move on Hammann to take second place on lap-15 and Talman followed him by Hammann to move into third.
Griswold’s lead was beginning to shrink as Dowling was closing in fast and at the completion of lap-17 he was right on Griswold’s bumper and he made a move going into turn 1 on lap-18 to take over the race lead.
Dowling led the field back to thoe checkered flag for his second win of the 2013 season. Griswold finished second, with Talman, Hammann, and Goff rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Albert Saunders took the lead at the green flag with Jesse Hinze moving into a side by side battle with Austin Bessette for second place. Hinze took the spot while Bessette fell back into a side by side battle with DJ Burnham for third. Duane Provost spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 1 lap complete.
On the restart, Saunders took the lead with Hinze falling into line in second. Joe Nogiec spun in turn 3, but he was able to get moving and the race stayed green. Hinze was beginning to pressure Saunders for the lead on lap-4 and he took the lead going down the backstretch. Hinze’s move opened the door for Bessette to follow Hinze by Saunders and take over second. Burnham, Josh Wood, and Don Wood all followed the train by Saunders to drop him back to sixth place in line.
Bessette made a move to the inside of Hinze to take over the lead on lap-7 and Burnham, Josh Wood, Don Wood, Saunders, and Davie Arute all got by Hinze on lap-8 to drop him back to seventh place. The top-3 of Bessette, Burnham, and Josh Wood were beginning to break away as Don Wood and Saunders were putting on a great fight for fourth place. Just behind Wood and Saunders was Arute with Andrew Hayes and Hinze side by side behind Arute.
With 5 laps to go, Bessette was beginning to stretch out his lead over Burnham and Josh Wood, with Don Wood and Arute making up the top-5. Bessette cruised to the checkered flag to pick up his first win in the Limited Late Model division. Burnham finished second, with Josh wood, Don Wood, and Arute rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Ryan Fearn took the early lead with Brandon Michael all over his back bumper looking to take the lead. Fearn spun in turn 2 on lap-3, which allowed Frank L’Etoile, Jr. to move into the race lead. Johnny Walker was second behind L’Etoile, with Michael third, David Comeau fourth, and Jeremy Lavoie in fifth place.
With 6 laps complete, L’Etoile was still in command of the race with Walker, Michael, Comeau, and Lavoie still lined up behind him. The caution came out with 6 laps complete for Alexandra Fearn, who came to a stop in turn 4.
On the restart, Walker moved by L’Etoile to take over the race lead, but the field was only able to complete one lap before Ryan Fearn spun through the backstretch grass and came to a stop in the middle of turns 3+4 to bring the caution back out.
Back under green, Walker held the lead, but Lavoie was applying pressure for the lead spot. Dave Secore was up to third, with Cliff Saunders and Kris Fluckiger behind them. The caution came back out with 8 laps complete as Frank Siana and Alexandra Fearn spun coming out of turn 2 and made contact with the outside wall.
Walker and Lavoie resumed their duel for the race lead on the restart, while Secore and Saunders were side by side for third place. L’Etoile and Fluckiger were side by side behind Secore and Saunders with Michael behind L’Etoile and Fluckiger. Secore took third behind Walker and Lavoie, with Fluckiger and Saunders now fighting side by side for fourth place, with Fluckiger taking the spot on lap-11. Ryan Fearn went around to bring the caution back out with 12 laps complete to set up a 3-lap dash to the finish.
Walker and Lavoie again resumed their duel for the lead with Secore behind him. Lavoie made several runs on Walker, but Walker was able to hold him off to the checkered flag to pick up his very first career victory. Lavoie came home in second, with Secore, Saunders, and Fluckiger 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) Danny Cates, Chaplin
2) Ryan Preece, Berlin
3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
4) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
5) Ted Christopher, Plainville
6) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa
7) Todd Owen, Somers
8) Doug Coby, Middletown
9) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
10) Dan Avery, Somers
11) Keith Rocco, Meriden
12) Tom Bolles, Ellington
13) Sean Foster, Willington
14) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
15) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
16) Curt Brainard, Canton
17) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
18) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
19) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
20) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
21) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
2) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
3) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
4) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
5) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
6) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
7) Jay Stuart, Preston
8) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
9) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
10) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
11) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
12) Rick Charette, Vernon
13) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
14) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny
15) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
16) Tony Lafo, Higganum
17) Peter Portante, Plainville
18) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
19) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
20) Peter Thickett, Watertown
21) Art Caruso, Windsor
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Chase Dowling, Roxbury
2) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
3) Troy Talman, Oxford, Ma
4) Rich Hammann, Tolland
5) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
6) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
7) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
8) Bob Charland, Stafford
9) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn
10) Jason Lafayette, Somers
11) Payton Henry, Willington
12) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
13) Dylan Campbell, Southborough, Ma
14) Todd Douillard, Palmer, Ma
15) Wes Prucker, Stafford
16) Geoff Boisjolie, East Hampton, Ma
17) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
18) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
2) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
3) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
4) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
5) David Arute, Tolland
6) Albert Saunders, Stafford
7) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
8) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
9) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
10) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
11) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
2) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
3) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
4) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
5) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
6) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
7) David Comeau, Palmer, Ma
8) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
9) Stacey Botticello, Manchester
10) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilberham, Ma
11) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
12) Paul Varricchio, Sr., Meriden
13) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
14) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
15) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
16) Fran Siana, Springfield, Ma
17) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
18) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR