Rocco, Fearn, Narducci, Clement, Bessette, & DeLorge Score July 6 Feature Wins at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action on Friday, July 5 with the Wild Thing Karts Junior Outlaws joining Stafford’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. Scoring feature wins were Keith Rocco in the SK Modified® feature, Tom Fearn in the Late Model feature, Bryan Narducci in the SK Light feature, Matt Clement in the Limited Late Model feature, George Bessette, Jr. in the Street Stock feature, and Cadence DeLorge in the Wild Thing Karts Junior Outlaws feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Troy Talman took the early lead with Tyler Hines and Cory DiMatteo side by side for second. Eric Berndt and Marcello Rufrano were side by side for fourth place behind Hines and DiMatteo. DiMatteo got clear to second on lap-3 while Hines slid back to fifth as Rufrano took third and Berndt fourth. John Montesanto brought the caution out with 5 laps complete with a spin on the backstretch.
The restart saw Michael Christopher, Jr. and Andrew Molleur spin in turn 1 to bring the caution right back out. DiMatteo took the lead on the next restart with Rufrano slotting into second. Berndt and Talman were side by side for third with Hines and Matt Galko side by side for fifth. Berndt took third on lap-8 and then took second from Rufrano on lap-9. Keith Rocco was on the move as he took fourth on lap-10 just before the caution flew for a spin in turn 4 by Talman.
DiMatteo took the lead on the restart with Berndt behind him in second. Rocco and Rufrano were side by side for third with Ronnie Williams up to fifth. Berndt got by DiMatteo on lap-12 to move into the lead before Matt Vassar brought the caution back out by coming to a stop in turn 2 with a flat left front tire.
Berndt took the lead back under green but he had Rocco and DiMatteo side by side behind him with both drivers looking to take the lead. Dan Wesson spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution came out with 13 laps complete
Berndt again took the lead with Rocco right behind him in second. DiMatteo was third in line with Todd Owen taking fourth and Williams fifth. Tyler Jones brought the caution back out with 15 laps complete with a spin coming out of turn 2.
Berndt got back in front of Rocco on the restart to maintain the lead with DiMatteo and Owen side by side for third. Rocco made a move to the inside of Berndt on lap-17 to take the lead with a pass in turns 3+4. A multi-car incident brought yellow back out with 17 laps complete.
John Catania got into the frontstretch wall on the restart to bring the caution right back out. Berndt took the lead on the outside of Rocco back under green with Williams also getting by Rocco to move up to second. Rocco got into line in third with Owen and Glen Reen side by side for fourth place. Williams took the lead from Berndt on lap-20 and Rocco followed him by Berndt to take second and drop Berndt back to third place.
Rocco went by Williams on lap-22 to retake the lead. Reen was now fourth in line behind Rocco, Williams, and Berndt with Owen in fifth. Williams took the lead back from Rocco by a nose on lap-24 and the two cars ran side by side until lap-27 when Rocco powered his way by with a move in turn 3.
Williams then came back to Rocco’s inside on lap-28 and the two cars were once again side by side with Rocco the leader at the line by inches. Christopher, Jr. brought the caution back out with 29 laps complete with a spin in turns 3+4.
Williams and Rocco resumed their side by side duel with Reen and Owen side by side for third behind the lead duo. Rocco and Williams were still side by side with 7 laps to go while Owen was third, Reen fourth and Michael Gervais, Jr. was up to fifth.
Williams fell back into line behind Rocco on lap-36 while behind them, Gervais nearly went 3-wide with Owen and Reen for third on lap-37. Williams could get a good run in turns 1+2 to the outside of Rocco but Rocco was able to fend off his challenge down the backstretch and get clear heading back to the start/finish line. Williams made one last-ditch effort on the final lap but Rocco was again able to keep Williams behind him as he locked down his second win of the 2019 season. Reen finished third with Owen and Gervais rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature, the race started with a pileup of cars in turn 3 that involved the cars of John Blake, Tyler Leary, Gary Theriault, Cliff Saunders, Dave Wray, and Richard Ciriello that brought the caution out before a lap could be completed.
Michael Bennett took the lead by a nose over Paul Arute at the drop of the green and with 3 laps on the board, Arute was still side by side with Bennett and Arute led lap-3 by a nose. Arute cleared Bennett on lap-4 with Ryan Fearn now side by side with Bennett for second. Al Saunders was fourth with Tom Fearn and Michael Wray side by side for fifth.
Ryan Fearn took second on lap-6 with Saunders moving into third, Tom Fearn fourth, and Michael Wray fifth as Bennett slid back to sixth place. Tom Fearn was applying heavy pressure to the back bumper of Al Saunders for third and Saunders was able to fend off Fearn’s challenges until lap-11 when Fearn nearly took third. Michael Wray made a bold 3-wide move in turn 4 to get by both Tom Fearn and Al Saunders to move into third as Ryan Fearn was starting to close in on the back bumper of Arute for the lead. Kevin Gambacorta spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 15 laps complete.
Arute took the lead back under green with Michael Wray in second. Tom Fearn was third with Tyler Leary and Ryan Fearn side by side for fourth and Al Saunders sixth. Michael Wray got around Arute on lap-16 to take the lead and Tom Fearn got to the inside of Wray to take the lead on lap-19. The caution flew with 19 laps complete for a spin in turn 4 by Bennett.
Tom Fearn took the lead on the restart after fending off a 3-wide challenge from Arute in turn 4. Arute slotted into second behind Fearn with Michael Wray in third, Al Saunders fourth and Leary back up to fifth. Saunders and Wray were side by side for third and Wray, Saunders, and Leary went 3-wide on lap-24 with Wray coming out in third, Ryan Fearn fourth, and Kevin Gambacorta fifth as Leary fell back to sixth and Al Saunders was eighth.
Ryan Fearn and Michael Wray leaned on each other as they fought for third on lap-26 with Ryan Fearn getting clear to third on lap-27. Gambacorta got by Wray to take fourth on lap-28 while Arute was giving chase to Tom Fearn for the lead. Fearn led Arute to the checkered flag to pick up his fourth win of the 2019 season. Ryan Fearn finished third with Gambacorta and Michael Wray rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature, Bob Charland took the early lead with Mikey Flynn quickly moving around Sami Anderson to take second. Bryan Narducci and Wesley Prucker got by Anderson for third on lap-4 while Flynn took the lead from Charland.
Narducci went to the outside of Charland on lap-6 to move into second and he took the lead from Flynn on lap-7. Charland was now third behind Narducci and Flynn with Wesley Prucker fourth and Anderson fifth. Ethan Durocher spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete and just as Flynn was about to take the lead from Narducci.
Narducci took the lead back under green with Flynn, Prucker, and Nick Anglace lined up behind. Anderson spun in turns 3+4 while Glenn Griswold and Nathan Pytko had damage to their cars that brought the caution back out with 9 laps complete.
Narducci again took the lead on the restart while Prucker and Flynn were side by side for second with Alexander Pearl and Anglace side by side for fourth. Norm Sears got into the frontstretch wall along with Rit Dulac as Chris Matthews spun and Joey Ferrigno had front end damage that ended his race to bring the caution out with 12 laps complete.
Noah Korner spun on the restart to bring the caution right back out. Narducci took the lead on the next restart with Flynn, Pearl, Teddy Hodgdon, and Anglace lined up behind him. Alina Bryden spun to bring the caution out with 15 laps complete.
Narducci took the lead while Hodgdon was all over Flynn for second. Hodgdon went to the outside lane on lap-17 and was able to pull alongside of Flynn while Pearl and Mark Bakaj were side by side for fourth behind them. Hodgdon cleared Flynn on lap-19 but didn’t have enough time to catch up to Narducci as Narducci scored his third win of the 2019 season. Flynn finished third with Bakaj and Pearl rounding out the top-5.
In the 15-lap Limited Late Model feature, Alexandra Fearn took the lead at the green flag with Jeremy Lavoie and Gary Patnode side by side for second. Matt Clement was fourth with David Tefft holding off Duane Provost for fifth. With 5 laps complete, Fearn was still out front with Lavoie giving chase. Clement had taken third while Patnode was fourth and Provost fifth as Tefft slid back to sixth in line.
With 10 laps complete, Fearn was still in the lead but Clement was now right on the back bumper of Lavoie and applying heavy pressure for second. Kevin Crosby spun in the middle of turns 1+2 to bring the caution flag out with 12 laps complete.
Fearn took the lead on the restart with Clement moving into second. Provost took third with Lavoie falling back to fourth with Frank L’Etoile, Jr. in fifth. Clement got a good run to the inside of Fearn coming to the white flag and he was able to make a thrilling last lap pass to nail down his fifth win of the 2019 season. Provost finished third with Lavoie and Patnode rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Meghan Fuller took the lead on lap-2 with Jason Lafayette slotting into second. Adrien Paradis, III, who led the first lap, was third but he was overtaken by Zack Robinson for third on lap-3. George Bessette, Jr. quickly worked his way up to fifth with Dave Secore right on his back bumper in sixth.
Secore was still trying to take fifth from Bessette on lap-7 but the two cars were still side by side. Secore began to slide backwards on lap-8 as Bessette got clear of Secore with Johnny Walker moving into sixth, Tess Beyer seventh, Nicole Chambrello eighth, and Tyler Trott took ninth before Secore got back into line in tenth.
Robinson took second from Lafayette on lap-9 and behind him Bessette was looking to take fourth from Paradis with Walker and Beyer looking to follow Bessette through. Bessette made the move on lap-12 and Walker followed him through while Beyer spun in turn 2 on lap-13 but she kept going and the race stayed green.
Robinson couldn’t catch Fuller as Fuller scored her second feature win of the 2019 season Lafayette finished third with Bessette and Walker rounding out the top-5.
In the 18-lap Wild Thing Karts Junior Outlaws feature, Damian Palardy shot into the lead at the start but it was Evan Charette taking the lead before the first lap was complete. Jake Hines was second with Ryan Birkenshaw moving up to third as Palardy slid back to fourth, just in front of Josh Morrison. Daltin McCarthy spun in turn 2 of the Stafford Mini-Mile to bring the caution out with 7 laps complete.
Hines took the lead on the restart with Jesse Martello coming up to second. Morrision was up to third as Charette fell from the lead back to fourth and Cadence DeLorge was fifth. Martello took the lead on lap-11 but Hines made a nice crossover move to retake the lead in turn 2 of the mini-mile. Martello took the lead on lap-13 but he drifted up the track and Hines went back to the front. DeLorge was on a charge and she powered her way by Hines on lap-14 to take over the lead.
Hines got sideways and fell back to 8th place but up front nobody could catch DeLorge as she took down the win. Martello finished second with Birkenshaw, Morrison, and Casey O’Sullivan 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) Keith Rocco, Berlin
2) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
3) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
4) Todd Owen, Somers
5) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
6) Tony Membrino, Jr., Berlin
7) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
8) Tyler Hines, North Haven
9) Matt Galko, Meriden
10) David Arute, Stafford Springs
11) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
12) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
13) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
14) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
15) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
16) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
17) Joey Cipriano, Waterbury
18) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA
19) John Montesanto, North Branford
20) Nick Salva, Cheshire
21) Tyler Jones, New Milford
22) John Catania, Agawam, MA
23) Dan Wesson, Monson, MA
24) Mike Christopher, Plainville
25) Matt Vassar, Plantsville
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
2) Paul Arute, Northridge, MA
3) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
4) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
5) Michael Wray, Northford
6) Darrell Keane, Enfield
7) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA
8) Al Saunders, Stafford
9) Michael Bennett, Willington
10) Trace Beyer, Stratton, VT
11) Greg DeMone, Ludlow, MaA
12) Gary Theriault, Enfield
13) Dave Wray, Durham
14) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
15) Scott Bouley, Thomaston
16) John Blake, North Haven
17) Richard Ciriello, Reading, MA
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Bryan Narducci, Colchester
2) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
3) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
4) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
5) Alexander Pearl, Salem
6) Nick Anglace, Oxford
7) Bob Charland, Stafford
8) Robert Bloxsom, III, Stratford
9) Steven Chapman, Ellington
10) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
11) Amanda West, Colchester
12) Noah Korner, Canton
13) Andrew Les, New York, NY
14) Rit Dulac, Plantsville
15) Chris Matthews, Stafford
16) Ed Chicoski, New Hartford
17) Alina Bryden, West Springfield, MA
18) Paul French, Andover
19) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
20) Chris Bagnall, Winsted
21) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
22) Norm Sears, Andover
23) Jonathan Puleo, Branford
24) Nathan Pytko, Douglas, MA
25) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
26) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
27) Mark Alkas, Berlin
LIMITED LATE MODEL (15)
1) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
2) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
3) Duane Provost, Palmer, MA
4) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
5) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
6) Frank L’etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
7) David Tefft, Southampton, MA
8) Devon Jencik, Canton
9) Kevin Crosby, Coventry
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
2) Zack Robinson, Putnam
3) Jason Lafayette, Somers
4) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
5) Johnny Walker, Agawam, MA
6) Nicole Chambrello, Kensington
7) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
8) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
9) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
10) Tess Beyer, Stratton, VT
11) David Macha, Sr., Columbia
12) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
13) Steve Katz, Bardonia, NY
14) Paul Bourdon, Jr., Jewett City
WILD THING KARTS JR. OUTLAWS (18)
1) Cadence DeLorge
2) Jesse Martello
3) Ryan Birkenshaw
4) Josh Morrison
5) Casey O’Sullivan
6) Damian Palardy
7) Aiden D’Agata
8) Jake Hines
9) Sydney Cook
10) Evan Charette
11) Matthews Brewer
12) Daltin McCarthy
13) Matthew Dupuis
14) Ben Morrison
15) Cameron Race
16) David Ouellette
17) John Montesanto