(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted Weekly Racing action on Friday, September 23 with all 5 of its divisions in feature action. Marcello Rufrano used a last lap pass on Troy Talman to claim his second SK Modified® win of the 2022 season, Tom Fearn notched his 5th Late Model win of the season, Tyler Chapman took down his third SK Light win of the season, Kevin Cormier scored the second win of his rookie Limited Late Model campaign, and Travis Hydar locked up his fifth Street Stock win of the season. Hydar’s victory allowed him to clinch the Street Stock championship a week early while Adam Gray’s third place finish in the Late Model feature was good enough to clinch his fourth career Stafford Late Model championship. Gray and Hydar will be honored next Friday night, September 30th as Stafford’s other track champions will be decided during NAPA Championship Night.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Michael Gervais, Jr. took the lead at the green but he only led the first lap as Troy Talman moved to the point on lap-2. David Arute was third in line behind Talman and Gervais with Tyler Hines in fourth and Anthony Bello in fifth. The caution flew with 5 laps complete for Anthony Flannery, who came to a stop in turn 3 after sparks flew from under his car with several other cars also involved.
Talman took the lead on the restart with Arute and Gervais wheel to wheel for second and Bello and Hines wheel to wheel for fourth. Behind Talman, there was a total of five rows of cars all jockeying for position. Arute got clear from Gervais on lap-9 to take over second but the caution flew with 9 laps complete as John Montesanto spun on the frontstretch.
On the restart, R.J. Marcotte got into the frontstretch wall to bring the caution flag right back out. Talman took the lead on the next restart with Arute nearly taking the lead from Talman before slotting back into second. Gervais was still third with Hines fourth and Marcello Rufrano up to fifth. Dylan Kopec spun in the middle of turns 3+4 which collected the car of Teddy Hodgdon and brought the caution back out with 12 laps complete.
The restart saw Tyler Jones and Montesanto spun through the frontstretch grass to bring the yellow flag right back out. Talman took the lead back under green with Arute right behind him in second. Hines worked his way up to third with Bryan Narducci taking fourth and Rufrano fifth. Gervais slid back to seventh as Cory DiMatteo took sixth.
Narducci took third from Hines on lap-17 and Rufrano followed him by to take fourth and drop Hines from third back to fifth. Jon Puleo spun on the backstretch to bring the caution back out with 18 laps complete.
Talman took the lead on the restart while Narducci got to the inside of Arute and took over second. Rufrano followed Narducci by Arute on lap-20 to move into third and drop Arute back to fourth with Hines and DiMatteo wheel to wheel for fifth place. DiMatteo took the spot on lap-21 while Hines slid back to seventh place as Todd Owen moved into sixth.
Narducci was now applying heavy pressure to Talman’s back bumper with Rufrano right behind Narducci in a 3-car train for the lead. Rufrano got around Narducci on lap-26 to move into second as Talman continued to lead. Rufrano took the lead from Talman on lap-30 just before the caution flag came out for a spin by Rich Neri in turn 2.
Rufrano took the lead back under green with Talman, Narducci, DiMatteo, and Owen lined up behind him but the caution came back out with 32 laps complete for a multi-car incident on the frontstretch as Puleo spun and collected several others.
Talman streaked his way by Rufrano on the restart to take over the lead with Arute third, DiMatteo fourth, and Narducci fifth. Narducci took fourth from DiMatteo on lap-36 while Rufrano was all over the back bumper of Talman looking for the lead. Rufrano made a move to the inside of Talman as the leaders took the white flag. Rufrano was able to complete the pass in turns 3+4 and he led Talman to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of the 2022 season. Arute finished third with Narducci and Owen rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature, Michael Bennett took the lead at the drop of the green from polesitter Paul Varricchio, Jr. with John Blake third behind Varricchio, Darrell Keane fourth, and Wayne Coury, Jr. fifth. Kevin Gambacorta spun in turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 3 laps complete.
Bennett resumed his place at the front of the field on the restart while Coury worked his way into second with Tom Fearn following him up to third and Andrew Durand taking fourth. Blake fell back to fifth in line and he continued to slide backwards as Tom Butler took fifth and Adam Gray sixth on lap-8 to drop Blake back to seventh in line. Fearn was starting to apply heavy pressure to Coury for second but Coury was able to fend off his challenges as Bennett started to ever so slowly stretch out his lead. Fearn was finally able to make the pass on Coury and take second place on lap-14. Butler spun in turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out with 16 laps complete.
Bennett and Fearn were wheel to wheel for the lead on the restart and just as they came around to complete lap-16, Coury went 3-wide with the two leaders but the caution came out for Gambacorta, who spun coming out of turn 4.
Fearn took the lead on the restart with Coury streaking his way into second. Gray took third with Bennett falling back into a side by side battle with Durand for fourth place. Durand took fourth on lap-19 to drop Bennett back to fifth as Coury was applying heavy pressure to Fearn for the race lead.
Bennett got back by Durand on lap-26 to move into fourth while Coury was still trying to find a way to get past Fearn for the race lead. Fearn led Coury to the checkered flag to pick up his fifth win of the 2022 season. Gray finished third, which was enough for him to clinch the 2022 Late Model championship, his fourth career Stafford championship. Bennett finished fourth with Keane rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature, Amanda West took the lead at the green with Bob Charland quickly taking second place. Ron Midford, Jr. settled into third with Tyler Alkas fourth and Meghan Fuller in fifth. Jason Chapman took fifth from Fuller on lap-4 while Charland was looking for a way to get around West and take over the lead.
At the halfway point of the race, West was still in command with Charland right behind her in second. Jason Chapman and Midford were wheel to wheel for third with George Bessette, Jr. up to fifth. West spun coming out of turn 4 on lap-11 to bring the caution out. Bob Charland was sent to the rear of the field by Stafford officials for making contact with West. This put Jason Chapman alongside Midford for the restart.
Jason Chapman took the lead on the restart with his brother Tyler Chapman moving up to second. Chris Bagnall spun coming out of turn 2 but was able to continue and the race stayed green. Midford was third followed by Tyler Barry and George Bessette, Jr. but the caution came back out with 12 laps complete for a spin by Brady Parolo in turn 2.
Tyler Chapman took the lead on the restart with Jason Chapman falling back to second. Barry was third with Midford fourth and Bessette and Alkas wheel to wheel for fifth. The caution came back out with 15 laps complete as Charlie McDougall spun coming out of turn 4 which collected the car of Hailey Desaulniers.
Tyler Chapman again took the lead on the restart with Barry coming up to second. Jason Chapman was third in line followed by Midford and Bessette. Bessette took fourth from Midford on lap-19 but it was all Tyler Chapman at the front as he comfortably beat Barry to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the 2022 season. Jason Chapman finished third with Bessette and Midford rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Jay Clement and Ari Jencik led the field to the green flag but coming out of turn 2, the cars of Jencik and Matt Clement got together and spun, which collected the car of Damian Palardy and brought the caution flag out before the first lap could be completed.
Jay Clement took the lead on the restart with Kevin Cormier quickly working his way into second. Alexandra Fearn was third in line with Matt Scappini in fourth and Jeremy Lavoie in fifth place. Cormier took the lead from Clement on lap-2 and Fearn followed him by to take second and drop Clement back to third. Lavoie got by Scappini to move into fourth and now he was looking to take third from Clement, which he did on lap-6.
At the halfway point of the race, Cormier was still in command followed by Fearn, Lavoie, Scappini, and Jay Clement. Rich Hammann was sixth in line with Matt Clement, John Orsini, Dana Wray, and Trinity Provost rounding out the top-10.
Cormier stretched out his lead and he led Fearn to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of his rookie 2022 season. Lavoie finished third with Scappini and Hammann rounding out the top-5.
Limited Late Model Feature Results
Limited Late Model Points Standings
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Bill Cote and Marvin Minkler led the field to the green flag with Cote taking the early lead. Tyler Trott quickly moved past Minkler to take second with Minkler falling back to third. Behind Minkler, the action was nearly 3-wide with Jason Lafayette moving into fourth with Travis Hydar taking fifth and Bert Ouellette sixth. A multi-car spin broke out in turn 1 to bring the caution out with 3 laps complete but all cars involved were able to continue on and rejoined the field at the rear.
Trott took the lead back under green with Hydar climbing his way into second. Cindy Stirk spun on the backstretch but was able to continue and the race stayed green but the caution did come out with 4 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Bill Cote that collected the car of David Macha, Jr.
Hydar took the lead from Trott on the restart with Minkler and Ouellette going door to door for third and Lafayette and Johnny Walker going door to door for fifth. Ouellette got the better of the duel with Minkler to take third on lap-6 and Lafayette won his duel with Walker to take fifth as Hydar continued to lead Trott. Jason Finkbein spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 9 laps complete.
Hydar took the lead back under green with Ouellette taking second. Ryan Waterman moved into third with Trott falling back to fourth with Adrien Paradis, III up to fifth. Paradis worked his way to the inside of Trott on lap-11 but the caution flew for a spin on the frontstretch by John D’Elia.
Hydar took the lead on the restart with Ouellette right beind him in second. Waterman was still third with Trott and Paradis still lined up behind him. Brandon Warren was sixth followed by Walker, Pat Grady, Finkbein, and Sam Calvo. Trott made a move to the inside of Waterman on lap-15 but he wasn’t able to complete the pass as Waterman maintained third. Hydar led Ouellette to the checkered flag to pick up his fifth win of the 2022 season and in the process clinch the 2022 Street Stock championship. Waterman was able to hold Trott off all the way to the checkered flag for third with 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.
###
