(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway welcomed the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series to the track for the $15,000 to win NAPA Fall Final. Matt Hirschman took down the $15k winner’s check after charging into the lead after a mid-race pit stop.
The NAPA Fall Final took the green flag with Woody Pitkat and Glen Reen leading the field to the green flag thanks to their first and second place finishes respectively in the August Lincoln Tech 80. Pitkat took the early lead at the drop of the green flag with Matt Galko getting around Reen for second. Marcello Rufrano was fourth with Matt Hirschman in fifth when the caution came out with 3 laps complete for David Arute, who came to a stop in turn 3 after spinning through the grass.
Galko charged into the lead on the restart with Rufrano taking second. Pitkat fell back to third in line with Hirschman fourth Reen fifth. Stephen Kopcik went by Reen to take over fifth place on lap-8 with Ronnie Williams taking sixth to drop Reen back to seventh place as Galko continued to lead Rufrano and Pitkat at the front of the field.
With 20 laps in the books, Galko was still out front in the lead followed by Rufrano, Pitkat, Hirschman, and Williams. Ronnie Silk was sixth followed by Kopcik, Jake Johnson, Eric Goodale, and Chris Pasteryak. The caution came back out with 26 laps complete for Arute, who spun on the backstretch.
Galko took the lead back under green with Rufrano in second. Pitkat was third with Williams and Hirschman making up the top-5. The caution came right back out with 27 laps complete for a spin at the entrance to turn 3 by Noah Korner.
Rufrano got a good run on the outside of Galko and nearly took the lead on the restart but Galko was able to maintain the lead. The caution came back out with 29 laps complete for spins in turn 4 by RJ Marcotte and Mikey Flynn with George Bessette, Jr. spun on the frontstretch.
Galko again took the lead on the restart with Rufrano in second. Hirschman and Williams were side by side for third with Pitkat in fifth. Hirschman got clear of Williams on lap-31 and he then took second from Rufrano on lap-32. At the halfway point of the race Galko was still in the lead with Hirschman right behind him in second. Williams was third with Rufrano and Pitkat making up the top-5. Eric Goodale was up to sixth followed by Silk, Michael Christopher, Jr., Max Zachem, and Craig Lutz. Reen spun on the frontstretch to bring the caution out with 48 laps complete.
Under the caution, the lead cars all came to pit road for 2 new tires and adjustments. Hirschman on the race off pit road followed by Joey Cipriano, Goodale, Williams, Pitkat, Silk, Teddy Hodgdon, Zachem, Rufrano, and Galko. With several cars staying out on the track, Craig Lutz was the new race leader back under green with Kopcik, Johnson, Hirschman, and Joey Mucciacciaro lined up behind him. Hirschman took third from Johnson on lap-50 and he went by Kopcik to move into second place on lap-53. Hirschman completed his charge back to the front by taking the lead from Lutz on lap-55. Kopcik was still third at this point with Johnson fourth and Silk back up to fifth. Silk took fourth from Johnson on lap-57 and that move allowed Pitkat to follow him by Johnson to take fifth and drop Johnson back to sixth.
Silk took third place from Kopcik on lap-60 while Galko went by Pitkat to take fifth on lap-61. Silk went by Lutz to move into second on lap-63 and Galko took fourth from Pitkat on lap-66. Silk closed down the gap to Hirschman in the closing laps but he couldn’t get close enough to make a bid for the lead as Hirschman took the checkered flag to win the NAPA Fall Final. Silk finished second with Galko, Lutz, and Pitkat 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.
