(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 scored a repeat victory in the race as he won the NAPA Fall Final last season and he took home the $15k winner’s check.
The NAPA Fall Final took the green flag with a stackup at the front of the pack as Mikey Flynn didn’t quite come up to speed that saw Ron Silk end his race in the turn 1 wall before a lap could be completed.
The next restart saw the same thing with polesitter Flynn not coming up to speed and he spun to bring the caution flag out before a lap could be put on the board.
The third restart attempt saw the car of Keith Rocco not come up to speed on the start and several cars including Marcello Rufrano, Will Lambros, Jacob Perry, and Anthony Bello were all collected to bring the caution flag out before a lap could be completed.
The fourth start attempt saw Kyle Bonsignore emerge with the early lead with Joey Cipriano taking second. Anthony Nocella was third in line with Cory DiMatteo fourth and Matt Hirschman fifth. The caution came back out with 3 laps complete as Teddy Hodgdon spun in turn 2 and collected the car of Doug Coby.
Nocella took the lead on the next restart with Bonsignore second, Cipriano third, Hirschman fourth, and DiMatteo in fifth. With 15 laps complete, the order was still Nocella out front with Bonsignore, Cipriano, and Hirschman behind him. Matt Swanson was up to fifth with Nick Salva, Ronnie Williams, Jake Johnson, DiMatteo, and Michael Christopher, Jr. making up the top-10.
Nocella was still out front as the field hit the lap-30 mark with Bonsignore, Cipriano, Hirschman, Salva, Ronnie Williamss, Johnson, Swanson, Christopher, and Woody Pitkat making up the top-10 behind Nocella. 10 laps later at the halfway point of the race and Nocella was still at the front of the field with Bonsignore behind him. Hirschman was now up to third with Salva, Williams, Cipriano, Swanson, Marcello Rufrano, Christopher, and Ryan Newman making up the top-10.
The caution came out with 61 laps complete as Tyler Hines spun in turn 1 after he and David Arute touched wheels. All the lead lap cars headed to pit road during the caution period for 1 new tire and adjustments. Nocella won the race off pit road followed by Hirschman, Cipriano, Bonsignore, Williams, Pitkat, Newman, Eric Goodale, Christopher, Swanson, Rufrano, Brett Meservey, Salva, and DiMatteo.
Hirschman took the lead from Nocella on the restart with Bonsignore, Cipriano, Williams, and Newman lined up behind him. Nocella worked his way back to the inside of Hirschman on lap-63 to retake the lead. Williams took fourth from Cipriano on lap-66 and the caution came back out with 67 laps complete for spins in turn 1 by Goodale and Meservey.
Nocella resumed his place at the front of the pack with Hirschman taking second. Ryan Newman made a 3-wide move on lap-70 to move into third. Williams was right behind Newman in fourth with DiMatteo up to fifth and Bonsignore falling back to sixth. Williams went back by Newman to take third on lap-72 and now DiMatteo and Bonsignore were both looking to get by Newman. Meservey and Charette spun and ended up against the turn 3 wall to bring the caution back out with 75 laps complete and set up a 5 lap dash to the finish. Under the caution, Newman’s car developed a mechanical issue and he retired from the race.
Chris Pasteryak spun into the turn 1 wall with Christopher also going around in turn 1 to bring the caution back out before a lap could be completed.
Nocella took the lead back under green with Hirschman falling into line in second. The caution came back out with 77 laps complete as Cipriano spun in turn 1 and collected the car of Rufrano.
The restart saw Nocella go around in front of the field to bring the caution flag right back out.
Hirschman took the lead ahead of DiMatteo, Williams, Bonsignore and Pitkat on the restart. Hirschman led the field to the checkered flag to win the NAPA Fall Final for the second consecutive year. Williams finished second with DiMatteo, Bonsignore, 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.
