Story By: SCOTT RUNNING / STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action on Friday, July 19th with the Girls Night Out / Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Track Walk event.
Ronnie Williams continued his winning ways taking the SK Modified® feature after a thrilling last lap pass on last week’s winner Stephen Kopcik, Tom Fearn continued his dominance in the Late Model division with his 3rd consecutive win, Bryan Narducci won for the third consecutive week in the SK Light feature, Alexandra Fearn was a winner for the 2nd consecutive week in the Limited Late Model feature, and Jason Lafayette scored his second win of the season in the Street Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Michael Christopher, Jr. and Cory DiMatteo were side by side for the lead a thte start with Troy Talman third and David Arute and Marcello Rufrano side by side for fourth. DiMatteo cleared Christopher for the lead on lap-3 while Arute got clear to fourth place on lap-4.
With 10 laps complete, DiMatteo was still in command of the race with Christopher second, Talman third, Arute fourth and Rufrano in fifth. Michael Gervais, Jr. was all over Rufrano’s back bumper in sixth with Joey Cipriano, Andrew Molleur, Ronnie Williams, and Stephen Kopcik making up the top-10.
Gervais finally took fifth from Rufrano on lap-13 while DiMatteo was stretching out his lead over Christopher, who in turn had a comfortable margin back to Talman in third. DiMatteo was still comfortably in front of Christopher at the halfway point of the race with Talman and Arute behind them. Cipriano was now in fifth with Williams, Gervais, Kopcik, Glen Reen, and Rufrano making up the top-10.
Williams made a move in turn 3 to take fifth from Cipriano on lap-29 as DiMatteo and Christopher were still setting the pace out front with Talman and Arute behind them. Christopher was slowly starting to reel DiMatteo in and with 9 laps to go the margin between the two leaders was one second. Cipriano’s car appeared to lose an engine to bring the caution out with 36 laps complete and set up a four lap sprint to the finish.
DiMatteo took the lead on the restart with Christopher behind him in second. As the cars hit turn 3, the two leaders touched and spun, collecting multiple cars behind them to bring the caution back out with 36 laps complete. This put Williams into the lead for the restart with Gervais in second. The second row would be Kopcik and Keith Rocco with Rufrano and Dan Wesson in the third row.
Williams took the lead on the restart with Kopcik behind him in second. Gervais was third with Rocco fourth and Wesson fifth. Williams and Kopcik touched wheels on lap-38 but kept going while Wesson made a strong move to the inside of Rocco to move up to fourth. Kopcik took the lead coming to the white flag lap but Williams made a power move going into turn 3 to retake the lead and he led Kopcik to the finish line in a thrilling finish. Gervais finished third with Wesson and Rocco rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Michael Bennett took the lead at the green with Cliff Saunders taking second. Ryan Fearn got around Darrell Keane to take third with Kevin Gambacorta and Tyler Leary side by side for fifth. Gambacorta took fifth on lap-3 while Ryan Fearn was applying heavy pressure to Cliff Saunders for second. Fearn took second from Saunders on lap-4 while Michael Wray got by Gambacorta to move into fifth.
Wray got loose on lap-8 and that allowed Al Saunders to move into fifth and Tom Fearn sixth as Wray slid back to seventh in line with Bennett still leading Ryan Fearn, Cliff Saunders and Keane. Tom Fearn took fifth from Al Saunders on lap-10 with a pass in turn 3.
Ryan Fearn was all over the back bumper of Bennett for the lead on lap-12 and he nearly made a pass for the lead coming out of turn 2 but Bennett was able to hold him off. Cliff Saunders was now right behind Ryan Fearn, making a three-car train for the lead. Bennett spun coming off turn 4 to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete after contact from Ryan Fearn. Ryan Fearn was sent to the rear of the field for the contact with Bennett.
Cliff Saunders took the lead on the restart with Tom Fearn in second. Al Saunders was third with Wray and Paul Arute making up the top-5. Tom Fearn took the lead from Cliff Saunders on lap-19 with a pass coming out of turn 2 while Arute took fourth from Wray on lap-19 before the caution came out for Trace Beyer, who spun in turn 4.
Tom Fearn took the lead back under green with Cliff Saunders in second, Al Saunders in third, Wray fourth and Arute fifth. Ryan Fearn spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 21 laps complete. Bennett was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Fearn.
Tom Fearn took the lead on the restart with Cliff Saunders in second. Al Saunders and Wray were side by side for third with Arute in fifth. Arute took fourth from Wray on lap-24 and that move opened the door for Wayne Coury, Jr. to pull alongside Wray in a fight for fifth.
Gambacorta got by both Wray and Coury to move into fifth on lap-29 but Cliff Saunders couldn’t catch Tom Fearn as Fearn took down his third consecutive win and his sixth win in the last 8 Late Model races. Al Saunders finished third with Arute and Gambacorta rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Sami Anderson and Joey Ferrigno went through the infield grass at the start with Amanda West getting into the frontstretch wall, which also collected the car of Nick Anglace to bring the caution out.
Joey Ferrigno shot into the lead on the next start with Mark Bakaj quickly moving up to second. Noah Korner was third with Anderson fourth and Bob Charland and Steven Chapman side by side for fifth. Bakaj took to the outside of Ferrigno on lap-4 to challenge for the lead but Ferrigno was able to maintain the lead. The two leaders were side by side on lap-6 with Korner right behind them in third. Bakaj got clear of Ferrigno on lap-8 to take the lead while Korner was third, Charland fourth and Chapman in fifth.
Korner got by Ferrigno to move into second on lap-12 and Bryan Narducci was on the charge towards the front as he took fifth on lap-16 before the caution came out for a spin by Ethan Durocher in turns 3+4.
Korner took the lead on the restart with Bakaj in second. Narducci moved up to third with Ferrigno fourth and Alexander Pearl up to fifth. Pearl spun in front of the field to bring the caution out with 17 laps complete.
Narducci shot into the lead on the restart but Hodgdon touched wheels with Bakaj to send Bakaj into the turn 3 wall and bring the caution back out and Hodgdon was sent to the rear of the field for the contact with Bakaj.
Narducci again shot into the lead on the outside of Korner on the restart. Chapman moved into second as Korner and Robert Bloxsom, III were side by side for third. Narducci led Chapman to the checkered flag to pick up his third consecutive and fifth overall win of the 2019 season. Bloxsom’s car came up 4 pounds under the minimum weight requirement so he was penalized 4 positions to 8th place. Korner finished third with Jonathan Puleo and Ferrigno rounding out the new top-5.
In the 15-lap Limited Late Model feature event, David Tefft led the field to the green and he took the lead on the start. Gary Patnode took second with Alexandra Fearn in third Duane Provost in fourth and Jeremy Lavoie fifth. Kevin Crosby spun on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 2 laps complete.
Patnode took the lead on the restart with Fearn moving up to second. Lavoie took third with Tefft settling into line in fourth and Matt Clement was up to fifth. With 8 laps complete the order was still Patnode in the lead with Fearn, Lavoie, Tefft, and Clement lined up behind him.
Fearn took a look to the outside of Patnode for the lead on lap-10 but was unable to make a pass and she slotted back into second. Fearn made a move this time to the inside of Patnode for the lead on lap-13 and she was able to take over the lead at the line. Lavoie followed Fearn by Patnode to move up to second and drop Patnode back to third as the cars took the white flag.
Fearn led Lavoie to the checkered flag to pick up her second consecutive Limited Late Mode feature win. Patnode finished third with Clement and Provost rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, Dave Secore took the lead at the start with Adrien Paradis, III in second, Jason Lafayette third, Tess Beyer fourth, and Travis Hydar and Meghan Fuller were side by side for fifth.
With 5 laps complete, Secore had started to pull away from Paradis in second while Hydar and Beyer were now side by side for fourth place with George Bessette, Jr. and Fuller side by side for sixth. Hydar got clear to fourth place on lap-8 before the caution came out for a spin in turn 4 by Tyler Trott.
Secore took the lead back under green with Lafayette taking second. Paradis was third with Hydar fourth and Beyer in fifth. Beyer took fourth on lap-9 and now Bessette and Hydar were side by side for fifth as Secore continued to hold the lead with Lafayette right on his back bumper in second. Beyer and Paradis bounced off of each other on the backstretch and almost collected the car of Hydar on lap-12 and Chris Danielczuk’s car came to a stop with smoke pouring from the hood to bring the caution out with 12 laps complete.
Lafayette charged into the lead on the restart with Secore slotting into second. Bessette and Hydar were side by side for third with Zack Robinson and Fuller side by side for fifth. Hydar got clear to third on lap-16 with Robinson and Fuller still side by side for fifth. The caution came back out with 18 laps complete as Mike Hopkins and Fuller got together with Hopkins getting into the frontstretch wall.
Lafayette took the lead on the restart with Hydar taking second. Robinson and Secore were side by side for third but Hydar couldn’t catch Lafayette as Lafayette took down his second win of the 2019 season.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
2) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
3) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
4) Dan Wesson, Monson, MA
5) Keith Rocco, Berlin
6) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
7) Todd Owen, Somers
8) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA
9) Matt Galko, Meriden
10) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
11) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
12) Ed Spiers, Beacon Falls
13) Tyler Hines, North Haven
14) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
15) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
16) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
17) Justin Albernaz, Rehoboth, MA
18) Tyler Jones, New Milford
19) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
20) David Arute, Stafford Springs
21) Tony Membrino, Jr., Berlin
22) Matt Vassar, Plantsville
23) Joey Cipriano, Waterbury
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
2) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
3) Al Saunders, Stafford
4) Paul Arute, Northridge, MA
5) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
6) Michael Wray, Northford
7) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield
8) Andy Marchese, Tolland
9) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, Ma
10) Michael Bennett, Willington
11) Trace Beyer, Stratton, VT
12) Darrell Keane, Enfield
13) Richard Ciriello, Reading, MA
14) Gregory Demone, Ludlow, MA
15) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
16) Gary Theriault, Enfield
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Bryan Narducci, Colchester
2) Steven Chapman, Ellington
3) Noah Korner, Canton
4) Jonathan Puleo, Branford
5) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
6) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
7) Alexander Pearl, Salem
8) Robert Bloxsom, III, Stratford
9) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
10) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
11) Bob Charland, Stafford
12) Andrew Les, New York, NY
13) Rit Dulac, Plantsville
14) Alina Bryden, West Springfield, MA
15) Chris Bagnall, Winsted
16) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
17) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
18) Chris Matthews, Stafford
19) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
20) Paul French, Andover
21) Amanda West, Colchester
22) Nick Anglace, Oxford
LIMITED LATE MODEL (15)
1) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
2) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
3) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
4) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
5) Duane Provost, Palmer, MA
6) David Tefft, Southampton, MA
7) Devon Jencik, Canton
8) Kevin Crosby, Coventry
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Jason Lafayette, Somers
2) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
3) Dave Secore, Jr., Union
4) Zack Robinson, Putnam
5) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
6) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
7) Nicole Chambrello, Kensington
8) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
9) Chris Ciriello, Beacon Falls
10) Paul Bourdon, Jr., Jewett City
11) Mike Hopkins, Springfield, MA
12) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
13) Ryan Waterman, Killingly
14) Steve Kenneway, Lowell, MA
15) Tess Beyer, Stratton, VT
16) Chris Danielczuk, Goshen