Story By: PAUL ARUTE / STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – After a hiatus of nearly 10 years, Pro Stock racing will once again hit the Stafford Speedway half-mile. The Granite State Pro Stock Series will make their Stafford Speedway debut Saturday, April 24th as part of NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day. The stars of the Series will hit the track for 75 laps presented by Casagrande Builders.
“We are looking forward to the Pro Stocks returning to our home track,” explained Rick Casagrande of Casagrande Builders. “We have been competing with the Granite State Pro Stock Series for a few years now and have been pushing to get the series back on the half-mile. Looking at all the teams that have already registered, it’s sure to be a great event and we are glad to be a part of it.”
27 race teams have already registered to compete in the Casagrande Builders 75 scheduled for NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day. Similar to Open Modified events, the field is a mix of Stafford Speedway regulars and outside invaders. Two defending Stafford Speedway champions plan to compete with 2020 Late Model Champion Adam Gray set to pilot the #29 car and defending SK Modified® champion Keith Rocco slated to drive the #48 car. Other Stafford weekly competitors that have registered to compete include 73-time Stafford winner and 6-time champion Tom Fearn and multi-time SK Light winner Alexander Pearl.
The Stafford locals will have their work cut out for them as some of the top Pro Stock drivers from New England have also registered to compete in the Casagrande Builders 75. Registered teams include former Oxford 250 winners Joey Polewarczyk [Pole] and Eddie MacDonald, multi-time Seekonk Speedway champion David Darling, up-and-coming Pro Stock star Derek Griffith, former Stafford Speedway champions Cory Casagrande and Jeremy Sorel, and past Granite State Pro Stock Champions DJ Shaw and Mike O’Sullivan. Click here for the full up to date entry-list.
“We’re over a month away from the event and the entry list for the Casagrande Builders 75 is already impressive,” explained Stafford Speedway General Manager David Arute. “We wanted to bring something new to the track in 2021 and with the support of Casagrande Builders, this event is coming together nicely. It will be great to see the Pro Stocks back on track at Stafford and will be interesting to see what driver adapts to the track the quickest.”
General Admission tickets for NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day, which includes the Casagrande Builders 75, are now available online at StaffordSpeedway.com/tickets. Stafford Speedway remains under reduced capacity per order of the State of CT due to Covid-19 restrictions. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible to ensure a ticket to the event. Paddock passes will become available online two weeks prior to the event.
