Story By: SCOTT RUNNING / STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – Open Modified cars returned to Stafford Motor Speedway for their third of five visits of the 2023 season on Friday, June 16th for the Casella Waste Open 80.
Eric Goodale used a fast pit stop under a caution flag period to vault himself towards the front at the midway point of the Casella Waste Open 80 and he took control of the race in the second half to take the checkered flag.
Teddy Hodgdon led the field to the green but Max Zachem took the lead on the opening lap before Hodgdon came back to the inside of Zachem on lap-4 to retake the lead. Woody Pitkat was third in line in the early going with Stephen Kopcik up to fourth and Ronnie Williams and Chris Pasteryak were wheel to wheel for fifth. Williams got clear of Pasteryak on lap-7 and his pass brought Glen Reen up to sixth and dropped Pasteryak back to seventh. Dave Salzarulo brought the caution flag out with 10 laps complete as he spun into the turn 1 wall.
Hodgdon took the lead back under green with Kopcik taking second. Glen Reen jumped up to third with Zachem falling back to fourth and Williams was fifth. The caution came out for Matt Gallo, who spun in turn 4 with 39 laps complete. All the leaders came to pit road under the caution except for Flynn, who assumed the race lead for the restart. Reen came off pit road first to restart in second and he was followed by Williams, Craig Lutz, Zachem, Anthony Bello, Matt Galko, Hodgdon, Tyler Barry, and Chris Pasteryak.
Goodale took the lead on the restart but Reen powered his way into the lead on lap-42. Goodale came back to the inside of Reen on lap-44 and he retook the lead. Williams was third in line with Zachem fourth and Lutz in fifth. Hodgdon was sixth and he was followed by Galko, Bello, Pasteryak, and George Bessette, Jr. Zachem spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 46 laps complete.
Goodale took the lead with Hodgdon coming up to second. Reen was third in linen followed by Williams and Galko before the caution came back out with 49 laps complete for a spin through the frontstretch grass by Todd Owen.
Goodale and Hodgdon went wheel to wheel for a lap before Goodale got clear into the lead on lap-50. Reen got by Hodgdon to take second with Galko fourth and Bello up to fifth. Lutz was sixth with Bessette, Lutz, Williams, and Joey Mucciacciaro making up the top-10.
With 10 laps to go, Goodale was still in the lead with Reen giving chase from second place. Hodgdon and Bello were third and fourth with Galko in fifth. Bessette was sixth with Pasteryak, Williams, Mucciaciaro, and Tyler Barry making up the top-10.
Bello made a move to the inside of Hodgdon on lap-78 in a bid for third place and he completed the pass on lap-79. It was all Goodale at the front as Reen couldn’t get close enough to make a move with Goodale winning the Casella Waste Open 80. Bello finished third with Hodgdon and Galko rounding out the top-5 behind Goodale and Reen.
CASELLA WASTE OPEN 80 (80)
1) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY
2) Glen Reen, Belchertown, MA
3) Anthony Bello, Newtown
4) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
5) Matt Galko, Moodus
6) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
7) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon
8) Woody Pitkat, Bellingham, MA
9) Ronnie Williams, Ellington, CT
10) Tyler Barry, Griswold
11) Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott
12) Todd Owen, Somers
13) Buddy Charette, Dracut, MA
14) Devin O’Connell, Madison
15) Matt Gallo, Berlin
16) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA
17) Craig Lutz, Center Island, NY
18) Max Zachem, Oakdale
19) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
20) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
21) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
22) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, MA
