Story By: SCOTT RUNNING / STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – With Stafford’s Late Model division set to partake in a double header this Friday, August 23rd, the race for the championship is coming into focus.
Kevin Gambacorta, the driver of the #23 Lavigne Law Chevrolet and Paul Varricchio, Jr., driver of the #39 Tavern on the Trax Chevrolet, kicked off the 2024 season racing one another for the season opening NAPA Spring Sizzler® victory and they are still the two drivers to beat in the race for the championship.
Both Gambacorta and Varricchio opened the season with strong results, Gambacorta recording 6 consecutive podium finishes and 2 wins, and Varricchio recording 3 podium finishes, including his first career victory on May 31st, and they have continued to run well all season long as the only 2 drivers to record top-10 finishes in each of the first 11 races.
“It’s been pretty good so far with 2 wins and a bunch of podium finishes,” said Gambacorta. “We’re still one of the top cars in the division I believe and we’re still having fun, so things are good right now. The key for us has been being smart, avoiding wrecks and stuff like that on the track, and taking care of the car enough so that you have something left at the end of 30 laps. It’s been tough to keep up with everyone else and Bob Fill has been a big help whenever we need to make the car better. We’re always trying new things to get better and we’re already looking at things for next season.”
“Last year we had a new car and we spent last season fine tuning it for this season so yes we had an inkling we were going to run well this season,” said Varricchio. “I figured we were going to be up there but I didn’t quite figure we were going to be in the top tier almost every week. Our success this season comes from all my guys. The car is on the scales three or four times a week and it gets double checked twice a week. There’s a lot of commitment from my guys and they all have my back when I get dragged away from the car. Rob Valerio and Eric Plagemann along with my son, they’ve all been very instrumental in working on the car this season. These are the best finishes I’ve ever had at Stafford throughout my 20 years racing.”
Heading into the Aug. 23 Late Model doubleheader, Gambacorta holds a 20-point advantage over Varricchio, which is 10 positions on the track. The next closest pursuer in the standings is Cliff Saunders, who sits 90 points behind Gambacorta, which is almost a full 2-race advantage. With Gambacorta and Varricchio looking like they’ll be the main contenders, both drivers say they’re not looking at the standings and rather are focused on how they can best finish out the 2024 season on a strong note.
“I would say this season has been a lot more relaxed for us,” said Gambacorta. “I really haven’t thought about points this season, I’m just going to the track and racing my race every week. I’m coming to the track to win races. Everyone else in the division has really stepped things up and when you look at practice times, the top-10 are all within a tenth of a second or two. If you look at our starting position every week, we’re usually starting around 12th or so and that makes it tough to come through the field especially when the races stay green for most of or all of the 30 laps. Our plan is to just keep on doing what we’ve been doing all season long and we’ll take a look at things towards the end of the season and if we need to change something, then we’ll change it then.”
“The goal now for me is to just finish races and stop thinking about points,” said Varricchio. “Last Friday I had points in my head and we didn’t get a good finish. 10th place is not a bad finish, but when you’re fighting for a championship like we are, it’s really not a good finish. It’s been a little different being in the spotlight along with Kevin while fighting for the championship, but I don’t want to get a big head about anything and just race my race and then go home.”
As good as the 2024 season has been for the #39 team, Varricchio admits that on one hand, his first career win on May 31st was great, but there was one major thing missing from his victory lane celebration.
“The win was eye opening for us, especially since we started that race in 10th and we were able to drive through the field,” said Varricchio. “The car was spot on that night, everything we did was right, and it was a lot of fun. The only down side to that win was my father, who was one of my biggest supporters, didn’t get to see me win that race in person. I never thought that I’d be able to win a race in the first place and I was able to celebrate with my son and my family, but it was a little tough without my father being there.”
Gambacorta also has his eyes set on family as he is preparing a Street Stock car for his oldest son Kolton to take out on the track for the NAPA Fall Final and the newly added October 4th NAPA Championship Night event.
“With the October race added, he should be able to do the last 2 races now,” said Gambacorta. “The car is pretty close and we’re working on it to be ready for the Fall Final. It’s real exciting for the whole family and I’m also going to have to work on adding some extra crew members for next season because 2 cars is going to be a lot of extra work.”
This Friday, August 23rd, will see the Late Model division run twin 30-lap feature events along with the SK Modified®, SK Light, Limited Late Model, and Street Stock divisions all in action. Tickets for Aug. 23rd are available now online at StaffordSpeedway.com/tickets and tickets will also be available for purchase at the admission gates. Tickets for the Aug. 23rd are $20.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids 6-14, and free for kids 5 & under. Reserved seating is priced at $25.00 for all ages and pit passes are $40.00 with a valid 2024 Stafford Competition License and $45.00 without a Stafford license.
