Story By: SCOTT RUNNING / STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – Stafford Motor Speedway had the Late Model division taking center stage with their extra distance Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50 feature event on Friday night, September 6th.
Alexandra Fearn was the big winner of the night by surviving several green white checkered attempts to finish the race and hold off Adam Gray and then Darrell Keane to score her first win of the 2024 season.
Fearn took the lead at the start with Chris Buffone right behind her in second and looking to take the lead. Tom Fearn was third in the early laps with Darrell Keane fourth and Wayne Coury, Jr. in fifth. With 10 laps complete, it was still Alexandra Fearn leading Buffone, Tom Fearn, Keane, and Kevin Gambacorta. Chris Meyer was sixth followed by Adam Gray, Josh Wood, Tom Butler, and Andrew Durand. The caution came out with 12 laps complete as Bobby Stirk, III’s car came to a stop on the track at the entrance to turn 3.
Alexandra Fearn took the lead on the restart with Buffone holding second. Tom Fearn was dueling door to door with Keane for third with Gray up to fifth. Tom Fearn cleared Keane for third and Keane slid back to sixth place as Gray took fourth and Butler took fifth while Alexandra Fearn continued to lead Buffone. Gray took third from Tom Fearn on lap-19 and he took second from Buffone on lap-27.
With 30 laps complete, it was still Alexandra Fearn in the lead with Gray, Buffone, Tom Fearn, Butler, Keane, Meyer, Cliff Saunders, and Paul Varricchio, Jr. making up the top-10. Gray was applying heavy pressure to Fearn for the lead, but Fearn was able to fend off his challenges. Tom Fearn spun on the backstretch as did several other cars, including Butler, Gambacorta, and Varricchio, to bring the caution flag out with 37 laps complete.
Gray took the lead on the restart with Alexandra Fearn slotting into second behind Gray. Keane was up to third with Buffone back to fourth and Meyer up to fifth. With 5 laps to go it was still Gray in command with Alexandra Fearn, Keane, Meyer, and Al and Cliff Saunders all giving chase. The caution came out with 49 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Varricchio that set up a green white checkered finish.
Gray and Alexandra Fearn went door to door for the lead with Fearn taking the lead by a nose as the cars took the white flag. Butler backed into the turn 4 wall to bring the caution flag back out to set up a second green white checkered finish.
Alexandra Fearn took the lead on the restart wit Keane taking second. Gray was third but he faded backwards on the last lap while Fearn held off Keane at the checkered flag to win the Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50. Meyer finished third with Cliff Saunders and Al Saunders rounding out the top-5.
PARADISO INSURANCE LATE MODEL 50 (50)
1) Alexandra Fearn, Hampden, MA
2) Darrell Keane, Enfield
3) Chris Meyer, Franklin
4) Cliff Saunders, Stafford Springs
5) Al Saunders, Stafford Springs
6) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
7) Ryan Fearn, Hampden, MA
8) Josh Wood, Palmer, MA
9) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
10) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA
11) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
12) Duane Noll, Monroe
13) P.J. Zarrella, Morris
14) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield
15) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted
16) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA
17) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
18) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
19) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
