RGeeProductions
05-07-2011, 09:34 AM
Stafford Speedway kicked off its Friday Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule with 5 divisions of racing on
Friday night, May 6th. Keith Rocco picked up his first win of the 2011
season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Adam Gray took down his
first career victory in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Matt Galko was
declared the winner of the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature after race
winner Zach Aszklar’s car did not meet the minimum ride height requirement,
Norm Sears returned to victory lane after a year away from Stafford Speedway
in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Don Wood drove to victory in
the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Bo Gunning took the lead at the
green flag, but Keith Rocco went around Gunning on the high side to grab the
lead on the first lap. Rocco’s car was hooked up early on as he immediately
began to pull away from Gunning in second. On lap-5, Mark Bakaj moved to
the inside of Gunning for second and the two cars began to run side by side.
Sean Foster was fourth with Woody Pitkat and Brian Sullivan side by side
behind Foster for the fifth position.
Rocco was widening his lead lap by lap, but his lead was erased by the
caution flag with 11 laps complete for Fran Siana, who had a flat left front
tire.
Rocco took the lead ahead of Bakaj as the race resumed. Gunning continued
to run in third, with Pitkat and Ryan Preece making up the top-5. Eric
Berndt nearly spun on lap-13 and he fell to the back of the pack and the
caution would come out one lap later as Sean Foster went around in turn 4.
Bakaj briefly edged ahead of Rocco on the restart, but Rocco powered past
Bakaj to maintain the race lead. The caution came back out with 16 laps
complete for a spin by Bo Gunning and John Montesanto. Rocco again took the
lead on the restart with Bakaj right behind him. Pitkat was third, with
Todd Owen and Avery behind him. The race was red flagged with 17 laps
complete for a multicar incident in turn 2 that involved Tom Bolles, Curt
Brainard, and Dave Salzarulo.
Rocco took the lead back under green with Bakaj in second. Pitakt made a
move to the inside of Owen to take over third place with Avery holding down
the fifth spot. The top-5 ran in line until lap-26 when Pitkat was able to
make a pass on Bakaj to take over second place.
With 10 laps to go, Rocco held a comfortable margin over Pitkat, who in turn
was well in front of the trio of Bakaj, Avery, and Owen. Owen got by Avery
and was hounding Bakaj for third place. Owen was finally able to make a
pass for the position on lap-36. But at the front of the field, it was all
Rocco, who scored a dominating feature victory with Pitkat coming home in
second. Owen finished third, with Avery fourth and Bakaj fifth.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Adam Gray powered in the lead lead
at the start of the race with Mark St. Hilaire, Tom Butler, Jim Peterson,
and Dillon Moltz behind him. Butler spun on the backstretch to bring the
caution out with 4 laps complete. Butler was able to keep his car off of
the wall he was able to continue in the race.
Gray again took the lead back under green with Peterson moving by St.
Hilaire for second. J.J. Hill moved into fourth with Keith Rocco in fifth.
Ryan Posocco, who started towards the rear of the field, was now up to sixth
place with Woody Pitkat right behind him in seventh. Tom Fearn spun in
turns 3+4 to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Gray maintained the lead back under green with Peterson and St. Hilaire
behind him. Rocco moved up to fourth place and Pitkat was fifth as Posocco
was falling back in the outside groove. Posocco fell from sixth back to
11th place before he could find a spot in line. Corey Hutchings spun in
turn 2 to bring the yellow back out with 14 laps complete.
Gray again took the lead ahead of Peterson back under green with Rocco
moving up to third. Jim Mavlouganes was now into fourth place and St.
Hilaire fell back to fifth. Rocco had a half spin in turn 4 to bring the
caution out with 18 laps complete.
On the restart, there was a multicar spin in turn 4 that brought the yellow
back out. This shuffled the order to put Gray and Mavlouganes on the front
row with Posocco and Peterson on the second row for the restart. Gray and
Mavlouganes were side by side for the lead with Posocco in third and Moltz
in fourth. Mavlouganes and Gray stayed side by side for several laps before
Mavlouganes took the lead in the outside groove. Posocco was looking to
make a bid for second, but was unable to make a pass.
Posocco’s fortunes changed on lap-25 as he was able to move by Gray to take
over second. Rocco spun in turn 1 on lap-26 but was able to get going and
the race stayed green. But the caution came out with 27 laps complete for a
spin by Fearn and St. Hilaire in turn 4.
Mavlouganes took the lead at the green, but Gray made a two for one pass in
turns 3+4 as he went by both Posocco and Mavlouganes to take over the lead.
Scott Cook brought the yellow back out with a spin in turns 1+2 with 28 laps
complete. On the restart, Hutchings and St. Hilaire spun in turn 3 to bring
the yellow back out.
Mavlouganes and Gray were once again side by side for a lap before Gray took
the lead. Peterson moved into second, with Posocco and Mavlouganes side by
side for third. Gray held off Peterson to the checkered flag to pick up his
first career victory. Rounding out the top-5 behind Gray and Peterson was
Posocco, Mavlouganes, and Pitkat.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Zach Aszklar streaked into
the lead as the field scrambled behind Aszklar with Matt Galko moving into
second and polesitter Tony Santangelo falling back to third. Joey Cipriano
was on the charge and he moved by Santangelo for third on lap-4 and Tommy
Barrett, Jr. followed Cipriano by Santangelo. Earl Pelletier was also on
the move as he too got by Santangelo and put a move on Barrett for fourth,
but was not able to complete the pass. Aszklar continued to hold down a
lead of several car lengths on Galko as Cipriano and Barrett were nose to
tail for third place. Pelletier was now several car lengths behind Barrett
in fifth place at the halfway point of the feature.
Galko began to slowly reel Aszklar in and he made a move to the inside of
Aszklar to take over the race lead on lap-14. Galko’s move for the lead
allowed Cipriano to close in on the lead duo and Cipriano was right on
Aszklar’s bumper when the caution came out with 14 laps complete for a spin
by Cody Gneiting.
On the restart, Victoria Bergenty and Harry Wheeler spun to bring the yellow
back out. Galko took the lead back under green, but Aszklar was glued to
Galko’s bumper. Barrett was taking a peek to the outside of Aszkar in turns
3+4, but the caution came out for Earl Pelletier, who spun and hit the turn
2 wall with 15 laps complete.
Galko took the lead on the restart but Aszklar made a nice move coming out
of turn 4 to get by Galko for the lead. Not to be outdone, Galko came right
back to the inside of Aszklar for the lead on lap-17, but couldn’t complete
the pass. Barrett ran third, with Cipriano and Kyle Spencer making up the
top-5. Tommy Membrino, Jr. went around in turn 2 to bring the caution out
and set up a green white checkered finish.
Aszklar and Galko raced wheel to wheel for the lead as Barrett’s car didn’t
quite come up to speed. Aszklar cleared Galko into the lead, but on the
final lap, Galko made a run back to the inside of Aszklar in turns 3+4.
Galko and Aszklar made contact coming to the checkered flag with Aszklar
doing a 360 degree spin and taking the checkered flag backwards to cross the
finish line first. But in post-race inspection, Aszklar’s car did not meet
the minimum frame height requirement, which made Galko the feature winner.
Cipriano finished second, with Frank Cardile, Barrett, and Shayne Prucker
rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the
early race lead as Shawn Thibeault got out of shape and drifted up the
track, causing a 4-wide situation as the cars raced out of turn 2. Jesse
Hinze took second with George Nocera, Jr., Norm Sears, and Kevin Gambacorta
making up the top-5. With 6 laps complete, Hinze got into the back of
Botticello in turn 1, which sent her spinning and brought the caution out.
Hinze was sent to the rear of the field by NASCAR officials for rough
riding.
Back under green, the fight for the lead was in full effect as Nocera
dropped off the pace, putting Sears and Thibeault into a side by side duel
with Sears taking the lead. Thibeault settled into line in second with
Gambacorta, D.J. Burnham and Cory Casagrande making up the top-5. Nocera’s
car didn’t quite make it back around the track to pit road and came to a
stop on the backstretch grass to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Back under green, Casagrande spun to the infield, but was able to get going
and the race stayed under green with Sears in the lead ahead of Thibeault,
Gambacorta, Burnham, and Bill Davis. Sears continued to hold the lead, but
Thibeault was staying glued to Sears’ bumper with Gambacorta right behind
Thibeault with 5 laps to go.
Just as Thibeault was looking like he was going to get by Sears, Sears began
to pull away. But Thibeault put one more run together in the closing laps
but he came up just short at the checkered flag as Sears took his first
victory of the 2011 season. Gambacorta finished third, with Burnham and
Hinze rounding out the top-5.
(continued)
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule with 5 divisions of racing on
Friday night, May 6th. Keith Rocco picked up his first win of the 2011
season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Adam Gray took down his
first career victory in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Matt Galko was
declared the winner of the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature after race
winner Zach Aszklar’s car did not meet the minimum ride height requirement,
Norm Sears returned to victory lane after a year away from Stafford Speedway
in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Don Wood drove to victory in
the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Bo Gunning took the lead at the
green flag, but Keith Rocco went around Gunning on the high side to grab the
lead on the first lap. Rocco’s car was hooked up early on as he immediately
began to pull away from Gunning in second. On lap-5, Mark Bakaj moved to
the inside of Gunning for second and the two cars began to run side by side.
Sean Foster was fourth with Woody Pitkat and Brian Sullivan side by side
behind Foster for the fifth position.
Rocco was widening his lead lap by lap, but his lead was erased by the
caution flag with 11 laps complete for Fran Siana, who had a flat left front
tire.
Rocco took the lead ahead of Bakaj as the race resumed. Gunning continued
to run in third, with Pitkat and Ryan Preece making up the top-5. Eric
Berndt nearly spun on lap-13 and he fell to the back of the pack and the
caution would come out one lap later as Sean Foster went around in turn 4.
Bakaj briefly edged ahead of Rocco on the restart, but Rocco powered past
Bakaj to maintain the race lead. The caution came back out with 16 laps
complete for a spin by Bo Gunning and John Montesanto. Rocco again took the
lead on the restart with Bakaj right behind him. Pitkat was third, with
Todd Owen and Avery behind him. The race was red flagged with 17 laps
complete for a multicar incident in turn 2 that involved Tom Bolles, Curt
Brainard, and Dave Salzarulo.
Rocco took the lead back under green with Bakaj in second. Pitakt made a
move to the inside of Owen to take over third place with Avery holding down
the fifth spot. The top-5 ran in line until lap-26 when Pitkat was able to
make a pass on Bakaj to take over second place.
With 10 laps to go, Rocco held a comfortable margin over Pitkat, who in turn
was well in front of the trio of Bakaj, Avery, and Owen. Owen got by Avery
and was hounding Bakaj for third place. Owen was finally able to make a
pass for the position on lap-36. But at the front of the field, it was all
Rocco, who scored a dominating feature victory with Pitkat coming home in
second. Owen finished third, with Avery fourth and Bakaj fifth.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Adam Gray powered in the lead lead
at the start of the race with Mark St. Hilaire, Tom Butler, Jim Peterson,
and Dillon Moltz behind him. Butler spun on the backstretch to bring the
caution out with 4 laps complete. Butler was able to keep his car off of
the wall he was able to continue in the race.
Gray again took the lead back under green with Peterson moving by St.
Hilaire for second. J.J. Hill moved into fourth with Keith Rocco in fifth.
Ryan Posocco, who started towards the rear of the field, was now up to sixth
place with Woody Pitkat right behind him in seventh. Tom Fearn spun in
turns 3+4 to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Gray maintained the lead back under green with Peterson and St. Hilaire
behind him. Rocco moved up to fourth place and Pitkat was fifth as Posocco
was falling back in the outside groove. Posocco fell from sixth back to
11th place before he could find a spot in line. Corey Hutchings spun in
turn 2 to bring the yellow back out with 14 laps complete.
Gray again took the lead ahead of Peterson back under green with Rocco
moving up to third. Jim Mavlouganes was now into fourth place and St.
Hilaire fell back to fifth. Rocco had a half spin in turn 4 to bring the
caution out with 18 laps complete.
On the restart, there was a multicar spin in turn 4 that brought the yellow
back out. This shuffled the order to put Gray and Mavlouganes on the front
row with Posocco and Peterson on the second row for the restart. Gray and
Mavlouganes were side by side for the lead with Posocco in third and Moltz
in fourth. Mavlouganes and Gray stayed side by side for several laps before
Mavlouganes took the lead in the outside groove. Posocco was looking to
make a bid for second, but was unable to make a pass.
Posocco’s fortunes changed on lap-25 as he was able to move by Gray to take
over second. Rocco spun in turn 1 on lap-26 but was able to get going and
the race stayed green. But the caution came out with 27 laps complete for a
spin by Fearn and St. Hilaire in turn 4.
Mavlouganes took the lead at the green, but Gray made a two for one pass in
turns 3+4 as he went by both Posocco and Mavlouganes to take over the lead.
Scott Cook brought the yellow back out with a spin in turns 1+2 with 28 laps
complete. On the restart, Hutchings and St. Hilaire spun in turn 3 to bring
the yellow back out.
Mavlouganes and Gray were once again side by side for a lap before Gray took
the lead. Peterson moved into second, with Posocco and Mavlouganes side by
side for third. Gray held off Peterson to the checkered flag to pick up his
first career victory. Rounding out the top-5 behind Gray and Peterson was
Posocco, Mavlouganes, and Pitkat.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Zach Aszklar streaked into
the lead as the field scrambled behind Aszklar with Matt Galko moving into
second and polesitter Tony Santangelo falling back to third. Joey Cipriano
was on the charge and he moved by Santangelo for third on lap-4 and Tommy
Barrett, Jr. followed Cipriano by Santangelo. Earl Pelletier was also on
the move as he too got by Santangelo and put a move on Barrett for fourth,
but was not able to complete the pass. Aszklar continued to hold down a
lead of several car lengths on Galko as Cipriano and Barrett were nose to
tail for third place. Pelletier was now several car lengths behind Barrett
in fifth place at the halfway point of the feature.
Galko began to slowly reel Aszklar in and he made a move to the inside of
Aszklar to take over the race lead on lap-14. Galko’s move for the lead
allowed Cipriano to close in on the lead duo and Cipriano was right on
Aszklar’s bumper when the caution came out with 14 laps complete for a spin
by Cody Gneiting.
On the restart, Victoria Bergenty and Harry Wheeler spun to bring the yellow
back out. Galko took the lead back under green, but Aszklar was glued to
Galko’s bumper. Barrett was taking a peek to the outside of Aszkar in turns
3+4, but the caution came out for Earl Pelletier, who spun and hit the turn
2 wall with 15 laps complete.
Galko took the lead on the restart but Aszklar made a nice move coming out
of turn 4 to get by Galko for the lead. Not to be outdone, Galko came right
back to the inside of Aszklar for the lead on lap-17, but couldn’t complete
the pass. Barrett ran third, with Cipriano and Kyle Spencer making up the
top-5. Tommy Membrino, Jr. went around in turn 2 to bring the caution out
and set up a green white checkered finish.
Aszklar and Galko raced wheel to wheel for the lead as Barrett’s car didn’t
quite come up to speed. Aszklar cleared Galko into the lead, but on the
final lap, Galko made a run back to the inside of Aszklar in turns 3+4.
Galko and Aszklar made contact coming to the checkered flag with Aszklar
doing a 360 degree spin and taking the checkered flag backwards to cross the
finish line first. But in post-race inspection, Aszklar’s car did not meet
the minimum frame height requirement, which made Galko the feature winner.
Cipriano finished second, with Frank Cardile, Barrett, and Shayne Prucker
rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the
early race lead as Shawn Thibeault got out of shape and drifted up the
track, causing a 4-wide situation as the cars raced out of turn 2. Jesse
Hinze took second with George Nocera, Jr., Norm Sears, and Kevin Gambacorta
making up the top-5. With 6 laps complete, Hinze got into the back of
Botticello in turn 1, which sent her spinning and brought the caution out.
Hinze was sent to the rear of the field by NASCAR officials for rough
riding.
Back under green, the fight for the lead was in full effect as Nocera
dropped off the pace, putting Sears and Thibeault into a side by side duel
with Sears taking the lead. Thibeault settled into line in second with
Gambacorta, D.J. Burnham and Cory Casagrande making up the top-5. Nocera’s
car didn’t quite make it back around the track to pit road and came to a
stop on the backstretch grass to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Back under green, Casagrande spun to the infield, but was able to get going
and the race stayed under green with Sears in the lead ahead of Thibeault,
Gambacorta, Burnham, and Bill Davis. Sears continued to hold the lead, but
Thibeault was staying glued to Sears’ bumper with Gambacorta right behind
Thibeault with 5 laps to go.
Just as Thibeault was looking like he was going to get by Sears, Sears began
to pull away. But Thibeault put one more run together in the closing laps
but he came up just short at the checkered flag as Sears took his first
victory of the 2011 season. Gambacorta finished third, with Burnham and
Hinze rounding out the top-5.
(continued)