06/01/12 - Feature victories at Stafford Speedway

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PREECE, ROCCO, KOPEC, BURNHAM, & CASAGRANDE SCORE JUNE 1st USG EVENT NIGHT
FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

Stafford Speedway returned to racing on Friday,
June 1st with USG Event Night. In feature action, Ryan Preece scored his
first SK Modified® feature victory of the season, Keith Rocco picked up his
second Late Model feature win, Dylan Kopec picked up his second consecutive
and fourth SK Light feature win, D.J. Burnham picked up his second
consecutive Limited Late Model feature victory, and Kyle Casagrande won his
second consecutive and third DARE Stock feature event of the 2012 season.

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, the outside line didn’t come up to
speed on the start and Curt Brainard, John Jensen, Tommy Membrino, Jr., and
Joe Gada spun into the frontstretch wall to bring the caution out before a
lap could be completed.

Nichole Morgillo led the field to the green flag and she took the lead ahead
of Matt Gallo. Kurt Lenahan was third, but he quickly slid back outside the
top-10 as Glen Reen, Todd Owen, Woody Pitkat, Dan Avery, Michael Bennett,
Ted Christopher, Keith Rocco, Ryan Preece all moved by. Morgillo stayed out
front until lap-11 when Gallo made a pass in turns 3+4 to take over the race
lead.
Owen took to the outside groove to move past Reen and Pitakt was ready to
follow Owen by Reen, but the caution came out with 12 laps complete for a
spin by Matt Galko. Back under green, Gallo took the lead with Owen pulling
to the inside of Morgillo. Morgillo was able to keep Owen behind her as
Pitakt moved by Reen to take over fourth place.

Morgillo was hounding Gallo for the lead, but Gallo was able to keep
Morgillo behind him as Owen, Pitkat, and Reen closed in on the top-2 cars.

Owen pulled to the outside of Morgillo on lap-18 and he went around to move
into second place. The caution came out with 19 laps complete for a spin by
Bennett, Lenahan, and Tom Bolles in turn 4.

Back under green, Gallo took the lead while sparks flew from under Owen’s
car and he slowed with a flat tire. Morgillo was right behind Gallo, but
Pitkat took that position from Morgillo on lap-22. Preece and Reen went
three wide with Morgillo on lap-23 and they both got by as Preece went to
the high side and Reen went to the inside. The caution came back with 23
laps completed for Matt Galko, who spun in turn 2.

Pitkat got a good run to the outside of Gallo and he took the lead on the
restart. Gallo held second until lap-26 when Preece got a run coming out of
turn 2 and he made the pass. aS the field completed lap-26, Morgillo got
loose in turn 1 and set off a chain reaction that saw 9 cars involved,
including Joe Gada, Tommy Membrino, Jr., Nick Boivin, Todd Owen, Kurt
Lenahan, Michael Gervais, Jr., Danny Cates, Matt Galko, and Michael Bennett.
Back under green, Preece took the lead from Pitkat, but contact heading into
turn 3 saw Christopher, Rocco, Reen, and Eric Berndt spin in turn 3 wall to
bring the caution back out. The next restart saw Tom Bolles spin into the
turn 2 wall to bring the yellow back out.

Pitkat and Preece went side by side for the lead on the restart with Preece
pulling a crossover move coming out of turn 4 to move into the lead. Pitkat
settled into line in second, with Morgillo, Gallo, and Curt Brainard making
up the top-5. John Montesanto spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with
31 laps complete.

Preece took the lead ahead of Pitkat as the race went back to green.

Morgillo was third in line, just ahead of Gallo and the side by side duo of
Brainard and Sean Foster. Preece led Pitkat back to the checkered flag to
pick up his first SK Modified® feature victory of the 2012 season. Rounding
out the top-5 behind Preece and Pitkat was Morgillo, Gallo, and Foster.

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Scott Cook led the field to the
green flag but a melee on the backstretch involving Cook, Mike Quintiliano,
Adam Norton, Corey Hutchings, Kevin Gambacorta, Mark St. Hilaire, Tom
Butler, and Jim Peterson brought the caution out before a lap could be
completed. This put Tony Lafo and Patrick Townsend on the front row for the
restart with Keith Rocco and Woody Pitkat in the second row.

Lafo took the lead with Rocco, Adam Gray, and Townsend lined up behind him.

Jim Mavlouganes and Woody Pitakt were side by side for fifth, but
Mavlouganes was able to take the spot. Tom Fearn followed Malvouganes by
Pitkat to move into sixth place as Rocco took the lead from Lafo on lap-4.

Gray was also able to get around Lafo to take over second place.

Rocco and Gray were beginning to pull away from Townsend in third, while
Fearn was right on Townsend’s bumper with Pitkat now in fifth, just ahead of
Mavlouganes at the lap-10 mark of the race. Lafo spun in turn 3 to bring
the caution out with 11 laps complete.

On the restart, J.J. Hill and Peterson spun with Hill taking a hard hit into
the turn 1 wall to bring the caution back out.

Rocco took the lad back under green with Townsend in second. Pitkat moved
up to third with Mavlouganes and Fearn rounding out the top-5. Fearn got
around Mavlouganes for fourth place on lap-14 and Joe Rzeszutek and Mike
Quintiliano followed Fearn by Mavlouganes on the next lap.
Mavlouganes and Gray made contact on lap-17 and nearly spun, but both cars
were able to continue on. Gray was given a drive thru penalty under green
for making contact with Mavlouganes.
With 10 laps to go, Rocco had pulled out to a several car length lead over
Townsend, while Fearn, Pitkat, and Quintiliano were holding down the
remainder of the top-5 spots. The top-5 continued to run in line until
lap-25 when Fearn appeared to lose an engine as smoke poured from his car.

Fearn’s misfortune brought the caution flag out and set up a 5-lap sprint to
the finish.

On the restart, Kevin Gambacorta spun through the frontstretch grass, Joe
Rzeszutek got turned hard into the frontstretch wall, and Jim Peterson
sustained damage to the front end of his racecar which brought the caution
right back out.

The next restart saw Pitkat spin in turn 2 in front of the field to bring
the caution back out. Pitkat’s spin collected the cars of Hutchings and Ed
Ricard.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Quintiliano getting by Townsend to
move into second place. Hutchings was in fourth behind Townsend with Tony
Lafo in fifth place. Rocco led Quintiliano to the checkered flag to pick up
his second Late Model feature win of the 2012 season. Rounding out the
top-5 behind Rocco and Quintiliano was Townsend, Hutchings, and Lafo.

In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Joey Ferrigno took the lead
at the green and he immediately opened up a lead of several car lengths over
Harry Wheeler in second. Behind Wheeler was Ronnie Williams, Rick Williams,
and the side by side duo of Dylan Kopec and Jay Goff. Goff was able to keep
Kopec behind him until lap-7 when Kopec made a pass going into turn 1.

Ferrigno was still setting the pace out front with Wheeler and Ronnie
Williams behind him, but his lead was erased by the caution flag for a spin
by Dylan Campbell with 8 laps complete.

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Ferrigno took the lead back under green but Ronnie Williams was all over his
back bumper. Ronnie Williams made a move to the inside of Ferrigno to take
the lead, but that pass was negated by the caution flag for a spin by Zach
Aszklar. Aszklar was able to get a push start and he rejoined the race at
the rear of the field.

Ronnie Williams made a strong move to the outside of Ferrigno on the restart
to take over the race lead. Kopec also took to the high side to move by
Ferrigno, dropping him from the lead back to third place. The caution came
back out with 12 laps complete as Wheeler spun in turn 2.

On the restart, Tony Santangelo, Frank Cardile, and Tyler Hines spun in turn
1 to bring the caution back out.

The next restart saw Kopec charge around Ronnie Williams to take over the
race lead. Kopec and Williams then pulled away from the rest of the field
and settled the race between themselves. Williams was hounding Kopec for
the race lead in the closing laps, but Kopec was able to hold Williams off
to the checkered flag and pick up his second consecutive and fourth feature
victory of the 2012 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Kopec and Ronnie
Williams was Rick Williams, Ferrigno, and XXX.

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the
lead at the start with Jesse Hinze, D.J. Burnham, Josh Wood, and Cory
Casagrande making up the top-5. Joe Nogiec and Andrew Hayes spun in turn 1
to bring the caution out with 3 laps complete.

Botticello took the lead back under green, but she was only able to stay out
front until lap-7 when Burnham took over the top spot. Burnham’s move
opened the door for Casagrande and Wood to follow him by Botticello, who
would lose one more spot as her father Dennis Botticello also was able to
get by Carla.

Burnham, Casagrande, and Wood were locked in a three car train for the lead
with Casagrande hounding Burnham for the race lead. Casagrande was looking
both high and low, but was not able to make a pass. On lap-16, Casagrande
nearly made a pass for the lead coming out of turn 4, but Burnham was able
to stay out front.
The next lap saw Casagrande and Wood come together in turn 4 with Wood
getting a flat left front tire which eliminated him from the race.

Casagrande was able to continue on and he maintained his second place
position. Burnham led the field around to the checkered flag to pick up his
second consecutive victory. Casagrande finished second, with Dennis
Botticello, David Arute, and Andrew Hayes rounding out the top-5.

In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Jeremy Lavoie took the lead at the
green while James Carroll and Kris Fluckiger were side by side for second.

Carroll cleared Fluckiger for the spot and behind them was Johnny Walker and
Kyle Casagrande.

The caution came out with 3 laps complete as Carroll made contact with
Lavoie and both cars spun in turn 2. The spin handed the race lead over to
Fluckiger with Walker alongside for the restart. Behind them in the second
row was Casagrande and Cliff Saunders.

Fluckiger took the lead back under green with Casagrande quickly moving into
second. Walker settled into line in third, with Austin Bessette and Monte
Gibbs side by side for the fourth position. Fluckiger had pulled out to a
lead, but Casagrande ran him down in 2 laps and nearly made a pass for the
lead on lap-7. While Casagrande’s first attempt at making a pass for the
lead was unsuccessful, he came back the very next lap and was able to make
the pass on Fluckiger to take over the race lead. Bessette was now running
in third behind Fluckiger, with Albert Saunders and Gibbs rounding out the
top-5. Doug Phelps spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 11 laps
complete.

Casagrande took the lead on the restart with Bessette moving under Fluckiger
to take voer second. Fluckiger was kicked to the high side and Albert
Saunders was also able to get by Fluckiger, dropping him from second back to
fourth place. Gibbs was in fifth just behind Fluckiger.

Bessette wasn’t able to close the gap to Casagrande as Casagrande led the
field to the checkered flag to pick up his second consecutive DARE Stock
victory of the 2012 season. Bessette finished second, with Albert Saunders
third, Fluckiger fourth, and Cliff Saunders edged out Gibbs at the line to
finish in fifth.

For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
(860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Ryan Preece, Berlin
2) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
3) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
4) Matt Gallo, Kensington
5) Sean Foster, Willington
6) Curt Brainard, Canton
7) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
8) Ted Christopher, Plainville
9) Keith Rocco, Meriden
10) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
11) Danny Cates, Chaplin
12) Matt Galko, Meriden
13) Nick Boivin, Belchertown, Ma
14) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
15) John Montesanto, North Branford
16) Joe Gada, Salem
17) John Jensen, Wolcott
18) Dan Avery, Somers
19) Todd Owen, Somers
20) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
21) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
22) Tom Bolles, Ellington
23) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
24) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
25) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
26) Mike King, Agawam, Ma
27) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
28) Chris Matthews, Stafford

LATE MODEL (30)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Mike Quintiliano, Shelton
3) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
4) Corey Hutchings, Salem
5) Tony Lafo, Higganum
6) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
7) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
8) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
9) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
10) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
11) Adam Norton, Brookfield, Ma
12) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
13) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
14) Scott Cook, Uncasville
15) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
16) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
17) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
18) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
19) Peter Portante, Plainville
20) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Dylan Kopec, Palmer, Ma
2) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
3) Rick Williams, Haddam
4) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
5) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
6) Bob Charland, Stafford
7) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
8) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
9) Tyler Jackson, Milford
10) Payton Henry, Willington
11) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
12) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
13) Dylan Campbell, Southborough, Ma
14) Frank Cardile, Bolton
15) Fred Nees, Jr., New Milford
16) Rick Dyer, Shelton
17) Shawn Brule, West Thompson
18) Tyler Hines, North Haven
19) Scott Bouley, Thomaston

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
2) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
3) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
4) David Arute, Tolland
5) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
6) Carla Botticello, Manchester
7) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
8) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
9) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
10) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
11) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
12) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma

DARE STOCK (15)
1) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
3) Albert Saunders, Stafford
4) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
5) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
6) Monte Gibbs, Killingworth
7) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
8) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
9) James Carroll, West Hartford
10) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
11) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
12) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
13) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
14) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilberham, Ma
15) David Macha, Sr., Columbia

Scott Running