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View Full Version : 06/29/12 - Keith Rocco wins 39th Annual Coors Light SK Modified® 100 at Stafford



RGeeProductions
06-30-2012, 12:39 AM
Stafford Speedway’s SK Modifieds® took center stage
on Friday, June 29th with the 39th Annual running of the Coors Light SK
Modified® 100. Keith Rocco took the checkered flag in the extra distance
classic for his first win of the 2012 season, Corey Hutchings was a first
time 2012 winner in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Tony Membrino, Jr. was a
career first time winner in the 20-lap SK Light feature, Josh Wood picked up
his 5th win of the 2012 season in the extra distance Limited Late Model
feature, and Kyle Casagrande took home his fourth win of the season in the
15-lap DARE Stock feature.

In the 39th Annual Coors Light 100, Glen Reen took the early lead from the
pole and set the pace for the first 3 laps before Dan Avery got a good run
to the inside of Reen on lap-4. Reen fought hard on the outside and he
managed to stay ahead of Avery until lap-6 when Avery moved to the front.
The caution came out with 6 laps complete for a spin by Brian Sullivan.

On the restart, Michael Bennett and Nick Boivin began to shower sparks with
flat tires and the caution came back out. Avery took the lead back under
green with Reen holding off Matt Galko for second. Matt Gallo was fourth
behind Galko, and Ted Christopher was fifth behind Gallo. Ryan Preece,
Woody Pitkat, Danny Cates, Tom Bolles, and Sean Foster made up the remainder
of the top-10 with 10 laps complete.

The order began to shuffle as Christopher made a move around Gallo to take
over fourth and he brought Preece with him by Gallo as Gallo fell from
fourth back to sixth place. Christopher continued his charge as he moved
into third on lap-14 and again his move allowed Preece to follow him by
another car. Preece was looking for ways to get around Christopher, but
Christopher was able to keep Preece behind him.

Preece was finally able to get around Christopher as he took to the high
groove to make the pass on lap-19 to take over third place behind Avery and
Reen. Preece continued to run in the high lane and he got around Reen on
lap-21 to move into second place behind Avery.

With 23 laps complete, Preece did a half spin in turn 2 while he was trying
to pass Avery for the lead and he immediately pulled behind the wall with an
expired engine and the caution came out. Avery took the lead back under
green with Reen hanging tough to his outside and Christopher sniffing to his
inside. Avery got clear of Reen and Christopher moved by Reen to take over
second one lap after the restart and Christopher immediately began to apply
pressure to Avery for the lead. Matt Gallo and Woody Pitkat were able to
get by Reen as he fell from second back to fifth place.

Avery was able to keep the lead until lap-28 when Christopher moved to the
front of the field. With 28 laps complete, the caution came out for a spin
by Mike King in turn 4.

Christopher took the lead on the restart, but Avery was glued to Christopher
’s back bumper. Pitkat was third behind Avery, with Eric Berndt up to
foruth after starting last in the 27-car field, just ahead of Keith Rocco,
who moved from 8th on the restart to 5th at lap-32. Pitkat came down pit
road for an unscheduled pit stop on lap-33, giving up his third spot. Donny
Travaglin spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out with 33 laps complete.

Christopher took the lead back under green as Rocco was able to pull
alongside Avery and then move into second one lap after the restart. Avery
was staying side by side with Rocco while Eric Berndt was right behind Rocco
and Avery in fourth place. After several laps of side by side racing, Avery
was able to retake the spot from Rocco as Berndt continued to run fourth and
Danny Cates was up to fifth.

Avery’s good run came to an end on lap-46 as he dropped to the low groove
and was off the pace. Avery was able to crawl his way back around the track
to pit road and the race stayed green with Christopher still leading. Rocco
was now into second, with Cates third, Michael Gervais, Jr. fourth, and
Berndt in fifth. The caution came out with 49 laps complete as Nichole
Morgillo lost an engine.

Christopher took the lead ahead of Rocco, Cates, Berndt, and Chris Jones on
the restart, but the caution caem back out one lap later as Michael Bennett
came to a stop in turn 1 against the wall.

Christopher and Rocco were side by side for the lead back under green with
Cates and Berndt side by side behind them. Christopher got clear of Rocco
after two laps of side by side racing and Cates did the same, getting clear
of Berndt. Rocco hounded Christopher and he moved into the lead on lap-53,
but just as Rocco made the move the caution came out as Gallo spun in turn 4
and Reen came to pit road with a flat tire.

Christopher and Rocco were again racing hard for the lead back under green
with Christopher able to hold Rocco off. Rocco was determined to get by
Christopher and he was finally able to make a pass on Christopher to move
into the lead on lap-57. Frank Ruocco was now up to third behind Rocco and
Christopher after riding around at the back of the pack for much of the
first half of the race, with Chris Jones and Berndt making up the top-5.

John Montesanto brought the caution back out with 67 laps complete with a
spin in turn 4. Under the caution, Christopher came to pit road with a flat
tire and he restarted at the back of the pack.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Jones moving into second place.
Ruocco was now third behind Jones as Kyle Spencer touched wheels with
another car and he came to a stop in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 69
laps complete. Christopher made a return trip to pit road under the caution
to make further adjustments on his car.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Ruocco getting past Jones as Jones
didn’t get through the gears quite as well as the rest of the field. Jones
settled into line in third, with Berndt fourth and Matt Galko back up to
fifth place. Rocco was continuing to lead the race but he had Ruocco all
over his back bumper. Jones was several car lengths back in third, with
Berndt and Galko making up the top-5 with 25 laps to go.

Berndt made a power move to the inside of Jones in turn 4 to take over third
place on lap-77 and he brought Galko and Foster with him as Jones fell from
third back to sixth place. Rocco and Ruocco were pulling away from the
third place fight to settle the race amongst themselves.

The top-5 remained the same until lap-87 when Foster made a move to the
inside of Galko to move into fourth place. Just behind Galko in sixth place
was Christopher, but with 10 laps to go, Rocco was beginning to ever so
slightly pull away from Ruocco in second place. Rocco was pulling away from
Rucoco in the closing laps, but his gap was erased by the caution flag,
which was displayed with 95 laps complete as Spencer and Jones spun in turn
4.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Berndt able to move into second.
Ruocco came back strong on lap-97 to retake the spot from Berndt. Foster
was now on Berndt’s bumper and Christopher was right behind Foster. Rocco
was able to pull out to a several car length lead with the position
shuffling going on behind him and he led Ruocco back to the checkered flag
for his first SK Modified® feature win of the 2012 season at Stafford.
Frank Ruocco finished second, with Berndt, Foster, and Christopher rounding
out the top-5.

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, the caution came out right at the
start and Tom Butler was sent to the rear of the field for jumping the
restart. On the second start, there were several cars that rubbed wheels in
the middle of the pack, but the field kept going and Scott Cook took the
early race lead. The caution came out with 2 laps complete as Jim
Mavlouganes spun in turn 2.

Back under green, Woody Pitkat charged by Cook and took over the race lead.
Pitkat’s move opened the door for Corey Hutchings, Mike Quintiliano, and Jim
Peterson to all move by Cook. Several laps later, Cook fell back several
more spots as Keith rocco and Tom Fearn got by.

Pitkat was still leading the race but Hutchings and Peterson were nose to
tail in a three car train for the lead. Hutchings mad a move to the inside
of Pitkat on lap-7 to move into the lead and he brought Peterson with him
past Pitkat. Rocco was now up to fourth, just behind Pitkat in third as the
duel for the lead allowed Rocco to close the gap to the lead trio of cars.
Fearn was no in fifth, right behind Rocco as Hutchings was holding down the
race lead ahead of Peterson and Pitkat.

J.J. Hill pulled off the track on lap-15 as he had smoke pouring out from
the right front tire of the car. Hutchings was still the race leader with
Peterson, Pitkat, Rocco, and Fearn making up the top-5 at the halfway point
of the race. Rocco’s car dropped off the pace on lap-20 and he slowly
crawled his way back to pit road as the race stayed green. Rocco’s
misfortune moved Pitkat up to third, with Fearn right behind him in fourth
and Butler was up to fifth after his early penalty.

With 5 laps to go, Hutchings was still in command of the race with Peterson,
Pitkat, and Fearn lined up behind him. Pitkat got by Peterson on the final
lap to move into second in turns 1+2, but Fearn almost got by Pitkat in
turns 3+4 coming to the checkered flag, but it was all Hutchings as he
picked up his first win of the 2012 season. Pitkat finished second with
Fearn, Peterson, and Butler making up the top-5.

(continued)

RGeeProductions
06-30-2012, 12:42 AM
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Frank Cardile took the elad
at the green ahead of Zach Aszklar and the side by side duo of Joey Ferrigno
and Tony Membrino, Jr. Harry Wheeler spun in turn 4, but he was able to get
going and the race stayed green. Cardile continued to lead Aszklar, but the
caution came out with 3 laps complete for a spin by Dylan Campbell in turn
2.

Cardile again took the lead back under green with Membrino moving by Aszklar
to take over second place. Aszklar ran in third ahead of Ferrigno while
Payton Henry was now up to the fifth spot as Goff fell back several
positions. Nick Salva spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 10 laps
complete.

Cardile maintained the lead back under green with Membrino staying glued
right to his bumper. Aszklar ran third with Henry and Ferrigno making up
the top-5. Membrino charged by Cardile to move into the lead on lap-13 with
a pass in turns 1+2 and Aszklar followed Membrino by Cardile to drop him
from the lead back to third place. Henry continued to run in fourth with
Ferrigno in fifth with 5 laps to go.

Membrino led the field around for the final 5 laps to pick up his first
career SK Light Modified feature victory. Aszklar came home in second, with
Cardile, David Webb, and Ferrigno rounding out the top-5.

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the
lead ahead of Justin Bren, Josh Wood, and Duane Provost, but the caution
came out with 2 laps complete as D.J. Burnham and Cory Casagrande both took
lazy spins down the backstretch and into turn 3.

Botticello took the lead back under green, but her time at the front was
short-lived as Provost tok the lead on lap-3. Provost didn’t last long at
the point a Josh Wood moved by Provost on lap-5 to take over the lead. With
Wood in the lead ahead of Provost, they began to check out from Jesse Hinze
in third. Hinze had Carla Botticello, Dennis Botticello, David Arute, and
Cory Casagrande lined up right behind him.

With 10 laps to go, it was still Wood leading Provost by several car
lengths. Hinze continued to lose time to the front two cars with Carla
Botticello, Casagrande, Dennis Botticello, and Arute lined up behind him.
But that gap to the front two cars was erased by the caution with 18 laps
complete as Provost had a brake failure and his car came to a rest against
the turn 4 wall after running in second just behind Wood.

Wood took the lead back under green with Hinze in second, just ahead of
Casagrande. The field completed two more laps before the caution came back
out for a spin by Dennis Botticello in turn 4, which set up a five lap dash
to the finish.

Wood took the lead back under green with Casagrande giving chase. Hinze ran
in third, but Arute ran him down and he took the spot as they were coming to
the white flag. Wood led the field around to the checkered flag to pick up
his fifth win of the 2012 season. Casagrande finished second, with Arute,
Hinze, and Glenn Bartkowski rounding out the top-5.

“Fluckiger Race Chassis does everything to this car with the setup and the
tires,” said Wood. “I have to thank T/A, Tony and Billy for sealing this
new crate motor, R.A.D. Automachine, Falls Alignment, and Custom Wood
Floors. So far, the new engine kind of helped tonight. We had a year and a
half on our old engine, so it was getting old. That just shows it’s all
down to the handling with Fluckiger Race Chassis. The car was a little
tight, but I think the track has been tight lately. It takes a lot of
concentration out there. There were a couple of opportunities I had to make
it three wide, but I chose not to so I could save my car and the other guys’
car.”

In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Kris Fluckiger took the lead at the
green while behind him it was a mad scramble for second as Monte Gibbs got
by Norm Sears while Cliff Saunders was side by side with Sears. Ben Roy
spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 2 laps complete.

Gibbs took the lead from Fluckiger back under green with Cliff Saunders also
getting by Fluckiger. Norm Sears was fourth behind Fluckiger but he came
under pressure from Kyle Casagrande Casagrande took the spot from Sears
and opened the door for Austin Bessette and Albert Saunders to follow him
by.

Gibbs held the lead until lap-7 when Cliff Saunders moved to the front of
the field. Gibbs fell back to second, while Casagrande was now up to third.
The caution came back out for a spin by Kelsey Rottino with 8 laps complete.

Cliff Saunders took the lead back under green with Casagrande moving into
second right behind Saunders’ bumper. Casagrande was able to move to the
inside of Saunders and move into the lead as they completed lap 10.

Bessette was also able to move by Cliff Saunders to take over second as
Albert Saunders was now fourth and Gibbs was fifth. The caution came back
out with 11 laps complete for a spin by Doug Phelps.

Casagrande took the lead back under green as Bessette quickly settled into
second behind him. Cliff and Albert Saunders were third and fourth, just
ahead of Gibbs in fifth. Casagrande led Bessette to the checkered flag to
pick up his fourth win of the 2012 season. Cliff Saunders finished third,
with Albert Saunders and Gibbs rounding out the top-5.

“We didn’t get to go out for either practice today because we were having
motor issues,” said Casagrande. “The first time we went out, we couldn’t
get up to speed and the second time we could only get up to 5,000 RPM. We
worked on that, we were slow and losing power, but David Arute’s crew, Rick
DeCarli and Steve, they got it working for the heat race. It was fast in
the heat race, but we didn’t really know how it would handle. We loosened
it up pretty good for the feature, I was pretty loose the whole time around,
but we kept it together in one piece. The cautions definitely helped us
because the tires were getting hot and it slowed down a lot, which helped us
out. I knew Albert is usually pretty fast, I didn’t think I was going to
pass him that quick. I got on his bumper going into four and he got a
little loose and I was able to get under him that time. It was a good thing
because the caution came out the next lap and we would have been stuck on
the outside, so I guess I got pretty lucky this race. I don’t know what
they do, but Hosey gets it figured out and gets it handling good so I can
hammer down and keep it straight.”

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® (100)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
3) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
4) Sean Foster, Willington
5) Ted Christopher, Plainville
6) Matt Galko, Meriden
7) Curt Brainard, Canton
8) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
9) Mike King, Agawam, Ma
10) Chris Jones, New Milford
11) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
12) Joe Gada, Salem
13) Tom Bolles, Ellington
14) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
15) John Montesanto, North Branford
16) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
17) Danny Cates, Chaplin
18) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
19) Matt Gallo, Kensington
20) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
21) Dan Avery, Somers
22) Donny Travaglin, Winsted
23) Nick Boivin, Belchertown, Ma
24) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, Ny
25) Ryan Preece, Berlin
26) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
27) Chris Matthews, Stafford

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

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

LIMITED LATE MODEL (25)
1) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
2) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
3) David Arute, Tolland
4) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
5) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
6) Dennis Botticello, Suffield
7) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
8) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
9) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
10) Michael Wray, Northford
11) Carla Botticello, Manchester
12) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
13) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
14) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford

DARE STOCK (15)
1) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
2) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
3) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
4) Albert Saunders, Stafford
5) Monte Gibbs, Killingworth
6) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
7) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
8) Norm Sears, Andover
9) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
10) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
11) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
12) Ben Roy, Cromwell
13) David Macha, Sr., Columbia
14) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook

Scott Running