RGeeProductions
08-03-2012, 11:08 PM
CARDILE, ARUTE, & SAUNDERS ALSO SCORE AUG. 3rd STAFFORD 150 FEATURE VICTORIES
Stafford Motor Speedway welcomed the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour for the third of four visits during the 2012 season on Friday,
August 3rd with the 22nd Annual Stafford 150 program. In NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series feature action, Woody Pitkat was the big winner of the
evening by doubling up and taking the checkered flag in both the SK
Modified® and Late Model feature events. The SK Modified® victory was
Pitkat’s second of the season and the Late Model win was his third of the
season. Also scoring feature wins were Frank Cardile in the 20-lap SK Light
feature, David Arute in the 20-lap Ltd. Late Model feature, and Cliff
Saunders in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature. Cardile’s win was his first of
the season, Arute’s win was the first win of his career, and Saunders’ win
was his second of the season.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Matt Galko charged into the lead
from the pole with Eric Berndt quickly moving into second. Curt Brainard
was third, with Michael Gervais, Jr. fourth and Todd Owen fifth. Berndt
quickly overtook Galko for the race lead and Gervais was looking to follow
Berndt by Galko.
Gervais made the pass for second on lap-4 and he brought Owen with him as
Galko fell from second back to fourth. Tom Bolles and Brainard were now
side by side for fifth place. Tommy Membrino, Jr. spun in the turn 3 grass
to bring the caution out with 6 laps complete.
Back under green, Gervais steamed into the lead with Berndt in second.
Woody Pitkat made a strong move to take over third place, with Galko and Ted
Christopher making up the top-5. Christopher moved by Galko to move into
fourth and he brought Owen with him as Galko fell back several spots.
Gervais was now opening up his lead over Berndt while Pitkat and Christopher
were virtually glued together in the fight for second place. Tom Bolles
spun in turn 2 on lap-12, but he was able to get going again and the race
stayed under green flag conditions.
Christopher moved around Pitkat for third and he moved by Berndt for second
on lap-15. Christopher’s pass on Berndt allowed Pitkat to get alongside
Berndt and take the spot. Owen followed in Pitkat’s tire tracks and he also
got by Berndt, who fell from second back to fifth place in a matter of
several laps.
Ryan Preece had a flat right rear tire and he scraped the turn 3 wall and
came to a stop in turns 1+2 to bring the caution out with 19 laps complete.
On the restart, Christopher got a good run, but Gervais came back strong and
he maintained the race lead. Pitkat was right behind Christopher in a
three-car train for the race lead. Owen was fourth, with Dan Avery and
Brainard side by side for fifth place. Christopher was finally able to make
a pass stick for the lead on lap-22 after several tries and Pitkat moved
into second as Gervais fell from the lead back to third. Brainard’s good
run came to an end on lap-23 with a plume of smoke trailing from his car as
he entered turn 3. Brainard quickly pulled off the track and the race was
able to stay green.
Christopher, Pitkat, and Gervais were still nose to tail for the race lead,
and Owen and Avery were the tail end of the top-5 cars. Danny Cates was
sixth and Sean Foster was right behind Cates in seventh place. Pitkat and
Gervais were briefly side by side for second before Pitkat cleared Gervais,
Gervais came back strong to the inside of Pitkat, but Heather DesRochers
spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 29 laps complete.
Christopher took the lead back under green while Gervais and Pitkat were
side by side for second place. Cates was fourth, just behind Gervais and
Pitkat, but the caution came out with 30-laps complete as Kyle Spencer spun
through the infield grass on the frontstretch.
Christopher took the lead back under green while Pitkat was able to get into
line just behind Christopher in second. Gervais and Cates were side by side
for third, but Membrino and Berndt spun and came to a stop on the infield
grass to bring the caution back out with 31 laps complete.
Christopher took the lead back under green with Pitkat slotting into second.
Cates was third, with Owen in fourth and Gervais in fifth. Cates had to
check up behind Pitkat on lap-34 and he fell back to fifth behind Owen as
Pitkat was searching all over for a way to get by Christopher. Pitkat made
a bottom shot move in turn 3 to get by Christopher on lap-37 and take over
the race lead. Owen was now to the outside of Gervais for third place while
Pitkat was able to pull away from Pitkat by several car lengths. Foster and
Cates came together and spun in turn 3 to bring the caution out with 38 laps
complete and set up a green white checkered finish.
Pitkat took the lead ahead of Christopher but several cars spun in turns 3+4
to bring the caution back out. Pitkat and Christopher were side by side for
the lead and Pitkat was able to clear Christopher as they took the white
flag. Pitkat led the field around to the checkered flag to pick up his
second victory of the season. Christopher finished second, with Gervais,
Owen, and Avery rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Scott Cook took the lead at the drop
of the green with Kevin Gambacorta moving up to second place. Ed Ricard was
third, with Tom Butler and Corey Hutchings behind him, but the caution came
out with 2 laps complete as Adam Gray backed his car into the turn 3 wall.
On the restart, Cook took the lead while Mark St. Hilaire moved into second
and Woody Pitkat got by Tom Butler to take over third place. Mike
Quintiliano moved up to fourth and Patrick Townsend was fifth as Gambacorta
and Butler fell backwards on the restart.
Cook held the lead until lap-5 when St. Hilaire moved to the front of the
pack. Over the next several laps, Pitkat, Quintiliano, Townsend and
Hutchings all moved up as Cook fell from the lead back to eighth place. Tom
Fearn had moved from the back of the pack at the start to seventh place.
With 11 laps to go, Pitkat had closed in on St. Hilaire’s bumper and
Quintiliano was right behind Pitkat to make a three-car train for the lead.
Pitkat nearly made a pass for the lead, but St. Hilaire was able to hold him
off. While St. Hilaire, Pitkat, and Quintiliano were dueling for the lead,
Joe Rzeszutek was hounding Townsend for fourth place while Fearn was right
behind Rzeszutek.
Rzeszutek took over fourth place from Townsend on lap-27 and Fearn followed
suit a lap later. At the front St. Hilaire was able to hold the lead until
the white flag when Pitkat made a move to the inside of St. Hilaire to take
over the lead. Pitkat led the final lap to pick up his third win of the
2012 season and Quintiliano was able to edge out St. Hilaire for second by a
nose at the stripe. Rzeszutek came home in fourth and Fearn rounded out the
top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Frank Cardile took the lead
ahead of Payton Henry. Nick Salva slotted into third with Jay Goff and Rick
Williams behind him. Goff quickly moved to the inside of Salva with Salva
going around in turn 4, which in turn saw Williams and Tyler Hines also
spin, which brought the caution out with 1 lap complete. Under the caution,
last week’s winner Joey Ferrigno and Dylan Kopec both came to pit road and
were finished for the race.
Back under green, Cardile took the lead while Goff moved up to second.
Henry was third, with Harry Wheeler in fourth and Tony Membrino, Jr. was
side by side with Bob Charland for fifth place. Wheeler spun coming off
turn 4 on lap-4, but he was able to get going and the race stayed green.
Henry made a move to the inside of Goff on lap-4, but he went into the wall
in turn 3 and collected Goff, which brought the caution out with 4 laps
complete.
Cardile took the lead back under green with Membrino moving into second.
Charland was third, with Zach Aszklar fourth and Dylan Campbell was up to
fifth place after starting scratch on the field.
Membrino made a move to the inside of Cardile to move into the lead on lap-9
with Charland, Aszklar, and Campbell behind him. Rick Williams spun in turn
4 to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Back under green, Cardile was the leader, with Membrino right behind him.
Aszklar was third, with Charland and Campbell behind him. Membrino closed
in on Cardile’s bumper with 5 laps to go and he was all over the track
looking for a way to get by Cardile, but Cardile was able to keep his car
out front. Membrino was able to get alongside Cardile as the cars came to
the white flag. Cardile and Membrino raced side by side for the final lap
with Cardile getting a good run off the final corner to take his first win
of the season. Aszklar made a strong run and nearly made it three wide for
the win, but Membrino was able to take second with Aszklar third. Charland
finished fourth and Hines recovered from his earlier misfortune to take
fifth.
(continued)
Stafford Motor Speedway welcomed the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour for the third of four visits during the 2012 season on Friday,
August 3rd with the 22nd Annual Stafford 150 program. In NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series feature action, Woody Pitkat was the big winner of the
evening by doubling up and taking the checkered flag in both the SK
Modified® and Late Model feature events. The SK Modified® victory was
Pitkat’s second of the season and the Late Model win was his third of the
season. Also scoring feature wins were Frank Cardile in the 20-lap SK Light
feature, David Arute in the 20-lap Ltd. Late Model feature, and Cliff
Saunders in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature. Cardile’s win was his first of
the season, Arute’s win was the first win of his career, and Saunders’ win
was his second of the season.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Matt Galko charged into the lead
from the pole with Eric Berndt quickly moving into second. Curt Brainard
was third, with Michael Gervais, Jr. fourth and Todd Owen fifth. Berndt
quickly overtook Galko for the race lead and Gervais was looking to follow
Berndt by Galko.
Gervais made the pass for second on lap-4 and he brought Owen with him as
Galko fell from second back to fourth. Tom Bolles and Brainard were now
side by side for fifth place. Tommy Membrino, Jr. spun in the turn 3 grass
to bring the caution out with 6 laps complete.
Back under green, Gervais steamed into the lead with Berndt in second.
Woody Pitkat made a strong move to take over third place, with Galko and Ted
Christopher making up the top-5. Christopher moved by Galko to move into
fourth and he brought Owen with him as Galko fell back several spots.
Gervais was now opening up his lead over Berndt while Pitkat and Christopher
were virtually glued together in the fight for second place. Tom Bolles
spun in turn 2 on lap-12, but he was able to get going again and the race
stayed under green flag conditions.
Christopher moved around Pitkat for third and he moved by Berndt for second
on lap-15. Christopher’s pass on Berndt allowed Pitkat to get alongside
Berndt and take the spot. Owen followed in Pitkat’s tire tracks and he also
got by Berndt, who fell from second back to fifth place in a matter of
several laps.
Ryan Preece had a flat right rear tire and he scraped the turn 3 wall and
came to a stop in turns 1+2 to bring the caution out with 19 laps complete.
On the restart, Christopher got a good run, but Gervais came back strong and
he maintained the race lead. Pitkat was right behind Christopher in a
three-car train for the race lead. Owen was fourth, with Dan Avery and
Brainard side by side for fifth place. Christopher was finally able to make
a pass stick for the lead on lap-22 after several tries and Pitkat moved
into second as Gervais fell from the lead back to third. Brainard’s good
run came to an end on lap-23 with a plume of smoke trailing from his car as
he entered turn 3. Brainard quickly pulled off the track and the race was
able to stay green.
Christopher, Pitkat, and Gervais were still nose to tail for the race lead,
and Owen and Avery were the tail end of the top-5 cars. Danny Cates was
sixth and Sean Foster was right behind Cates in seventh place. Pitkat and
Gervais were briefly side by side for second before Pitkat cleared Gervais,
Gervais came back strong to the inside of Pitkat, but Heather DesRochers
spun in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 29 laps complete.
Christopher took the lead back under green while Gervais and Pitkat were
side by side for second place. Cates was fourth, just behind Gervais and
Pitkat, but the caution came out with 30-laps complete as Kyle Spencer spun
through the infield grass on the frontstretch.
Christopher took the lead back under green while Pitkat was able to get into
line just behind Christopher in second. Gervais and Cates were side by side
for third, but Membrino and Berndt spun and came to a stop on the infield
grass to bring the caution back out with 31 laps complete.
Christopher took the lead back under green with Pitkat slotting into second.
Cates was third, with Owen in fourth and Gervais in fifth. Cates had to
check up behind Pitkat on lap-34 and he fell back to fifth behind Owen as
Pitkat was searching all over for a way to get by Christopher. Pitkat made
a bottom shot move in turn 3 to get by Christopher on lap-37 and take over
the race lead. Owen was now to the outside of Gervais for third place while
Pitkat was able to pull away from Pitkat by several car lengths. Foster and
Cates came together and spun in turn 3 to bring the caution out with 38 laps
complete and set up a green white checkered finish.
Pitkat took the lead ahead of Christopher but several cars spun in turns 3+4
to bring the caution back out. Pitkat and Christopher were side by side for
the lead and Pitkat was able to clear Christopher as they took the white
flag. Pitkat led the field around to the checkered flag to pick up his
second victory of the season. Christopher finished second, with Gervais,
Owen, and Avery rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Scott Cook took the lead at the drop
of the green with Kevin Gambacorta moving up to second place. Ed Ricard was
third, with Tom Butler and Corey Hutchings behind him, but the caution came
out with 2 laps complete as Adam Gray backed his car into the turn 3 wall.
On the restart, Cook took the lead while Mark St. Hilaire moved into second
and Woody Pitkat got by Tom Butler to take over third place. Mike
Quintiliano moved up to fourth and Patrick Townsend was fifth as Gambacorta
and Butler fell backwards on the restart.
Cook held the lead until lap-5 when St. Hilaire moved to the front of the
pack. Over the next several laps, Pitkat, Quintiliano, Townsend and
Hutchings all moved up as Cook fell from the lead back to eighth place. Tom
Fearn had moved from the back of the pack at the start to seventh place.
With 11 laps to go, Pitkat had closed in on St. Hilaire’s bumper and
Quintiliano was right behind Pitkat to make a three-car train for the lead.
Pitkat nearly made a pass for the lead, but St. Hilaire was able to hold him
off. While St. Hilaire, Pitkat, and Quintiliano were dueling for the lead,
Joe Rzeszutek was hounding Townsend for fourth place while Fearn was right
behind Rzeszutek.
Rzeszutek took over fourth place from Townsend on lap-27 and Fearn followed
suit a lap later. At the front St. Hilaire was able to hold the lead until
the white flag when Pitkat made a move to the inside of St. Hilaire to take
over the lead. Pitkat led the final lap to pick up his third win of the
2012 season and Quintiliano was able to edge out St. Hilaire for second by a
nose at the stripe. Rzeszutek came home in fourth and Fearn rounded out the
top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Frank Cardile took the lead
ahead of Payton Henry. Nick Salva slotted into third with Jay Goff and Rick
Williams behind him. Goff quickly moved to the inside of Salva with Salva
going around in turn 4, which in turn saw Williams and Tyler Hines also
spin, which brought the caution out with 1 lap complete. Under the caution,
last week’s winner Joey Ferrigno and Dylan Kopec both came to pit road and
were finished for the race.
Back under green, Cardile took the lead while Goff moved up to second.
Henry was third, with Harry Wheeler in fourth and Tony Membrino, Jr. was
side by side with Bob Charland for fifth place. Wheeler spun coming off
turn 4 on lap-4, but he was able to get going and the race stayed green.
Henry made a move to the inside of Goff on lap-4, but he went into the wall
in turn 3 and collected Goff, which brought the caution out with 4 laps
complete.
Cardile took the lead back under green with Membrino moving into second.
Charland was third, with Zach Aszklar fourth and Dylan Campbell was up to
fifth place after starting scratch on the field.
Membrino made a move to the inside of Cardile to move into the lead on lap-9
with Charland, Aszklar, and Campbell behind him. Rick Williams spun in turn
4 to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete.
Back under green, Cardile was the leader, with Membrino right behind him.
Aszklar was third, with Charland and Campbell behind him. Membrino closed
in on Cardile’s bumper with 5 laps to go and he was all over the track
looking for a way to get by Cardile, but Cardile was able to keep his car
out front. Membrino was able to get alongside Cardile as the cars came to
the white flag. Cardile and Membrino raced side by side for the final lap
with Cardile getting a good run off the final corner to take his first win
of the season. Aszklar made a strong run and nearly made it three wide for
the win, but Membrino was able to take second with Aszklar third. Charland
finished fourth and Hines recovered from his earlier misfortune to take
fifth.
(continued)