RGeeProductions
09-19-2014, 10:55 PM
Gervais, Scorzelli, Kopcik, Bartkowski, L’Etoile, Jr., & LaMothe Score September 19th Final Friday Night Shoot-Out Feature Wins at Stafford
Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with the Final Friday Night Shoot-Out, the final Friday night event before the season ending NAPA Fall Final next weekend on Sept. 27-28. Taking down NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly feature wins on the night were Michael Gervais, Jr. in the SK Modified® feature, Michael Scorzelli was a first time career winner in the Late Model feature as was Stephen Kopcik in the SK Light feature, Glenn Bartkowski in the Limited Late Model feature, and Jordan LaMothe in the Legends Car feature, and Frank L’Etoile, Jr. won the DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Michael Gervais, Jr. took the early lead with Tom Bolles right behind him in second. Eric Berndt took third with Chase Dowling in fourth and Ryan Preece quickly moved into fifth. Last week’s winner Keith Rocco was sixth behind Preece, who made a move to the inside of Dowling on lap-3 to move into fourth. Rowan Pennink came to a stop on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 4 laps complete.
Gervais and Berndt were side by side for the lead with Berndt nearly making the pass in the outside groove. Preece was third behind the lead duo and when Gervais got clear of Berndt on lap-6, Preece took second. Preece then was on the inside of Gervais for the lead with 7 laps complete when the caution came out for David Webb, who spun on the backstretch.
Gervais and Preece ran 2 laps side by side before Gervais got clear into the lead. Preece now had Dowling to his outside in a fight for second with Berndt and Dan Avery side by side for fourth, Todd Owen and Joey Cipriano were side by side for sixth, and the field was 2 deep for 5 or 6 rows. Cipriano hit the turn 2 wall hard to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete. Under the caution, Preece brought his car to pit road to change the right front tire.
Gervais took the lead on the restart with Avery taking second. Dowling was third, with Berndt in fourth and Rocco was fifth. Todd Owen and Woody Pitkat were side by side for sixth with Ted Christopher right behind them in eighth. Avery was now on the outside of Gervais for the lead with Dowling and Rocco side by side for third behind the lead duo. Bolles spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution out with 19 laps complete.
Gervais and Avery continued their side by side duel for the lead with Dowling nearly making it three-wide for the lead. Gervais got clear of Avery to the lead and Dowling was now on the inside of Avery in a fight for second with Owen in fourth and Pitkat and Rocco side by side for fifth place. On lap-27, Dowling made a move to the inside of Gervais to take over the race lead after spending the previous 8 laps side by side with Avery. Owen also got by Gervais to drop him from the lead back to third. Berndt spun in turn 4 and collected the car of Preece to bring the caution out with 28 laps complete.
Dowling took the lead ahead of Gervais on the restart, but Frank Ruocco and Ted Christopher touched wheels with Christopher taking a spin through the frontstretch grass to bring the caution right back out.
Gervais took the lead on the restart with a mad scramble going on behind him with cars going three wide. After the scramble settled down behind Gervais, Pitkat was in second, Pennink was back up to third after his early race spin, Dowling was fourth, and Owen was fifth. Owen lost fifth to Ronnie Williams on lap-37 but Williams and Owen both spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 38 laps complete and set up a green white checkered finish.
Gervais and Pitkat were locked in a side by side duel for the lead for the final 2 laps and coming to the checkered flag, Gervais held off Dowling on his inside and Pitkat on his outside to take his first win of the 2014 season. Pitkat barely beat Dowling to the line for second with Pennink and Ruocco rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Michael Scorzelli took the lead at the green flag with Kevin Gambacorta, Michael Bennett, Tom Fearn, and Kyle Casagrande lined up behind him. Bennett got around Gambacorta for second on lap-6 and his move opened the door for Fearn to follow him past and take over third.
Scorzelli had pulled away from the pack but by lap-10, Bennett was beginning to reel Scorzelli back in. Adam Gray got around Kyle Casagrande to move into fifth as Bennett, Fearn, and Gambacorta continued to run in line ahead of him with Scorzelli still in the lead.
Gray continued his charge towards the front as he moved around Gambacorta to take over fourth place on lap-15. Bennett was slowly closing down the gap to Scorzelli and at the halfway point of the race the lead was down to several car lengths. But just as it looked like Bennett was getting primed to make a run at the lead, Scorzelli began to build up a gap again back to Bennett, Fearn, and Gray.
Fearn made a move to the inside of Bennett on lap-24 to take over second and Gray followed Fearn by Bennett to take over third and drop Bennett back to fourth. Gray was now beginning to pressure Fearn for second as Scorzelli continued to hold down the lead.
Scorzelli led the field back to the checkered flag to record his very first Late Model win at Stafford Speedway in a wire to wire performance. Fearn finished second, with Gray, Bennett, and Casagrande rounded out the top-5. With his third place finish, Adam Gray clinched his second consecutive Late Model track championship.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Bob Charland took the lead at the green while behind him several cars touched wheels and sent up a plume of smoke but everyone continued on and on lap-2, D.J. Burnham made a move to the inside of Charland to take over the lead. Stephen Kopcik was third, with Nick Salva fourth and Jay Goff got around Jeremy Sorel to take over fifth place. Kopcik got around Charland to move up to second and Salva made a move to the inside of Charland on lap-6 to move into third and drop Charland back to fourth place. Jay Goff spun through the infield grass to bring the caution out with 8 laps complete.
Burnham and Kopcik were side by side for the lead on the restart with Kopcik taking the lead by a nose at the line. Sorel got by Salva to move up to third but the next lap saw Salva make contact with Sorel and Sorel spun directly into the path of Joey Ferrigno to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete.
Kopcik took the lead back under green with Salva locked in a side by side duel with Burnham for second. Charland and Goff were side by side for fourth with Mike Christopher, Jr. in sixth. Todd Douillard spun on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete. The restart got called back and the next restart attempt saw Rit Dulac spin in turn 1 to bring the caution back out.
Kopcik took the lead back under green with Salva to his outside and Burnham taking a look to Kopcik’s inside. Kopcik was able to maintain the lead with Burnham behind him. Salva and Christopher came together and spun through the frontstretch grass to bring the caution back out with 16 laps complete.
Kopcik and Burnham were one again side by side for the lead while Goff took third ahead of Kyle Jette, Jay Goff, and Bob Charland. Goff spun in the middle of turns 1 and 2 to bring the caution out with 17 laps complete.
Kopcik and Burnham were again side by side for the lead with Charland, Jette, Branden Dion, and Douillard behind them. Kopcik and Burnham headed into turn 3 on the final lap still side by side with Kopcik getting the better run coming out of turn 4 to take the victory. Charland got loose in turn 4 and he and Douillard hit the turn 4 wall hard coming to the checkered flag with several other cars receiving damage with Burnham, Jette, Dion, and Salva rounding out the top-5.
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Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with the Final Friday Night Shoot-Out, the final Friday night event before the season ending NAPA Fall Final next weekend on Sept. 27-28. Taking down NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly feature wins on the night were Michael Gervais, Jr. in the SK Modified® feature, Michael Scorzelli was a first time career winner in the Late Model feature as was Stephen Kopcik in the SK Light feature, Glenn Bartkowski in the Limited Late Model feature, and Jordan LaMothe in the Legends Car feature, and Frank L’Etoile, Jr. won the DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Michael Gervais, Jr. took the early lead with Tom Bolles right behind him in second. Eric Berndt took third with Chase Dowling in fourth and Ryan Preece quickly moved into fifth. Last week’s winner Keith Rocco was sixth behind Preece, who made a move to the inside of Dowling on lap-3 to move into fourth. Rowan Pennink came to a stop on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 4 laps complete.
Gervais and Berndt were side by side for the lead with Berndt nearly making the pass in the outside groove. Preece was third behind the lead duo and when Gervais got clear of Berndt on lap-6, Preece took second. Preece then was on the inside of Gervais for the lead with 7 laps complete when the caution came out for David Webb, who spun on the backstretch.
Gervais and Preece ran 2 laps side by side before Gervais got clear into the lead. Preece now had Dowling to his outside in a fight for second with Berndt and Dan Avery side by side for fourth, Todd Owen and Joey Cipriano were side by side for sixth, and the field was 2 deep for 5 or 6 rows. Cipriano hit the turn 2 wall hard to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete. Under the caution, Preece brought his car to pit road to change the right front tire.
Gervais took the lead on the restart with Avery taking second. Dowling was third, with Berndt in fourth and Rocco was fifth. Todd Owen and Woody Pitkat were side by side for sixth with Ted Christopher right behind them in eighth. Avery was now on the outside of Gervais for the lead with Dowling and Rocco side by side for third behind the lead duo. Bolles spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution out with 19 laps complete.
Gervais and Avery continued their side by side duel for the lead with Dowling nearly making it three-wide for the lead. Gervais got clear of Avery to the lead and Dowling was now on the inside of Avery in a fight for second with Owen in fourth and Pitkat and Rocco side by side for fifth place. On lap-27, Dowling made a move to the inside of Gervais to take over the race lead after spending the previous 8 laps side by side with Avery. Owen also got by Gervais to drop him from the lead back to third. Berndt spun in turn 4 and collected the car of Preece to bring the caution out with 28 laps complete.
Dowling took the lead ahead of Gervais on the restart, but Frank Ruocco and Ted Christopher touched wheels with Christopher taking a spin through the frontstretch grass to bring the caution right back out.
Gervais took the lead on the restart with a mad scramble going on behind him with cars going three wide. After the scramble settled down behind Gervais, Pitkat was in second, Pennink was back up to third after his early race spin, Dowling was fourth, and Owen was fifth. Owen lost fifth to Ronnie Williams on lap-37 but Williams and Owen both spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 38 laps complete and set up a green white checkered finish.
Gervais and Pitkat were locked in a side by side duel for the lead for the final 2 laps and coming to the checkered flag, Gervais held off Dowling on his inside and Pitkat on his outside to take his first win of the 2014 season. Pitkat barely beat Dowling to the line for second with Pennink and Ruocco rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Michael Scorzelli took the lead at the green flag with Kevin Gambacorta, Michael Bennett, Tom Fearn, and Kyle Casagrande lined up behind him. Bennett got around Gambacorta for second on lap-6 and his move opened the door for Fearn to follow him past and take over third.
Scorzelli had pulled away from the pack but by lap-10, Bennett was beginning to reel Scorzelli back in. Adam Gray got around Kyle Casagrande to move into fifth as Bennett, Fearn, and Gambacorta continued to run in line ahead of him with Scorzelli still in the lead.
Gray continued his charge towards the front as he moved around Gambacorta to take over fourth place on lap-15. Bennett was slowly closing down the gap to Scorzelli and at the halfway point of the race the lead was down to several car lengths. But just as it looked like Bennett was getting primed to make a run at the lead, Scorzelli began to build up a gap again back to Bennett, Fearn, and Gray.
Fearn made a move to the inside of Bennett on lap-24 to take over second and Gray followed Fearn by Bennett to take over third and drop Bennett back to fourth. Gray was now beginning to pressure Fearn for second as Scorzelli continued to hold down the lead.
Scorzelli led the field back to the checkered flag to record his very first Late Model win at Stafford Speedway in a wire to wire performance. Fearn finished second, with Gray, Bennett, and Casagrande rounded out the top-5. With his third place finish, Adam Gray clinched his second consecutive Late Model track championship.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Bob Charland took the lead at the green while behind him several cars touched wheels and sent up a plume of smoke but everyone continued on and on lap-2, D.J. Burnham made a move to the inside of Charland to take over the lead. Stephen Kopcik was third, with Nick Salva fourth and Jay Goff got around Jeremy Sorel to take over fifth place. Kopcik got around Charland to move up to second and Salva made a move to the inside of Charland on lap-6 to move into third and drop Charland back to fourth place. Jay Goff spun through the infield grass to bring the caution out with 8 laps complete.
Burnham and Kopcik were side by side for the lead on the restart with Kopcik taking the lead by a nose at the line. Sorel got by Salva to move up to third but the next lap saw Salva make contact with Sorel and Sorel spun directly into the path of Joey Ferrigno to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete.
Kopcik took the lead back under green with Salva locked in a side by side duel with Burnham for second. Charland and Goff were side by side for fourth with Mike Christopher, Jr. in sixth. Todd Douillard spun on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 14 laps complete. The restart got called back and the next restart attempt saw Rit Dulac spin in turn 1 to bring the caution back out.
Kopcik took the lead back under green with Salva to his outside and Burnham taking a look to Kopcik’s inside. Kopcik was able to maintain the lead with Burnham behind him. Salva and Christopher came together and spun through the frontstretch grass to bring the caution back out with 16 laps complete.
Kopcik and Burnham were one again side by side for the lead while Goff took third ahead of Kyle Jette, Jay Goff, and Bob Charland. Goff spun in the middle of turns 1 and 2 to bring the caution out with 17 laps complete.
Kopcik and Burnham were again side by side for the lead with Charland, Jette, Branden Dion, and Douillard behind them. Kopcik and Burnham headed into turn 3 on the final lap still side by side with Kopcik getting the better run coming out of turn 4 to take the victory. Charland got loose in turn 4 and he and Douillard hit the turn 4 wall hard coming to the checkered flag with several other cars receiving damage with Burnham, Jette, Dion, and Salva rounding out the top-5.
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