08/06/10 - Stafford Speedway

PITKAT, BENNETT, BARRETT, FLANNERY, & SAUNDERS SCORE TOWN FAIR TIRE 150 FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

Stafford Speedway hosted the Whelen Modified Tour
as well as its usual card of five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing
divisions as part of the 20th Annual Town Fair Tire 150 program. Woody
Pitkat won his second race of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified®
feature event, Michael Bennett romped to his second Late Model feature win
of 2010 in the 30-lap feature, Tommy Barrett, Jr. scored his fourth
consecutive and sixth overall win of 2010 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified
feature, Dan Flannery scored his fifth win of the 2010 season in the 20-lap
Limited Late Model feature, and Cliff Saunders picked up his first victory
of the 2010 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, there was a melee at the green flag that
involved a host of cars mid-pack including Keith Rocco, Ted Christopher,
Jeff Baral, Raymond Grassetti, John Montesanto, Mike Gervais, Jr., and
several others. On the restart, Kurt Lenahan and Keith Rocco spun around in
turn 2, but were able to keep going and the race stayed green. Eric Berndt
took the lead with Mark Bakaj, Chris Jones, Dan Avery, Josh Sylvester, and
Woody Pitkat behind him.

Jones was able to move by Bakaj to take over second and his pass kicked
Bakaj to the high side and allowed Avery, Pitkat, and Frank Ruocco to all
find their way by Bakaj, dropping him back to sixth place. The caution came
back out with 11 laps complete for Tom Bolles and Kirk Zervas, who both spun
and hit the wall in turns 1+2.

Berndt took the lead back under green with Pitkat moving by Jones for
second. Pitkat got to the inside of Berndt on lap-14 and he took the lead
from Berndt on lap-15. Chris Jensen lost his right rear tire with 16 laps
complete to bring the caution back out.

On the restart, Pitkat powered to the lead with Berndt in hot pursuit.
Jones dropped off the pace, which shuffled the running order behind Pitkat
and Berndt. Ruocco was now third, with Todd Owen fourth and Avery fifth.
Keith Rocco was now back up to sixth place after his early spin and several
trips to pit road. The running order remained the same until lap-25 when
Avery and Rocco both moved past Owen to drop Owen from fourth back to sixth.
Owen would lose the sixth position to Ted Christopher on lap-27.

Pikat and Berndt were running bumper to bumper and pulling away from the
Ruocco, Avery, Rocco, Christopher, and Owen train. Several times Berndt
closed in on Pitkat’s rear bumper, but he was not able to get by. Rocco
spun with a tire rub to bring the caution out with 37 laps complete and set
up a sprint to the finish.

Berndt was all over Pitkat over the final 3 laps but he could not find a way
past as Pitkat took down his second feature victory of the of the 2010
season. Berndt finished second, with Ruocco, Avery, and Christopher
rounding out the top-5.

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Adam Gray took the lead ad the drop
of the green with Tom Fearn moving into second and Corey Hutchings moving
into third. Michel Bennett settled into line in fourth and Woody Pitkat
moved into fifth. Hutchings moved by Fearn for second on lap-4 and he
brought Bennett with him as Fearn fell back to fourth place. The caution
came out with 4 laps complete as Tony Lafo spun in turn 2.

Gray kept the lead back under green with Bennett moving by Hutchings for
second place. Pitkat moved inot fourth and Scott Cook moved up to fifth.
Bennett continued his charge to the front, taking the lead from Gray on
lap-6. Bennett’s pass opened the door for Hutchings, Pitakt, Cook, and
Keith Rocco to all move by Gray, dropping him from the race lead back to
sixth place.

At the halfway point of the race, Bennett was thoroughly in control, opening
up a half-straightaway lead over Hutchings with Pitkat, Rocco, and Gray
making up the top-5 running order. The race stayed green to the checkered
flag and Bennett cruised to his second victory of the 2010 season, pulling
away from Hutchings to score a dominating win. Rounding out the top-5
behind Bennett and Hutchings was Rocco, Pitkat, and Dillon Moltz.

In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Kyle Spencer charged into the
lead with Jay Goff behind him. Frank Cardile took a hard hit into the turn
1 wall with 1 lap complete to bring the caution out. On the restart, Goff
hung tough in the outside groove and he went by Spencer to take over the
race lead. Harry Wheeler spun in turn 3 and Ted Cain and Steve Greer spun
in turn 1 with 4 laps complete to bring the yellow flag out.

Spencer took the lead on the restart with Joey Cipriano moving into second.
Goff fell back to third place with Zach Aszklar and Tommy Barrett, Jr.
making up the top-5. Aszklar quickly moved by Goff for third and Barrett
took to the high groove and went past Goff for fourth place on lap-7.
Cipriano moved to the race lead on lap-9 and the caution came out with 9
laps complete for Spencer,
Cipriano took the lead back under green, but Barrett was on the charge and
he went by Cipriano for the lead on lap-11. Matt Galko moved into third,
Dylan Liseo was fourth and Erica Santos moved into fifth. The race ran
green to the finish and Barrett scored his fourth consecutive and sixth
overall feature win of the 2010 season.

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello took the
lead at the green and led the first lap before the caution came out for
Kevin Gambacorta, who stalled on the backstretch. Botticello was the leader
back under green with Dan Flannery moving by Jesse Hinze for second place.
Duane Provost was fourth with George Nocera, Jr. charging into fifth place.

Nocera moved by Provost for fourth on lap-7 and he brought Andrew Durand and
Shawn Thibeault with him by Provost, dropping him from fourth back to
seventh in the order. At the front of the pack, Flannery and Hinze had
closed up the gap to Botticello and it was now a three-car fight for the
race lead at the halway point of the race.

Botticello was able to hold Flannery off until lap-15 when she drifted up
the track just enough to allow Flannery to get alongside. Flannery moved
ahead of Botticello on lap-16 to take over the race lead while Hinze
continued to hold third, with Nocera, Durand, and Thibeault behind him.
Durand spun with 17 laps complete in turn 4 to bring the caution out and set
up a 3 lap dash to the finish.

Flannery took the lead back under green with Botticello, Hinze, Thibeault,
and Nocera lined up behind him. Flannery pulled away by several car lengths
and nailed down his fifth victory of the 2010 season. Botticello finished
second with Hinze, Thibeault, and Nocera rounding out the top-5.

In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Stephanie Berardi led the field to
the green but she was quickly overtaken by Cliff Saunders. Vince Gambacorta
was second with Albert Saunders, Tony Membrino, Jr., and Andrew Hayes behind
them. With 3 laps complete, Don Cook and James Carroll spun with several
other cars in turn 4 to bring the yellow flag out.

On the restart, Cliff Saunders took the lead with his brother Albert moving
up to second. Membrino moved up to third place with Kyle Casagrande and
Hayes making up the top-5 as Gambacorta slid back through the field. The
top-4 cars were locked in a nose to tail fight and stayed single file until
the caution came out with 11 laps complete for a spin by Mike Mordino.

The restart saw Albert Saunders get a run on the outside of Cliff Saunders
to take over the race lead. Cliff settled into second with Kyle Casagrande
and Membrino side by side for third. Membrino got the better of that battle
as Casagrande fell back into a three-wide battle with Cory Casagrande and
Jeff Jolly. Jolly spun with 14 laps complete to bring the caution out and
set up a green white checkered finish.

The Saunders twins raced side by side and took the white flag still side by
side. Albert slid up the hill on the final corner, allowing Cliff to take
the victory ahead of Membrino, Kyle Casagrande, Cory Casagrande, and Albert
Saunders.

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

(continued)

SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
2) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
3) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
4) Dan Avery, Somers
5) Ted Christopher, Plainville
6) Todd Owen, Somers
7) Jeff Malave, Manchester
8) Jeff Baral, Enfield
9) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
10) Curt Brainard, Canton
11) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
12) Chris Matthews, Stafford
13) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
14) Sean Foster, Ellington
15) Keith Rocco, Meriden
16) Chris Jones, New Milford
17) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
18) Chris Jensen, Wolcott
19) Bo Gunning, Bethlehem
20) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
21) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
22) Tom Bolles, Ellington
23) Kirk Zervas, Winthrop, Ma
24) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
25) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
26) John Montesanto, North Branford
27) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury

LATE MODEL (30)
1) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
2) Corey Hutchings, Salem
3) Keith Rocco, Meriden
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
6) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
7) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
8) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
9) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
10) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
11) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
12) Scott Cook, Uncasville
13) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
14) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
15) Dave Wray, Meriden
16) Tony Lafo, Higganum
17) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Ma
2) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury
3) Matt Galko, Meriden
4) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
5) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
6) David Webb, New Milford
7) Ted Cain, Plymouth
8) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
9) Stephen Greer, Harwinton
10) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
11) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
12) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
13) Todd Clark, Bristol
14) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
15) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
16) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
17) Rick Williams, Haddam
18) Frank Cardile, Bolton
19) Mark Trombetta, Naugatuck
20) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Dan Flannery, Ellington
2) Carla Botticello, Manchester
3) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
4) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
5) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
6) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
7) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
8) Michael Wray, Northford
9) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
10) Rob Farrington, Jr, Belchertown, Ma
11) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
12) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
13) Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
14) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
15) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
16) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
17) Norm Sears, Andover
18) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington

DARE STOCK (15)
1) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
2) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
3) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
4) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
5) Albert Saunders, Stafford
6) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
7) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
9) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
10) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
11) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
12) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
13) Paul Jensen, East Hampton
14) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
15) James Carroll, West Hartford
16) Paul Arute, Tolland
17) Nick Salva, Prospect
18) Donald Cook, Agawam, Ma

Scott Running