05/07/10 - Stafford Speedway

[RGeeProductions]

WOODY PITKAT WINS 16TH ANNUAL LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE LATE MODEL 100 AT
STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY

The Late Model division took center stage on
Friday, May 7th at Stafford Motor Speedway with the 16th Annual Lincoln
Technical Institute Late Model 100. Woody Pitkat scored a dominating win,
leading the race from lap-17 all the way to lap-100 to pick up his first win
of the 2010 season and the first win ever for his car owner Billy Snow, Sr.
Frank Ruocco scored a dominating feature victory in the 40-lap SK Modified®
feature, David Webb won the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, George Nocera,
Jr. won the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Jeff Jolly wired the
field in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.

In the 16th Annual Lincoln Technical Institute Late Model 100-lap feature
event, the race got off to a slow start with three yellow flags in the first
three laps. Michael Bennett was the leader on the lap-4 restart with Tom
Butler moving into second. Woody Pitkat moved into third, while Ryan
Posocco fell back from second to fourth and Jim Peterson held down the final
spot in the top-5.
Pitkat followed in the tire tracks of Bennett until lap-17 when he moved
past Bennett to take the race lead. Peterson was now in third behind Pitkat
and Bennett with Posocco fourth and a long gap back to Dillon Moltz in fifth
place. The field was in the midst of a long green flag run, and Pitkat,
Bennett, Peterson, and Posocco continued to run in line, but Moltz was
slowly reeling in the top-4 cars.
By lap-45, Moltz had caught and gone past Posocco to sit in third place
while Pitkat and Bennett continued to run in the front two positions. The
green flag run came to an end one lap later as Duane Noll made contact with
the turn 4 wall. Pitkat charged into the lead with Moltz moving into
second. Posocco continued in third, with Bennett and Corey Hutchings behind
him. The top-5 ran in line and clicked off laps until the caution came back
out with 54 laps complete.
Pitkat was still the leader back under green, with Moltz behind him.
Bennett’s good night came to an end on lap-59 as he dropped off the pace and
brought the yellow out by coming to a stop in turn 2. Pitkat was still the
race leader on the restart, but the running order behind him shifted with
Posocco moving into second. Moltz was third, with Corey Hutchings and Keith
Rocco now making up the remainder of the top-5.
The top-3 remained Pitkat, Posocco, and Moltz until lap-78 when Moltz made a
pass on Posocco to take over second place. The top-3 cars then began to run
in line again and pull away from Hutchings in fourth place. Pitkat was
slowly building a small margin over Moltz and Posocco and he looked to be
headed to a victory until the caution came out with 96 laps complete as
Hutchings lost a right front tire, setting up a 4-lap dash to the finish.
Just as he had done all night long since taking the lead on lap-17, Pitkat
charged into the lead and was never challenged over the final 4 laps as he
took the first victory for his car owner, Billy Snow, Sr. in the 16th Annual
Lincoln Technical Institute Late Model 100. Moltz finished second, with
Posocco, Tom Fearn, and Scott Cook rounding out the top-5.

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Ted Christopher took the lead from
Frank Ruocco in the outside groove to lead the field, but Ruocco was glued
to Christopher’s back bumper. After several cautions slowed the action in
the first several laps of the race, Christopher held the lead until lap-6
when Ruocco went to the front of the field. Keith Rocco was third behind
Christopher with Mark Bakaj in fourth and Zach Sylvester in fifth.
Ruocco continued to hold the lead while Christopher and Rocco were having a
great duel for second place. Rocco worked Christopher over and he finally
was able to get by Christopher for second on lap-20. A spin by Brad Hietala
brought the yellow out with 20 laps complete. Ruocco continued to lead on
the restart, with Rocco and Christopher side by side for second.
Christopher took the spot, but he spun on lap-23 after contact with Rocco,
which brought the caution back out. Rocco was sent to the rear of the field
for over aggressive driving, moving Sylvester into second, Jeff Malave into
third, and Jeff Baral into fourth for the restart.
Ruocco again held the lead with Sylvester, Malave, Baral, and Dan Avery
behind him in the top-5. The top-5 ran in line until the caution came back
out with 29 laps complete for a spin by Brad Hietala. Ruocco again got a
good restart and kept the lead with Malave moving into second and Baral into
third. Keith Rocco was now back in the mix after his penalty and moved into
fourth with Ryan Preece moving into fifth place. Rocco got by Baral on the
last lap, but it was all Ruocco as he led the race from lap-6 to the
checkered flag to take his first SK Modified® feature victory of the 2010
season. Malave finished second, with Rocco, Baral, and Preece rounding out
the top-5.

In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, the field took the green flag
with Harry Wheeler and Kyle Spencer swapping the lead with a series of
chris-cross moves that saw Spencer emerge off turn 4 as the race leader.
Jay Goff and David Webb would both also move by Wheeler to drop him back to
fourth place. The action was slowed with 4 laps complete for a spin in turn
2 by Zach Aszklar.
Spencer took the lead on the restart with Webb taking second from Goff.
Erica Santos worked her way into the mix and was able to move into third
place, dropping Goff back to fourth. Goff would continue to slide back over
the next several laps as Joey Cipriano and John Hanafin both moved by Goff.
Webb was busy at the front of the field, looking for a way to get past
Spencer and take over the lead. On lap-10, Webb dove the inside of Spencer
and moved to the front of the field. Santos followed Webb past Spencer, to
drop him back to third place ahead of Cipriano and Hanafin.
Spencer took a trip through the grass on the backstretch on lap-14, which
dropped him well back in the field. Webb was continuing to lead the race
with Santos behind him. Cipriano took over third place with Spencer’s
misfortune and Webb led Santos and Cipriano to the checkered flag as he
scored his first feature victory of the 2010 season. Rounding out the top-5
behind Webb, Santos, and Cipriano was Goff and Earl Pelletier.

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Jesse Hinze led the field to
green and he took the lead on the opening lap. Carla Botticello moved by
Michael Wray to take over second place and George Nocera, Jr. followed
Botticello past Wray to drop him from second back to fourth with Dave
Yardley, III rounding out the top-5.
Nocera followed in Botticello’s tire tracks for several laps before making
the pass to take over second place. With Nocera in second behind Hinze, the
top-2 cars began to pull away from the rest of the field. Dan Flannery was
on the move at this stage of the race, moving from the back of the pack at
the start to move into third place behind Hinze and Nocera. The large lead
was erased with 11 laps complete as the caution came out for a spin by Carla
Botticello in turn 2 and the car of Michael Wray lost a tire.
On the restart, Nocera powered by Hinze to move into the race lead.
Flannery followed Nocera by Hinze to drop him back to third place with Kevin
Gambacorta and Shawn Thibeault rounding out the top-5. The top-5 ran in
line until lap-15 when Thibeault made a two for one pass in turns 1+2,
moving by both Gambacorta and Hinze to move from fifth to third. The
caution came out as the lap was completed for a multicar spin involving
Gambacorta, Paul Varricchio, Jr., and Brian Clement.
Nocera again took the lead on the restart with Flannery and Thibeault
settling into line behind him. Flannery tried several moves to get by
Nocera, but Nocera held him off and went on to take the checkered flag for
his first victory of the 2010 season. Flannery finished second, with
Thibeault, Hinze, and Yardley rounding out the top-5.

In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Jeff Jolly took the lead at the drop
of the green flag and he led all 15 laps to pick up his first feature
victory of the 2010 season. Jolly had to contend with a hard charging Don
Wood over the final 5 laps and nearly lost the race on the final turn as he
got loose, but Jolly beat Wood to the checkered flag for his first win of
the 2010 season and his first win with the Matt Davis owned team. Rounding
out the top-5 behind Jolly and Wood was Cliff Saunders, Stephen Daddio, 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 next post]

[RGeeProductions]

LATE MODEL (100)
1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
2) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
3) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
4) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
5) Scott Cook, Uncasville
6) Dave Wray, Meriden
7) Corey Hutchings, Salem
8) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
9) Duane Noll, Monroe
10) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
11) Tony Lafo, Higganum
12) Keith Rocco, Meriden
13) Brian Chapin, Three Rivers, Ma
14) Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, Ma
15) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
16) Tim Fogg, Stafford Springs
17) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
18) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
19) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
20) Tracy Brouillette, Prospect
21) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
22) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
23) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
24) John Morgillo, Jr., Yalesville
25) Fernando Ilha, New Britain
26) Alan Provost, Monson, Ma

SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
2) Jeff Malave, Manchester
3) Keith Rocco, Meriden
4) Jeff Baral, Enfield
5) Ryan Preece, Berlin
6) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
7) Dan Avery, Somers
8) Ted Christopher, Plainville
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
11) Curt Brainard, Canton
12) Matt Gallo, Kensington
13) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
14) Kirk Zervas, Winthrop, Ma
15) Tom Bolles, Ellington
16) Brad Hietala, Ellington
17) Sean Foster, Ellington
18) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
19) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
20) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
21) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
22) Brit Andersen, Branford
23) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
24) Chris Jones, New Milford
25) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
26) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
27) Keith Carzello, Enfield

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) David Webb, New Milford
2) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
3) Joey Cipriano Waterbury
4) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
5) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
6) John Hanafin, Quincy, Ma
7) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
8) Ted Cain, Plymouth
9) Matt Galko, Meriden
10) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
11) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
12) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
13) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
14) Tom Barrett Jr., Millis, Ma
15) Rick Williams, Haddam
16) Chad Trombley, Bethany
17) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
18) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
19) Josh White, Ellington
20) Rick Burwood, Enfield

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
2) Dan Flannery, Ellington
3) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
4) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
5) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
6) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
7) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
9) Carla Botticello, Manchester
10) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
11) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
12) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
13) Michael Wray, Northford

DARE STOCK (15)
1) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
2) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
3) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
4) Stephen Daddio, Seymour
5) Albert Saunders, Stafford
6) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
7) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
8) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
9) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
10) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
11) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
12) Nicholas Salva, Prospect
13) Tim Leduc, Longmeadow, Ma
14) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
15) James Carroll, West Hartford
16) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
17) Donovin Secore, Vernon
18) Donald Cook, Agawam, Ma

Scott Running

[Howie]

Photos from the nights races are in my gallery here. http://www.racerhub.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=1559

[RGeeProductions]

CHANGE MADE TO LIMITED LATE MODEL ORDER OF FINISH FROM
MAY 7TH LINCOLN TECH LATE MODEL 100 PROGRAM AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

Following post race technical inspection from the
May 7th Lincoln Technical Institute Late Model 100 NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series feature events at Stafford Motor Speedway, the following
change has been made to the official Limited Late Model order of finish.
Unofficial Limited Late Model feature winner George Nocera, Jr. was
penalized for a rules infraction. Nocera’s car did not meet the minimum car
weight requirement and he was penalized from his finishing position of 1st
place to the last place finishing position of 13th place.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

New Finishing Order May 7, 2010 Limited Late Model Feature Event
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Dan Flannery, Ellington
2) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
3) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
4) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
5) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
6) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
7) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
8) Carla Botticello, Manchester
9) Jeff Hubbell, Naugatuck
10) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
11) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
12) Michael Wray, Northford
13) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville

[ejam]

as ALWAYS , great photos again Howie! Earl P