08/20/10 - Stafford Speedway

[RGeeProductions]

J.J. HILL WINS 3RD ANNUAL LATE MODEL 100 AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

The Late Model division took center stage at
Stafford Motor Speedway this past Friday night with the 3rd Annual Late
Model 100, the second extra distance event of the 2010 season. Joining the
Late Model 100 was Stafford’s SK Modifieds®, SK Light Modifieds, DARE
Stocks, and twin 20-lap Limited Late Model feature events. J.J. Hill was
the big winner of the evening, taking his first career victory in the
100-lap extra distance classic. Newly crowned NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series National Champion Keith Rocco took his 9th feature victory of the
2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Tommy Barrett, Jr.
took his 7th win of the 2010 season in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature,
Andrew Durand and Rob Dow were the winners of the 20-lap Limited Late Model
features, and Kyle Casagrande became the first three-time winner of the 2010
season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.


In the 100-lap Late Model feature event, Tom Fearn took the lead at the
green with Scott Cook, Jim Peterson, Adam Gray, and Michael Bennett making
up the top-5. Woody Pitkat, who won the Lincoln Tech Late Model 100 back in
May at Stafford, spun and backed into the turn 1 wall with 3 laps complete
to bring the caution out. Pitkat was able to get back out on the track and
continue in the race.

Fearn took the lead back under gren with Gray moving into second. J.J. Hill
moved into third with Peterson falling back to fourth and Cook falling back
to fifth just in front of Bennett. Peterson’s car was leaking fluid on
lap-13 and he was brought to pit road for a consulation. With Peterson’s
misfortune bringing him to pit road, Cook was now in second place, a full
straighaway behind Fearn, who was setting sail while in the lead. Behind
Cook was a que of cars including Bennett, Ryan Posocco, Dillon Moltz, and
Wayne Coury, Jr.

The running order remained the same until lap-18 when Cook began to
backslide as Bennett, Posocco, Moltz, Coury, Corey Hutchings, Hill, and
Keith Rocco all went by to drop Cook from second back to ninth place.
The cars ran in line until the caution came out with 33 laps complete as
Dillon Moltz came to a stop in turn 2 after making contact with the wall.

Fearn took the lead on the restart, but Bennett was all over his back bumper
looking to make a pass for the lead. Posocco was third, with Coury fourth
and Hill in fifth. AS the field clicked off 40-laps on the scoreboard, the
top-4 cars of Fearn, Bennett, Posocco, and Coury were running nose to tail
with Rocco moving by Hill to take over the fifth position. Tommy Butler
went around in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 45 laps complete.

Fearn was back into the lead on the restart with Bennett, Coury, Posocco,
and Cook making up the top-5. Hill was sixth, Corey Hutchings was seventh,
Rocco fell back to eighth, Jim Mavlouganes was ninth, and Tracy Brouillette
rounded out the top-5 at the half-way point of the race.

There was a mad scramble at the front of the field on lap-55 as Posocco slid
back several spots to eighth place behind Rocco. On lap-59 Cook made a move
to the inside of Coury to take over third place. With Coury stuck on the
outside, he fell back to eighth place as Hill, Hutchings, Rocco, and Posocco
all went by Coury.

The order shuffled again on lap-68 as Cook made a move to the inside of
Bennett to take over second. Cook continued his charge to the front as he
passed Fearn for the lead on lap-70. Hill moved into second behind Cook
with Hutchings third, Rocco fourth and Bennett fifth. Fearn fell back in
line in sixth, just ahead of Posocco in seventh place with 28 laps to go.
Hutchings spun in turn 2 with 79 laps complete to bring the caution out and
slow the field.

On the restart, Cook didn’t come up to speed right away which bottlenecked
the inside line as Hill powered into the lead. Fearn was now second with
Rocco, Bennett, and Pitkat behind him. Posocco was sixth just ahead of
Hutchings, with Cook falling back to eighth place.

With Hill out front, he was slowly pulling away from Fearn in second, who
had Rocco and Bennett to contend with. Hill led the final 21 laps and was
never challenged as he cruised to his first career victory ahead of Fearn,
Bennett, Posocco, and Rocco.

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Tom Bolles took the early race lead with
Jeff Baral hanging tough to his outside. Baral fell back into a side by
side duel with Jeff Malave for second with Malave taking the spot. With
Baral still on the outside, Curt Brainard was on the charge as he moved
alongside Baral with Dan Avery glued to his bumper.

Brainard and Baral were still side by side on lap-7 as Malave and Bolles
were pulling away. On lap-8 Malave looked to the low side of Bolles for the
race lead, but he wasn’t able to get to the front. Nichole Morgillo and
Michael Gervais, Jr. spun to bring the caution out with 9 laps complete just
as Malave was looking to take over the race lead.

Malave moved to the front on the restart with Baral taking second. Keith
Rocco made a strong move to take third place with Bolles falling back to
fourth place, just in front of Frank Ruocco. The caution came back out for
debris on the track with 12 laps complete.

Malave again took command on the restart with Rocco moving into second
place. Ruocco moved up to third, with Baral fourth and Zach Sylvester
moving into the fifth position. Rocco took the lead from Malave on lap-15
and his pass brought Ruocco alongside Malave for second. Morgillo spun in
turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 15 laps complete.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Ruocco and Malave dueling side by
side for second place. Ruocco took the position from Malave on lap-18 with
Baral and Sylvester behind them. Woody Pitkat and Josh Sylvester went
around in turn 4 with 18 laps complete to bring the caution out.

Rocco again took the lead ahead of Malave, who settled into line ahead of
Ruocco. Sylvester was now up to fourth with Ryan Preece moving by Baral to
take over the fifth position. Preece quickly worked his way by Sylvester
for fourth place, but the caution came out with 24 laps complete for a spin
by Keith Carzello.

Rocco kept the lead back under green with Ruocco getting by Malave for
second. The caution came back out with 25 laps complete as Curt Brainard
hit the turn 2 wall and several cars spun trying to avoid Brainard.

Rocco was the leader back under green with Preece moving into a side by side
duel with Ruocco for second. The two cars were side by side but the caution
came out for Bolles, who spun into the turn 2 wall to bring the yellow back
out with 29 laps complete.

Several cars including Todd Owen, Carzello, Kurt Lenanan, Morgillo, and
Raymond Grassetti went around in turn 3 on the restart to bring the yellow
back out. Preece went around on the next restart while trying to take the
lead from Rocco to keep the race under yellow flag conditions.

The field completed a lap before Josh Sylvester, Pitkat, and Chris Matthews
went into the turn 1 wall to bring the yellow back out.

Rocco was still out front back under green with Ruocco moving into second.
Malave was third, with Baral in fourth and Zach Sylvester was fifth. Ruocco
nearly had a pass for the lead, but he wasn’t able to get in front of Rocco.
Matt Gallo found the turn 1 wall with 35 laps complete to bring the yellow
back out.

Rocco took the lead but the shuffle behind him continued as Baral took
second with Ruocco to his outside. Avery was fourth and Zach Sylvester was
fifth, but the caution came back out with 37 laps complete for a spin by
Woody Pitakt in turn 2.

Rocco took the lead back under green with Ruocco moving into second. Ruocco
took a look to the inside of Rocco but couldn’t make the pass stick. As the
cars took the white flag, Ruocco made one last ditch effort in turn 3 and
got into the back of Rocco’s car and got him loose, but Rocco hung onto the
car and took the checkered flag for his 9th victory of the 2010 season.
Ruocco finished second, with Baral, Avery, and Zach Sylvester rounding out
the top-5.

In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Zach Aszklar led the first
lap before Jay Goff took to the outside groove to move to the front of the
field. Heather DesRochers spun on lap-2 and collected Victoria Bergenty and
Earl Pelletier to bring the yellow out.

On the restart, a melee erupted with Dylan Liseo getting upside down and
sliding all the way down the frontstretch. Also collected were the cars of
Joey Cipriano, DesRochers, Pelletier, Todd Clark, SK Light points leader
Matt Galko, which brought the red flag out. All drivers were ok and walked
away.

Back under green Aszklar moved to the front with Goff, David Webb, Tommy
Barrett, Jr., and Ted Cain making up the top-5. Barrett wasted little time
in moving by Webb for third and he then set his sights on Goff. On lap-6,
Barrett moved by both Goff and Aszklar with a power move in turn 3 to come
out with the race lead. Webb moved into second as Aszklar fell back to
third after brushing the wall with Goff behind him.

Barrett began to pull away from Webb in second with Cipriano working his way
into fourth place on lap-13 with Goff ahead of him and Cain behind him.
Barrett went unchallenged to the checkered flag as he nailed down his 7th
win of the 2010 season. Webb came home in second, with Cipriano, Goff, and
Cain rounding out the top-5.

(continued)

[RGeeProductions]

In the first of two 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla
Botticello pulled out to the early race lead with Andrew Durand moving into
second behind Botticello. Dave Yardley, III was third with Kevin Gambacorta
fourth and George Nocera, Jr. fifth. The top-5 ran in line but the action
behind the top-5 was busy as Shawn Thibeault was running in sixth, but he
was overtaken by both Dan Flannery and Jesse Hinze before the race hit the
halfway point.

At the front of the field, Botticello was maintaining a several car length
lead over Durand, who had Yardley and Gambacorta closing in on his bumper.
Hinze tried to get to the inside of Flannery for sixth on lap-13, but could
not complete the pass.

Hinze’s good run came to a smoky end as he lost an engine with 17 laps
complete to bring out the first caution of the race, which erased Botticello
’s lead over Durand and the rest of the field and set up a 3-lap dash to the
finish.

On the restart, Durand powered by Botticello to take over the race lead for
the first time. Botticello fell into line behind Durand with Yardley,
Nocera, and Thibeault making up the top-5. Botticello gave it everything
she had over the final two laps of the race, but she could not get by Durand
as he scored his second win of the 2010 season. Rounding out the top-5
behind Durand and Botticello was Yardley, Nocera, and Thibeault.

In the second 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Rob Dow took the lead
at the drop of the green with Carla Botticello behind him. Andrew Durand
was third, with Dave Yardley, III fourth and Dan Flannery fifth. Flannery
worked his way by Yardley and was applying pressure to the back bumper of
Durand at the half-way point of the feature.

Flannery would get by Durand and he brought Kevin Gambacorta with him by
Durand, but it was all Rob Dow at the front of the field as he led wire to
wire to score his third win of the 2010 season. Botticello finished second,
with Flannery, Gambacorta, and Durand rounding out the top-5.

In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Stephanie Berardi led the first lap
before Vince Gambacorta went to the front of the field on lap-2. Gambacorta
held the lead until lap-5 when Cory Casagrande went to the front.

Gambacorta spun after contact with Cliff Saunders, but he was able to get
going and the race stayed green. Kyle Casagrande moved into second behind
his brother, with Cliff Saunders, Berardi, and Donald Cook rounding out the
top-5.

With 10-laps complete, Cory Casagrande got tangled up with a lapped car as
he was going by and he spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out, which put
his brother Kyle in the lead for the restart.

Casagrande took the lead back under green with Berardi moving to the inside
of Cliff Saunders for second. Berardi’s great run came to an end as she
spun while trying to move by Saunders in turn 3 with 11 laps complete.
Berardi’s spin collected several cars and brought the caution out.

Casagrande took the lead back under green, but he got loose in turn 4 which
allowed Josh Wood to pull alongside Casagrande. But Wood spun the next lap
which handed second place over to Cliff Saunders. Casagrande led the field
around the final four laps to score his third feature win of the 2010
season. Saunders came home second, with Jolly, Membrino, and Cory
Casagrande rounding out the top-5.

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

LATE MODEL (100)
1) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
2) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
3) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
4) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
5) Keith Rocco, Meriden
6) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
7) Corey Hutchings, Salem
8) Scott Cook, Uncasville
9) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
10) Tracy Brouillette, Prospect
11) Dave Wray, Meriden
12) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
13) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
14) Ryan Preece, Berlin
15) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
16) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
17) Don Acker, Jr., Orange
18) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
19) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
20) Ky Jensen, Stafford Springs

SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
2) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
3) Jeff Baral, Enfield
4) Dan Avery, Somers
5) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
6) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
7) Ted Christopher, Plainville
8) Chris Jones, New Milford
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
11) John Montesanto, North Branford
12) Jeff Malave, Manchester
13) Matt Gallo, Kensington
14) Curt Brainard, Canton
15) Chris Matthews, Stafford
16) Ryan Preece, Berlin
17) Tom Bolles, Ellington
18) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
19) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
20) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
21) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
22) Keith Carzello, Enfield
23) Sean Foster, Ellington
24) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
25) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Ma
2) David Webb, New Milford
3) Joey Cipriano, Iii, Waterbury
4) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
5) Ted Cain, Plymouth
6) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
7) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
8) Rick Williams, Haddam
9) Todd Clark, Bristol
10) Mike Parolo, Feeding Hills, Ma
11) Neil Maxted, Bethel
12) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
13) Matt Galko, Meriden
14) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
15) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
16) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
17) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
18) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville

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

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

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

Scott Running