(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway returned to racing on Friday, July 5th with a Weekly Racing Series program. David Arute claimed his first SK Modified® feature victory of the 2024 season while Chris Meyer came up a winner in the Late Model feature for the second consecutive week. Tyler Chapman scored his fifth win of the season in the SK Light feature, Kevin Cormier became the 9th different Limited Late Model winner in as many races this season, and Travis Hydar notched his third consecutive win and his sixth win of the season in the Street Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® event, RJ Marcotte took the lead at the drop of the green flag with David Arute and Steven Chapman wheel to wheel for second. Tyler Hines and Todd Owen were wheel to wheel behind Arute and Chapman with Cory DiMatteo working his way into fifth. Arute got clear into second place behind Marcotte with Chapman taking third ahead of Owen with DiMatteo in fifth place as the field clicked off lap-5. George Bessette, Jr. took a hard hit into the turn 1 wall to bring the caution flag out with 5 laps complete.
Arute powered into the lead on the restart with Marcotte slotting into second. Chapman was third with DiMatteo up to fourth and Owen was wheel to wheel with Dylan Kopec for fifth. Chapman made a move to the inside of Marcotte on lap-8 to move into second. DiMatteo followed in Chapman’s tire tracks to move by Marcotte on lap-9 and take third and drop Marcotte back to fourth place. Owen won the battle with Kopec and he was now in fifth.
With 15 laps complete, Arute was still in the lead with Chapman and DiMatteo right behind him in second and third. Marcotte was still fourth with Marcello Rufrano now in fifth. Andrew Molleur was up to sixth followed by Michael Christopher, Jr., Mikey Flynn, Owen, and Anthony Flannery.
10 laps later, the order was virtually the same as Arute was in the lead with Chapman, DiMatteo, Marcotte, Rufrano, Christopher, Molleur, Flynn, Flannery, and Michael Gervais, Jr. lined up behind him. Rufrano and Molleur were putting on a whale of a battle fighting for the fifth position with Molleur finally getting the spot on lap-31 after several laps of looking high and low for a way to get by. Christopher took third from DiMatteo on lap-33 while Arute was still leading Chapman.
Christopher caught Chapman with 5 laps to go and he nearly made a pass for second on lap-37 but Chapman was able to fend off his challenge. Christopher would take second on lap-39 but he couldn’t get close enough to Arute to make a move as Arute took down his first win of the 2024 season. Christopher finished second with Chapman, Molleur, and DiMatteo rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Tom Fearn took the lead on the opening lap with Alexandra Fearn quickly taking second on lap-2. P.J. Zarrella slid from pole position back to third with Darrell Keane fourth and Bobby Stirk fifth. Tom Fearn spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 2 laps complete and Alexandra Fearn was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Tom Fearn.
Keane took the lead on the restart with Zarrella in second. Stirk was third in line with Wayne Coury, Jr. fourth and Kevin Gambacorta fifth. Coury was applying heavy pressure to Stirk for third, but Stirk was able to maintain the third position. Stirk made a move to take second from Zarrella on lap-12 and Zarrella would fall back outside the top-5 as Coury took third, Paul Varricchio, Jr. took fourth, and Alexandra Fearn was back up to fifth after her earlier penalty.
Coury’s car dropped off the pace on lap-18 with smoke showing from his car and he retired from the race. This moved Alexandra Fearn into fourth and Chris Meyer into fifth before the caution came back out with 18 laps complete.
Keane and Varricchio went door to door for the lead on the restart with Keane getting clear on lap-21. Stirk took second but contact with Alexandra Fearn knocked him out of the groove and he slid back to eighth place as Alexandra Fearn took second, Chris Meyer third, Gambacorta fourth, Varricchio fifth, Al Saunders sixth, and Cliff Saunders in seventh as Keane continued to lead. Varricchio spun on the frontstretch to bring the caution flag back out with 24 laps complete.
Meyer shot into the lead going down the backstretch before Gambacorta made a 3-wide move to take the lead in turn 4 on the restart. Alexandra Fearn spun in turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 25 laps complete.
Meyer took the lead with Gambacorta taking second. Varricchio took third on lap-26 with Cliff Saunders taking fourth and Keane fifth with Stirk in sixth. Meyer led Gambacorta to the checkered flag to pick up his second consecutive win and second win of the 2024 season. Varricchio finished third with Cliff Saunders and Keane rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Meghan Fuller took the lead at the green flag with Robert Bloxsom, III taking second behind her. Nick Anglace was third in line and he made a move to take second from Bloxsom on lap-2. Anglace’s time in second was shot as Chris Matthews took second on lap-3 just before the caution flag came out for a multi-car accident in turn 3 involving Bloxsom, Norm Sears, Ed Chicoski, Austin Goff, and several others.
Fuller took the lead back under green with Matthews taking second from Anglace. The caution came back out with 3 laps complete for a spin in turn 4 by Austin Goff.
Matthews took the lead on the restart with Tyler Chapman taking second. Fuller and Anglace were wheel to wheel for third with Chris Viens and Matt Brewer wheel to wheel for fifth place behind them. Brewer won the duel with Viens to take fifth while Fuller and Anglace were still side by side on lap-7. Chapman made a move to the inside of Matthews on lap-8 to take over the race lead.
As the field hit the halfway mark, the order was Tyler Chapman, Matthews, Fuller, Anglace, Brewer, Viens, Amanda West, Alexander Pearl, Nickolas Hovey, and Paul Arute. The caution flew with 11 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Goff that collected the cars of Paul Arcari and Bob Charland, who both came to a stop to avoid hitting Goff. Under the caution, Anglace’s car developed a flat tire and he retired from the race. Rain then began to fall and the race was called with Tyler Chapman picking up his fifth win of the 2024 season. Matthews finished second with Fuller, Brewer, and Viens rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Jeremy Lavoie took the lead at the green flag with Kevin Cormier quickly moving up to second behind Lavoie. R.J. Surdell was third in line with Matt Clement fourth and Gary Patnode fifth. Devon Jencik brought the caution out with 2 laps complete by spinning in turn 2.
Lavoie and Cormier touched going down the backstretch on the restart with Lavoie’s car showing sparks with what looked like a flat tire and he came to a stop in turn 4 to bring the caution flag back out with 3 laps complete.
Cormier took the lead ahead of Surdell and Patnode but spins by Samantha Dell and Devon Jencik on the backstretch brought the caution back out with 4 laps complete.
Cormier again took the lead on the restart with Surdell, Patnode, Matt Clement, and Matthew Winter, II lined up behind him. The caution flag came back out with 9 laps complete as Daryl Vertefeuille spun in turn 1.
Cormier took the lead back under green with Patnode nearly taking second from Surdell but Surdell was able to hold him off. Winter moved into fourth and Adrien Paradis, III moved into fifth. Winter and Patnode touched in turn 3 on lap-12 with Patnode nearly getting sideways, but he gathered the car up continued on although he lost several positions to fall back to sixth place. With 5 laps to go the order was Cormier, Surdell, Winter, Matt Clement, Devon Jencik, Paradis, Rich Hammann, Patnode, Theriault, and Kevin Crosby.
Cormier cruised to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2024 season and become the ninth different winner in as many Limited Late Model races this season at Stafford. Surdell finished second with Winter, Matt Clement, and Devon Jencik rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock event, Sean Petlock and Bill Cote brought the field to the green flag with Petlock taking the early lead after running wheel to wheel with Cote for half of the opening lap. Cote settled into second behind Petlock with Chris Danielczuk third, Jason Raymond fourth and Jeff Asselin fifth. Jason Lafayette spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 3 laps complete.
Petlock took the lead on the restart with Danielczuk moving into second. Asselin moved into third behind Danielczuk with Travis Hydar taking fourth and Raymond fifth. Cote was stuck in the outside lane and was falling back to ninth place before the caution came out again for Kevin Connors, who came to a stop coming out of turn 2.
Petlock again took the lead back under green but Asselin moved into second and he took the lead by a nose from Petlock at the line to complete lap-6. Travis Downey moved into second behind Asselin but he would move around Asselin and take over the race lead on lap-8. Mike Caprio followed Downey by Asselin to move into second place on lap-9 with Hydar right behind Asselin in fourth and Tyler Trott fifth. Hydar continued his charge in the outside lane taking second on lap-11. Caprio settled into third with Asselin fourth and Trott fifth as Downey continued to hold the lead.
Hydar took the lead from Downey but the caution came out with 18 laps complete for a spin coming out of turn 2 by Ashton Young that set up a green white checkered finish.
On the restart, a multi-car incident broke out going into turn involving the cars of Marvin Minkler, Matt Martel, Lafayette, Bert Ouellette, Rob Sears, and Brandon Warren that brought the caution flag right back out.
Hydar took the lead with Downey right behind him in second. Asselin was third with Trott fourth and Caprio fifth. Downey couldn’t get close enough to Hydar to make a move as Hydar took down his third consecutive win and his sixth win of the season. Asselin finished third with Raymond and Trott 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.
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SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) David Arute, Tolland
2) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
3) Steven Chapman, Ellington
4) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
5) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
6) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
7) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
8) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
9) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
10) Keith Rocco, Berlin
11) Todd Owen, Somers
12) RJ Marcotte, Millville, MA
13) Jack Baldwin, Mooresville, NC
14) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
15) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
16) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
17) Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA
18) Curt Brainard, Canton
19) Tyler Hines, North Haven
20) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
21) John Sandberg, South Windsor
22) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
23) Art Caruso, Windsor
24) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Chris Meyer, Franklin
2) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
3) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
4) Cliff Saunders, Stafford Springs
5) Darrell Keane, Enfield
6) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
7) Al Saunders, Stafford Springs
8) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
9) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
10) P.J. Zarrella, Morris
11) Alexandra Fearn, Hampden, MA
12) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA
13) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield
14) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
2) Chris Matthews, Stafford
3) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
4) Matt Brewer, Norwich
5) Chris Viens, Putnam
6) Amanda West, Colchester
7) Alexander Pearl, Salem
8) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
9) Paul Arute, Tolland
10) Stephen Kalogiannis, New Hartford
11) Jason Chapman, Ellington
12) Tyler Alkas, Berlin
13) Josh Morrison, Ashford
14) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks
15) Peter Bennett, Windsor
16) David Webb, Nashville, TN
17) Ron Midford, Jr., Ellington
18) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
19) Carsten Cole, Westbrook
20) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
21) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
22) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
23) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA
24) Mark Massirio, Berlin
25) Anthony Forino, Waterbury
26) Paul Arcari, Somers
27) Aiden D’Agata, Willington
28) Bob Charland, Stafford Springs
29) Austin Goff, Stafford Springs
30) Nick Anglace, Seymour
31) Ed Chicoski, New Hartford
32) Norm Sears, Andover
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Kevin Cormier, Agawam, MA
2) RJ Surdell, Willington
3) Matthew Winter, II, Springfield, VT
4) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
5) Devon Jencik, Canton
6) Rich Hammann, Tolland
7) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
8) Kyle Theriault, Three Rivers, MA
9) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
10) Kevin Crosby, Coventry
11) Connor Jencik, Canton
12) Dana Wray, Northford
13) Scott Clement, Wethersfield
14) Samantha Dell, Pascoag, RI
15) Darryl Vertefeuille, Willington
16) Shelby Swan, Durham
17) Trinity Provost, Holland, MA
18) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
2) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted
3) Jeff Asselin, Granby, MA
4) Jason Raymond, Somers
5) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
6) Mike Caprio, Clinton
7) Chris Danielczuk, Goshen
8) Jason Lafayette, Somers
9) Sean Petlock, Ware, MA
10) Jason Haribans, Galway, NY
11) Rob Sears, Stafford Springs
12) Andras Bogi, Macungie, PA
13) Bill Cote, Belchertown, MA
14) Ashton Young, Griswold
15) Bert Ouellette, Ellington
16) Brandon Warren, Chicopee, MA
17) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
18) Matt Martel, Stafford Springs
19) Kevin Galardi, Wappingers Falls, NY
20) Kevin Connors, Westfield, MA
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