(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the 52nd Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® on Sunday, April 28 with feature events for the SK Modified® and SK Light divisions. Troy Talman notched his first career Stafford SK Modified® feature victory with a thrilling last lap pass on Marcello Rufrano while the SK Light feature event was halted with 8 laps complete due to rain. The SK Light feature event will be made up at a date to be announced while the Open Modified cars will return to Stafford on Friday, May 10th along with Stafford’s five weekly divisions for a full night of racing action. All rain checks from Sunday, April 28th will be honored on May 10th. An official event schedule for May 10th will be announced at a later date.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Michael Christopher, Jr. and Steven Chapman led the field to the green with Chapman taking the lead on the first lap on the outside of Christopher. Christopher was able to slot into second place with Glen Reen taking third. Teddy Hodgdon was fourth but got out of shape on lap-4 and slid back several spots as Troy Talman moved into fourth and Andrew Molleur took fifth. Christopher went by Chapman in turn 3 on lap-5 to take over the race lead while Marcello Rufrano got around Molleur to move into fifth place. The caution flag came out with 9 laps complete for a spin on the backstretch by Ethan Durocher.
On the restart, the caution came right back out as Cody Rose backed into the turn 1 wall. The next restart saw Talman make a hard charge to take the lead away from Christopher and the caution came back out with 10 laps complete as Noah Korner hit the wall coming out of turn 4.
Talman took the lead on the restart with Chapman moving into second. Christopher was third with Molleur, Rufrano, and David Arute lined up behind him. Christopher went by Chapman on lap-13 to move into second while Rufrano was all over the back bumper of Molleur looking to take over the fourth spot. John Sandberg brought the caution flag out with 16 laps complete with a spin in turn 2.
Back under green Talman resumed his place at the front of the field while Chapman and Christopher ran wheel to wheel for two laps before Chapman moved into second on lap-18. Rufrano worked his way to the inside of Chapman on lap-20 to take over second place. Behind Chapman and Rufrano, Christopher and Molleur were racing wheel to wheel for several laps before Christopher got the better of the duel and took fourth and dropped Molleur to fifth. The caution came back out with 23 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Jaden Brown.
Talman again took the lead with Rufrano right behind him in second. Chapman was third with Molleur getting by Christopher to move into fourth and drop Christopher back to fifth. The caution came back out with 25 laps complete for a duel spin in turn 2 by R.J. Marcotte and Durocher.
The next restart saw David Flammia, Jr. spin on the backstretch at the entrance to turn 3 to bring the caution back out with 26 laps complete.
Talman again took the lead as the race resumed with Rufrano slotting into second. Rufrano went by Talman to take over the lead one lap later just before Rose spun in the middle of turns 3+4 to bring the caution back out with 28 laps complete.
Rufrano took the lead back under green while Christopher and Talman were wheel to wheel for second. Christopher won that duel on lap-30 while behind them, Chapman and Molleur were going wheel to wheel for fourth with Arute just behind them in sixth place. Chapman cleared Molleur for fourth on lap-33 and the caution came back out with 34 laps complete as George Bessette, Jr. spun coming out of turn 4.
Christopher was deemed to have jumped the restart, so he was sent to the rear of the field, putting Talman now alongside Rufrano on the front row. Rufrano took the lead with Talman slotting into second. Chapman was third with Molleur and Arute wheel to wheel for fourth. Arute spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 35 laps complete.
Rufrano took the lead ahead of Talman on the restart with Chapman in third. Michael Gervais, Jr. was now wheel to wheel with Molleur for fourth place with Todd Owen up to sixth. Rufrano held the lead until the final lap when Talman somehow was able to squeeze his car to the inside of Rufrano going into turn 3. Talman completed the pass coming out of turn 4 and he took the checkered flag to win the first SK Modified® race of the 2024 season and in the process earn his very first career SK Modified® win at Stafford. Rufrano finished second with Chapman, Gervais, and Molleur rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Tyler Chapman took the lead at the start with Meghan Fuller and Nickolas Hovey going wheel to wheel for second. Aiden D’Agata spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 1 lap complete.
Chapman powered his way back into the lead on the restart with Hovey and Fuller again going wheel to wheel for second. Alexander Pearl worked his way into fourth place with Brian Sullivan holding down fifth. Hovey got clear of Fuller on lap-3 to take second while Chapman was starting to stretch out his advantage. Pete Lopuch spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 6 laps complete.
Chapman streaked back into the lead on the restart with Fuller taking second. Hovey and Sullivan were now fighting wheel to wheel for third with Alexander Pearl in fifth and Chris Matthews in sixth. Carsten Cole spun coming out of turn 4 and got into the frontstretch wall to bring the caution flag back out with 8 laps complete. Rain halted the race with 8 laps complete and the race will be resumed at a later to-be-determined date.
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) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
2) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
3) Steven Chapman, Ellington
4) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
5) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
6) Todd Owen, Somers
7) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
8) Mikey Flynn, Hamden, MA
9) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
10) Jon Puleo, Branford
11) Noah Korner, Avon
12) Keith Rocco, Berlin
13) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
14) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
15) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
16) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
17) David Arute, Stafford Springs
18) Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA
19) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
20) John Sandberg, South Windsor
21) Chris Jones, New Milford
22) RJ Marcotte, Milville, MA
23) Tyler Barry, Griswold
24) Jaden Brown, Kunkletown, PA
25) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY
26) Art Caruso, Windsor
27) Tyler Hines, North Haven
28) Cody Rose, Southbridge, MA
29) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
30) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
31) Bryan Narducci, New Britain
32) Curt Brainard, Canton
33) Austin Beers, Northampton, PA
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