Sunday, June 26, 2016

Ted Christopher Back in Victory Lane

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

In the special 44-lap SK Modified® feature event in honor of Mario Fiore, Matt Galko took the early race lead with Cam McDermott and Jeff Baral lined up behind him.  The caution came out with 2 laps complete for Nick Salva, who spun in the middle of turns 3+4.  Salva was able to rejoin the field at the rear for the restart.
Galko took the lead back under green with McDermott and Baral side by side for second.  Baral took the spot on lap-4 and now Todd Owen was alongside McDermott for third.  Owen took that position with Tom Bolles behind McDermott in fifth place.  Baral was applying heavy pressure to Galko’s bumper but Galko was able to stay out front.
Baral was finally able to get alongside Galko on lap-9 and he got clear to the lead on lap-10.  Owen followed him by Galko to drop Galko back to a side by side battle with McDermott for third with Mike Christopher, Jr. in fifth.  Ronnie Williams spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete.
The field completed one lap before a multi-car incident in turn 2 brought the yellow back out.  McDermott had heavy damage to his car while several others came to pit road.
Baral and Owen spent a lap side by side for the lead before Baral got clear.  Another multi-car incident in turn 2 involving Dan Avery, Danny Cates, Eric Berndt, Salva, and Tommy Membrino, Jr. brought the caution back out with 14 laps complete.
Galko took the lead from Baral back under green with Baral locked in a side by side duel with Ted Christopher for second.  Owen and Ryan Preece were side by side for fourth with Keith Rocco and Tyler Hines behind them.  Christopher was able to get in front of Baral on lap-20 to move into second and Bolles spun coming off turn 4 to bring the caution out with 20 laps complete.
Christopher took the lead from Galko on the restart with Preece moving into second.  Galko was third with Baral on his bumper in fourth and Owen was in fifth.  Spins in turn 3 by Christopher, Membrino, and McDermott brought the caution back out with 22 laps complete.
Preece got a monster restart and powered his way into the lead with Christopher slotting into second.  Baral was third with Galko and Rocco side by side for fourth.  Christopher came back to Preece’s inside in turns 3+4 to retake the lead on lap-24.  Christopher and Preece were locked together and they were slowly pulling away from Galko and Baral to settle the race among themselves.  After making an early pit stop under caution , Rowan Pennink was back up to fifth place with 12 laps to go.  Owen’s car came to a stop in turn 4 to bring the caution out with 32 laps complete and erase the lead that Christopher and Preece had opened up.
Christopher took the lead on the restart with Galko briefly pulling alongside Preece for second before Preece got  clear of Galko.  Pennink was fourth behind Galko with Baral in fifth.  Preece was immediately beginning to apply heavy pressure to the back bumper of Christopher for the lead but Christopher was able to keep his #13 out front.  Christopher held off Preece to the checkered flag to pick up his first SK Modified® win since the 2014 season.  Pennink finished third, with Pitkat and Galko rounding out the top-5.

SK MODIFIED® (44)

1) Ted Christopher, Plainville
2) Ryan Preece, Berlin
3) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) Matt Galko, Meriden
6) Jeff Baral, Southington
7) Keith Rocco, Berlin
8) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
9) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
10) Tyler Hines, North Haven
11) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
12) Dan Avery, Somers
13) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
14) Nick Salva, Prospect
15) Jeff Gallup, Agawam, Ma
16) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
17) Tom Bolles, Ellington
18) Eddy Spiers, Beacon Falls
19) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
20) Todd Owen, Somers
21) Cam Mcdermott, Canterbury
22) Cam Burnham, East Hartford
23) Danny Cates, Chaplin
24) Mike Benevides, Westerly, Ri

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