Richard Savary Scores Valenti Modified Racing Series Victory at Stafford Speedway

Posted by Wayne G. Barber Photo by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape

(Stafford Springs, CT)---The Valenti Modified Racing Series made its second and final visit of the 2018 season to Stafford Motor Speedway on Friday, August 31st for the 9th Annual Lincoln Tech VMRS 80.  Richard Savary took the lead on lap-26 and led the rest of the way to score his first VMRS win at Stafford Motor Speedway.

The race took the green flag without VMRS points leader Anthony Nocella, who blew his engine during his qualifying heat.  Chase Dowling took the lead with Jeff Gallup following him around polesitter Joey Cipriano at the start with Anthony Flannery fourth and Dave Etheridge fifth.  The caution flew with 9 laps complete for a spin coming out of turn 2 by Steve Masse.

Gallup nearly took the lead from Dowling on the restart but Dowling held him off.  Richard Savary was up to third with Ronnie Silk up to fourth and Joey Cipriano fifth.  Anthony Flannery did a 360 spin in turn 2 but kept going and the race stayed green.  Woody Pitkat was on the charge, as he took fifth from Cipriano and nearly had fourth from Silk before settling back into line.  Savary got around Gallup for third as Dowling continued to the lead the race with 20 laps complete.

Silk went around Gallup to take over third on lap-25 while at the front, Savary took the lead from Dowling on lap-26 with a pass coming out of turn 2.  Pitkat was fifth behind Gallup with Cipriano sixth and Etheridge in seventh place.  Dowling started to slide backwards on lap-29 as Silk took second, Gallup third, and Pitkat fourth with Dowling slotting back into line in fifth place. 

At the halfway point of the race Savary was still out front with Silk, Gallup, Etheridge, and Pitkat all giving chase.  Dowling was sixth with Cipriano, Sam Rameau, Andrew Molleur, and Dan Meservey, Jr. making up the top-10.  Gallup was starting to apply pressure to Savary on lap-55 and he nearly made a pass for the lead on lap-56 but had to fall back into line behind Savary as they navigated lapped cars. 

With 10 laps to go, Savary was still out front with Gallup and Etheridge right behind him.  Eric Goodale had worked his way up to fourth with Pitkat in fifth.  Silk was back to sixth with Cipriano, Rameau, Mike Willis, Jr., and Molleur making up the top-10.

Savary led Gallup and Etheridge to the checkered flag to pick up his first career win at Stafford Motor Speedway. Bob Bruneau has been giving Savory a great motor. Last week at Monadnock Speedway, Savory put on a driving clinic for 74 laps and faded in the last 26 .Legendary George Savory was beaming in Victory Lane with his son. Goodale finished fourth with Pitkat rounding out the top-5.  Next up: short track fun at Beechridge Motor Speedway, Scarbough, ME. Sept 8

Reigning 2017 Series Champion Anthony " The Ant" Nocella cam into the night with a slim lead and had mechanical motor problems for a DNS and opened the door for a great championship battle for 2018 bragging rites ! Sammu Rameau is lurking in the star studded field of Valenti Modified's. Time of race, 34 minutes and 39 seconds

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LINCOLN TECH VMRS 80 (80)

1) Richard Savary, Holbrook, MA

2) Jeff Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA

3) Dave Etheridge, Portland, CT

4) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY

5) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs

6) Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT

7) Mike Willis, Jr., Grantham, NH

8) Joey Cipriano, Waterbury, CT

9) Sam Rameau, Westminster, MA

10) Andrew Molleur, Shelton, CT

11) Dan Meservey, Jr., Brewster, MA

12) Keith Rocco, Berlin, CT

13) Todd Patnode, Swanzey, NH

14) Jeff Malave, Manchester

15) Jacob Perry, Pawcatuck, RI

16) Dylan Rock, Enfield, NH

17) Donnie Lashua, Canaan, NH

18) Dave Schneider, Huntington, NY

19) CJ Bolton, Weare, NH

20) Cameron Sontag, Sterling, MA

21) Derek Robbie, Bellingham, MA

22) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, CT

23) Ryan Doucette, Framingham, MA

24) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton, CT

25) Steve Masse, Bellingham, MA

26) Dana DiMatteo, Farmington, CT