Saturday, August 31, 2019

Rocco Wins Again at Stafford Speedway SK Mods 8-30-19

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Troy Talman took the early lead with Joey Cipriano applying heavy pressure in second.  Tyler Hines was third with Cory DiMatteo fourth and Glen Reen fifth.  Hines got into the back of Cipriano on lap-5 with Cipriano recovering in 14th place.  Talman still held the lead with Hines now in second, DiMatteo third, Reen fourth and Andrew Molleur fifth. 
Todd Owen got around Molleur for fifth on lap-7 with Michael Gervais, Jr. in sixth.  Gervais took fifth from Owen on lap-10 and Hines was given the black flag for making contact with Cipriano.  This put DiMatteo into second with Reen third, Keith Rocco fourth and Gervais fifth as Talman was still in the lead on lap-14.  Reen got around DiMatteo to take over second on lap-15 but DiMatteo came right back and nearly retook the spot on lap-17.  DiMatteo continued to look high and low for a way around Reen while Rocco and Gervais were closing in and Talman was still in the lead.  DiMatteo made a pass stick on lap-20 to move back into second and drop Reen to third. 
With DiMatteo now in second, he was slowly starting to eat into Talman’s lead with Reen and Rocco right behind him.  Ronnie Williams and Owen were waging a thrilling side by side duel for sixth place with Williams taking sixth on lap-26.
With 10 laps to go, DiMatteo had closed the gap to Talman and was right on his back bumper.  Rocco and Reen weren’t far behind in third and fourth and DiMatteo took the lead from Talman on lap-32 with a pass coming out of turn 2.  DiMatteo’s pass for the lead allowed Rocco and Reen to close right up to the back bumper of Talman and Rocco took second on lap-33 with Reen taking third as Talman fell back to fourth. 
Rocco took to the outside lane and ran side by side with DiMatteo for lap-36 before falling back into line.  Rocco again went to the outside of DiMatteo on lap-38 and the two were virtually even at the line.  The three leaders touched going down the backstretch with DiMatteo spinning and Reen hitting the wall to bring the caution out with 38 laps complete.  Rocco brushed against the wall as he had white stripes all around his right side tires but he stayed on track in the lead for the restart.  Williams was now second for the restart with Gervais and Talman in the second row.
Rocco took the lead with Williams right behind him in second.  Williams couldn’t get close enough to Rocco on the final lap to make a move as Rocco took down his second consecutive win and fifth overall of the 2019 season.  Gervais finished third with Owen and Talman rounding out the top-5.  Source: Scott Running Stafford Speedway Media Press Release.

It was the second consecutive victory for Kidd Rock and his fifth overall in 2019

Rocco is second all-time Stafford Speedway SK Mods track wins at 57  The Late Ted Christopher garnered 109


SK MODIFIED® (40)


1) Keith Rocco, Berlin
2) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
3) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
4) Todd Owen, Somers
5) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
6) David Arute, Stafford Springs
7) Tony Membrino, Jr., Berlin
8) Joey Cipriano, Waterbury
9) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
10) Todd Patnode, Swanzey, NH
11) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
12) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA
13) Ed Spiers, Beacon Falls
14) Tyler Hines, North Haven
15) John Catania, Agawam, MA
16) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, MA
17) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
18) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
19) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
20) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
21) Dan Avery, Somers

After 18 of 21 Races

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