Rocco Rules at Stafford Speedway 6-26-20

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Ronnie Williams and Todd Owen went side by side for the lead at the green with Williams getting clear on lap-2.  Michael Christopher, Jr. was third in the early laps with Cory DiMatteo moving into fourth and Keith Rocco was fifth. 

Owen made a move to the inside of Williams in turn 3 to take the lead on lap-4.   Christopher followed him through to take second before the caution came out with 4 laps complete for Teddy Hodgdon and Dan Wesson, who both went through the frontstretch infield with Wesson coming to a stop.

Owen powered his way back to the lead on the restart with Williams in second.  Rocco was up to third with Christopher fourth and Woody Pitkat fifth.  Williams made a move to the inside of Owen for the lead on lap-8 and he was able to complete the pass on lap-9 and take over the lead.  Rocco followed him by Owen to take second and Christopher took third, dropping Owen back to fourth.  Matt Vassar and Tyler Hines spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 9 laps complete.

Williams was the leader back under green with Owen and Rocco side by side for second.  Pitkat was fourth in line with Christopher fifth and Andrew Molleur in sixth.  The caution came back out with 12 laps complete for a spin in turn 4 by DiMatteo.  Bryan Narducci spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out before a lap could be completed.

Owen took the lead on the restart with Rocco right behind him in second.  Williams was third in line with Molleur in fourth and Pitkat back to fifth.  Stephen Kopcik was applying heavy pressure to Pitkat for fifth but Pitkat was able to hold him off.  Up front, Rocco was all over Owen’s back bumper looking high and low for a way to take over the lead.  Owen was able to keep Rocco behind him.  Rocco continued to look high and low for a way around Owen until the caution flew with 19 laps complete for a spin on the backstretch by Michael Gervais, Jr.

Rocco got right back to applying heavy pressure to Owen’s back bumper on the restart as they fought for the lead but Owen was once again able to keep Rocco behind him.  Williams was third with Kopcik up to fourth and Pitkat in fifth.  Rocco was finally able to make a pass stick on lap-24 as he went by Owen in turns 1+2 to take over the race lead.  David Arute spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution out with 27 laps complete.

Rocco took the lead on the restart while Williams got around Owen to take second but the caution came back out with 28 laps complete for a multi-car accident on the backstretch involving the cars of Glen Reen, Tony Membrino, Jr., Tyler Leary, Teddy Hodgdon, Molleur, and Troy Talman.  The restart saw Tom Bolles get into the turn 3 wall, which collected several other cars that brought the caution right back out.

The restart saw Owen go from third to first with Rocco falling back to second.  Pitkat was up to third with Kopcik fourth and Williams fifth.  Rocco was immediately back to applying heavy pressure to Owen, looking high and low for a way to get back to the front of the pack.  Rocco made his move in turn 3 on lap-34 to get back to the front.  Pitkat was still third behind Owen with Kopcik and Williams continuing to make up the top-5 cars. 

Kopcik made a move to the inside of Pitkat on lap-38 to move into third.  Williams followed Kopcik by Pitkat to take fourth and drop Pitkat back to fifth.  Rocco pulled away from Owen at the front to take down the first SK Modified® win of 2020.  Kopcik finished third with Williams and Pitkat rounding out the top-5.
Source: Scott Running Stafford Speedway Media Press Release and Track Photo

SK MODIFIED® (40)

1) Keith Rocco, Berlin   (67 career wins) 3 championships

2) Todd Owen, Somers

3) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown

4) Ronnie Williams, Tolland

5) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs

6) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA

7) David Arute, Stafford Springs

8) Matt Vassar, Plantsville

9) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott

10) Joey Ternullo, Jr., Middletown

11) Tony Membrino, Jr., Wolcott

12) Bryan Narducci, Colchester

13) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury

14) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA

15) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA

16) Jonathan Smith, Trumbull

17) Jeff Malave, Manchester

18) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton

19) Chase Dowling, Roxbury

20) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott

21) Tom Bolles, Ellington

22) Andrew Molleur, Shelton

23) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA

24) John Catania, Agawam, MA

25) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington

26) Tyler Hines, North Haven

27) Dan Wesson, Monson, MA

NASCAR Whelen Modified Wade Cole Memorial 133 Results

Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photo Wayne G. Barber Library

Thompson Speedway 2019

Fin	St	#	Driver	Sponsor / Owner	Car	Laps	Status	Led	Pts
1	1	51	Justin Bonsignore	Phoenix Communications Inc.   (Kenneth Massa)	Chevrolet	133	running	150	48
2	7	46	Craig Lutz	Riverhead Building Supply   (Russell Goodale)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	42
3	5	7	Jon McKennedy	Ultra Wheel   (Tommy Baldwin)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	41
4	9	60	Matt Hirschman	Pee Dee Motorsports   (Roy Hall)	Ford	133	running	0	40
5	24	25	Calvin Carroll	Power with Prestige / Cruising w / Betty   (Joe Carroll)	Ford	133	running	0	39
6	12	85	Ron Silk	Stuart's Automotive   (Kevin Stuart)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	38
7	2	10	Doug Coby	Mayhew Tools   (Philip Moran)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	37
8	15	22	Kyle Bonsignore	Chalew Performance   (Kyle Bonsignore)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	36
9	6	3	Matt Swanson	USNE / SYP / All Phases   (Jan Boehler)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	35
10	16	64	Rob Summers	All Source / Hughes Motors / Lumiere / Hoosir   (Mike Murphy)		133	running	0	34
11	22	06	Sam Rameau	Central Mass Tree	Chevrolet	133	running	0	33
12	19	75	Chris Pasteryak	Dawley's Collision & Custom   (Charles Pasteryak)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	32
13	4	36	Dave Sapienza	Sapienza Racing   (Judy Thilberg)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	31
14	10	58	Eric Goodale	GAF Roofing   (Edgar Goodale)	Chevrolet	133	running	0	30
15	11	66	Timmy Solomito	East West Marine / Flamingo Motorsports / Sop   (Jerry Solomito)		132	running	0	29
16	17	1	Woody Pitkat	Dunleavy's Truck & Trailer / Gunsmoke Stables   (Eddie Harvey)		132	running	0	28
17	29	4	Jeff Gallup *	Ceravolo's Auto   (Richie Gallup)	Chevrolet	132	running	0	27
18	28	32	Tyler Rypkema	Welcome / Musco   (Dean Rypkema)	Chevrolet	132	running	0	26
19	3	07	Patrick Emerling	TBA   (Jennifer Emerling)	Chevrolet	132	running	0	25
20	25	2	J.R. Bertuccio	Gershow Racing   (Joseph Bertuccio)	Chevrolet	132	running	0	24
21	23	55	Jeremy Gerstner	Lowder Const / KD Const   (Dawn Gerstner)	Ford	132	running	0	23
22	31	20	Ed McCarthy *	McCarthy's Marine   (TBA)	Chevrolet	131	running	0	22
23	32	34	J.B. Fortin	John's Fuel Oil Inc / John's Tree Removal   (Nicole Fortin)	Chevrolet	130	running	0	21
24	26	5	John Beatty, Jr.	MSM / Elite Motorsports Inc	Chevrolet	130	running	0	20
25	27	88	Roger Turbush *	JCR Motorsports   (TBA)	Chevrolet	129	running	0	19
26	13	82	Chase Dowling	Horton Avenue Materials LLC   (TBA)	Chevrolet	126	loose tire	0	18
27	33	01	Melissa Fifield	Pine Knoll Auto Sales   (Kenneth Fifield)	Chevrolet	124	running	0	17
28	8	50	Ronnie Williams	Empower Financial Advisory / RB Enterprises   (Paul Les)	Ford	107	running	0	16
29	20	56	Amy Catalano *	Catalano Motorsports   (Allie Brainard)	Ford	104	crash	0	15
30	21	45	Tommy Catalano	Catalano Motorsports   (David Catalano)	Ford	96	crash	0	14
31	30	78	Walter Sutcliffe, Jr.	Last Minute Racing   (Steven Sutcliffe)	Ford	77	vibration	0	13
32	18	54	Timmy Catalano	Catalano Motorsports   (Zachary Reissner)	Chevrolet	53	drive shaft	0	12
33	14	24	Andrew Krause	Supreme Manufacturing   (Diane Krause)	Chevrolet	24	oil pressure	0	11

Hebert’s Big Dare Pays Off for Spring Green Win

Posted by Wayne G. Barber  and Photo Wayne G. Barber Library

Earlier Thompson Speedway Victory Photo

N. Woodstock, NH – Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert showed that fortune favors the bold by capturing the 45^th Spring Green 120 at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, June 13. Hebert made a three-wide move to swipe the lead following a lap-93 restart before holding off American-Canadian Tour ACT) champions Wayne Helliwell Jr. and Joey Polewarczyk Jr. down the stretch in the ACT season opener presented by C&S NAPA Auto Parts of Littleton/Whitefield and Sanel NAPA.

After starting 11^th on the grid, Hebert was content to run in the middle of the top-10 for much of early going. At the front, outside pole sitter Ryan Kuhn and multi-time Pro All Stars Series D.J. Shaw went back and forth for the top spot. Kuhn would pully away or dog Shaw on the short runs, but Shaw would take control during multiple long green-flag stints.

As the race passed the halfway point, a five-car battle for third developed between Stacy Cahoon, Hebert, Helliwell, Christopher Pelkey, and Polewarczyk. Hebert looked inside Cahoon multiple times before finally swinging to his outside to take the spot on lap 86 with Helliwell quickly following him around.

With the duo having set their sits on Shaw and Kuhn, the event’s fourth caution flew on lap 93 for Alby Ovitt’s spin coming off turn four, re-racking the field for a restart. The field accordioned in turn two on the restart and Mike Benevides paid the brunt of it, spinning with a punched in nose to bring out the fifth yellow and bunch the field up again.

When the field lined backed up, Shaw had a lapped car to his outside, with Kuhn and Hebert in row two. Kuhn dove inside Shaw on the backstretch, and Hebert went right with him, risking it all as the front trio came out of turn four three-wide. Shaw got shuffled back in turn one, and after Kuhn lead lap 95, Hebert completed the pass on the outside one lap later to take the lead.

Helliwell and then Polewarczyk also got aroung Kuhn as the defending Rookie of the Year started to fade down the stretch. Both former ACT champions then closed to Hebert’s bumper as the trio navigated slower traffic in the closing circuits. But Hebert fended both of them off to capture his sixth career ACT Late Model Tour win and second at White Mountain.

Shaw recovered from his backwards shuffle to take fourth. Defending White Mountain Late Model Champion Quinny Welch caught Kuhn at the wire for fifth. Cahoon, polesitter Tom Carey III, Seekonk standout Derek Gluchacki, and Pelkey rounded out the top-10. Forty-two cars attempted to qualify for the 30-car starting field in an event seen worldwide on Northeast Sports Network.

45^TH SPRING GREEN

JUNE 13, 2020

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

1. ( 11 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 120 Laps

2. ( 7 ) Wayne Helliwell Jr. ( 27NH ) , Dover, NH , 120 Laps

3. ( 14 ) Joey Polewarczyk ( 97NH ) , Hudson, NH , 120 Laps

4. ( 2 ) D.J. Shaw ( 60NH ) , Center Conway, NH , 120 Laps

5. ( 16 ) Quinten Welch ( 78NH ) , Groveton, NH , 120 Laps

6. ( 3 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E.Bridgewater, MA , 120 Laps

7. ( 5 ) Stacy Cahoon ( 83VT ) , St. Johnsbury, VT , 120 Laps

8. ( 1 ) #Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , New Salem, MA , 120 Laps

9. ( 10 ) #Derek Gluchacki ( 03MA ) , Dartmouth, MA , 120 Laps

10. ( 4 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 120 Laps

11. ( 9 ) Joel Hodgdon ( 36VT ) , Craftsbury, VT , 120 Laps

12. ( 29 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Plainfield, NH , 120 Laps

13. ( 8 ) Jesse Switser ( 25NH ) , W. Burke, VT , 120 Laps

14. ( 13 ) Bryan Kruczek ( 19NH ) , Newmarket, NH , 120 Laps

15. ( 18 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Milan, NH , 120 Laps

16. ( 24 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 120 Laps

17. ( 6 ) Alby Ovitt ( 35NH ) , Candia, NH , 120 Laps

18. ( 12 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 120 Laps

19. ( 22 ) Mike Benevides ( 50RI ) , Westerly, RI , 119 Laps

20. ( 21 ) Jimmy Renfrew Jr. ( 00NH ) , Candia, NH , 119 Laps

21. ( 15 ) Woody Pitkat ( 91CT ) , Bellingham, MA , 119 Laps

22. ( 20 ) Trenton Goodrow ( 31MA ) , Carver, MA , 119 Laps

23. ( 30 ) Reilly Lanphear ( 21VT ) , Waterbury, VT , 118 Laps

24. ( 28 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Stark, NH , 117 Laps

25. ( 23 ) Oren Remick ( 21NH ) , Monroe, NH , 116 Laps

26. ( 17 ) Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 100 Laps

27. ( 19 ) Michael Mitchell ( 40RI ) , Cumberland, RI , 88 Laps

28. ( 27 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 64 Laps

29. ( 26 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 51 Laps

30. ( 25 ) John Donahue ( 26VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 23 Laps

Lap Leaders: Tom Carey III pole, D.J. Shaw 1-4, Ryan Kuhn 5-45, Shaw 46-94, Kuhn 95, Jimmy Hebert 96-120. (5 lead changes among 4 drivers)

Time of Race: 44:49   Margin of Victory: 0.595 seconds

Cautions: 5 (laps 5, 14, 51, 93, 93)

Heat Winners: Woody Pitkat, Quinny Welch, Mark Jenison, Derek Gluchacki

Consi Winners: Joel Hodgdon, Wayne Helliwell Jr.

B-Feature Winner: John Donahue