Late Model's at Stafford, Conn. Michael Bennett Takes Down 3rd Win of 2015

          Posted by Wayne G. Barber

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Kevin Gambacorta took the lead on lap-1, but Michael Bennett moved around him on lap-2 to move to the front.  Tom Fearn was third, with Ed Ricard and Michael Wray lined up behind him.  Fearn began to slide backwards as it appeared that his car possibly lost a cylinder as he was able to keep pace in the corners, but was losing time on the straightaways.

Bennett and Gambacorta were beginning to pull away from the rest of the field with Gambacorta in third, Rick Lanagan fourth, and Josh Wood fifth.  This was the running order with 10 laps complete.  Stu Fearn spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out with 11 laps complete and erase the large lead that Bennett and Gambacorta had built up in the first third of the race.

There was carnage on the restart as Lanagan went around in turn 1 and collected the car of Stu Fearn to bring the caution right back out.

Bennett took the lead on the restart while Ricard made a strong move to take over second place.  Wood moved into third with Gambacorta falling back to fourth, just in front of Michael Scorzelli.  Wood got around Ricard to move into second on lap-17 but Bennett had quickly pulled out to a comfortable lead of 1.3 seconds.  Scorzelli moved around Ricard to take over third, while Gambacorta was still fifth behind Ricard as Bennett was maintaining his margin back to Wood at the front of the pack. 

With 5 laps to go, Wood began to reel Bennett back in and he was closing down the gap with Scorzelli right behind him.  Wood wasn’t able to get close enough to Bennett as Bennett took down his third win of the 2015 season.  Wood finished second, with Scorzelli, Gambacorta, and Ricard rounding out the top-5
Source Stafford Speedway Press Release

 LATE MODEL (30)

1) Michael Bennett, Willington

2) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma

3) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny

4) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington

5) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs

6) Skip Breunig, Milford

7) Rick Lanagan, III, Broad Brook

8) P.J. Zarrella, Waterbury

9) Michael Wray, Northford

10) Rich Hammann, Tolland

11) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs

12) Scott Cook, Oakdale

13) Stu Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma

14) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma

15) Chase Cook, Oakdale