Posted by Wayne G. Barber
In the 50-lap Xtra Mart Xtra D Late Model feature event, Kyle Casagrande took the early race lead with his brother Cory right behind him in second. Ed Ricard was third, with Tom Butler fourth and last week’s feature winner Josh Wood was up to fifth in the early running.
Ricard slipped up the track and he fell back several spots back to seventh as the order was now Kyle and Cory Casagrande out front and they were followed in line by Butler, Wood, Adam Gray, and Kevin Gambacorta. Kyle Casagrande had disaster strike on lap-15 as his car was all of a sudden off the pace and he slipped back to seventh. Cory Casagrande was the new race leader with Butler, Wood, Gray, Gambacorta, Michael Scorzelli, and Keith Rocco substituting for Tom Fearn, lined up behind him.
The order at the front changed on lap-21 as Wood moved to second and Gray was on the inside of Butler for third as Cory Casagrande continued to lead the race. Gray took third on lap-22 and the top-8 cars of Cory Casagrande, Wood, Gray, Butler, Gambacorta, Scorzelli, Rocco, and Michael Bennett were beginning to tighten up to one another after stringing out early in the race.
Disaster struck Cory Casagrande with 34 laps complete as he spun from the lead in turn 2 after contact with Wood to bring the caution out. Wood was given a penalty by NASCAR Officials that put him to the rear of the field, putting Gray and Butler on the front row for the restart.
Gray streaked into the lead with Gambacorta moving up to second. Bennett was third with Jim Mavlouganes fourth and Butler was back to fifth. Gray pulled out to a 1 second lead over Bennett with 6 laps to go as Mavlouganes, Butler, and Scorzelli made up the top-5. Scott Cook brought the caution out with 48 laps complete as he slid up the track and into the turn 1 wall.
Gray took the lead on the restart, but Cory Casagrande and Wood spun in turn 3 to bring the caution back out.
Gray took the lead at the green, but Bennett got a great run heading into turn 3 and he powered his way by Gray to take the lead coming to the white flag. Gray came back strong on the last lap and got to Bennett’s inside as they came out of turn 4. It was a drag race to the checkered flag and Bennett beat Gray to the line by the length of his nose in a thrilling finish that had the fans in attendance on their feet. Mavlouganes finished third with Butler and Scorzelli rounding out the top-5.
LATE MODEL (50)
1) Michael Bennett, Willington
2) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
3) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
4) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
5) Michael Scorzelli, Feura Bush, Ny
6) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
7) Rick Lanagan, Iii, Broad Brook
8) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
9) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
10) Keith Rocco, Berlin
11) P.J. Zarrella, Waterbury
12) Michael Wray, Northford
13) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
14) Scott Cook, Oakdale
15) Vin Esposito, Waterbury
16) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
17) Stu Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
18) Chase Cook, Oakdale
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