Fireworks and Confetti again for Late/ Model driver Tom Fearn

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

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, it was a wild start as Kevin Gambacorta went 3 wide and nearly took the lead coming out of turn 2 but it was Al Saunders who emerged as the early leader.  Darrell Keane got out of shape and drove through the grass on the backstretch but was able to keep going and the race stayed green.  Tyler Leary took second with Gambacorta falling back into third after his 3-wide move.  Michael Wray was fourth with Tom Butler quickly working his way up to fifth with Tom Fearn right on his bumper in sixth.  Butler spun on the frontstretch but he kept going and the race stayed under green flag conditions briefly before the caution came out with 5 laps complete as Butler’s car came to a stop in the turn 1 grass.

Saunders took the lead on the restart with Gambacorta and Leary side by side for second. Fearn was in fourth with Paul Arute up to fifth.  Gambacorta took the lead on lap-7 while Fearn moved into second.  Al Saunders fell back to third with Leary sliding back to fourth.  Saunders continued to slide backwards as Leary took third and Arute moved into fourth to drop Leary back to fifth.  Fearn took the lead from Gambacorta on lap-10 and at the halfway point of the race, he was still in front of Gambacorta by a car length with Leary, Arute, Al Saunders, and Keane lined up behind him.

Fearn led Gambacorta to the checkered flag to pick up his sixth consecutive win of the 2018 season and extend his Stafford track record for consecutive Late Model wins.  Leary finished third with Arute and Al Saunders rounding out the top-5.

LATE MODEL (30)

1) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Mass. (6) Consecutive 2018   Note:  Career (60) all-divisions.

2) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington

3) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, Ma (1)

4) Paul Arute, Tolland

5) Al Saunders, Stafford

6) Darrell Keane, Enfield (1) 

7) Michael Wray, Northford  (1)

8) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin

9) Cliff Saunders, Stafford

10) Chase Cook, Oakdale

11) Trace Beyer, Stratton, Vt

12) Mike Mordino, Southington

13) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs

RANK:	DRIVER:	WINS:	FIRST WIN:	LAST WIN:
1	POSOCCO, RYAN	45	5/15/98	8/12/11
2	FEARN, TOM	42	5/14/04

3                       Woody Pitkat                                                        40                                                      5-27-16