Rocco takes down 3rd Win in Sk Mod action at Stafford Speedway Ct.

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber 

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Matt Vassar took the early lead with Brian Narducci behind him in second.  Tony Membrino, Jr. and Marcello Rufrano were side by side for third and Keith Rocco and Ronnie Williams were side by side for fifth.  Rocco went by Rufrano for fourth on lap-6 and Williams followed him by as Rufrano dropped back to sixth.  The positions continued to shuffle as Rocco took third on lap-8 and Chase Dowling was up to fourth behind him and Narducci was fifth as Vassar and Membrino were setting the pace out front.

Membrino made a move to the inside of Vassar to take the lead on lap-11 and Rocco followed him by Vassar to move into second.  Dowling was now side by side with Vassar for third with Narducci in fifth and Williams in sixth.  Rocco took the lead from Membrino on lap-13 and the caution came out with 13 laps complete as Todd Owen got out of shape and got into the turn 3 wall.

Rocco took the lead on the restart while Dowling shot to the inside of Membrino to take second.  Vassar held off a challenge from Narducci to keep third with Membrino in fourth and Narducci back to fifth.  At the completion on lap-16, Dowling was glued to Rocco’s back bumper and he made the move to take the lead from Rocco one lap later.  A multi-car incident in turn 1 involving Narducci, Leary, Andrew Molleur, Cory DiMatteo, Tom Bolles, Jonathan Smith, David Arute, Michael Christopher, Jr.,  and John Catania brought the caution out with 17 laps complete.

Rocco took the lead on the restart with Dowling and Rufrano side by side for second.  Membrino and Stephen Kopcik were side by side for fourth behind them and with 21 laps complete the order shuffled back to single file with Rocco leading Dowling, Rufrano, Kopcik, Membrino, Michael Gervais, Jr., and Williams.  Rufrano’s car got out of shape coming out of turn 4 on lap-23 but he perfectly drifted his car through the corner and rejoined the field in 17^th place. 

With 10 laps to go, Dowling was hounding Rocco for the lead with Kopcik, Gervais, and Williams making up the top-5.  Dowling made a run to the inside of Rocco on lap-31 and the two cars touched and got sideways coming out of turn 4 on lap-32 but they stayed straight and continued fighting for the lead.  Dowling stayed glued to Rocco’s back bumper over the final 5 laps but he couldn’t get close enough to make a move as Rocco scored his third win of the 2020 season.  Kopcik finished third with Williams and Gervais rounding out the top-5. Source: Scott Running Media Press Release. 

SK MODIFIED® (40)

1) Keith Rocco, Berlin

2) Chase Dowling, Roxbury

3) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown

4) Ronnie Williams, Tolland

5) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott

6) Tony Membrino, Jr., Wolcott

7) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA

8) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury

9) Matt Vassar, Plantsville

10) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott

11) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA

12) Jeff Malave, Manchester

13) Tyler Hines, North Haven

14) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven

15) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA

16) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA

17) Andrew Molleur, Shelton

18) Thomas Bolles, Ellington

19) Todd Patnode, Swanzey, NH

20) Jonathan Smith, Trumbull

21) Bryan Narducci, Colchester

22) Todd Owen, Somers

23) Cory Dimatteo, Farmington

24) David Arute, Stafford Springs

25) John Catania, Agawam, MA

26) Darin Renihan, Woodbury