STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – Stafford Speedway hosted weekly racing action on Friday night, with all five of its divisions in feature action.
Stephen Kopcik used a mid-race charge to the front of the field to come away with his first SK Modified victory of the 2020 season in the headline event.
In the 40-lap SK Modified feature, there was a pileup of cars in turn one at the start involving the cars of Dan Avery, Tyler Leary, Glen Reen, Jonathan Smith, PJ Peters, and John Catania to bring the caution out before a lap could be completed.
The second start saw another pileup of cars in turn three that involved several cars including Keith Rocco, Marcello Rufrano, Teddy Hodgdon, Jeff Malave, and several others.
The third start saw Tony Membrino Jr. take the early lead with David Arute right behind him in second. Michael Gervais Jr. was third followed by Michael Christopher Jr. and a side by side duel for fifth between Andrew Molleur and Matt Vassar.
Christopher got around Gervais for third on lap five while Stephen Kopcik and Todd Owen were both challenging Vassar for fifth place. Arute made a move to the inside of Membrino on lap-8 but Membrino was able to hold him off.
Arute and Christopher were now side by side for second with Gervais, Kopcik and Owen lined up behind them. Christopher got clear into second place on lap 11 and Gervais took third from Arute on lap 12.
Kopcik took fourth from Arute on lap 13 and Owen took fifth to drop Arute back to sixth in line. Kopcik was charging his way towards the front as he took second on lap 17 and then took the lead on lap 18.
Christopher took second from Membrino on lap 19 with Owen now in fourth, Gervais fifth, and Arute sixth. Malave, Rufrano, and Smith all spun in turn four to bring the caution back out with 23 laps complete.
Kopcik took the lead on the restart with Christopher in second. Owen was third followed by Membrino, Gervais, Arute, Molleur, and Rocco, who had recovered from his misfortune at the start of the race.
With 10 laps to go it was still Kopcik in command followed by Owen, Christopher, Gervais, Membrino, Arute, Rocco, Molleur, Vassar, and Hodgdon.
Kopcik cruised to his first win of the 2020 season from there, with Owen, Christopher, Gervais, and Membrino rounding out the top five.
In other action, Wayne Coury Jr. picked up his second late model win of 2020, Alexander Pearl won his second consecutive and fourth overall race of 2020 in the SK Light feature, Matt Clement scored his first win of the 2020 season in the limited late model feature, and Meghan Fuller notched her second consecutive and third overall feature win of 2020 in the street stock feature.