STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – Marcello Rufrano stormed from the 24th starting position to win the third edition of the Bud Light Open Modified 80 on Saturday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Rufrano had to work hard for the victory, first making his way into the feature through the consi, where he started 24th in the 26-car field.
The Bud Light Open 80 took the green flag with Chase Dowling taking the early lead from pole. Joey Cipriano slotted into second with Michael Gervais, Jr. third, Craig Lutz fourth, and Anthony Nocella in fifth. Lutz took third from Gervais on lap three while Matt Galko moved into sixth just behind Nocella as Dowling and Cipriano continued to pace the field.
With 15 laps complete Dowling was still in command with Cipriano, Lutz, Gervais, and Nocella making up the top-five. Eric Goodale was up to sixth with Galko, Charlie Pasteryak, Ronnie Williams and Dave Etheridge making up the bottom half of the top-10.
With 30 laps complete the order at the front of the field remained unchanged with Dowling setting the pace followed by Cipriano, Lutz, Gervais, and Nocella. Goodale was still sixth with Galko, Williams, Etheridge, and Pasteryak making up the top-10.
At the halfway point of the race, Dowling began to encounter lapped traffic, but it wasn’t slowing him down. The caution came out with 41 laps complete for a spin in turn two by Tommy Barrett Jr. Under the caution Etheridge, Carl Medeiros Jr., and Ryan Doucette all came to pit road before it was open to change tires. One lap later the entire field except for Dana DiMatteo and Timmy Catalano came to pit road for a tire change. Dowling won the race off pit road followed by Goodale, Lutz, Nocella, Gervais, Tommy Catalano, Williams, Cam McDermott, Pasteryak and Jon McKennedy.
On the restart Dowling powered his way by Timmy Catalano to retake the lead. Lutz followed him by Catalano to move into second with Goodale third, Gervais fourth and Williams fifth. Tommy Catalano took sixth with Timmy Catalano falling back to seventh with Nocella, McDermott, and Pasteryak behind him. Timmy Catalano took a hard hit into the turn two wall to bring the caution out with 46 laps complete.
Lutz went side by side with Dowling for three laps after the restart for the lead before falling back into second place. Goodale was third followed by Gervais, Tommy Catalano, Williams, McDermott, McKennedy, Andrew Molleur, and Nocella.
With 15 laps to go, Dowling was still in command of the race with Lutz, Goodale, Gervais, Williams, McDermott, McKennedy, Molleur, Cipriano, and Marcello Rufrano giving chase. The caution came out with 72 laps complete for a spin in the middle of turns three and four by Tommy Catalano, setting up an eight-lap dash to the finish.
McKennedy and Williams spun in turn two to bring the caution right back out. Dowling took the lead on the restart with Lutz and Goodale locked in a duel for second. Rufrano charged up to fourth and took third from Goodale before the caution came back out with 73 laps complete for a spin by Kevin Iannarelli.
Dowling took the lead back under green with Rufrano taking second. Cipriano was third in line followed by Goodale, DiMatteo, Galko, Nocella, and McDermott. Rufrano was closing in on Dowling’s back bumper when the caution came back out with 76 laps complete for spins on the backstretch by McDermott and Pasteryak.
Rufrano charged by Dowling on the restart to take over the lead. Cipriano came up to second with Dowling sliding back to third before the caution came back out with 78 laps complete for spins by Pasteryak and Dan Meservey Jr.
Rufrano took the lead with Dowling and Cipriano side by side for second. Dowling cleared Cipriano coming to the white flag but he couldn’t catch Rufrano as Rufrano won his very first Tour type Modified feature event. Cipriano finished third with Goodale and Lutz rounding out the top-five.
In weekly racing action, Jon Puleo won the SK Light Modified feature and Zack Robinson won the Street Stock feature.