STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Stafford Speedway returned to racing on Friday with a Weekly Racing Series program.
David Arute claimed his first SK Modified feature victory of the season while Chris Meyer came up a winner in the late model feature for the second consecutive week.
Tyler Chapman scored his fifth win of the season in the SK Light feature, Kevin Cormier became the ninth different limited late model winner in as many races this season and Travis Hydar notched his third consecutive win and his sixth win of the season in the street stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified event, R.J. Marcotte took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Arute and Steven Chapman wheel-to-wheel for second.
Tyler Hines and Todd Owen were wheel-to-wheel behind Arute and Chapman with Cory DiMatteo working his way into fifth. Arute got clear into second place behind Marcotte with Chapman taking third ahead of Owen with DiMatteo in fifth place as the field clicked off lap five.
George Bessette Jr. took a hard hit into the turn one wall to bring the caution flag out with five laps complete.
Arute powered into the lead on the restart with Marcotte slotting into second.
Chapman made a move to the inside of Marcotte on lap eight to move into second. DiMatteo followed in Chapman’s tire tracks to move by Marcotte on lap nine and take third and drop Marcotte back to fourth place. Owen won the battle with Kopec and he was now in fifth.
With 15 laps complete, Arute was still in the lead with Chapman and DiMatteo right behind him in second and third. Marcotte was still fourth with Marcello Rufrano now in fifth. Andrew Molleur was up to sixth followed by Michael Christopher Jr., Mikey Flynn, Owen and Anthony Flannery.
Ten laps later, the order was virtually the same as Arute was in the lead with Chapman, DiMatteo, Marcotte, Rufrano, Christopher, Molleur, Flynn, Flannery and Michael Gervais Jr. lined up behind him.
Rufrano and Molleur were putting on a whale of a battle fighting for the fifth position with Molleur finally getting the spot on lap 31 after several laps of looking high and low for a way to get by. Christopher took third from DiMatteo on lap 33 while Arute was still leading Chapman.
Christopher caught Chapman with five laps to go and he nearly made a pass for second on lap 37 but Chapman was able to fend off his challenge.
Christopher would take second on lap 39 but he couldn’t get close enough to Arute to make a move as Arute took down his first win of the season.
Christopher finished second with Chapman, Molleur and DiMatteo rounding out the top five.