STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Stafford Speedway hosted First Responder Friday on September 9 with the TC 13 Shootout joining Stafford’s five weekly divisions in feature action.
The SK Modified division ran their regularly scheduled 40-lap feature as well as the 3rd Annual TC 13 Shootout — a 13-lap race contested between the top 13 finishers from the 40-lap feature. Michael Christopher, Jr. won the TC 13 Shoot Out while Jon Puleo was a first time career winner in the SK Modified feature.
Andrew Durand was another first time career winner in the late model feature, Derek Debbis scored his third win of the season in the SK Light feature, Matt Clement led his brother Jay to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of the season and Bobby Stirk, III picked up his fifth win of the season in the street stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified feature event, Christopher took the lead at the start with Tyler Leary in second. Marcello Rufrano was third in line, but he took second from Leary on lap three. Rufrano continued his charge to the front as he took the lead from Christopher on lap four.
Behind the two leaders, Michael Gervais, Jr. was third in line with Leary back to fourth and Bryan Narducci in fifth. The caution came out with 11 laps complete as Anthony Bello spun coming out of turn four with a flat tire.
Noah Korner brought the caution right back out on the restart with a spin in turn two. Rufrano took the lead on the restart with Gervais and Christopher wheel-to-wheel for second. DiMatteo and Leary were in a tight battle for fourth place behind them.
DiMatteo took fourth on lap 14 with Narducci taking fifth, dropping Leary back to sixth while Gervais and Christopher were still side-by-side, giving chase to Rufrano. Gervais and Christopher touched wheels coming out of turn four on lap 15 with Gervais spinning and collecting several cars.
The next restart saw DiMatteo and Rufrano touch tires going into turn three, with Rufrano spinning to the infield and DiMatteo spinning backwards into the turn three wall to bring the caution back out. This put Leary and Molleur on the front row with Owen and Dylan Kopec in the second row for the next restart.
Owen took a three-wide look for a second but backed out of the move on the restart as Leary took the lead with Molleur and Owen behind him. Jon Puleo was up to fourth and Kopec was fifth in line. The caution came back out with 19 laps complete for a spin in turn four by DiMatteo.
Leary took the lead back under green with Molleur, Owen, Puleo and Arute lined up behind him. Molleur took the lead from Leary on the restart from the high groove. After working the inside line against Molleur for the last 10 laps, Leary pulled alongside Molleur on lap 35, but Molleur was able to fend off Leary’s challenge.
Leary again got to the inside of Molleur on lap 37 and took the lead, but his good night came to an end as they raced into turn one and Leary was sent into a spin.
Puleo took the lead from Molleur on the restart with Owen in third, Arute in fourth, and Christopher in fifth. Molleur couldn’t get back close enough to Puleo to make a move as Puleo took down his first career SK Modified feature victory.
In NAPA Victory Lane, Puleo drew the number 5 to invert the top-5 finisher for the TC 13 Shoot Out.
In the 13-lap TC Shootout, Christopher and Arute went wheel-to-wheel for the lead with Owen third, Narducci fourth and Rufrano fifth. Arute was able to clear Christopher on lap four while Narducci came up to second before getting loose in turn two, which collected Talman and brought the caution out with four laps complete.
Arute and Christopher resumed their side by side duel for the lead on the restart with Arute getting clear into the lead on lap seven. Christopher settled into second with Molleur third, Korner fourth, Puleo fifth, and Kopec sixth.
Christopher was able to get a run to the inside of Arute on lap 10 with Christopher taking the lead and Arute sliding back to fourth. Korner moved into second with Molleur in third.
Korner made a final bid for the lead coming off of turn four to the inside of Christopher, but he came up just a half car length short as Christopher won the TC 13 Shoot Out.
Molleur finished third with Arute and Kopec rounding out the top five.