STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Stafford Speedway returned to weekly racing action with the late model division taking center stage with their extra distance Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50 feature event on Friday night.
Alexandra Fearn was the big winner of the night by surviving several green-white-checkered attempts to finish the race and hold off Adam Gray and then Darrell Keane to score her first win of the season.Â
Andrew Molleur was a first time 2024 winner in the SK Modified feature, Tyler Chapman won for the seventh time this season in the SK Light feature, Devon Jencik won for the second time in the Limited Late Model feature and Travis Downey recorded his third win in the Street Stock feature.
In the 50-lap Late Model feature, Fearn took the lead at the start with Chris Buffone right behind her in second and looking to take the lead. Tom Fearn was third in the early laps with Darrell Keane fourth and Wayne Coury Jr. in fifth. The caution came out with 12 laps complete as Bobby Stirk III’s car came to a stop on the track at the entrance to turn three.
Alexandra Fearn took the lead on the restart with Buffone holding second. Tom Fearn was dueling door-to-door with Keane for third with Gray up to fifth. Tom Fearn cleared Keane for third and Keane slid back to sixth place as Adam Gray took fourth and Tom Butler took fifth while Alexandra Fearn continued to lead Buffone. Gray took third from Tom Fearn on lap 19 and he took second from Chris Buffone on lap 27.Â
Tom Fearn spun on the backstretch as did several other cars, including Butler, Kevin Gambacorta and Paul Varricchio to bring the caution flag out with 37 laps complete.
Gray took the lead on the restart with Alexandra Fearn slotting into second behind Gray. Keane was up to third with Buffone back to fourth. With five laps to go it was still Gray in command with Alexandra Fearn, Keane, Chris Meyer behind. The caution came out with 49 laps complete for a spin in turn two by Varricchio that set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Gray and Alexandra Fearn went door-to-door for the lead with Fearn taking the lead by a nose as the cars took the white flag. Butler backed into the turn four wall to bring the caution flag back out to set up a second green-white-checkered finish.
Alexandra Fearn took the lead on the restart wit Keane taking second. Gray was third but he faded backwards on the last lap while Fearn held off Keane at the checkered flag to win the Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50.Â