STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Stafford Speedway hosted the biggest and richest SK Modified race of the season on Friday with the 10th Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k.
Todd Owen came up the big winner of the night by taking the lead from Noah Korner on lap 75 of 80 and leading the rest of the way to take home the $5,000 winner’s check which will balloon to over $7,300 with contingency bonuses from the Gambler’s Challenge and track contingency partners added in.
Troy Talman took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Anthony Flannery Tyler Hines, Jon Puleo, and Noah Korner lined up behind him. Michael Christopher, Jr. was sixth with Todd Owen, Jimmy Blewett, Keith Rocco, and Marcello Rufrano making up the top-10.
Hines made a move to the inside of Flannery on lap eight to move into second. Flannery was able to get in line in third just in front of Puleo. R.J. Marcotte spun in the middle of turns one and two to bring the caution out with 10 laps complete.
Talman took the lead back under green with Puleo and Flannery going wheel to wheel for second and Christopher and Korner wheel to wheel for fourth. Puleo took second on lap 12 with Flannery in third.Ch ristopher and Korner were still side-by-side before Korner finally got clear into fourth on lap 13.
Keith Rocco spun in turn four to bring the caution back out with 14 laps complete.
Talman took the lead on the restart but before a lap could be completed, Christopher spun through the backstretch infield and came back onto the track backwards in turn three to bring the caution flag back out. Blewett was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Christopher.
Talman took the lead again on the restart with Puleo looking to take the lead on lap 15 but settled back into second. Korner was up to third behind the two leaders with Flannery in fourth and Owen and Rufrano wheel-to-wheel for fifth.
Owen took fifth on lap 17 while Korner was working to the inside of Puleo for second and he took the spot. The caution came back out with 21 laps complete for Tyler Leary and Steven Chapman, who came together against the frontstretch wall coming out of turn four and also collected the car of Art Caruso.
Rufrano shot into the lead on the restart with Korner right behind him in second.
Lap 29 saw Flannery take second from Korner while Owen shot up to fourth place as several cars in front of him got loose in turn one. Korner was starting to apply heavy pressure to Rufrano for the lead as they approached the halfway point of the race but Rufrano was able to maintain the lead.
Rufrano led the halfway lap to pick up a $500 bonus from SK Property Maintenance and he led lap 44 to pick up a $200 bonus from Dunleavy’s Truck and Trailer Repair.
As the leaders approached lap 45, it was Rufrano still in command. Korner took the lead from Rufrano on lap 49 and now Rufrano had Owen looking high and low for a way to take second place from him.
Owen was able to finally make a pass for second on lap 56 while Korner continued to hold the race lead.
The caution came out with 72 laps complete for a spin in turn two by Morgan to set up an eight-lap dash to the finish with Korner and Owen on the front row and Rufrano and Flannery in row two.
Korner took the lead with Rufrano nearly taking second before Owen took second from the outside lane. Rufrano settled into third with George Bessette Jr. taking fourth and Jimmy Blewett going wheel-to-wheel with Flannery for fifth place.
Owen took the lead from Korner with a pass in turn four on lap 75 while Blewett got clear into fifth.
Owen led Korner to the checkered flag. Bessette finished third with Blewett and Rufrano rounding out the top-five.
Other feature winners on the night were Michael Wray in the Late Model feature, Bessette in the SK Light feature, Kevin Cormier in the Limited Late Model feature, and Ryan Waterman in the Street Stock feature.
Feature Finish (80 Laps)
1) Todd Owen, Somers, 2) Noah Korner, Avon, 3) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury, 4) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, NJ, 5) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven, 6) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton, 7) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott, 8) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA, 9) Woody Pitkat, Bellingham, MA, 10) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington, 11) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA, 12) Jon Puleo, Branford, 13) Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA, 14) Keith Rocco, Berlin, 15) David Arute, Stafford Springs, 16) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott, 17) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs, 18) Ryan Morgan, North Franklin, 19) Curt Brainard, Canton, 20) Bill Anderson, Wolcott, 21) RJ Marcotte, Millville, MA, 22) John Sandberg, South Windsor, 23) Tyler Hines, North Haven, 24) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA, 25) Steven Chapman, Ellington, 26) Art Caruso, Windsor