{"id":2352,"date":"2010-05-22T06:03:26","date_gmt":"2010-05-22T11:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/?p=9076"},"modified":"2010-05-22T06:03:26","modified_gmt":"2010-05-22T11:03:26","slug":"rocco-hutchings-galko-nocera-wood-score-may-21st-whelen-event-night-nascar-day-feature-victories-at-stafford-speedway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/2010\/05\/rocco-hutchings-galko-nocera-wood-score-may-21st-whelen-event-night-nascar-day-feature-victories-at-stafford-speedway\/","title":{"rendered":"ROCCO, HUTCHINGS, GALKO, NOCERA, & WOOD SCORE MAY 21st WHELEN EVENT NIGHT \/ NASCAR DAY FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY"},"content":{"rendered":"

ROCCO, HUTCHINGS, GALKO, NOCERA, & WOOD SCORE MAY 21st WHELEN EVENT NIGHT \/ NASCAR DAY FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway was back in action on a
\nFriday, May 21st celebrating NASCAR Day with a Whelen Event Night race
\nprogram consisting of five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions.
\nKeith Rocco picked up his second win of 2010 in the 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae
\nfeature, Corey Hutchings took down his first victory of 2010 in the 30-lap
\nLate Model feature, Matt Galko was a first-time career winner in the 20-lap
\nSK Light Modified feature, George Nocera took down his first win of 2010 in
\nthe 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Don Wood scored his second
\nvictory of the 2010 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
\nIn the 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature event, the caution came out at the start
\nfor a multi-car spin involving Woody Pitkat, Jeff Malave, and Adam Skowyra.
\nBrad Hietala took the lead back under green with Mark Bakaj, Tom Bolles,
\nJeff Baral, and Zach Sylvester behind him. The caution came back out with 3
\nlaps complete for a spin by Chris Jones and Nichole Morgillo in turn 4.
\nBakaj hung tough in the outside groove and powered his way by Hietala to
\ntake over the race lead on the restart. Baral followed Bakaj to the outside
\nof Hietala with Keith Rocco, Bolles, and Ted Christopher behind them.
\nHietala went around in turn 2 with 6 laps complete to bring the caution back
\nout. The field completed one lap back under green before the caution came
\nback out for Morgillo and Skowyra, who came together and got into the
\nfrontstretch wall.
\nRocco moved to the inside of Bakaj for the lead on the restart to take over
\nthe race lead, but the field was only able to complete one more lap before
\nthe caution came back out again for spins by Frank Ruocco, Matt Gallo, and
\nJoe Allegro, Jr. to slow the field once again with 9 laps complete.
\nRocco again took command on the restart with Bakaj, Baral, Sylvester, and
\nBolles behind him. Rocco began to stretch out his lead while Baral was all
\nover the back of Bakaj for second with Sylvester behind Baral. Baral was
\nworking Bakaj over for the position, but he couldn\u2019t get the pass completed.
\nRocco was leading comfortably until the caution came back out with 18 laps
\ncomplete as Josh Sylvester spun in turn 4 and collected the cars of Brad
\nHietala and Joe Allegro, Jr.
\nRocco took the lead again on the restart, with Baral finally making a pass
\non Bakaj after he couldn\u2019t get by him on the previous green flag run.
\nSylvester was third, with Bolles and Curt Brainard making up the top-5.
\nWith 20 laps complete, the caution came back out for Brit Andersen, who spun
\nin turn 3 and collected 7 cars in a pileup. The race was red flagged so the
\ncars could be removed from the track.
\nOn the restart, Morgillo and Ruocco went around in turn 3, but as they got
\nmoving the caution came back out for Bolles, who came to a stop in turn 2.
\nRocco took the lead back under green with Bakaj and Baral side by side for
\nsecond. They rode side by side for a lap before Baral was able to get
\nclear. Brainard settled into fourth behind Bakaj and Sylvester was locked
\nin a duel with Pitkat for fifth place. The action was slowed again for a
\nspin by Skowyra with 25 laps complete.
\nRocco and Baral again occupied the top two positions back under green with
\nBakaj third. Sylvester moved by Brainard to take over fourth and Dan Avery
\nfollowed Sylvester by Brainard to take over fifth. Rocco was beginning to
\nstretch out his lead, but the field was slowed with 29 laps complete by the
\ncaution flag for a spin by Eric Berndt in turn 4 that collected several
\nother cars including Ted Christopher and Josh Sylvester.
\nRocco took the lead back under green with Baral in second. Sylvester was
\nthird, with Bakaj and Avery making up the top-5. The top-5 ran in line
\nuntil the action was slowed by the caution with 37 laps complete for Frank
\nRuocco, who had a flat right rear tire that sent him through the turn 4
\ninfield and set up a three lap sprint to the finish.
\n Rocco powered into the lead with Sylvester getting to the inside of Baral
\nfor second. Ryan Preece was now in the mix for second. Rocco led the final
\nthree laps to take down his second SK Modified\u00ae feature victory of the 2010
\nseason. Sylvester finished second, with Preece, Brainard, and Bakaj
\nrounding out the top-5.
\nIn the 30-lap Late Model feature event, a multi-car incident in turn 1
\ninvolved the cars of Jim Mavlouganes, Ed Ricard, and Dave Wray and brought
\nthe caution out at the start of the race. Alan Provost led the field to the
\ngreen and he took the early race lead ahead of Jim Peterson. Provost\u2019s time
\nat the front was short-lived however as Peterson moved to the front on
\nlap-3. Provost fell back to second, with Michael Bennett, Corey Hutchings,
\nand Dillon Moltz making up the top-5.
\nWoody Pitkat got by Moltz for fifth on lap-5 and he followed Hutchings by
\nBennett on lap-6. Moltz would also get by Bennett to drop him from third to
\nsixth. Tony Lafo lost fluid from his car with 7 laps complete to bring the
\ncaution out and slow the field.
\nPeterson charged into the lead on the restart while Hutchings and Bennett
\nsettled into second and third. Pitkat didn\u2019t come up to speed and he fell
\nback to the rear of the field. Moltz was fourth, with Keith Rocco moving
\ninto the fifth position. The caution came back out with 10 laps complete
\nfor a spin by J.J. Hill in turn 4. The caution came back out on the restart
\nas the car of Hill put fluid down on the track.
\nOn the restart, Hutchings blasted his way past Peterson to take over the
\nrace lead, but the caution came back out with 11 laps complete for a spin by
\nEd Ricard. Hutchings took the lead on the restart with Bennett and Moltz
\nbehind him. Peterson fell back to fourth and Rocco was fifth, but the
\ncaution came out one lap later for a spin by Ryan Posocco.
\nRicard and John Kasper spun on the restart, but were able to get going and
\nthe race stayed green. Hutchings was still the race leader, with Moltz
\nmoving into second. Peterson settled into third, with Bennett fourth and
\nPitkat was back up to fifth after falling to the rear of the field earlier
\nin the race.
\nThe top-5 ran in line until lap-19 when Pitkat moved by Bennett for fourth
\nplace. Hutchings and Moltz were nose to tail at the front of the pack and
\npulling away from Peterson and Pitkat. Moltz was able to get to Hutchings\u2019
\nbumper, but was unable to get by as Hutchings recorded his first feature
\nvictory of the 2010 season. Rounding out the top-5 behind Hutchings and
\nMoltz was Pitkat, Peterson, and Bennett.
\nIn the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Zach Aszklar led the field to
\nthe green and he led the first two laps of the race, but he would lose the
\nlead to Lauren Cooper on lap-3. Matt Galko moved into second behind Cooper,
\nwith Tommy Barrett, Jr., Frank Cardile, and Chad Trombley all moving by
\nAszklar over the next several laps.
\nCooper held the lead until lap-10 when she spun in turn 4. Cooper\u2019s spin
\ncollected the cars of Joey Cipriano, Earl Pelletier, and Erica Santos and
\nbrought the caution flag out.
\nGalko powered into the lead on the restart with Cardile moving into second.
\nBarrett quickly pulled alongside Cardile and took over the position.
\nTrombley followed suit several laps later as he also moved by Cardile with
\nHeather DesRochers running fifth.
\nBarrett quickly ran Galko down and began to apply heavy pressure to Galko\u2019s
\nbumper with 5 laps to go. As Galko and Barrett dueled for the lead,
\nTrombley was closing in on the top-2, but Barrett went around in turn 1 with
\n17 laps complete to bring the caution back out.
\nGalko powered into the lead on the restart, with Cardile and Trombley locked
\nin a side by side duel for second. Cardile would get the spot after two
\nlaps of side by side racing, while John Hanafin was fourth and DesRochers
\nwas fifth. Ted Cain spun with 19 laps complete to set up a
\ngreen-white-checkered restart.
\nGalko and Cardile were side by side for the lead on the restart with
\nTrombley and Hanafin side by side for third. Trombley moved ahead of
\nHanafin while Galko was able to get clear of Cardile on the final lap.
\nGalko led the train around to the checkered flag to pick up his first career
\nSK Light Modified feature victory. Cardile held Trombley off for second
\nplace by a nose, with Hanafin and David Webb rounding out the top-5.
\nIn the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Carla Botticello led the
\nfield to the green and she led the first two laps of the race before George
\nNocera, Jr. powered his way into the lead on lap-3. Duane Provost was
\nthird, but he pulled out of line and slowly began to fade to the rear of the
\npack, moving Jesse Hinze up to third place. Michael Wray was fourth and
\nKevin Gambacorta was fifth.
\nGambacorta moved by Wray for fourth on lap-7 and he moved by Hinze to take
\nover third place on lap-10. Andrew Durand and Dan Flannery followed
\nGambacorta by Hinze to drop him back to sixth place. Nocera had begun to
\nstretch out his advantage over Botticello while Gambacorta was trying to run
\ndown Botticello for second place. Nocera had a very strong car and he led
\nthe rest of the way to pick up his first victory of the 2010 season.
\nBotticello held Gambacorta off for second, while Flannery and Shawn
\nThibeault rounded out the top-5.
\nIn the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Josh Wood moved to the outside of
\nNick Salva at the drop of the green flag to pace the field. Wood would lose
\nthe lead on lap-2 as he spun in turn 2, but was able to get going and the
\nrace stayed under green. Salva took over the top spot, but he found
\nmisfortune as well on lap-3 as hi scar dropped off the pace, handing the
\nlead over to Don Wood. Donald Cook settled into second, with Albert
\nSaunders, Stephanie Berardi, and Cory Casagrande making up the top-5 in the
\nearly laps.
\nSaunders would move by Cook for second, but at the front, Wood was
\nstretching out his lead lap by lap. But his margin was erased by the yellow
\nflag with 8 laps complete for a spin by Josh Wood.
\nWood assumed the lead back under green, but the caution would come back out
\nfor spins by Nick Salva, Stephanie Berardi, and Kaitlyn Brice. Wood again
\ntook the lead back under green, with Saunders behind him. Cory Casagrande
\nwas now up to third place, with Jeff Jolly and Stephen Daddio behind him.
\nCasagrande and Saunders got together and slid up the track, which allowed
\nJeff Jolly to pass them both to move from fourth to second behind Wood.
\nSaunders settled into third, but Casagrande fall back through the field.
\nWood powered away from Jolly over the final laps to take down his second
\nfeature victory of the 2010 season. Jolly finished second, with Albert
\nSaunders, Tony Membrino, Jr., and Kyle Casagrande rounding out the top-5.
\nFor more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
\n(860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
\n###<\/p>\n

SK MODIFIED\u00ae (40)
\n1) Keith Rocco, Meriden
\n2) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon
\n3) Ryan Preece, Berlin
\n4) Curt Brainard, Canton
\n5) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon
\n6) Dan Avery, Somers
\n7) Chris Jones, New Milford
\n8) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n9) Jeff Baral, Enfield
\n10) Brit Andersen, Branford
\n11) Sean Foster, Ellington
\n12) Chris Jensen, Wolcott
\n13) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
\n14) Matt Gallo, Kensington
\n15) Josh Sylvester, Lebanon
\n16) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
\n17) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
\n18) Tom Bolles, Ellington
\n19) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
\n20) Ted Christopher, Plainville
\n21) Todd Owen, Somers
\n22) Raymond Grassetti, Monson, Ma
\n23) Joe Allegro, Jr., Vernon
\n24) Brad Hietala, Ellington
\n25) Jeff Malave, Manchester<\/p>\n

LATE MODEL (30)
\n1) Corey Hutchings, Salem
\n2) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
\n3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n4) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
\n5) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
\n6) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
\n7) Keith Rocco, Meriden
\n8) Scott Cook, Uncasville
\n9) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
\n10) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
\n11) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
\n12) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
\n13) Tony Lafo, Higganum
\n14) Doug Blowers, Jr., Newton Highlands, Ma
\n15) Alan Provost, Monson, Ma
\n16) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
\n17) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
\n18) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
\n19) John Kasper, Wilbraham, Ma
\n20) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
\n21) Dave Wray, Meriden<\/p>\n

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
\n1) Matt Galko, Meriden
\n2) Frank Cardile, Bolton
\n3) Chad Trombley, Bethany
\n4) John Hanafin, Quincy, Ma
\n5) David Webb, New Milford
\n6) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
\n7) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
\n8) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
\n9) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
\n10) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
\n11) Shayne Prucker, Stafford Springs
\n12) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
\n13) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
\n14) Tommy Barrett Jr., Millis, Ma
\n15) Stephen Greer, Harwinton
\n16) Ted Cain, Plymouth
\n17) Victoria Bergenty, Plainville
\n18) Josh White, Ellington
\n19) Rick Williams, Haddam
\n20) Rick Burwood, Enfield
\n21) Lauren Cooper, Southbury
\n22) Earl Pelletier, Wolcott
\n23) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
\n24) Erica Santos, Franklin, Ma
\n25) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury<\/p>\n

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
\n1) George Nocera, Jr., Plainville
\n2) Carla Botticello, Manchester
\n3) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
\n4) Dan Flannery, Ellington
\n5) Shawn Thibeault, Plainville
\n6) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, Ma
\n7) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
\n8) Michael Wray, Northford
\n9) Rob Dow, Stafford Springs
\n10) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
\n11) Keith Minchella, Springfield, Ma
\n12) Chris Cook, Pepperell, Ma
\n13) Dave Yardley, III, Meriden
\n14) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
\n15) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin<\/p>\n

DARE STOCK (15)
\n1) Don Wood, Palmer, Ma
\n2) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
\n3) Albert Saunders, Stafford
\n4) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
\n5) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
\n6) Stephen Daddio, Seymour
\n7) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
\n8) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
\n9) Nick Salva, Prospect
\n10) Andrew Hayes, Enfield
\n11) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
\n12) Donovin Secore, Vernon
\n13) Donald Cook, Agawam, Ma
\n14) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
\n15) Ky Jensen, Stafford Springs
\n16) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
\n17) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
\n18) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
\n19) James Carroll, West Hartford<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ROCCO, HUTCHINGS, GALKO, NOCERA, & WOOD SCORE MAY 21st WHELEN EVENT NIGHT \/ NASCAR DAY FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY (Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway was back in action on a Friday, May 21st celebrating NASCAR Day with a Whelen Event Night race program consisting of five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. Keith Rocco picked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[196,126,197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-connecticut","category-new-england","category-stafford-connecticut"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2352\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}