![\"Stafford\"](\"http:\/\/maineracer.com\/images\/stafford.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway brought the curtain down on
\nits 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season with its final SK
\nModified\u00ae and Late Model feature events of the year as part of the 39th
\nAnnual CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend. Eric Berndt took the checkered flag in
\nthe 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature for his first Stafford SK Modified\u00ae victory
\nsince Sept. 2006 and Woody Pitkat scored his third consecutive and sixth win
\nof the 2011 season in the 30-lap Late Model feature, but Ryan Posocco
\nclinched the 2011 Late Model track championship with a fifth place finish.
\n
\nThe 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature went green with Michael Gervais, Jr. and
\nChris Matthews dueling side by side for the race lead. Gervais cleared
\nMatthews for the lead on lap-2 and Dan Avery moved into third behind Gervais
\nand Matthews. Tom Bolles took up the fourth position with Todd Owen
\nrounding out the top-5 in the early going. With 7 laps complete, Kirk
\nZervas and Dave Salzarulo spun in turn 4 to bring the caution flag out.
\nGervais took the lead again on the restart, but Matthews\u2019 good run came to a
\npremature end as his car dropped off the pace and he came to pit road.
\nNichole Morgillo spun on the backstretch to bring the caution back out with
\n9 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Gervais was the leader back under green with Todd Owen pulling alongside Dan
\nAvery in a fight for second. Owen took the position and now Eric Berndt was
\nside by side with Avery for third. Owen moved by Gervais to take over the
\nrace lead on lap-12 and his pass brought both Berndt and Ryan Preece with
\nhim by Gervais as Gervais fell from the lead back to fourth place. Avery
\nwas running in fifth behind Gervais with Doug Coby right behind Avery in
\nsixth.<\/p>\n
Owen held the lead until lap-16 when Berndt made a move to the inside of
\nOwen in turn 4 to take over the race lead. Owen was able to settle into
\nsecond just in front of Preece, but John Montesanto spun in the middle of
\nturns 3+4 to bring the caution out with 16 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Berndt took the lead from Owen back under green with Preece and Gervais side
\nby side for third behind Owen. Gervais spun in turn 4 to bring the caution
\nout with 18 laps complete. On the restart, Berndt took the lead with Preece
\nable to get alongside Owen in a fight for second place. Avery was fourth
\nwith Glen Reen and Keith Rocco side by side for fifth place. With 20 laps
\ncomplete, Sean Foster spun in turn 4 and Michael Bennett climbed up and over
\nthe car of Matt Gallo to bring the caution back out.<\/p>\n
Berndt and Preece were locked in a side by side fight for the lead on the
\nrestart with Berndt getting clear of Preece after one lap. Avery was third,
\nwith Rocco taking to the outside of Owen to move into fourth. Morgillo and
\nJeff Baral spun into the turn 1 wall and collected the car of Joe Gada to
\nbring the caution back out with 22 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Berndt and Preece were again locked in a side by side duel for the lead, but
\nAvery and Rocco touched wheels on the backstretch, which sent Rocco spinning
\nand brought the caution back out with 23 laps complete. Avery was sent to
\nthe rear of the field for the contact.<\/p>\n
Berndt and Preece were again side by side for the lead, but Avery and Kurt
\nLenahan spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 24 laps complete.
\nKeith Rocco was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with the
\nLenahan car.
\nBack under green, Berndt and Preece were again side by side for the lead for
\na lap before Berndt was able to get cleared to the lead, but Doug Coby spun
\nin turn 3 and collected the cars of Todd Owen and Sean Foster to bring the
\ncaution back out with 25 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Berndt took the lead back under green with James Civali pulling to the
\ninside of Preece in a duel for second. Just behind Civali and Preece was
\nTed Christopher and Glen Reen in a side by side duel for fourth place.<\/p>\n
Berndt began to pull away from Christopher, who worked his way into second
\nplace. Reen was third, with Tom Bolles and Preece behind him with 9 laps to
\ngo. John Montesanto spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 33 laps
\ncomplete.<\/p>\n
The field quickly settled into single file on the restart with Berndt taking
\nthe lead ahead of Christopher, Reen, Preece, and Bolles. Rocco and Civali
\nwere having a spirited fight for sixth place and Civali was given the black
\nflag and was parked for the remainder of the race for repeated contact with
\nRocco\u2019s bumper. John Jensen spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out
\nwith 36 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Berndt took the lead back under green with Reen and Christopher side by side
\nfor second place. Bolles and Preece were side by side for fourth behind
\nReen and Christopher. Reen was able to move into second behind Preece and
\nChristopher settled into third ahead of Bolles. Berndt led the field around
\nto the checkered flag for his first SK Modified\u00ae victory at Stafford since
\nSeptember 1, 2006. Reen finished second, with Christopher, Bolles, and
\nRocco rounding out the top-5.<\/p>\n
The 30-lap Late Model feature took the green flag with Walt Wosko, Jr.
\ntaking a big lead on the opening lap over Mark St. Hilaire, Jim Peterson,
\nPeter Thickett, and Dillon Moltz. Ryan Posocco pulled to the outside of
\nMoltz and tried to take the spot, but fell back into line in sixth place,
\njust in front of Tom Butler and Woody Pitkat. Tom Fearn spun in turn 2 to
\nbring the caution out with 4 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Back under green, Wosko again was the race leader, but Peterson moved to
\nWosko\u2019s inside and took over the lead on lap-6. Pitkat moved into third
\nbehind Peterson and Wosko, but Moltz came to a stop in turns 3+4 to bring
\nthe caution out.<\/p>\n
Peterson took the lead back under green but Pitkat worked his way to
\nPeterson\u2019s inside and took the lead one lap after the restart. Jim
\nMavlouganes was now up to third, with Mike Quintiliano and Adam Gray behind
\nhim. Corey Hutchings spun with 7 laps complete to bring the caution out.
\nPitkat got the jump on Peterson at the restart, but Peterson came back
\nstrong down the backstretch to move into the lead. Pitkat went back by
\nPeterson the lap after the restart to retake the race lead. Mavlouganes
\nmoved into second behind Pitkat and Quintiliano was also able to get by
\nPeterson as Peterson fell from the lead back to fourth place, just in front
\nof J.J. Hill.<\/p>\n
Pitkat began to stretch out his lead over Quintiliano, who had moved by
\nMavlouganes for second. Hill was fourth behind Mavlouganes, with Peterson
\nnow in fifth. Joe Rzeszutek came to a stop in the middle of turns 3+4 to
\nbring the caution back out with 14 laps complete.<\/p>\n
Pitkat took the lead back under green and immediately put several car
\nlengths between himself and Mavlouganes in second. Jim Peterson made hard
\ncontact with the turn 3 wall to bring the caution back out with 16 laps
\ncomplete. Adam Gray spun in turn 3 on the restart, but the field was able
\nto complete one lap before the caution came back out.<\/p>\n
On the restart, Moltz looked to make it three wide for the lead with Pitkat
\nand Mavlouganes, but he backed out and settled into line in second behind
\nPitkat. Hill and Rick Charette spun in turn 3 to bring the caution back out
\nwith 18 laps complete. Tom Fearn was parked for the remainder of the race
\nfor contact with the two cars.<\/p>\n
Pitkat took the lead back under green with St. Hilaire taking second. Moltz
\nfell back a spot to third, with Patrick Townsend in fourth, just ahead of
\nQuintiliano and Posocco. Posocco got around Quintiliano for fifth place on
\nlap-23 to take over fifth place.<\/p>\n
Pitkat led the field around to the checkered flag for his third consecutive
\nLate Model feature victory. St. Hilaire finished second, with Moltz,
\nTownsend, and Posocco rounding out the top-5. Posocco\u2019s fifth place finish
\nwas enough to clinch his sixth career Late Model track championship at
\nStafford Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n
For 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###
\nSK MODIFIED\u00ae (40)
\n1) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
\n2) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
\n3) Ted Christopher, Plainville
\n4) Tom Bolles, Ellington
\n5) Keith Rocco, Meriden
\n6) Ryan Preece, Berlin
\n7) Danny Cates, Chaplin
\n8) Dan Avery, Somers
\n9) Curt Brainard, Canton
\n10) Matt Galko, Meriden
\n11) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
\n12) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
\n13) Doug Coby, Middletown
\n14) Kirk Zervas, Winthrop, Ma
\n15) Joe Gada, Salem
\n16) John Montesanto, North Branford
\n17) Adam Skowyra, Brimfield, Ma
\n18) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
\n19) James Civali, Meriden
\n20) John Jensen, Wolcott
\n21) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n22) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford
\n23) Chris Matthews, Stafford
\n24) Sean Foster, Willington
\n25) Todd Owen, Somers
\n26) Jeff Baral, Enfield
\n27) Matt Gallo, Kensington
\n28) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
\n29) Mike King, Agawam, Ma
\n30) Heather DesRochers, Granby, Ma
\n31) Bob Parker, Jr., Southbury
\n32) David Salzarulo, Monson, Ma<\/p>\n
LATE MODEL (30)
\n1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n2) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
\n3) Dillon Moltz, Waterford
\n4) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
\n5) Ryan Posocco, Stafford Springs
\n6) Mike Quintiliano, Shelton
\n7) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
\n8) Walt Wosko, Jr., West Suffield
\n9) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
\n10) Peter Thickett, Watertown
\n11) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
\n12) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
\n13) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
\n14) Rick Charette, Vernon
\n15) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
\n16) Sean Foster, Willington
\n17) John Pysher, Brimfield, Ma
\n18) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
\n19) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma
\n20) Tim Fogg, Stafford Springs
\n21) Corey Hutchings, Salem<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway brought the curtain down on its 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season with its final SK Modified\u00ae and Late Model feature events of the year as part of the 39th Annual CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend. Eric Berndt took the checkered flag in the 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature for his first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[196,197],"tags":[72],"class_list":["post-8180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-connecticut","category-stafford-connecticut","tag-stafford"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8180","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=8180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8180\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}