{"id":9701,"date":"2012-05-15T07:24:10","date_gmt":"2012-05-15T11:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/?p=9701"},"modified":"2012-05-15T07:24:10","modified_gmt":"2012-05-15T11:24:10","slug":"hill-wins-xtra-mart-late-model-xtra-d-feature-at-stafford-berndt-kopec-wood-saunders-also-score-feature-wins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/hill-wins-xtra-mart-late-model-xtra-d-feature-at-stafford-berndt-kopec-wood-saunders-also-score-feature-wins\/","title":{"rendered":"HILL WINS XTRA MART LATE MODEL XTRA D FEATURE AT STAFFORD; BERNDT, KOPEC, WOOD, & SAUNDERS ALSO SCORE FEATURE WINS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Stafford\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway was back on track with the Xtra
\nMart Late Model Xtra D program on Friday night, May 11th. J.J. Hill was the
\nwinner of the extra distance 40-lap Late Model feature, Eric Berndt got
\naround Ted Christopher on a green white checkered restart to pick up his
\nfirst win of the 2012 in the 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature, Dylan Kopec was
\nthe winner of the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature for the second
\nconsecutive week, Josh Wood also won for the second consecutive week in the
\n20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Albert Saunders drove to victory in
\nthe 15-lap DARE Stock feature with a late race pass on Austin Bessette.
\n
\nIn the 40-lap SK Modified\u00ae feature event, Frank Ruocco took the lead at the
\ndrop of the green to take the early race lead. Woody Pitkat was glued to
\nRuocco\u2019s back bumper while Eric Berndt was running a close third. Behind
\nBerndt was Ryan Preece, Keith Rocco, and Ted Christopher. The top-6 cars
\nwere lined up nose to tail as they clicked off lap 15 on the scoreboard.
\nRocco was able to work his way around Preece, but that was the only position
\nchange in the top-5 as Ruocco continued to lead the race with Pitkat and
\nBerndt lined up right behind him. At lap-20, the top-6 cars were still
\nlined up in a nose to tail train, but that all changed on lap-21 as Pitkat
\nwas able to make a pass for the lead in turns 3+4. Berndt got out of shape
\nand nearly spun, but he was able to recover and keep going, although he fell
\nback to seventh place.<\/p>\n

With Pitkat now in the lead, Rocco was all over the back of Ruocco\u2019s car
\nlooking to make a pass for second. Rocco made the move for second in turns
\n3+4 on lap-25 and Preece followed Rocco by Ruocco. The complexion of the
\nrace changed on lap-28 as Rocco and Pitkat got hooked together while
\nfighting for the race lead and they spun through the front stretch grass,
\nwhich brought the caution out and put Preece into the race lead with Ruocco
\nalongside, while Christopher and Todd Owen were in row 2 for the restart.
\nPreece took the back under green with Christopher moving into second. The
\ncaution came back out with 30-laps complete for Joe Gada, who came to a stop
\nin turn 4 and Pitkat spun to the infield. On the restart, there was a
\nmjulticar pileup in turns 3+4 that involved Michael Bennett, Matt Galko, Tom
\nBolles, Nick Boivin, Pitkat, John Montesanto, and Brian Sullivan that
\nbrought the caution back out.<\/p>\n

On the restart, Preece and Christopher were locked side by side in a duel
\nfor the race lead with Ruocco all over Preece\u2019s bumper in third place.
\nPreece got clear of Christopher on lap-32 and Ruocco pulled alongside
\nChristopher to fight for second. Right behind Christopher and Ruocco was
\nMichael Gervais, Jr. in fourth, and then several car lengths behind was Owen
\nand Berndt. The caution came back out with 35 laps complete as Curt
\nBrainard spun in turn 1 and Michael Bennett and Danny Cates spun in turn 2.
\nOn the restart, Preece didn\u2019t come up to speed and Christopher took the lead
\nwith Gervais moving into second. Berndt was on the outside of Gervais and
\nhe got by Gervais one lap after the restart to move into second with Preece
\nin fourth. Preece came back strong to the outside of Gervais to move back
\ninto third on lap-38 and he pulled alongside Bendt on lap-39, but the
\ncaution came out for a spin by Kyle Spencer in turns 3+4 to set up a green
\nwhite checkered finish. The restart order was Christopher and Berndt on the
\nfront row, with Preece and Gervais making up the second row.<\/p>\n

On the restart, Berndt got a monster run on the outside groove through turns
\n1+2 to pull ahead of Christohper and take the race lead. Christopher tried
\nto make a last ditch effort coming to the checkered flag, but he couldn\u2019t
\ncatch Berndt. Rounding out the top-5 behind Berndt and Christopher was
\nGervais, Preece, and XXX.<\/p>\n

In the 40-lap Xtra Mart Xtra D Late Model feature event, Jim Mavlouganes
\ntook the lead at the drop of the green and began to pull away from J.J. Hill
\nin second. Mike Quintiliano quickly moved into third behind Quintiliano,
\nwith Corey Hutchings and Tom Fearn making up the early top-5.<\/p>\n

Mavlouganes continued to pull away from Hill, while Quintiliano, Hutchings,
\nand Fearn were in a four car train with Hill for second through fifth. The
\ncars ran in line until lap-26 when Hutchings and Fearn were both able to get
\npast Quintiliano in turn 1 to drop Quintiliano from third back to fifth
\nplace. The action was slowed with 31 laps complete as Joe Rzeszutek spun in
\nturn 1 and backed his car into the wall.<\/p>\n

Back under green, Hill made a strong move in the outside groove to hang with
\nMavlouganes for the race lead. Adam Gray made a three-wide move in turns
\n3+4 and came out of turn 4 with the race lead. Contact from Mavlouganes
\nsent Gray around and into the frontstretch wall to bring the caution back
\nout with 33 laps complete. Mavlouganes was black flagged and parked for the
\nremainder of the race for the contact with Gray. This put Hill and
\nHutchings on the front row for the restart with Quintiliano and Woody Pitkat
\nlined up behind them in the second row.<\/p>\n

Hill took the lead back under green with Pitkat moving from fourth to second
\non the restart. Hutchings was third, with Fearn and Quintiliano side by
\nside for fourth place. Tom Butler spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow back
\nout with 34 laps complete.
\nHill took the lead with Pitkat getting by Hutchings for second. Hutchings
\nspun in the middle of turns 3+4, but he was able to get going again and the
\nrace stayed under green flag conditions. Don Acker, Jr. spun in turn 1 to
\nbring the caution back out with 36 laps complete.<\/p>\n

On the restart, Tom Fearn spun and collected the car of Tom Butler to bring
\nthe caution back out. Hill again took the lead on the restart with
\nQuintiliano moving into second. Gray made a strong move to move into third
\nafter spinning earlier in the race. Mark St. Hilaire spun into the turn 1
\nwall to bring the caution back out with 37 laps complete.<\/p>\n

Hill again took the lead on the restart with Gray and Quintiliano side by
\nside for second. Quintiliano cleared Gray into second with Pitkat and Jim
\nPeterson behind Gray. Hill led the field to the checkered flag to pick up
\nhis first win of the 2012 season. Quintiliano finished second, with Gray,
\nPitkat, and Peterson rounding out the top-5.<\/p>\n

In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature event, Jay Goff and Harry Wheeler
\ndueled side by side for the lead on the opening lap before Wheeler got
\nclear. Bob Charland settled into third, with Dylan Liseo fourth and Rick
\nWilliams in fifth. The caution came out with 2 laps complete for Tyler
\nHines, who came to a stop in turn 4 after Tony Santangelo shot up the track
\nand into Hines in turn 3.<\/p>\n

Back under green, Wheeler took the lead ahead of Goff, but the field only
\ncompleted one lap before the caution came back out for Joey Ferrigno and
\nTony Membrino, Jr., who came together and got into the frontstretch wall
\nwith a shower of sparks.<\/p>\n

Wheeler and Goff were side by side for the lead with Charland and Liseo side
\nby side behind them. Goff got clear to the lead one lap after the restart
\nand Liseo was able to follow Goff by Wheeler in the outside groove. Dylan
\nKopec also took to the high side to move by Wheeler and Charland followed in
\nKopec\u2019s tracks, dropping Wheeler from the lead back fifth in three laps.
\nKopec continued his charge, moving by Liseo and then taking the lead from
\nGoff on lap-9 with a pass in turns 1+2.<\/p>\n

Charland made a bid for third place on lap-10 and he was able to complete
\nthe pass on Liseo. But just as Charland made his move, Zach Aszklar moved
\nby Charland to move into third behind Kopec and Goff.<\/p>\n

The order remained the same until lap-17 when Aszklar made a move by Goff to
\nmove into second place. Kopec had a lead of about 2 seconds over Aszklar
\nand Aszklar couldn\u2019t close the distance to Kopec in the final three laps as
\nKopec scored his second consecutive feature victory this season. Aszklar
\nfinished second, with Goff, Charland, and Liseo rounding out the top-5.
\nIn the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Dennis Botticello took the
\nlead at the drop of the green flag. Josh Wood was second, with Duane
\nProvost, Cory Casagrande, and Jesse Hinze rounding out the top-5.
\nBotticello was pulling away from the field when he was black flagged on
\nlap-6 for leaking fluid on the track, which handed the race lead over to
\nWood.<\/p>\n

As the cars took the cross flags at halfway, Wood had a several car length
\nlead over Provost, with Casagrande several car lengths behind Provost.
\nHinze was slowly falling further and further behind Casagrande in fourth,
\nand he lost the fourth place to D.J. Burnham on lap-14.<\/p>\n

The caution came out with 16 laps complete as Andrew Hayes spun on the
\nbackstretch. Wood took the lead back under green with Provost and
\nCasagrande settling into line behind him. David Arute moved into fifth
\ncoming to the white flag, but it was Wood in control as he took down his
\nsecond consecutive feature victory of the 2012 season. Provost finished
\nsecond, with Casagrande, Burnham, and Arute rounding out the top-5.
\nIn the 15-lap DARE Stock feature event, Austin Bessette took to the outside
\ngroove to motor his way past Stephanie Berardi to take the lead in the
\nopening lap. Andy Marchese was glued to Berardi\u2019s bumper in third, with
\nMonte Gibbs in fourth and James Carroll rounding out the early top-5.
\nBessette began to stretch out his advantage over Berardi in second, while
\nMarchese and Gibbs closed the gap to Berardi to make it a three-car train
\nfor the second position. Carroll now had Cliff Saunders right on his bumper
\nin the fight for fifth place.<\/p>\n

At the halfway point of the race, Bessette had built up a lead of nearly a
\nfull straightaway over Berardi, who continued to run second, just ahead of
\nMarchese and Cliff Saunders, who had gotten by both Carroll and Gibbs to
\nmove into fourth place.<\/p>\n

Bessette\u2019s large lead was erased with 11 laps complete as the caution came
\nout for a spin by Trevor Berry in turn 2. On the restart, Bessette powered
\nback into the lead and immediately began to pull away. Berardi was second,
\nwith Albert and Cliff Saunders side by side for third place. The caution
\ncame back out with 12 laps complete as Berry\u2019s car let out a plume of smoke.
\nBessette again took the lead back under green with Albert Saunders moving
\ninto second and keeping pace with Bessette. Gibbs and Kris Fluckiger were
\nside by side for third with Cliff Saunders right behind them. Coming to the
\nwhite flag, Albert Saunders was able to make a move to the inside of
\nBessette to take over the race lead. Saunders led Bessette around the track
\nto the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2012 season. Bessette
\nfinished second after dominating the race, with Gibbs, Albert Saunders, and
\nFluckiger rounding out the top-5.<\/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###<\/p>\n

[adrotate block=”1″]<\/p>\n

LATE MODEL (30)
\n1) J.J. Hill, Stafford Springs
\n2) Mike Quintiliano, Shelton
\n3) Adam Gray, Belchertown, Ma
\n4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n5) Jim Peterson, Monson, Ma
\n6) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
\n7) Tony Lafo, Higganum
\n8) Patrick Townsend, Springifeld, Ma
\n9) Keith Rocco, Meriden
\n10) Adam Norton, Brookfield, Ma
\n11) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs
\n12) Peter Portante, Plainville
\n13) Corey Hutchings, Salem
\n14) Ed Ricard, Stafford Springs
\n15) Don Acker, Jr., Orange
\n16) Mark St. Hilaire, Berlin
\n17) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
\n18) Scott Cook, Uncasville
\n19) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
\n20) Jim Mavlouganes, Bethany
\n21) Joe Rzeszutek, South Hadley, Ma<\/p>\n

SK MODIFIED\u00ae (40)
\n1) Eric Berndt, Cromwell
\n2) Ted Christopher, Plainville
\n3) Michael Gervais, Jr., Southbury
\n4) Ryan Preece, Berlin
\n5) Todd Owen, Somers
\n6) Frank Ruocco, Cheshire
\n7) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
\n8) Mike King, Agawam, Ma
\n9) Matt Galko, Meriden
\n10) Dan Avery, Somers
\n11) Joe Gada, Salem
\n12) Keith Rocco, Meriden
\n13) Curt Brainard, Canton
\n14) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Ma
\n15) Tom Bolles, Ellington
\n16) John Montesanto, North Branford
\n17) Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, Ma
\n18) Kurt Lenahan, Roxbury
\n19) Adam Skowyra, Palmer, Ma
\n20) Chris Matthews, Stafford
\n21) Danny Cates, Chaplin
\n22) Sean Foster, Willington
\n23) Michael Bennett, Stafford Springs
\n24) Jesse Ruocco, Cheshire
\n25) Brian Sullivan, South Windsor
\n26) Tommy Membrino, Jr., Prospect
\n27) Nick Bovin, Belchertown, Ma
\n28) Matt Gallo, Kensington
\n29) Nichole Morgillo, Wallingford<\/p>\n

SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
\n1) Dylan Kopec, Palmer, Ma
\n2) Zach Aszklar, Wallingford
\n3) Jay Gpff, Stafford Springs
\n4) Bob Charland, Stafford
\n5) Dylan Liseo, East Hartford
\n6) Harry Wheeler, Stafford Springs
\n7) Payton Henry, Willington
\n8) Scott Bouley, Thomaston
\n9) Rick Williams, Haddam
\n10) Ronnie Williams, Tolland
\n11) Joe Bovin, Belchertown, Ma
\n12) Dylan Campbell, Southborough, Ma
\n13) Paul Tommasino, Meriden
\n14) Tony Membrino, Jr., Plantsville
\n15) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
\n16) Tony Santangelo, Middlefield
\n17) Tyler Hines, North Haven<\/p>\n

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
\n1) Josh Wood, Palmer, Ma
\n2) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
\n3) Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs
\n4) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
\n5) David Arute, Tolland
\n6) Carla Botticello, Manchester
\n7) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
\n8) Brian Clement, Wethersfield
\n9) Joe Nogiec, Bristol
\n10) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
\n11) Justin Bren, Monson, Ma
\n12) Dennis Botticello, Suffield<\/p>\n

DARE STOCK (15)
\n1) Albert Saunders, Stafford
\n2) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
\n3) Monte Gibbs, Killingworth
\n4) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
\n5) Kris Fluckiger, Enfield
\n6) Stephanie Berardi, Broad Brook
\n7) Kyle Casagrande, Stafford Springs
\n8) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
\n9) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
\n10) Vince Gambacorta, Ellington
\n11) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
\n12) James Carroll, West Hartford
\n13) Phil Jacques, Dudley, Ma
\n14) Doug Phelps, New Salem, Ma
\n15) Josh Parker, Exeter, Ri
\n16) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
\n17) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
\n18) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilberham, Ma
\n19) Trevor Berry, New Preston
\n20) David Macha, Sr., Columbia<\/p>\n

[adrotate block=”1″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway was back on track with the Xtra Mart Late Model Xtra D program on Friday night, May 11th. J.J. Hill was the winner of the extra distance 40-lap Late Model feature, Eric Berndt got around Ted Christopher on a green white checkered restart to pick up his first win of the […]<\/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":[196,197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-connecticut","category-stafford-connecticut"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9701","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=9701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9701\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newenglandracingnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}