ROCCO, POSOCCO, DesROCHERS, THIBEAULT, HAYES, BERGENTY, & BAXTER SCORE CARQUEST FALL FINAL SUNDAY FEATURE VICTORIES AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Running
October 4, 2009

(Stafford Springs, CT)---Stafford Speedway returned to action its final NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature events of the 2009 season as part of CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend. Scoring victories were Keith Rocco in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Ryan Posocco in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Heather DesRochers in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Shawn Thibeault in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Andrew Hayes in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, Victoria Bergenty in the 8-lap Paradiso-Muska DARE Stock Shoot-Out, and Chad Baxter won the special 15-lap Mini Stock feature event.

The 40-lap SK Modified® feature took the green with Wade Mattesen leading the first lap before giving way to Curt Brainard on lap-2. Richie Pallai, Jr. followed Brainard past Mattesen and was all over the back bumper of Brainard, looking to take the lead. The caution slowed the race with 4 laps complete for a spin by Jeff Malave and Chris Matthews.

Pallai moved to the lead on the restart, bringing Keith Rocco, Woody Pitkat, and Ted Christopher by Brainard, dropping him from the lead back to fifth place. Pallai held the lead until lap-10 when Rocco moved to the front of the field. Pallai's day ended one lap later as contact from Christopher sent him into the turn 4 wall and brought the caution out.

Rocco continued to hold the lead back under green with Matt Gallo, Doug Coby, Pitkat, and Todd Owen behind him. Coby quickly moved by Gallo for second place and Pitkat was also able to get by Gallo, dropping him back to fourth place. This was the running order at the half-way point when the caution came back out for Darin Renihan, whose car was smoking heavily.

Rocco again moved to the lead with Pitkat moving into second. Owen moved into third with Coby falling from second back to fourth with Josh Sylvester moving into fifth. The top-5 ran in line until the caution came back out for a spin by Willie Hardie and Kirk Zervas with 27 laps complete. On the restart, Rocco's car didn't come up to speed as quickly as other competitors and he fell back to third place as Pitkat took the lead and Coby moved into second. Rocco reeled Coby and moved into second on lap-32. The caution came back out with 33 laps complete to slow the action.

Pitkat held the lead back under green, but Coby took a trip through the backstretch grass and stalled in turn 3 to bring the yellow back out. Pitkat maintained the lead with Rocco in second and Brit Andersen moving into third. Pitkat's great run ended on lap-36 as his car dropped off the pace and came to pit road, finished for the race. Rocco was now out front with Andersen and Owen behind him. Rocco pulled away from Andersen and Owen to take down his sixth feature victory of the 2009 season. Owen got by Andersen for second in the closing laps with Gallo and Kerry Malone rounding out the top-5.

The 30-lap Late Model feature took the green with Adam Gray powering past Brian Chapin to take the early race lead. Walt Wosko, Jr. was third, with Scott Cook fourth and J.J. Hill in fifth. Michael Bennett spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow out with 2 laps complete.

Gray continued to hold the lead back under green with Chapin behind him. Cook moved up to third with Hill moving to fourth and Jim Peterson moving into fifth. Peterson continued his charge and moved into third place behind Gray and Chapin as Gray was beginning to pull away while out front. Gray's lead was erased with 14 laps complete as Dillon Moltz spun in turn 2.

On the restart, Gray powered back into the lead with Peterson moving into second. Tom Fearn was third, with Tom Butler fourth and Ryan Posocco up to fifth. The caution came back out with 18 laps complete as John Kasper spun and collected the cars of Dave Wray and P.J. Zarrella.

Gray was still the leader back under green with Posocco moving into second. Posocco stalked Gray for several laps before taking the lead from Gray on lap-23. Once Posocco was out front, he drove away from the field as he took down his fourth win of the 2009 season. Tom Butler came home in second, with Fearn, Hill, and Peterson rounding out the top-5. Peterson's finish allowed him to clinch the 2009 Late Model championship, his third career championship.

The 20-lap SK Light Modified feature took the green flag with Lauren Cooper and Earl Pelletier getting hooked together into the turn 1 wall with one lap complete to bring the yellow out. John Hanafin moved by Kyle Spencer to take the race lead on the restart, with Heather DesRochers, Tony Santangelo, John Montesanto, and Tommy Membrino, Jr. making up the top-5.

As the laps were clicking off the board, Membrino was making his way towards the front of the pack, moving into second behind Hanafin when the caution came out with 18 laps complete for a spin by Harry Wheeler in turn 3. Shawn Brule spun on the restart in turn 4 to bring the yellow flag back out. The next restart saw Hanafin and Membrino touch wheels while dueling for the lead, which sent Hanafin around and collected the cars of Erica Santos and Adam Skowyra and brought the yellow back out.

The final restart attempt saw DesRochers move to the outside of Membrino and power by to take over the race lead. DesRochers stayed out front for the final two laps of the race and she took down her second feature win of the 2009 season. Membrino finished second, with Montesanto, Santangelo, and Jay Goff rounding out the top-5.

The 20-lap Limited Late Model took the green with Joe Nogiec leading the field for the first lap before Shawn Thibeault moved to the lead on lap-2. George Nocera, Jr. moved into second, Kevin Gambacorta moved to third, and Nogiec slotted into the fourth position.

At the halfway point of the race, Thibeault continued to hold the lead with Gambacorta, Dan Flannery, Nocera, and Bill Davis making up the top-5. The top-5 remained the same when the caution flew for a spin by Christopher Harris. The field completed one lap before the caution came back out for a spin by Jesse Hinze. The next restart saw Flannery move by Thibeault to take over the lead, but the caution came out again to slow the field with 15 laps complete.

Flannery took the lead on the next restart with Thibeault, Gambacorta, Norm Sears, and Dave Yardley, III behind him. Corky Hinze spun in turn 4 after contact from Andrew Durand to bring the yellow back out with 17 laps complete. Durand was sent to the rear of the field for rough riding, which put Flannery in a position to win the Limited Late Model championship with 3 laps to go.

On the restart, Gambacorta spun as did the cars of Sears and Carla Botticello to bring the yellow back out. Thibeault took the lead from Flannery on the restart with Rob Dow moving to second. Flannery developed a flat right rear tire and he spun in turn 4, but was able to get going and the race stayed under green flag conditions. Thibeault paced the field for the final 2 laps to take his second feature victory of the 2009 season. Yardley finished second, with Dow, Nocera, and Michael Wray rounding out the top-5.

The 15-lap DARE Stock feature event took the green flag with Duane Provost taking the early lead. Provost had Kyle Nosal, Albert Saunders, Andrew Hayes, and Cliff Saunders behind him. The top-5 settled into line and was running single file until a spin by Kyle Casagrande brought out the yellow flag with 4 laps complete.

On the restart, Jim Brice hit the wall in turn 1 and Provost spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow flag back out. This put Albert Saunders and Hayes on the front row for the restart.

Hayes got a good run on the restart, and he was able to move past Saunders to take over the lead on lap-7. Don Wood was on the charge and he quickly moved from fifth to second behind Hayes. Tony Membrino, Jr. was third, with Stephanie Berardi fourth and Saunders fell from the lead back to fifth.

A caution for a spin by Lori-Jo Rzeszutek with 11 laps complete slowed the action and set up a 4-lap dash to the finish. Wood took the lead on the restart with Hayes settling into second. Wood looked to be heading to victory lane, but after reeling Wood in, Hayes made a move in turn 4 coming to the checkered flag to take down his first career DARE Stock victory. Wood finished second, with Membrino, Albert Saunders, and Todd LaPorta rounding out the top-5. Durand's finish allowed him to clinch the 2009 Limited Late Model championship over Flannery.

The 8-lap Paradiso-Muska DARE Stock Shoot-Out took the green flag with Victoria Bergenty taking the lead from the pole. Stephanie Berardi spun and collected the car of Kyle Casagrande on the second lap to bring the yellow out.

Bergenty powered into the lead on the restart with Tony Membrino, Jr. moving into second. Robert Thompson moved into third, with Andrew Hayes fourth and Albert Saunders fifth.

Bergenty and Membrino pulled away from the field to make it a two car battle for the lead and the race win. Bergenty was too strong to be overtaken and she took down the victory. Membrino finished second, with Thompson, Hayes, and Albert Saunders rounding out the top-5.

The 15-lap Mini Stock feature took the green with Randy Curchill, Jr. leading the first lap before giving way to Chris Williams on lap-2. Williams held the lead until lap-6 when Chad Baxter moved to the front of the pack. Williams fell back to second with Beth Adams, Steve Michalski, and Joe Kendall making up the top-5.

Alan Hall, Jr. spun with 8 laps complete to bring the caution out and slow the action. On the restart, Williams moved by Baxter to retake the lead. Kendall charged into third, with Michalski fourth and Mark Panaroni moving into fifth. Williams held the lead until lap-12 when Baxter moved back out front. Baxter's move opened the door for Kendall to also get by Williams. Kendall moved to the inside of Baxter and as they were coming to the white flag, there was contact between the two cars which sent Kendall around. Kendall was able to get going, but it was all Baxter on the final lap as he took the checkered flag ahead of Williams, Panaroni, Michalski, and Chuck Rogers.

For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

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