Back to School Extravaganza. Results of 8/29/08.

Jeez, how do I really lie to people? By getting this done two hours before Friday rolls around. Ah, I promise I won't screw up again. So let's get this started. Here is the recap of the 8/29 program. Friday night at Stafford was a five-division, regular night with fireworks in the nighttime sky. And while it may have appeared to be a regular night at the track, it was a long night. In this entry: Two first time winners, two red flags in two different races, and a lot more.

DARE Stocks: How do I explain this race? In the only way I could -- chaotic. Early and often. For a division that has seen few cautions in their races (the most in one race this season was four, back on 7/18), this one was a chart-topper in more ways than one. We'll start at the top of this one, with Melissa Blowers out on front early. And starting on lap-2, the cautions came often, when two spins brought out the first caution of the event. Three laps later, the big one of the night occured. It was a three-car accident in turn two, and it resulted in Todd LaPorta's car ending up on its roof. The race was red flagged almost immediately so the track crew could get the car back onto all four wheels and so that fence repairs could be made. After everything was cleaned up, the race resumed. On the restart, it was Norm Sears taking the lead from Blowers, but the caution came back out on lap-8 for a piece of debris and bunched the field right back up. Another restart, and another new leader. This time, it was Matt Chiarizio now in the lead. Two accidents on lap-9 and lap-10 brought the race up to the 20-minute time limit, bringing the race to a yellow/checker situation. This gave Chiarizio the win; his first of the season. Sears finished second, with Dan Flannery in third and Don Wood in fourth.

Late Models: This one wasn't too bad. Three early cautions and the rest of the race from green to checker. The leader in the very early part of the race was Scott Cook, who led through two restarts until he spun on lap-4, giving way to Michael Bennett. Bennett led the next two laps before Dillon Moltz passed him on lap-6. But Bennett would not give up, and he would retake the lead on lap-14. Moltz would pass Bennett again on the very next lap, and would begin to pull away as the laps ticked down. The rest of the race ran green to checker, with Moltz winning his fifth race of the season. Bennett finished second, with Ryan Posocco and Woody Pitkat rounding out the top-four.

SK Lights: Another chaotic race, though not as chaotic as the DARE Stocks were. A lot of first half cautions in this one. It all started with an opening lap caution, followed by a restart that saw Heather DesRochers out in front early, for the first three laps until Raymond Grassetti took over the lead after a lap-3 restart. Grassetti was the leader from lap-4 until lap-11 (after yet another restart) when a Bakaj (can't remember whom, sorry) moved out to the lead. Also under that caution was the second of two red flags in the entire evening, when one of the drivers involved in the three-car accident had to be taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. Bakaj was back out in front on the restart, with Grassetti still behind him. But a caution with 13-laps complete bunched the field back up and gave Grassetti a chance to make a move. On the restart, Grassetti made the pass for the lead. Bakaj gave one last effort coming out of turn four on the last lap, but got loose and collected Joe Allegro, Jr. Meanwhile, Grassetti took the victory; the first of his career. John Walmsley finished second, with the accident car of Allegro in third. Tony Santangelo finished fourth.

SK Modifieds: I have no words to describe this one. I'm not sure how I can describe it. But to the recap, it started with Corey Hutchings taking the lead from the outside pole on the original green flag, yet on lap-3, the lead changed hands as Curt Brainard took over. Keith Rocco would take the lead from Brainard on the very next lap, and had company in the form of Zach Sylvester behind him. Sylvester moved past Rocco for the lead on lap-10, but a caution bunched the field back up. It would be Rocco on the restart getting by Sylvester, and he would have a new challenge as Ted Christopher was also on his way up to the front. At the halfway mark, Christopher made the pass for the lead and had to endure three restarts before pulling away. Rocco tried to chase Christopher down, but it was too little, too late as Christopher picked up his fourth win of the season. Rocco finished second, followed by Jeff Malave and Sylvester.

Limited Late Models: Calm, for the most part. Two mid-race cautions, but nothing too serious. At the drop of the green, David Capriati took the lead and held it for the first seven laps. On lap-8, Shawn Thibeault passed Capriati for the lead. He would stay out in front until lap-12, as the caution came out for a car that had spun out. Upon the attempt on the restart, Capriati and Thibeault got together and spun, collecting other cars in the process and bringing the caution back out. This put Darrin Havanec out in front, and while the rest of the race was caution-free, he would lead the rest of the way to pick up his first career feature win. Sean Foster finished second, with Andrew Durand and Bill Davis rounding out the rest of the board.

And that shall be it for this one. Only three events left until the curtain drops on this season. Tomorrow night will be a regular week of racing with five divisions on tap. I'll give you the schedule ASAP, which will be next. So until then, stay safe and dry.