Much Ado About Sizzler Saturday

After much pomp and circumstance over the winter months, the 2010 Stafford Motor Speedway season kicked off in style with the Saturday portion of the CARQuest Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. While it was deemed to be a somewhat quiet day, one would guess that it was going to be far from quiet. With only a few features and time trials for the Whelen Modified Tour, it had all of the hype to be wild afternoon. All of that set the stage for the action that is the season ahead.

First on the agenda was time trials for the Whelen Modified Tour. Ready to take time were 36 drivers, and the usual two-lap qualifying system was in place. 35 of them managed to take two laps (one of them had a bit of an issue before the second of the laps was completed), and in the end, history was made for the second straight week. Bobby Santos became the first Whelen Modified Tour driver to crack the 18-second mark in qualifying, posting a fast time of 17.965 seconds - 100.195 miles per hour and a new track record - for his second pole of the young season. Later that day, the top ten fastest drivers redrew for the main event, and when the field gets the green flag, Santos will remain on the pole.

After a very eventful session of weekly division heats (including a tête-à-tête on the frontstretch during one of the Late Model heats that ended with a driver getting restrained by track officials) and two consolation events for the SK Modifieds, the features were underway.

Once all of the qualifying was set and out of the way, the SK Lights took to the track for the first official feature of the season. Sure to be just as interesting. When the green flag flew, Ted Cain took an early lead from Tony Santangelo, but Cain was not getting the lead easily. The two drivers fought for the lead over the course of the first and part of the second lap. That was when the yellow flew for the first time, as Victoria Bergenty and Kyle Spencer spun in turns three and four. On the restart, Cain once again pulled slightly ahead, with Santangelo not backing down without a fight. It wasn’t until the second full lap until Cain finally gave himself some space between himself and second place, now between Santangelo and Frank Cardile. Cardile then moved into second, with Santangelo in possession of third. The majority of the field ran in single file formation for a good part of the first half of the race, save for some changes in position deeper into the field. On lap 9, Santangelo and David Webb battled for positions within the top five. When lap 11 came out, Joseph Cipirano, III ended up spinning in turns three and four, bringing out the second caution of the race. Mere seconds after the yellow was already out, Cardile spun in turns one and two, but was able to get the spot back when it was determined that the caution was out before he spun. The green came back out and things went haywire. Something was wrong with Cain, and he ended up getting sent backwards while Cardile moved into the lead. Webb followed him into second and was looking to get into the lead when the third caution came out, for Spencer and Cipirano, who spun in turn four. It was determined that Webb did not take the lead before the caution came out in that period, but things could happen on the restart. And they did. While Erica Santos went through the frontstretch grass, Webb finally became the new leader of the race. But on lap 14, Zachary Aszklar spun in turns three and four, bringing the yellow out yet another time. Unfortunately for Webb, a full lap was not completed, and he was bumped back to second and once again looking for the lead with another restart and six laps to go. Cardile went back into the lead on the restart, with Cain and Webb now fighting for second. Webb took second as the board hit lap 15, and again, he had the lead in mind. With three laps to go, Webb took over the lead, with Cain getting around Cardile for second. Webb began to pull away from the field, and it appeared as though he was going to become the first feature winner of the season. But the parade was put on hold as Tommy Membrino, Jr ended up hitting the outside wall in turn two. Santos ended up in the grass in the same turn. Other cars managed to get around them in the process. During the caution, the field was stopped on the frontstretch to get the field set out. Webb was the leader, with Cain in second, Cardile in third, and John Hanafin in fourth. The race was going to be settled with a two lap, green white checker scenario. Webb didn’t get up to speed on the restart, giving Cain the lead. Hanafin was now challenging Webb for second but lost out, giving Webb motive to challenge Cain for the win coming out of turn four on the last lap. It was a matter of inches, but Cain squeaked out the win. Webb finished second, with Santos coming back from the grass during the final caution in third and Hanafin in fourth.

The middle race on the agenda was that of the Limited Late Models. Only 14 cars in it, but it was sure to be impressive like the feature that came before it. Carla Botticello pulled out to a short lead as the field went into the first corners, but Andrew Durand claimed it when they exited turn two. His lead was short lived as a four car spin/accident in turns three and four brought out an early caution. The four cars that were involved in the incident were Paul Varricchio, Jr, Dave Yardley, III, Joseph Nogiec, and Dan Flannery. This would put Botticello back on the outside of the front row, alongside Durand for the restart. Speaking of the restart, it was Durand who would put himself back out in front. Kevin Gambacorta became the car in second, and was over the back bumper of Durand as a lap finally ticked off the board. Botticello was involved in a battle for third with Rob Dow, with Dow winning the aforementioned fight for position. Meanwhile, a fight for the lead took place between Durand and Gambacorta - and you could give the win for the battle of position to Gambacorta. The two lead cars and Dow distanced themselves slightly from the rest of the field (with Gambacorta and Durand distancing themselves a bit from the third place Dow). The field - for the most part - ran single file as the laps slowly started to dwindle. Gambacorta still separated himself from Durand as the second half of the race progressed, and it was more than enough to claim a commanding win. Durand earned a second place finish. Dow finished third, and Michael Wray ended up finishing fourth.

Ending the Saturday portion of the Spring Sizzler, it was the DARE Stock feature. It was Tony Membrino, Jr taking an early lead, with Don Wood settling into second. There was a fight for position midway through the field in the first lap of action, but towards the back of the pack, there was a little spin by Kelsey Rottino in turn four. Kaitlyn Brice ended up with some sheet metal damage (albeit minor), and all of that was enough to bring out the caution with a mere lap on the board. When the green flag came back out, Membrino and Wood battled down the frontstretch until they hit the turns, when Membrino finally pulled away. Wood once again had to settle for second. As the laps ticked by, Membrino kept the distance between himself and second place Wood. In third and fourth spots, Jeff Jolly and Kyle Casagrande were also in contention for a podium spot. Second, third, and fourth were now in close range to each other, but they were not in close range of Membrino. Membrino had too much for the rest of the field as he picked up the win on opening weekend. Wood was in second, Jolly finished third, while Casagrande finished in fourth.

And that was how things ended on Sizzler Saturday. The forecast for Sunday called for rain, and it didn’t let up. All Sunday events at the track were moved to Saturday, May 1, on the back end of a special Friday/Saturday doubleheader at the track. Friday, it’s the DARE Stocks, Limited Late Models, and SK Lights in special extra distance races. And on Saturday, it’s the SK Modifieds, Late Models, and Whelen Modified Tour. All of this is weather permitting.