The Hunt, The Dream. Over?

Special edition, hot off the presses! (Well, it's warm. Someone upstairs didn't remember that it's the end of September and that it's not supposed to be 90 degrees plus. *sigh*) Remember what I wrote down in the last entry about Woody Pitkat supposedly being in the chase for the Whelen All-American Series national championship? He might be out of it after all.

Going into the final race of the season at Stafford, Pitkat trails a Wisconsin driver by twelve points. It doesn't sound too hard to get around, does it? From what I've found out, Pitkat claims that a field of at least 25 cars started the Sunoco Modified race that he had won on Thursday. The track says that 22 cars started. So who's right? Does Pitkat get six extra points if he was in fact right on the money?

Those six points will either hurt him or help him, depending on where he finishes in the race on Sunday. I'm believing that the dream has come to a close. I don't assume things, but this whole situation must be a gift from God to the Wisconsin gentlemen. (No offense to Pitkat.)

** The story came after I read a blog entry from the Hartford Courant. **

Final Friday Nighter '07

Hello, ladies and gentlemen of the blogging public (and faithful readers who have stuck by me the entire time)! This is your roaming reporter here with some special news for you... And let me tell you, this is the best news you've ever heard since the start of the season. I present to you the final Friday night edition of The View From Turn One of the 2007 Stafford Speedway season. Luckily, I have decided to do this before the rush of the pre-Friday jitterbug known as Fall Final practice. Boy, how time has certainly flown! So before I get you hooked onto the upcoming weekend, I must send you back to last Friday night, where we had the final Friday night "shootout".

SK Modifieds: The battle between the only two championship contenders left in the division, Ted Christopher and Woody Pitkat, went down the same path as usual. Though the first caution didn't occur until lap-34, the action was nonstop. Christopher was once again on the outside of the front row, but unlike last week, he had the opportunity to pass Jeff Malave and then Keith Rocco for the lead, failing against both drivers in the process. Rocco would hold off Christopher for his fourth win of the season, with Christopher, Pitkat, and Malave finishing out the board. Christopher and Pitkat have a 36 point gap going into the Fall Final, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were more Modifieds trying to make it into the race than usual in more ways than one. Pitkat's final chance to take the National Championship will be at the Stafford finale, and the more cars that start the feature, the better.

Late Models: In a span of ten laps (yes, ten laps), there were eleven caution flags. I think about half of the field was taken out, and it was nearly a combination of two heat races by the time the race was over, but they got a winner out of all of that chaos. The winner was Ryan Posocco, who in the middle of the cautionfest had made a threewide pass for the lead; Rick Charette and Corey Hutchings being the other two members of the threewide threesome. Hutchings, Jim Peterson, and Wayne Coury, Jr rounded out the board. In the race for the Late Model championship, it's down to Hutchings and Peterson, and it's only a 22 point difference. I'm betting that this race will come down to the final few laps.

SK Lights: With the championship already decided (Chris Matthews), the race could run smoother than usual. Nobody had to really "fight" for position, because they probably knew that this was all for fun. It was one of their more cleaner races of the season -- without taking it lightly -- and there was a first time winner in the CARQuest victory lane. That would be Joe Allegro, Jr, who beat out Brit Andersen, Matthews, and Glen Reen to take down the win. Like I said earlier, the final SK Light race of the season will be run for fun, as Matthews has a 150 point lead over second place Josh Sylvester. So hopefully these drivers can race the race with smiles on their faces.

Limited Late Models: The title could have been wrapped up on Friday. Sean Foster only had to stay more than 50 points ahead of second place come the race's end, and even though he was involved in a lap-3 accident in turns three and four, he was still able to lock up the championship. He is 150 points ahead of Rick Lanagan, who ended up winning his seventh race of the season over Kevin Gambacorta, Joey Ferrigno, and Charlie Newman. So this means that only two of the five features run over the course of the weekend will be run for fun. And this division will be one of those two.

DARE Stocks: The "Year of the First Time Winner" continued with one of the slower features of the season. Though there were three cautions, it didn't faze Rob Lawrence... At least for the first nine laps of the race until Norm Sears took over. But Lawrence overpowered Sears for the lead, that was it. He would win his first DARE Stock feature of the season, followed by Sears, Don Wood, and Dan Flannery. Speaking of Sears, he would take over the points lead after a so-so night by Carla Botticello and after Bill Dunn wrecked on a lap-7 restart. Sears holds a sixteen point lead over Botticello and a 26 point lead over Flannery. Dunn dropped to fourth after the race, and is now 40 points behind the leader.

And that's it for the notes for now. I give major kudos to the track's site for being updated day in and day out. The webmaster keeps things tidy, which is good for the fans and drivers alike. I shall raise a beverage in your honor... If I remember. *winks* Okay, from the notes to the site once again, and this time, it's to remind you fans and drivers that we do have not one, not two, but three days of racing on the schedule this weekend. It's time for the annual CARQuest Fall Final at the track, and this means that six divisions of racing will be out on the half mile to test their mettle. Three of the Whelen All-American Series divisions will crown their champions, while the SK Lights and Limited Late Models will officially crown their champions. The first thing I will direct your attention to is the entry list for the Whelen Modified Tour, which will make their final appearance of the season at Stafford. For more information on the schedule, I will give it to you day-by-day as the weekend actually arrives. So until then, have a happy rest of the week -- which is longer, mind you! -- and I'll see you on the flip side of Friday.

More Quickies [9/14]

Another week, another abbreviated entry. My, how the time flies. I had attended both Friday's event and Monday's season finale of Stafford's go-karting events, making this week feel like it went by very quickly. So where does that leave us now? On a Thursday, no less, with me getting this done before the stroke of twelve midnight. Luckily for you (and myself, for that matter), I have been exceptional with getting all of the entries that are race-related done and up onto the blog at a reasonable time. That means before midnight and way before I have to start getting ready to head out the door.

Speaking about heading out, I say we head out to the time machine that'll take us back to the night of September 14. It was the second night of the program known as the "September Series". And boy, did it feel like September. Let's get right to it, shall we? Watch your head; watch your step getting in. It's going to be smooth sailing from here. Everyone ready? Let's go.

SK Modifieds: I thought this was the best race of the night. The final restart on lap-22 came down between Ted Christopher and Frank Ruocco. But they weren't alone, as Jeff Malave was also ready to put himself into contention. But when Christopher and Malave started battling with each other, this gave Ruocco the edge, where he would get a big enough margin to win. It was his third victory of the season. Following him were Malave, who just managed to get by Christopher for the runner-up spot, and Brad Hietala.

Late Models: It was a battle of two possible first-time winners -- Michael Bennett and Wayne Coury, Jr. Bennett had the lead from a lap-12 restart, and Coury was all over his back bumper, but it would prove to be too little, too late as Bennett would score his first career Late Model feature win and his first win since the '05 season, when he ran Limited Late Models. Coury would finish second, followed by Woody Pitkat and Jim Peterson.

SK Lights: Chris Matthews had the championship nearly wrapped up. The stipulation of the night was that he was to finish anywhere except last, regardless of where his closest competitors were. Matthews did indeed finish somewhere that wasn't the back of the pack. He won the race, which was the first race that didn't end in a yellow/checkered situation in nearly a month. The rest of the top-four were Brit Andersen, Josh Sylvester, and Raymond Grassetti.

Limited Late Models: The last time Joey Ferrigno saw the light of victory lane, it was in '06 and he ended up being disqualified against wheel specifications. This time around, however, he wouldn't have to worry about being disqualified. He only had to worry about bad luck getting into the way of a strong performance, which had been hindering his chances of seeing victory lane for quite some time now. He managed to shake all of the bad luck off of him and take down his first career win in the Limited Late Model division. Andrew Durand, Rick Lanagan, and Sean Foster rounded out the board.

DARE Stocks: They managed to pull out yet another green-to-checkered event without cautions. This time, however, they did it with one lead change. John Kasper had the early lead, but Don Wood would manage to get by him not too long after the green was put away. (In fact, I don't even think it was put away before it had changed hands.) Dan Flannery and Norm Sears would also get by Kasper, and the four drivers would run single file until the checkered flag appeared. Wood was the third first-time winner of the night, and the rest of the top-four were in fact Flannery, Sears, and Kasper.

And this isn't it, nor is this all for this week. I still have to tell you faithful readers about the schedule for tomorrow night. It goes something like this:

• DARE Stocks
• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• Late Models
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds

So until then, I will see you tomorrow. Let's end the last Friday night program on a high note, so we can get the Fall Final in without hesitation. Speaking of the Fall Final, I will give you guys an entry list in a quickie entry tomorrow, written at some point before I leave the house. So now I bid you a good rest of tonight.

Cliff Notes of the 9/7 Program

Things to do, places to go to, and people to see! Okay, so the first one of those three things might as well be the only thing that I actually have to do, but still... It's nothing like a little get-up-and-go type energy that I need to have if I want to finish this entry up before the stroke of midnight. So that means I have to do one of those abbreviated entries like I did last time. I thought it over, and I think I'm going to be doing them quite frequently. Think of the full entries as getting all of the main details with fluff. I think if I had to do one of those full entries again, I would never be the same again. Don't worry... You still get who wins and who finished out the board, but it's done without going into full detail. So with that said, I think it's time to jump right into the start of the 2007 September Series! In a nutshell, here are the events of the September 7 program.

SK Modifieds: The race for the National Championship in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series took a drastic turn, with Woody Pitkat involved in two of five cautions that occured during the feature. He couldn't bump a bad finish from his record, but Keith Rocco, also in contention, was able to remove one of his finishes with a 50 as he took down the win. Rounding out the board were Kerry Malone, Ted Christopher, and Curt Brainard.

Late Models: History was made when Dillon Moltz became the youngest person to win in a NWAAS race at the half-mile. After making a pass for the lead at the very start of the race on the backstretch, Moltz had to hold off Corey Hutchings on a green-white-checkered restart. Hutchings was passed by Jim Peterson for second, leaving him finishing third. Woody Pitkat was fourth.

SK Lights: For the third straight week, the race exceeded its twenty minute time limit. (I wouldn't be surprised if officials talk to them. Seriously.) It wasn't a bad race, really... It was during heats that was the worst part. During SK Light qualifying, Heather DesRochers and Harry Wheeler got together, ending up with Wheeler slightly on top of DesRochers. To make a long story short, neither driver raced in the feature. But back to the action in the feature, and Chris Matthews was in first when the race was called. Josh Sylvester, Brit Andersen, and Raymond Grassetti finished out the top-four.

Limited Late Models: Andrew Durand took the lead on the fifth lap of the event, and although he was challenged by Charlie Newman and Bill Davis, he still had to worry about two late race cautions... One of which occuring when Newman and Davis got together. This would set the board up as follows: Durand, Sean Foster, Kevin Gambacorta, and Rick Lanagan.

DARE Stocks: Three cautions, drivers in different cars, and a points lead battle set the stage for this feature. But with four laps to go, the battle was between the cars of Dan Flannery and Vince Gambacorta. Gambacorta had already lead on two separate occasions, but Flannery used the outside to make a pass for the lead. It would work, but Gambacorta would remain attached to Flannery's back bumper yet would be unable to stage a comeback. Flannery and Gambacorta finished first and second respectively, followed by Don Wood and Carla Botticello. Botticello would take over the points lead in the DARE Stock race by only eight points.

And there you go. Once again, it's easier to do it this way, because then I know I've gotten everything without stressing myself even more than I already have to. I guess with this method, everyone wins in the end. *nods* Okay, time to put the past behind us. We have to look towards the future! Tomorrow is another week, and another chance for the points races in all five divisions to heat up. The September Series continues with another regular program, and the order of features goes something like this:

• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds
• DARE Stocks
• Late Models

Doesn't look like it's going to be too rough of a night, does it? I hope not. From what I've heard, I say that there's a zero percent chance of rain. The only thing you have to worry about is that it might be a bit chilly. So if I were you, I'd take a coat (or two) for you and whomever you might be coming with. I hope to see you at the track tomorrow. Until then, have a safe rest of today.

Quickie Results [8/31 Program]

Attention faithful readers: I am sorry, but this week, I cannot provide a full, detailed analysis of the August 31 event. I have been busy lately and could not get all that I wanted up and ready before the end of the day. (Yes, it's Thursday. Usually, I'm at a last minute charge to get this up onto the site. But for once, there is a time where you think you're not going to reach a goal before the deadline. This is one of those days.) I will, however, benefit from giving you at least the winners of the event and then a few more details that I'm sure you would enjoy. Again, I'm truly sorry.

SK Modifieds: Ted Christopher snapped Woody Pitkat's five-race winning streak. It was his second win of the season. Brad Hietala, Pitkat, and Todd Owen finished out the board.

Late Models: Corey Hutchings survived three lap-28 restarts in order to secure his second victory of the 2007 season. The rest of the top-four were Jim Peterson, Dillon Moltz, and Michael Bennett.

SK Lights: For the second straight week in a row, the race ended up exceeding the 20 minute time limit. Three of the top-five in points ended up in a last turn crash that brought out the caution -- Brit Andersen, Glen Reen, and Raymond Grassetti -- and the race was ultimately yellow/checkered. Josh Sylvester would once again benefit from this, and scored his second straight win in a row. Chris Matthews, Mark Bakaj, and Scott Nordman finished out the board.

Limited Late Models: A crash on a lap-18 restart would seal the fate of then-leader Andrew Durand and the rest of the top-four cars at the time, giving the lead to Sean Foster. Foster would control the final two laps of the race to take down the win, his fourth of the year. Rounding out the board were Paul Conte, Lori-Jo Rzeszutek, and Michael Chaves.

DARE Stocks: The first and cleanest race of the night saw Jim Brice and Norm Sears battle for the lead within the closing laps. Sears was not able to attempt a pass, and Brice would win his first race of the year. Sears, Todd LaPorta, and Bill Dunn would finish the top-five, and with Dunn beating Carla Botticello, he would become the new points leader.

Also of note: Jesse Hinze, who originally finished tenth in the DARE Stock feature, was disqualified due to his car having an illegal air volume modification plate.

So, that's about it for tonight. Again, I apologize for not giving you full details of any one event. I will try to do better the next time. I will, however, give you a gift called the schedule for tomorrow night's events. We are starting the September Series, boys and girls! Four races remain in the battle for the championships, and I have a feeling the race might be closer than you may think. Here is a rundown of the feature order.

• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• DARE Stocks
• Late Models
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds

Okay, all deadlines aside, I shall see you tomorrow. I am quite positive that we will get this program in. Until then, have a safe rest of today.

Streaks and Red Flags

Welcome to the show that never ends! Well, maybe not really. Though the last time action was on the track, it sure felt like it was a neverending show. That last time just so happened to be Friday night, August 24. It was Porter and Chester's Summer Heat, and the night started off on a somber note. Fans were asked to perform the traditional rise and cap removal for the opening ceremonies, which started off with a tribute to fallen Whelen Modified Tour driver John Blewett, III. On the board were four numbers, each representing four late Tour drivers: Blewett, Tom Baldwin, Richie Evans, and one other number. I'm sorry, but my mind has drawn a huge blank. Apologies, faithful readers.

After the National Anthem, it was time to get the party started. The first race of the evening went to the SK Lights. Remember, they have to get twenty laps into the record books before twenty minutes, or the track will stop the race at the limit and award the win to whomever is at the front of the pack at the time the limit ends. The Lights have already went past the time limit a couple of times this year, so who knew what to expect but them. Anyway, the race got underway with Mike Lane taking the early advantage from Aaron Goff. This lead would only last for three laps as on lap-3, George Nocera spun on the frontstretch to bring out the very first caution of the event. They tried restarting, and the flagman didn't like the start, so he threw the yellow again to bunch the field back up for a start only he would enjoy watching. Take three proved to be a success, and Goff went by Lane to claim the lead. Goff would hold the top spot until lap-6, when Josh Sylvester claims shotgun. Chris Matthews would take over the second spot, pushing Goff to third, but then the cautions started to fly all over the place. On lap-9, there was a six car accident in turns one and two. The drivers involved in said accident were Glen Reen, Mark Bakaj, Chris Bakaj, Jay Goff, Rich Hammann, and Nocera. They're only able to get one lap in under the green before the lap-10 cautionfest began. During the original running of the lap, the cars of Paul Colla, Jr, Raymond Grassetti, Glenn Griswold, and Kyler Cafro went into the books as the next four cars to put themselves into an accident after they got together in turn one. Apparently, it was determined that Brit Andersen had a part in setting the caution up, so he was sent to the back of the field. This would cost him, because on the restart, both him and Mark Bakaj ended up in turn two, once again bringing out the caution. After a second false start, they finaly got things under control. Unfortunately, this form of being "under control" lasted all of two laps before the gold was brought back out. This time, the caution was for an accident that included Alan Provost, Chris Bakaj, Heather DesRochers, Kyle Spencer, and Grassetti. Well at this point, it was safe to assume that the Lights had gone beyond their twenty minutes of fame. The officials and flagman didn't agree more, and out came a combination of black, white, and red. The red/checkers was displayed over the half mile, signaling the end of the race. At the front of the field since lap-9 was Sylvester, who by virtue of the time limit took down the victory. Now this is where it gets a little conflicting: I have written down that Aaron Goff and Matthews finished second and third respectively, followed by Lane. The track's site has that and it has second and third reversed in their story. So we know who the top-four finishers are. I guess that's good enough.

Following out the entry-level Modifieds were the Late Models, who already had a miniature plotline building up before the green flag was even displayed upon the field. Ryan Posocco had won the last three features, and was gunning for his fourth straight victory. But there were twenty-seven other drivers who wanted to halt any plans of a four-peat and set them on the backburner. Michael Bennett would start up front and assume the top position for the first three laps of the race, as the caution came out on lap-3 for a spin in turns three and four involving the single car of Doug Blowers, Jr. It wasn't a long caution, because Blowers was able to drive off under his own power. As the green came back out, Bennett was back out in front. Unfortunately for him, this green flag duration lasted all of six laps. The next caution was on lap-9 when Kyle Nosal (an early graduate of the DARE Stock division class of '07) brought out the gold for the second time in the event with a single-car accident on the frontstretch. As for a second attempt at getting the lap in, it wasn't going to happen on the restart. JJ Hill became the next victim of the race after a second single-car accident, this time on the backstretch. The third attempt proved to be golden -- no, not in that sense -- and the field was back running under the green. Once again, it would be Bennett in control, but on lap-13, he would lose the lead to Tom Fearn and second to Corey Hutchings. Fearn would start to control the race now, and he would pick up the bonus cash courtesy of Porter and Chester at the halfway point in the race. Three laps after halfway, on lap-18, the car of David St. Amant spun on the frontstretch, bringing the caution back in play. On the restart, it was Fearn at the front, but the caution would be brought out before the lap was completed. Jim Mavlouganes spun on the frontstretch while Ed Ricard and Blowers spun in turn two. (I do not know which incident brought gold upon the field, so I have marked it as both since all three cars ended up going to the back.) The third chance for the lap to finish wasn't acceptable either. Coming out of four and winding up on the frontstretch at the exit of the turn were Scott Foster, Jr, Mavlouganes, and Mark St. Hilaire. The front of St. Hilaire's car hit the wall at a ton and cleanup took a couple of minutes, so instead of the yellow, the field was shown the red. Foster carried the hood of his car to the infield after being stranded over in turn one, and St. Hilaire was taken to the local hospital after walking to the ambulance by foot. He appeared to be all right; the car's a whole 'nother story. Anyway, cleanup is complete, we're back to yellow, and eventually, the green comes out. The last twelve laps are green and uninterrupted, and Fearn led the way to take down his third win of the season. Hutchings would finish second, followed by Jim Peterson and Woody Pitkat. Posocco, who saw his streak of victories snap, finished sixth.

Crews were switched up for the next race of the evening: The SK Modifieds. They too had a plotline brewing. The story consisted of one Woody Pitkat, who hasn't been on the outside looking in since the Busch East Series was in town back on June 8. To put it another way, June 8 was the last time he didn't finish on the board. Would that streak be in jeopardy, or would he not only be on the board and podium, but also take down yet another win? A record five straight SK Modified wins in a row was on the line. At the drop of the green flag, it was Richie Pallai, Jr taking the early advantage. He would lose the lead to Todd Owen on lap-2, and Owen's lead would be short lived as the caution came out on lap-3. It was for Ted Christopher and Eric Berndt, who spun in turns one and two. Own would take the lead on the restart, but again, it would be short as on lap-4, the gold replaced the green. The incident was in turn one, and it involved the spinning cars of Brad Hietala, John Cleary, and Ron D'Alessandro. The green would come back out, and it would be Owen leading the way. On lap-7, Owen would lose the lead to Zach Sylvester and was going to lose second to Woody Pitkat. A caution with 11 laps on the board stopped progress of Pitkat as the cars of Hietala, Berndt, and Kirk Zervas spun on the backstretch. It was at this point that Pitkat started to make a move. On the restart, he got around Sylvester to take the lead. Beginning to stretch it out, Pitkat would be in contol of the race. He would pick up the $100 bonus from Porter and Chester at lap-20, and his lead over Sylvester would start to grow to the point in which it was nearly a two-second lead. Pitkat would make more history by winning his fifth race in a row, beating Sylvester, Owen, and Jeff Malave.

And now, to a story that really doesn't have a plotline attached to it: The Limited Late Models. On the opening lap of the race, there was a lovely five-car accident in turns one and two that brought out the caution. The accident included Paul Conte, Andrew Durand, and Lori-Jo Rzeszutek. Also involved were Bill Davis and Sean Foster. Davis's car ended butt-up on Foster's car, and the red flag came out. Luckily, no furtherdamage was done to either car, and both were able to drive away. The red changed to yellow, and eventually it changed to green. Charlie Newman assumed the top spot, but this would last for only two laps as the caution came back out on lap-2 for David Capriati spinning in turn one. Again, it would be Newman on the restart, but another caution would slow the pace down. On lap-3, Ky Jensen, Capriati, Rzeszutek, and Michael Nadeau were the victims of a turn four and frontstretch accident. The action would pick up again, still with Newman leading the way, but Rick Lanagan was coming with Kevin Gambacorta and Joey Ferrigno tagging along him. Another caution would come out on lap-13; this time for a spin on the backstretch, courtesy of Jeff Hubbell. Newman pulled out in front on the restart, but it only took Lanagan two laps to get around him. Gambacorta and Ferrigno also found room to get around Newman, and even Foster would go by Newman. But at the front of the field, it was all Lanagan. He would take down the win; his sixth of the season. Rounding out the top-four were Gambacorta, Ferrigno, and Foster.

Finally, we closed out the evening with the DARE Stocks. Last time they raced, they had yet another caution-free event. This race, however, was a race that had a caution in it. To start, Duane Provost took the early lead, but not without pressure by Norm Sears. Sears was challenging for the lead when the caution came out on lap-10 when Albert Saunders and Kyle Casagrande spun in turns three and four. On the restart, Sears was challenged by Jeff Jolly while Provost pulled away from the field to score his first career win. Jolly would finish second, Sears third, and Carla Botticello third.

So now that that's been taken care of, I guess there's nothing much to do except give you the information regarding tomorrow's program. Yes, it's the end of the month, and kids are back in school. So what's better for the kidlets who are returning back to school than a fireworks display above the sky? Other than the usual five divisions, there will be an after-dark display above the exit of turn two and Diamond Vision. But before and after that, there is some racing to take care of. I know you're looking for the schedule, so here it is for your viewing consideration.

• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• DARE Stocks
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds
• Late Models
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)

So until tomorrow, if it's not raining like a son of a beyotch, I will see you around. If it rains, I would like to do something, but I've got a busy weekend already. So let's hope that the raindrops either pass without problem or hold off until the last event gets the checkers, and I will give you more information as time passes. Have a nice rest of tonight.

Summer Heat and Cash Bonuses

Well, well, well... In another three days, Stafford Motor Speedway will host another round of Summer Heat, presented to you in part by Porter and Chester. And that means we'll try to run last week's program all over again. It's all weather permitting, of course. Before I go over some hefty bonuses for some of the races on the docket, I think it's a good idea to go over the docket.

• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• Late Models
• SK Modifieds
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• DARE Stocks

And now, to the special treats. Porter and Chester have raised the stakes just a slight bit, and they have graciously provided $200 for the night. At the halfway point of both the SK Modified and Late Model feature events, the leader will recieve $100. (Damn. I almost typed an extra 0 to that dollar amount. ALMOST.) Rest assured, the pressure will be on as the end of August looms over the track.

But for the next three days, I will definitely be checking the weather report. There is a chance of rain -- or at least I think there's a chance of rain. I don't know what people are saying at this time, so I'll tune into the news coming up in a few minutes so I can see what's going on. What I can tell you is that I hope all of you are safe, dry, and here's to getting that program in on Friday.

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Just don't come back another day for us, okay?

That was the story tonight, as a nice rainfall killed off the program that was scheduled for August 17. Practice was completed, and both the DARE Stocks and Limited Late Models had finished their qualifying heats. The SK Lights were on the third of three heats when the rains started to fall. It first fell lightly upon the track, and then it started to gain speed until it fell at a steady pace. Unfortunately, thunder and lightning had accompanied this, and the decision to end the night was made.

For those of you who were able to get a ticket before the event was called, you are able to redeem said ticket on one of the following dates: August 24, August 31, September 7, and September 14. Stafford will run a regularly scheduled program next Friday night, weather permitting, with the sponsor being Porter and Chester.

So with that being said, enjoy the rest of your weekend, wherever you may be, and hopefully we can get a program in next week. See you on the flip side...

Quick WMT News

It's sort of off topic, but because they were only at Stafford less than a week ago, it's only fitting.

I am extremely saddened to pass on the news of events occuring as part of the August 16, 2007 New England Dodge Dealers 150 from the Thompson International Speedway.

On a lap-107 restart, a battle between the Blewett brothers, John III and Jimmy turned ugly. The two cars got together, sending the drivers into turns one and two, eventually ending with Jimmy's #12 on top of John's #66. Jimmy quickly exited his car and got the track crew's attention by flailing his arms. Clearly he was concerned for his older brother. As the crowd of about eight grand fell silent, the track crew went to the crash site, where they would have to cut the #66's car to get John out.

John was taken to Hubbard Regional Hospital in Massachusetts where he was pronounced dead. He was only 33. To read more, please read this article from the Hartford Courant.

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting [for Position]

Okay, here's the scoop: This is a short break inbetween events. Stafford did indeed run Saturday night, and boy, was it strange to see the boys and girls of both the Whelen All-American Series and the Whelen Modified Tour at the track on a Saturday inbetween the Spring Sizzler and the Fall Final. Fortunately, a second rain date was not necessary, and all of the on-track events were completed before midnight. But as long as it did feel like a Friday night, I think a little recap of the night's events are in order. Shall we start? I thought you'd never ask.

Things got underway with Whelen Modified Tour time trials. 32 cars were on hand, looking to score one of 31 spots in the field. The fastest time of all during this qualifying session belonged to Tony Hirschman, getting around the track in 18.188 seconds (averaging out to 98.966 seconds). Of course, one car was supposed to go home upset that they didn't make the field, but because there was one extra car, officials thought it would be polite for that car to be inserted into the field. So later on in the night, 32 cars would be taking the green flag. More on this after the weekly portion of the night, folks!

On the docket first for the Whelen All-American Series weekly program were the SK Lights. The race started with Heather DesRochers taking the lead at the drop of the green flag. The lead would be cut after four laps when Harry Wheeler spun in turn two, bringing out the caution. DesRochers would retake the lead on the restart, but on lap-6, Glen Reen would steal first away and begin to pull away. At one point, Reen's lead was about a full straightaway in front of DesRochers. The race would be slowed on lap-17, however, taking away any of the momentum Reen might have had. Kyler Cafro and Tony Santangelo had crashed in turn two, bringing out the caution and setting up a four-lap dash for the cash. Reen had the advantage as the green flew over the field, and it looked as though he was setting up a repeat performance from earlier in the race. However, Aaron Goff and Michael Lane would crash in turn four, now setting up a green-white-checkered finish. This would be the end of the race as Reen dominated the restart one more time, and he could not be caught as he sailed through the rest of the feature to take down his fifth win of the season. DesRochers would come back to score a career-best second, followed by Josh Sylvester and Brit Andersen.

After the entry-level, open-wheeled Modifieds gave the fans a show, out come the SK Modifieds for their 40-lap show. The first half of the race was caution free, with a couple of lead changes here and there. The first leader of the race was Todd Owen, but after four laps clicked by, Jeff Malave took over as the leader, and he would lead until lap-28 as a spin in turns three and four from Willie Hardie erased a full straightaway lead via Malave. On the restart, Malave gained the lead back and would assume leadership status until a lap-31 accident involving Hardie, Shelly Perry, and Zach Sylvester. A new second place would emerge on the green flag... That being one Woody Pitkat, who would eventually battle with Malave until Pitkat finally took the lead on lap-34. Unfortunately for Pitkat, he would have to survive two more cautions before he could possibly take a fourth straight win. The first of the two cautions occured on lap-37, when Wade Mattesen spun in turn two. The second was when Keith Rocco spun on the frontstretch on the following lap. Fortunately, Pitkat was able to make it back out front on both restarts and would indeed win his fourth straight SK feature and sixth of the season. Coming in to round out the top-four were Brad Hietala, Malave, and Ted Christopher.

Straying away from anything with their wheels exposed in a way that you can pronounce it "open-wheeled", we go directly to the fendered divisions for the time being, starting with the DARE Stocks. It was a caution free race from the green to the checkered, which is expected these days with that division, and there was only one leader for the duration of all fifteen laps... Megan Bienkowski. Of course, all of the action happened to come from behind her, with Norm Sears taking over third place on lap-7. Other than that, all was quiet on the front as Bienkowski claimed her first career victory at Stafford. Bill Dunn would finish second, Sears third, and Dan Flannery fourth.

Next up on the schedule, it was the Late Models, who last week turned a pretty impressive feature for only one caution session. Could they get any better? Well, not in terms of cautions, but in action. It started with a caution in turns three and four, including a handful of cars that had removed themselves from the scene before I could figure out who was in that accident. Once everyone was gone from the scene, the race was back on. (Or was it the race could start?) Steve McQuillan took the lead and held it for the first two completed laps of the event before the second caution of the race occured. Tom Butler, Billy Snow, Jr, Bobby Leone, Jim Mavlouganes, and Mike Quintiliano were involved in a turn two accident on lap-3. McQuillan would go back in front as the leader, assuming this spot through a lap-13 spin of Tom Fearn, courtesy of Woody Pitkat. Pitkat wouldn't be able to make up the ground after he was black flagged. Back up to the front, and we still have McQuillan leading the way. The lead would change hands on lap-17 when Ryan Posocco eventually overpowered McQuillan, but the two would battle for a few laps until Posocco would start to slowly pull away. Posocco would be your winner, followed by McQuillan, Jim Peterson, and Scott Foster, Jr. In technical inspection, McQuillan's car was found to have an illegal carburetor and intake manifold, and he was disqualified from second place.

Four down, one to go. The final race of the weekly portion belonged to the Limited Late Models. Two laps into the feature, the one and only caution occured when Charlie Newman and Darrin Havanec spun in turn two. Joey Ferrigno became the leader on the restart, and he started to pull away from the field. But Rick Lanagan started to catch up to him, and halfway through the race, Lanagan was in second place and had taken the lead on lap-13. Sean Foster stole second away from Ferrigno, but he couldn't make the charge towards Lanagan. Lanagan would pick up his fifth win of the season. Foster, Ferrigno, and Bill Davis rounded out the rest of the board.

With the final race of the weekly portion of the night done and over with, the stage was now cleared for the Whelen Modified Tour. After the redraw, it would be Bobby Grigas starting on the front row, alongside of Ted Christopher. Throughout the race, fans were treated to eleven lead changes from five different drivers, thirteen cautions (with two red flags), and a great battle for the win by Christopher and Todd Szegedy. For Christopher, the battle would be his, and he would pick up the win. It was his first Tour win since last year's August race at Thompson. Ironically, tonight the Tour is in Thompson. Anyway, rounding out the top-five would be Szegedy, Mike Stefanik, Doug Coby driving the Chase #77, and Donny Lia, whose streak of victories would be snapped.

Breathe easy, fellow race fans, because this week will be your typical five-feature program. The night starts at around 7:30pm with the National Anthem, followed by the features (in this order, and hopefully, the schedule won't change on me as I'm heading out the door like last time):

• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds
• Late Models
• DARE Stocks

I'll be at the track tomorrow, with a new ride in tow (my usual guardian is not going to be able to make the trip due to other commitments, so I have someone to bring me to the track). So stay with us and I'll give you all the news from tomorrow night. Until then, gas pedal's on the right.

[Singing] in the Rain

Well, I'm sitting here in colder than usual temperatures here today, knowing that earlier this morning, the future of the New England Dodge Dealers 150 for the Whelen Modified Tour was in jeopardy of being moved to Saturday. And what do you know... Track management decided that this rain was just too much. So in honor of the raindrops, the Tour Modifieds and just about every other person who was planning on making it to the track today will be there tomorrow. The rain date is the official running date.

Your schedule for the event will be exactly the same as what it was supposed to be today. A night show will be run, causing more people to hit the half mile rather than the shoreline oval of Waterford. (I told you someone was going to have a bad night. I still say it's the Bowl.) But don't worry. For those of you who are still going to come, you'll have a wonderful, dry night. So until later next week, I will see you later.

NE Dodge Dealers Schedule [And Possible Gripes]

Hey! I'm back and with the information you've been waiting for since earlier today. I'm sure you'd like to know what the schedule is for tomorrow's (Saturday's) Whelen Modified Tour's New England Dodge Dealers 150. Here's the catch, however: In the event of a rainout tomorrow, the schedule is the exact same for the following day. I have a feeling that Waterford's not going to draw a good crowd if that's the case. Anyway, this is where we begin:

• 11am: Paddock gates open
• 2:15pm: Whelen Modified Tour practice begins
• 3:45pm: Whelen Modified Tour practice ends
• 4pm: Whelen All-American Series practice begins
• 4:45pm: Main grandstand gates open
• 4:50pm: Whelen All-American Series practice ends
• 5pm: Whelen Modified Tour tire scrub
• 5:30pm: Whelen Modified Tour time trials
• 6pm: Handicapper's both closes/Stafford drivers meeting

At around 7pm, the National Anthem is performed, precursored by awards from Riverhead and the Bud Pole Award. Then we get to features! Stafford had this done once before changing it a couple of days ago, but this is the order they've got:

• Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
• SK Light feature (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modified feature
• Late Model feature
• Limited Late Model feature (20 minute time limit)
• New England Dodge Dealers 150
• DARE Stock feature

Call me crazy, but most of the people in attendance are going to leave after the checkered flag of the NE Dodge Dealers 150. The DARE Stocks are last again, meaning not a lot of people will be there to see them run. If you want people to watch them, I suggest someone puts a division like the Late Models or SK Modifieds (hint, hint to those who are reading this and have now recieved an idea from their inner lightbulb) at the end of the program, only because the place is near barren. Perhaps it's a matter of traffic. Well, it's still a zoo to get out of the parking lot afterwards, but I think most people don't understand that the DARE Stocks have been one of the better divisions at the track this year. Or is it because a couple of their races have gone through without a caution? Hmmm... The questions arise.

Anyway, tune in this weekend to see if Donny Lia wins his sixth race this season and third straight at Stafford. See if there's a four-peat in the SK Modifieds with Woody Pitkat trying to cut into Ted Christopher's lead even more. See what else happens, because I'm running out of "see ifs". I promise, it'll be action no matter what day of the week this thing's held. Though it's been a little over a year since the last time Stafford had to move a Whelen Modified Tour race due to weather issues. (Last year, they ran on the Fourth of July. I remember coming in from the beach to see where everyone was in the SK feature.) So stick around, and you will not miss a single bit of action. Until I find out what day they're racing, you take good care now, you hear?

*Add Yet Another Clever Title*

Hello, all of you faithful readers out there in Internetland! Did that sound too cheesy for you? Would you like me to go a little more normal for the next entry? No problem; next time I'll tone things down a notch for you. Well, amidst the fact that I can't control my own body temperature -- stupid self is either too hot or too cold these days -- there was action at Jack Arute's Stafford Motor Speedway on Friday. It was the first weekend of August, and just like this week, it was just so hot on the track. You had the five weekly divisions squaring off in their respective features. Because this upcoming weekend will be so busy (more on that later on), I think we should just jump right into the action.

We started the night off with a little fullbodied action featuring the Limited Late Models. Although it was Corky Hinze starting on the pole, he would lead no laps in the race. Joey Ferrigno claimed the lead on the very first lap. On lap-3, the first and only caution of the event occured. This was a huge crash on the backstretch, and it included the following drivers: David Capriati, Peter Martin, Paul Conte, Charlie Newman, Rick Lanagan, Greg Butler, Jr, Jeff Hubbell, and Lori-Jo Rzeszutek (again, breathe). Quite a few of them were not in good condition to continue the race. Back up to the front of the field, and Ferrigno claims the lead again on the restart. This lead would last until lap-18, as a hard charging Sean Foster was starting to catch up to him. Foster would take the lead from Ferrigno on lap-19, and there would be no comeback from Ferrigno as Foster crossed the line to score his third win of the season. Ferrigno would finish second, followed by Bill Davis and Darrin Havanec.

We go from the Limiteds to the actual Late Models for the second feature of the night. At the start of the race, it was a battle between Tom Butler and Michael Bennett, as Butler got the lead on the pole and Bennett would take the lead back on lap-4. The fight between the two leaders would come to a short hiatus on lap-5, as for the second race in a row there is a multi-car accident. This time, it's in turns one and two and it includes Billy Snow, Jr, JJ Hill, Tony Lafo, Doug Blowers, Jr, and Jim Mavlouganes. On the restart, Butler would re-take the lead and would start to pull away from the field. Meanwhile, Ryan Posocco was starting to make his way through the field and would take over the runner-up spot. During the second half of the list, Posocco would start to slowly shrink Butler's lead. Among the final two laps, Posocco and Butler would battle between each other until Posocco finally pulled away for the win. It was Posocco's second win in a row and third of the season. Rounding out the top-four were Butler, Corey Hutchings, and Jim Peterson.

And then, it went from fenders to open-wheeled machines. There we see the SK Lights with their 20-lap feature. It started out just like any of the features so far in the evening. Heather DesRochers started out with the lead, but she only led the first two laps of the race. The first caution would occur on lap-2 as there was debris in turns three and four. I don't know how the debris got on the track, but it was spotted and therefore the caution had to fly. After the quick caution, the field went back to green. However, this green flag session would be short lived as Josh Sylvester, David Webb, and Ray Griffen, Jr were involved in a three car accident in turn three. Brit Andersen would assume the lead on the restart, and he'd lead until the gold flew again on lap-6. Aaron Goff and Keith Franklin got together and ended up becoming a two-car accident scene in turn two. On the restart, Andersen had problems coming up to speed, giving the lead back to DesRochers. Unfortunately, that lead would be short lived, as Joe Allegro, Jr took over the lead on the very next lap. Recovering nicely from his restart issue was Andersen, and by lap-10, he had passed Allegro for the lead. The command he had on the rest of the field would grow until lap-18, when Franklin spun on the frontstretch, bringing out the caution. This would not affect Andersen, however, as he would get up to speed on the final restart, beating out everyone for the win. Chris Matthews, Allegro, and Raymond Grassetti would round out the top-four.

When you see the pit crews for the SK Modifieds, you know that something's going to go down. And there was plenty of action to go hand-in-hand with what had already happened in the course of the night.The race started with quite a few lead changes within the first ten laps. Originally, it was Todd Owen who led the way. He would only lead three laps before Jeff Malave stepped in. However, his lead would be short lived after Zach Sylvester claimed the top spot on lap-6. The first caution of the SK's race would come all the way on lap-21 as Eric Berndt spun on the frontstretch. (It seemed as though a good majority of the cautions were on the frontstretch during this feature. That's because that was the case.) As the restart was brought upon the field, Sylvester still had the advantage. Yet that would only be for a lap. On lap-22, a group of cars ended up stranded in turn one, sending the gold back out onto the track. I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you who was in that incident. Anyway, Sylvester retook the lead on the restart, but the beginning of the end was looming as Woody Pitkat moved up and into the lead on lap-26. The caution would come out one lap later as Shelly Perry spun on the frontstretch. Only one more lap would be run under green (with Pitkat leading the way) before yet another caution occured. This time, it happened on the frontstretch, about where the end of turn four is. It was a five-car incident, including Ted Christopher, Jeff Malave, Sylvester, Ronnie Silk, and Kerry Malone. Christopher got the worst of this, as his car had to be taken off the track hammock-style. This also set up a green-white-checkered finish between Pitkat and Frank Ruocco., though it really wasn't much of a challenge. Pitkat would take the lead on the restart and claimed his third straight win and fifth of the season. Ruocco finished second, followed by Keith Rocco and Kenny Horton.

Finally, the DARE Stocks closed the night off with their 15-lap feature. Starting on the pole was Tom Stirk, and he would take the lead for the first two laps. Duane Provost spun in turn two, setting up the first caution of the race. On the restart, Stirk went back in control, but his lead would only last for three more laps as Steve Berardi took over and assumed the lead. He would lead the event unti lap-11, when Vince Gambacorta became the third leader in the event. A caution on lap-12 slowed the field down, with Kyle Casagrande spinning in turns one and two. When the restart occured, Gambacorta would lose the lead to Dan Flannery. Gambacorta tried to stage a comeback, but it was no use. Flannery would become the newest first-time winner in Victory Lane, beating out Gambacorta, Jeff Jolly, and Norm Sears. In technical inspection, however, Gambacorta's car was found to have an illegal steering arm. Hence, he was disqualified.

Well, look where we are now: EARLY Thursday morning. Doesn't this remind you of deja vu? It sure does. So I'm just going to tell you about what's coming up in a day or two. Literally. The Whelen Modified Tour is back for their third appearance of the season, starring in the New England Dodge Dealers 150. Instead of me taking up more of my Thursday morning than I should, I'll give you more information regarding this when I'm not so tired. So until later today...

Double Duty Means Double the Trouble

Okay, take your pick with this one: Early or late? It's not totally early, as I was waiting for the penalty notice to make its way onto the site, nor was I late, taking it upon myself to write this entry up on Thursday. Honestly, I don't know what I am. Should I say "on time"? Well, maybe not. But I am here, and boy... Do I have some news to share! Last Friday night, which just so happened to be July 27, was Stafford's Craftsman Night at the Races. There were five divisions of weekly racing at the half mile, and to kick things off, we had the conclusion of the July 13 Late Model race, starting on the second completed lap.

Tom Butler and Ed Ricard had the front row occupied, but that engagement with the lead didn't last for long. Just like last week, Woody Pitkat was moving through the field until eventually he couldn't move up anymore. He assumed the lead early, letting everyone else battle for position behind him. His lead would grow to the point where he was going to start lapping traffic. But his lead would be put on hold when a couple of late race cautions occured. The first of which occured on the 23rd lap, when Steve McQuillan spun in turn one, bringing the gold out and onto Pitkat's parade. On the restart, Pitkat assumed the lead once again, yet that would once again be short lived. Lap-25 was the lap of the second caution, when Billy Snow, Jr and Dillon Moltz got together in turn two. (Actually, it started in turn one, and then Snow ended up on the backstretch. Either way, it was a caution.) Again, Pitkat stormed into the lead, with some more tussling going on behind him. It didn't matter, however, that Ryan Posocco would eventually start to pull away from the rest of the crowd as well, because Pitkat crossed the line to take his second Late Model win of the season. Posocco would finish second, followed by Butler and Corey Hutchings.

Four sets of qualifying heats later (yes, because putting too much on the Late Models was enough), there happened to be a last chance qualifier. It was for the Late Models, and it was a quick 16-lapper. Michael Bennett took the early lead, and it wouldn't leave his grip over the entire duration of this race. He would cruise to the win. Finishing up the top-four were John Warren, Dillon Moltz, and Mike O'Sullivan.

Next, we jumped into the features for the regularly scheduled program. First up, we had the SK Lights. For the first week in a while, I didn't take time to determine how long the feature was. This, by what I remember, was probably bordering the twenty minute time limit. I'm hoping I'm right by saying that it was quicker. We'll start at the top of the race as usual, where Chris Bakaj took the lead. Of course, he'd have a couple of incidents that would almost hinder his chances of winning the race. The real action would start on lap-9 as Jason Moore and Tony Santangelo got together in the third and fourth turns, causing a caution situation. As the green came back out, Bakaj (and until I refer to his brother, I will not be trying to confuse you by adding first initals) reclaimed the lead. This lead would be put on hold on lap-10, when Ray Griffen, Jr's apparently started leaking something onto the track, causing unsafe conditions and becoming the caution car in the process. In an instant, the fine folks of the Super Clean Safety Team were on the scene, making sure that it was safe to continue racing. I might be wrong on this, but I believe I saw speedy dry being placed around the track. After the cars ran through it a couple of times, the race went back to green. Bakaj assumed the lead, but this time, it was only a lead that lasted for three laps. On lap-13, Aaron Goff and Joe Allegro, Jr got into each other and were the two cars to bring the gold out for the third caution of the event, making things happen on the frontstretch. The restart on lap-13 saw a new leader, as Glen Reen passed Bakaj. Chris Matthews would follow. It looked as though it was going to be a repeat of the July 13 feature. A caution on lap-15 would bunch the cars up together for a five-lap fight to the finish. The car of Josh Sylvester spun on the frontstretch, bringing out the final caution of the race. Restart time, and Reen would take control of the event. Matthews couldn't do a thing to stop Reen, and Reen would score his fourth win of the season. Matthews would finish second, Mark Bakaj third, and Raymond Grassetti fourth.

The next race would be the Limited Late Models, and they would definitely put on a show. Joey Ferrigno would be the first leader of the event, pulling away from Rick Lanagan by a good distance at one point in time. It seemed as though nothing and nobody would be able to stop him... Until lap-9. While still in the pilot's seat, Ferrigno's motor would go boom on the frontstretch, bringing the caution out for the first time. His car would come to rest in turn two, and believe it or not, he tried to get it started (but to no avail). Now with Lanagan as the leader, the cautions really started to fly... Four cautions within a span of four laps! Charlie Newman would bring out the caution on lap-13 after he spun in turn one (and I believe he just clipped the safer barrier in the process). This was followed by a lap-14 scene in which Shawn Thibeault spun in turn one as well. Green was shown to the field, one lap was completed, and there was much rejoicing... And then, the caution came back out. David Capriati would find himself in an accident on the backstretch, bringing the cars back down to a safer speed limit. But the green would fly one more time. Though on lap-18, there was a bit of a scenario. Newman would spin on the frontstretch, but he never tried to get it off of the infield grass. This set up chaos coming out of turn two, when Lanagan was spun around himself. The caution would come for Newman, and Lanagan would get his spot back. This would set the ball in Lanagan's court, as nobody dared to challenge him for the lead after that. He'd come to the line to pick up his fourth win of the season. The rest of the board would read as follows: Andrew Durand, Bill Davis, and Sean Foster.

Following them would be Stafford's full-bodied entry level division: The DARE Stocks. Now, they've been racing pretty clean this season. Five of their races have gone without a caution, regardless of what happened on the track. On this night, however, there happened to be one incident that was deemed "caution appropriate". But first, let's get to the basics. It was Duane Provost taking the early lead, but Kyle Nosal would become the second leader of the race around lap-2. While Nosal was in the lead, however, the first and only caution of the event occured. This was on lap-8, when Carla Botticello and Robert Thompson were involved in a two-car accident coming out of turn two (and winding up on the backstretch). Nosal would regain the lead on the restart, and he wasn't challenged by anyone as he scored his first career win. Following him to the line were Barry Fluckiger, Jim Brice, and Dan Flannery.

Once the DARE Stocks were done, we were back to the fast and -- as of last week -- the furious. Before the start of the make-up Late Model feature, at about 6pm, the SK Modifieds were called into their own exclusive driver's meeting. I was told that they were there by themselves for a reason. That reason had to do with what happened last week. You know, the suspensions and whatnot? Okay, I'll let that slide for now. But I do have some highlights for you. The feature started with Willie Hardie taking the lead in the early stages of the race. Lap-6 saw Kerry Malone spin in turns three and four, with a little help from Frank Ruocco. He would be black flagged for overaggression on the race track, yet his night would just sink lower from there. Meanwhile, the restart on la;p-6 was a false one; yet the third attempt was perfect and the race resumed. Around lap-11, Woody Pitkat would take over as the race leader. Now coming through the field was Ted Christopher, who would be a key factor in this race. All was nice, calm, and serene until lap-24 when quite a few cars ended up in an accident in turn one. On the restart, it was still Pitkat leading with Christopher now assuming second. Two laps would pass until the next caution, as the spinning car of Ruocco in turn three would slow the cars down once again. Either during the caution or soon after the green came back out, a piece of debris was spotted in turn two, but it wasn't revealed until the lap-26 restart occured. Again, the yellow was back out. It wasn't a long caution. Pitkat maintained control on the restart, still with Christopher on his tail. This chase didn't last long, however, and on lap-32, the yellow came out once again. This time, it was for the cars of Shelly Perry, Todd Owen, Wade Mattesen, and Scott Bennett, who were all involved in a backstretch incident. The restart was picture perfect, and Pitkat and Christopher once again duked it out. But there would be a minor problem as the leaders were in three and four and were about to get the white flag: They ran into a lapped car... That of Ruocco. Both of the leaders were able to get by, but Christopher seemed to lose some momentum, letting Pitkat cruise to the win. Christopher would finish second, followed soon after by Eric Berndt and Malone.

The last race of the night was that of the Late Models, who were now running their regularly-scheduled feature. And to tell you the truth, this was more like a game of cat-and-mouse with too many cats and twice as many mice. The first leader of the race was Rick Charette, and he'd lead until lap-8ish or so until Scott Foster, Jr took over. Foster would only lead for three laps before Ryan Posocco became the third different leader of the race. The first caution of the race would occur on lap-12 as JJ Hill and Bobby Leone were involved in a turn two and backstretch accident. Posocco would continue to lead on the restart, but Woody Pitkat (who had already won the two races he was a part of already) was coming up and eventually took second. The two of them would pull away from the rest of the field until lap-18 when Doug Blowers spun in turn two. On the restart, it was the Posocco and Pitkat show once again, but the show would only last for a single lap as on lap-19, Mark St. Hilaire brought out the caution for a solo-car accident. The show would revive itself as the green came back out, but Pitkat would lose ground to Posocco as the laps ticked down. Posocco's lead would be erased on lap-29 when John Warren and Tony Lafo collided with each other on the frontstretch. Of course, this set the stage for a green-white-checkered situation. They got the green down... They got the white down... Yet for some reason, the checkered was not in their reach the first time around. As Posocco and Pitkat were still battling for the lead, Dillon Moltz spun in three and four on the white flag lap, causing the field to try the last three laps over again. Pitkat tried as hard as he could to get the lead away from the clutches of Posocco, but it was no use. Posocco would break the winning streak of Pitkat at Stafford and take down his second win of the season. The win would also break the tie he had with Jim Peterson for the all-time career Late Model lead. Finishing off the top-four were Pitkat, Corey Hutchings, and Peterson.

Now that I've just killed my chances at getting this out on Wednesday (it's early Thursday morning as I'm finishing this up and I had something to do Wednesday evening), I have some news for you. No, it's not the entry list for next week's Whelen Modified Tour appearance. I'm surprised that it's not up for public viewing yet. What I do have for you is the order of features for Friday night. It's a regular week, so no double dipping and absolutely no special rules. Ladies and gentlemen, the order is as follows:

• Late Model 16 LCQ (if needed)
• Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modified 21 Means 21 (if needed)
• Late Models
• SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
• SK Modifieds
• DARE Stocks

So as you can tell, it's going to be greatness all around. So I'll see you sometime over the course of next week with news, highlights, and results from this upcoming program. Until then, keep safe, and enjoy all of your Thursday. (Because as far as I know, I'll be sleeping during the entire duration of the morning.)

Two For the Price of One

Good afternoon! It's time for a peek at the schedule for Friday night's "Two For the Price of One" Late Model night, along with four other divisions as part of the Whelen All American Series. It's not going to cost fans anything extra to come in around 6:15pm when the first Late Model race is run from lap-3. So when the makeup race has completed, you'll be treated to the regular qualifying heats and whatnot from four divisions -- Late Models are not doing heats -- followed by features. Do you wish to see a feature order? Very well then; I'll show it to you!

• SK Lights
• SK Modifieds
• Limited Late Models
• Late Models
• DARE Stocks

But from what the weather report says (two days in advance), it's going to be one of those days where it's just straight up nasty and wet. So stick around for the next couple of days, and I'll be back when I find out if the program's going to be run or not.

Friday Night Fights [7/20 Police Blotter]

Okay, here's what you've been waiting for now since I posted my other entry: The police blotter! I know, it doesn't like much, but it's really going to be something because it's the last thing you expect to hear. And with the night that went on Friday, trust me... There might be people reading this that have a different opinion. I don't know if you want to turn this into a huge conflict, but as long as I get this out of the way, I'm not the one who's going to be sticking my nose further into the situation. But here we go:

Lloyd Agor has been suspended for Friday night's event for unsportsmanlike conduct and due to the fact that he hit another car under the caution. (Here is a fan's take on the situation.) But on the other side of the spectrum, there is a familiar face to all of this. You should all know this name, boys and girls. Remember a man by the name of Chris Jones? Yes, he was the one who was escorted across the track during last season's Fall Final after a heated infield discussion. He returned, but he had someone else piloting the black #39. (The driver -- Todd Szegedy -- was just an innocent bystander.) But back to Jones... Just like last season, he had to be escorted across the track by a member of the security team. His slap on the wrist? He is indefinitely suspended from the paddock area and infield.

If you need to see the full detail, don't hesitate to see the rest of the police blotter.

Until the schedule for the July 27 event is posted, have a nice day.

A Rollercoaster Ride Worth Fifty Miles

Okay! Welcome to the fabulous world of a Tuesday afternoon at downtown "Small Town" Connecticut! I've been pretty lazy and/or willing to put off my entry until Thursday, but I wanted to give myself some ample time so that I wasn't on my butt trying to get the latest entry done on the last possible day. So with that said, I'm doing it three days before the next event. Unfortunately, I'll have to do a second entry right after this one so I can tell you all about what happened on the penalty notice sheet. There were a couple of bad boys during this heated night. For now, sit down, relax, sip some soda or whatever it is you drink at whatever time you're here, and listen as I tell the tale of the SK Modifieds going 100 laps... Plus four other features in the Whelen All American Series.

We started the night out with some full fendered action; more specifically, the cars of the Limited Late Models. Last time, their 20-lap feature ended up having four cautions in the middle of the action. We'll fast forward through the first fifteen laps of the race, telling you in the process that the race began with Sean Foster taking the lead and dominating up until the first caution on lap-16. That was when Barry Thompson spun in turns three and four. On the restart, Foster had the lead and didn't look like he was going to lose it. It appeared as though he would cruise to the win on the final lap, but as the white flag came out, the yellow was put into its place as Darrin Havanec spun in turn four, bringing out the caution to set up what looked like to be a green-white-checkered finish. Unfortunately for the field, their first attempt at the situation came up about one-and-a-half laps short. On the backstretch, Rick Lanagan ended up with the worst damage of a three car mess, with the end result being his car up against the wall going the other way. I'm looking at pictures of the night right now, and the press release on the track's site also agrees with the pictorial evidence: Paul Conte wanted to go airborne. (Let me be happy to say that it wasn't too bad and he was able to not destroy the car.) So now, there was a second attempt at a restart which proved to be the key to winning the race. Foster once again took control, and Charlie Newman followed him around the now third-place Andrew Durand. Newman tried to make a comeback, but it would be too late. Foster crossed the line first, scoring his second win of the '07 season. Newman, Durand, and Michael Nadeau finished off the scoreboard for this event.

The Limiteds exited the track via turn one, and in their place walked crew members, bringing out tools and other necessary equipment for 30-laps featuring the Late Models. Would you believe me if I told you that the Late Models and Limiteds finished their races in seventeen minutes each? I cannot tell a lie. That's exactly how it went. Here's extensive proof of what took place. Ed Ricard led the first two laps of the race, but whatever lead he had was short lived when Doug Blowers spun in turn four, bringing out the first caution of the event. When the green came back out, Ricard led until lap-3. And then, there was a lead change. Woody Pitkat became the new leader. And things were going on behind him. On lap-12, the cars of JJ Hill, Bobby Leone, and Rick Charette end up giving the field the second caution of the event. Charette looked like he backed up into the turn one wall, and Hill and Leone got together. Again, the green came back out. And again, Pitkat took control. The lead would only last for a couple more laps, however, because it was caution time once again. Turn one would be the scene of a two-car accident, and the two cars involved in this one belonged to Ryan Posocco and Jim Peterson, who are still tied for the all-time win lead as of the 20th. On the restart, Pitkat gave himself the lead again, and this time, nobody seemed as though they could have anything for him. He put on a show for the fans on the frontstretch as he crossed the finish line, claiming his first win of the (Late Model) season. Yes, I honestly thought he won more races in a fendered car. Finished in the top-3 a couple of times, but never had a win. Okay, the rest of the top-four: Jim Mavlouganes, Tom Fearn, and Corey Hutchings.

And now, things shift around. The full fendered automobiles take a little rest, and we drop the help on the infield for a race. This is open-wheeled competition with the sophomore season of the SK Lights. You might have heard what happened two weeks ago... They get five laps back, but they also have a time limit of twenty solid minutes to finish their race. Last week, things didn't fare too well. They went fifteen minutes over. Could the Lights rebound from the bad luck night of the 13th? I think the first lap told the entire story. A false start on the opening green flag bunched everyone up so that about a dozen of them could wreck in turns three and four as the second attempt almost became a possibility. You had the top-three drivers in the point standings involved in that (Chris Matthews, Glen Reen, and Brit Andersen), and just about everyone who was starting in the back. Needless to say, the race was red flagged with no laps on the board. Some of the cars involved got their cars moving so they could continue on with the race, while others -- like Glenn Griswold -- weren't so fortunate and had to be towed off and into the infield. Restart time comes, and Josh Sylvester assumes the top spot. The lead would have to be pulled back to the Earth's surface on lap-2, when Fred Nees, Jr winds up on the frontstretch in a solo-car accident. Sylvester would re-take the lead on the restart, but he would have a contender on his heels: Alan Provost. On lap-16, the lead changed hands when Provost snatched the lead away from Sylvester, and that would become the move of the race. Provost notched his first win of the season and of his career. Sylvester would come in second, followed to the line by Aaron Goff and Mark Bakaj. Length of race: Twenty-two minutes. They came close, I tell you.

Then it was time. The time of times! It was finally time to have the main attraction of the night. It was the 34th annual Coors Light SK Modified 100. A grand total of 28 cars started the feature, but only one could claim immortality... And a guaranteed spot in the SK-type portion of this year's North South Shootout at the Concord Motorsports Park. Who would win? The questions in the last entry would be answered in a total time of one hour, twenty-one minutes from the start of the race. The race would be Willie Hardie's from the opening green, even in the midst of three cautions between the first and 28th lap. The cautions would start coming like the plague on lap-14, when Shelly Perry brought out the first yellow flag with a spin in turn four. It was a minor incident; she drove off and it was a short caution. On the restart, Hardie took control again, but that lead only lasted three more laps as a second caution occured. Last year's winner of the event, Todd Owen, would be the next car to have problems on the night, almost as if he lost a tire and just sailed straight into the outside barrier. It would be assumed that the defending winner would not be able to defend the race successfully, handing over the title to another driver. But before we go too far ahead of ourselves, let's go back to the lap-17 restart. Again, you had Hardie taking the lead, and that would last for only four laps. Mark Anderson was the one who brought the caution out this time because he spun on the backstretch. This was a quickie caution, and the green would come back out probably less than a minute later with Hardie still in control. On lap-29, the car of Brad Hietala would experience heartbreak when he ended up in a solo-car accident in turn four. After cleanup commenced, the green came back out and it was Hardie leading the way. But now, however, Keith Rocco was coming up behind him and on lap-35, Rocco would help Hardie spin coming out of turn two. It was a four-car incident, including Jeff Malave, Richie Pallai, Jr, and Kenny Horton. Rocco would get black flagged for helping out with the caution, giving the lead to the all-time win leader period, Ted Christopher. But Christopher's lead was short lived. On the restart, Woody Pitkat stormed in front of Christopher and assumed the position of leader, even when there happened to be debris in turn four (this happening on lap-48). Pitkat went back into the lead, but it was only a lap until the next caution occured; this one being for Jim Larsen who spun in turn two. The next caution wouldn't come for a while, but there was still action. Christopher gained the lead back on lap-52, and Pitkat started to just slip back spot after spot until he really wasn't in contention anymore. Hope would seem lost for Pitkat until lap-79. Keith Rocco, who was black flagged earlier in the race, was now out of the race because his motor let loose in turns three and four, bringing out the caution. This allowed Pitkat to come to pit road and let his crew change tires. This would prove to be a very smart move for both him and his team. But at the moment, it was still Christopher out in front. The lead was erased once again when Larsen spun on lap-92 in turns three and four, setting up a crucial restart with Christopher still out in front. Pitkat was making a charge, however, and he would be back in contention on lap-95 when a series of problems occured. You had Hardie and Pallai spinning on the frontstrech, followed by Zach Sylvester in an accident in turns three and four, then Pete Pavone, Jr had his motor die on him on the frontstretch as the second restart bowed upon the field. The third test at the lap-95 restart would be a test of who would be able to get the better jump. The inside row had the advantage, but instead of Christopher pulling away, it was Pitkat going around TC. Another caution came out on lap-97 when Larsen was in a third caution along with Scott Bennett. So now, it came down to the final restart. Pitkat versus Christopher. Pitkat got the jump on Christopher, and while Christopher was falling back a couple of car lengths, it was Pitkat doing the daily double, winning both the Late Model feature and now the SK Modified 100. Christopher came in second, keeping Frank Ruocco in third and Kerry Malone in fourth.

Last, but certainly not least, there was a DARE Stock 15-lap feature to be run. Unlike the rest of the races on the program, this one actually went caution free. And there was only one leader in the entire event. Not bad for at least ten minutes of work. (Honestly, I don't think it was ten minutes. It might have been less than that. I didn't write a finish time to that.) What I can tell you was that the one and only leader to the event was Matt Chiarizio, who took down the win, his first of the '07 season and his career, on his birthday. Coming in behind him were Dan Flannery, Jim Brice, and Vince Gambacorta.

So, those are all the notes I have for you this week. I will do a special secondary entry so you can see who's not going to be at the track on Friday. Here's a little preview: The result is the last thing you'll ever think of. (Or it will leave you questioning why. Don't know yet.) But before I get started on that next entry, here's a treat I know you'll enjoy: How about double Late Model features? That's right! You know that event on July 13th that ended up being a four-feature night? Breathe easy, Late Model fans! You'll get the end of the July 13 feature, starting from lap-3 when the rains started to come in... And you'll get a regularly scheduled 30-lap feature as well. Just think -- it's like you get two features for the price of one! (Or one-and-a-half. I'm not quite sure about that as well.) So just keep this page up and I will be right back with the extra special police blotter from the SK 100.

Controversy? Rain? Cautions? I Highly [Doubt] It

No time to sit and think of things. I'm late, I'm late... I'm late! (You can clearly tell that I haven't seen Alice in Wonderland in a long time.) But for the record, this is the third week now that I've brought you results on the absolute last day I can possibly get them to you by. So feel lucky that on last Friday night -- Friday the 13th -- you had your standard one after the other, four divisions of Stafford racing. Why I say "four divisions" will be explained in detail towards the end of this whole thing. So shall we pick things up at around 7:32ish with the double green flags to signify the start of the DARE Stock race? I thought you'd never ask.

So like I said previously: At around 7:32pm, the man on top of the starter's stand opened up the feature portion of the evening with dual green flags for the 15-lap DARE Stock event. Things looked to be perfect for the first twelve laps of the race, with Dan Flannery leading the first eleven of them before Carla Botticello took over. Unfortunately for her, that's when the cautions started to come out. There weren't that many of them. The first of them occured on lap-13 (whoa, how ironic) as Barry Fluckiger, Frank Thompson, and Jim Brice found each other up in turn four. Back to green, and Botticello seemed to pull away from the field. On the white flag lap, she almost had things wrapped up... Until the cars of Cliff Saunders, John Hurley (who I haven't seen in a DARE Stock since at least two years ago?) and Matt Chiarizio were collected in a turn three caution, setting up a green-white-checkered situation. On the restart, Dean Casagrande tried to overpower Botticello, but it was Botticello who overpowered the field, scoring her second win of the season. Casagrande was second, followed by Flannery and Bill Dunn.

For the next two races, the action went from full fender to open wheel, starting with the 20-lap SK Light feature. Now note that since they've gone switched back to 20-lappers, they still have a time limit of 20 minutes. And since the July 6th event, I've been keeping tabs on when a feature starts (green waves) and finishes (first car crosses the finish line). Let me tell you right now that this did not come out to anything less than or equal to their time limit. The action started on the very first lap of the race, courtesy of Ted Cain, who saw the Armco barrier in turn one up close and personal. Green comes back out, and Alan Provost gets out to the top spot early. But the lead would be short lived, in a sense, as on lap-2, there was a four car accident on the frontstretch. The drivers involved in that time-consuming accident were Brit Andersen, Glenn Griswold, Michael Lane, and Scott Nordman. It was a lengthy caution, as the fine folks of the Super Clean Safety Team were on the scene, removing cars and dumping speedy-dry all over the frontstretch where Lane hit the wall. Once the accident scene turned into clear race track, the race resumed. Provost takes over the lead again, but Glen Reen was coming up strong, and Reen became the second leader of the race on lap-6. On lap-7, Jason Moore spun on the backstretch, bringing out a quick caution. Thank goodness for quick cautions, because at least one of the next two wouldn't be quick by any one of the definitions of the word. Reen would take advantage on the restart, and now trying to move to the front of the field was Chris Matthews. Matthews would make the jump up to second before a lap-17accident in turns three and four sent the field back under the yellow, involving Moore, Kyle Spencer, Fred Nees, Jr, and Rich Hammann. You'd think by now, someone in race control would remind the starter that it had been over twenty mnutes since the first wave of the green, right? Well, not really. As the green came back out, the car of Heather DesRochers ended up in the frontstretch wall, right about where I had been sitting. This was the second long yellow flag of the event. Once again, the Super Clean Safety Team was on the scene, placing lots of speedy-dry around the car and where her Light had ended up. This also set up a four-lap dash between Reen and Matthews, which ended up being Reen's race. He won his third race of the 2007 season. Matthews, Provost, and Mark Bakaj rounded out the top four. In the wonderful world known as technical inspection, however, Provost's car did not meet the minimum weight requirement of 2600 pounds, so he had to give up third place.

Attention was now shifted from how Modifieds did on their own to how they'd fare if they had help via the infield pits, because it just so happened to be time for the 40-lap SK Modified feature. You can clearly tell that by now, there had to be something in the sky, because during this race, there was a lot of jumping from whomever was in the front row later on in the event. But we'll begin from the top as we usually do, starting on the opening lap. That provided the first caution, when Zach Sylvester, Willie Hardie, and Shelly Perry were involved in a turn three accident. After this, the field played their own version of Musical Chairs. On the restart, Kerry Malone took control of the race, but he'd only lead a lap as Brad Hietala would lead the second lap. Hietala's lead wouldn't last for long either, as a new leader emerged on lap-3: That being Frank Ruocco. The action in the front would start to die down for a little bit as some action in the back picked up from last time. On lap-7, there were at least four drivers who weren't really up to speed, sending the field into caution mode for the second time in the race. The drivers were Ronnie Silk (taking over the #15 ride for the remainder of the '07 season), Richie Pallai, Jr, Jeff Baral, and Kirk Zervas. There might have been another one or two cars in that, but I couldn't tell you. (Sorry.) All right, the race went back to green, keeping the lead in Ruocco's hands until lap-9. That's when Pallai was in his second accident along with Lloyd Agor, this time in turns three and four. And then, there was a long green flag session with a new leader that would have his own problems. Keith Rocco had suddenly become the fastest driver on the track, and he passed quite a few contenders before finally passing Ruocco on lap-31. I'm about to tell you that when I mentioned something about jumping restarts, you'd find plenty of that after the original attempt at getting lap-33 completed. The first time the caution was brought out, it was for Pallai, who couldn't keep his car going in one straight direction. His car was in a one car accident in turn four. Needless to say, he wouldn't be a factor in the decision. Meanwhile, up front, the field was about to do a little shuffling in the first two rows. The initial front row for the first two attempts at a redo were Rocco and Woody Pitkat, who had moved up to second in the two laps after the lead change. Attempt two: Rocco jumped the start. On the third and fourth attempts at a redo, the SK field brought to me: Pitkat jumping and having to get put back a row thanks to race control. This now had Rocco and Ruocco on the front row for the fifth try. As the green came back out, it seemed as though Rocco's #78 may have had a problem, and a multi-car caution ensued just behind him. Hate to admit it, but Ben Dodge and Matt Buckler said he had problems, I said he had problems... Heck, I think everyone knew that his car had a couple of problems. What does race control do? Changes things up yet again. Now you had the top-four as follows: Rocco, Ted Christopher, and a second row of Ruocco and Pitkat (which I couldn't remember who was where, thank you). All I remember was that the four of them were just battling it out for the spots, and it ended up being Keith Rocco scoring his second win of the season. The rest of the board was Christopher, Pitkat (who had no air filter), and Ruocco. Now usually, it's just the top-three winding up in technical inspection. But for some reason, all four of them were inspected. No positions were lost in this chaos, and strange enough, it only took 35 minutes to finish the race.

Okay, it was time to go back to some full fenders now, because the Limited Late Models were ready to chomp at the track. Kevin Gambacorta took the early lead, even when David Capriati and Paul Conte spun in turns three and four on the second lap of the race, bringing out the first caution. On the restart, it was Gambacorta again, and it seemed as though nothing could stop him... Until lap-8, when Michael Nadeau and Sean Foster were involved in a two-car accident on the backstretch. It was on the restart when Gambacorta lost the lead to Charlie Newman, who now dominated the race until a lap-15 caution: Conte spinning in turn two. Under the caution, trouble occured with Newman's car, and he had to end his race on pit road. This now gave the lead to Andrew Durand. Durand would take control when the green came back out, but the lead shrank on lap-16. Gambacorta and Jeff Hubbell were the next two to bring out the yellow as they were involved in an accident in turns one and two. It was Durand's show for the final five laps of the race, and he would just sail to his fourth win of the season. Bill Davis, Rick Lanagan, and Michael Chaves rounded out the top-four.

As for the Late Models, well... They did take the green flag. Mark Lewis and Steve McQuillan did end up wrecking on lap-3 (in turn three). And on the restart, there just so happened to be a false start. But it began to slowly rain on their parade for the second week in a row. This was about at 10:00pm, but could the track be saved once the rain started to fall heavily? Not a chance. The race had to be called. The other 27-laps of this race will be made up, starting where the race was left off, on July 27th. I cannot tell you who was in the lead at the time the race was halted, so you'll have to stay tuned to find out who wins this one.

But let's shift our attention back towards tomorrow night. You know how wild that Late Model 100 was two weeks ago? If you liked that, you'll definitely like what is planned for this week. Think open-wheeled excitement, mixed in with cash bonuses and possible pit road strategy. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the 34th annual Coors Light SK Modified 100. Last year, it was Todd Owen winning it all. Can he repeat the feat and go back to back? Will another driver do it if he can't? In a little more than a day, those questions should be answered... Weather permitting. I've checked a couple of news stations last night, and they claim that it's going to be morning rain. One station has some rain coming in later that night, but nobody's got it added on their "seven day forecast" or whatever. In the event of rain, I will report right here. So until tomorrow, stay safe and dry, and I will see you around.