Stafford Speedway 6th Annual Casella Waste Open 80 Driver Preview

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(Stafford Springs, CT)—This Friday, June 16th, will see Stafford Speedway host the 6th Annual Casella Waste Open 80, the third of five Open Modified events scheduled during the 2023 racing season. Here we take a look at each of the 26 drivers currently entered into the Casella Waste Open 80 and offer their driving stats at Stafford along with car number, sponsor and chassis.

6th Annual Casella Waste Open 80 Entry List

Craig Lutz – #00 James R. Paige Plumbing & Heating Troyer – Lutz was the winner of the 2019 NAPA Fall Final at Stafford and he has posted finishes of 32^nd in the NAPA Spring Sizzler and 8^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Jimmy Blewett – #02 Primary Service Group / John Blewett, Inc. Troyer– Blewett has 5 career Stafford victories to his name with 2 SK Modified® wins and 3 Whelen Modified Tour wins. Blewett is off to a hot start in Stafford’s SK Modified® division in 2023 with podium finishes in each of the first 4 races and he placed 27^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler®.

George Bessette, Jr. – #1 Superior Refinishing, LLC. Fury – Bessette is the 2018 Street Stock champion at Stafford and he has a total of 16 career feature wins at Stafford (10 Street Stock, 6 SK Light). Bessette has 4 podium finishes in 4 SK Light starts this season and he finished 17^th in the CBYD 81 after failing to qualify for the NAPA Spring Sizzler®.

Stephen Kopcik – #1 Wanick Construction, Inc. Troyer – Kopcik is the 2015 SK Light champion at Stafford and he has 16 career Stafford feature wins (13 SK Modified®, 3 SK Light), including one SK win this season. Kopcik finished 9th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and didn’t race in the CBYD 81.

Matt Galko – #3 AAA Consulting, LLC. Troyer – Galko is a 2-time SK Light Champion (2010, 2011) at Stafford with 2 career SK Modified® and 8 career SK Light feature wins. Galko finished 22^nd in the NAPA Spring Sizzler and he did not race in the CBYD 81.

Jeff Gallup – #4ma Ceravolo’s Auto Fury – Gallup has a pair of Modified Racing Series podium finishes at Stafford, finishing 3rd in 2016 and 2nd in 2018 and he has led laps in several other Stafford races. Gallup did not qualify for the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and he finished 10^th in the CBYD 81.

Tommy Barrett, Jr. – #4nh Xtreme Racing LFR – Barrett has 18 career feature wins at Stafford (14 SK Light, 3 Modified Racing Series, and he was the winner of the 2018 Twisted Tea 80). Barrett will be looking to make his first open modified start of the 2023 season as he did not qualify for the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and didn’t race in the CBYD 81.

Glen Reen – #10a Horsepower Hill Farms Troyer – Reen is the 2017 Late Model track champion at Stafford and he is the most recent open modified winner at Stafford to push his career win total to 17 career feature wins at Stafford (6 Late Model, 6 SK Light, 4 SK Modified®, 1 Open Modified). Reen finished 15^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® to go along with his CBYD 81 victory.

Tyler Barry – #18 Xtreem Auto Body Spafco – Barry is the defending SK Light track champion at Stafford and he has 2 career SK Light feature wins at Stafford. Barry finished 21^st and 11^th in his first 2 Open Modified starts at Stafford last season and he will be looking to make his first open modified start of the 2023 season in the Casella Waste Open 80.

Todd Owen – #20 Best Auto Troyer – Owen is the two-time defending SK Modified® track champion at Stafford (2021,2022). Owen has recorded 25 career Stafford feature wins (18 SK Modified®, 7 ProStock) and he finished 14^th in CBYD 81 after not qualifying for the NAPA Spring Sizzler®.

Max Zachem – #20 Casella Waste Meade – Zachem is looking to make his first open modified start of the 2023 season in the Casella Waste Open 80. Zachem has a best finish of 6^th in 5 career open modified starts at Stafford.

Mikey Flynn – #24 Place Motors Spafco – Flynn has 2 career Stafford feature wins in Legend Cars, but he is still in search of his first modified win, having driven in the SK Light and now SK Modified® divisions. Flynn is looking to make his first open modified start of the 2023 season in the Casella Waste Open 80.

Buddy Charette – #28 Cape Towing & Salvage TFR – Charette posted a best finish of 11^th in 4 open modified starts at Stafford last season and he has finished 25^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and 9^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Devin O’Connell – #43 SEALOR Properties Troyer – O’Connell is the 2015 Legend Cars track champion at Stafford with 9 career Legend Cars feature wins. O’Connell finished 12^th in his lone open modified start of 2020 and he placed 20^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Dave Salzarulo – #44 1812 Paint & Body Troyer – Salzarulo has made 5 career open modified starts at Stafford with a best finish of 15^th during the 2018 season.

Marcello Rufrano – #48 Wheelers Auto Service LFR – Rufrano is the 2018 SK Light track champion at Stafford and he has a total of 17 career Stafford feature wins (11 SK Light, 3 SK Modified®, 2 Street Stock, 1 Open Modified). Rufrano won his very first open modified start at Stafford, the 2020 Bud Light 80, and in 13 career open modified starts he has 1 win, 2 top-5, and 3 top-10 finishes.

Ronnie Williams – #50 Empower Financial Advisory Troyer – Williams is a 2-time SK Modified® Track Champion (2018, 2019) at Stafford and he has a total of 29 Stafford feature wins (22 SK Modified®, 4 SK Light, 3 Open Modified). Williams finished 13^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and 6^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Teddy Hodgdon – #55ct Montanari Fuel Troyer – Hodgdon is the 2019 SK Light track champion at Stafford and he has posted a total of 11 career Stafford feature wins (6 SK Light, 5 Legend Cars). Hodgdon finished 16^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and he was the runner-up to Glen Reen in the CBYD 81 this season.

Eric Goodale – #58 GAF Roofing Fury – The Whelen Modified Tour veteran has 2 career wins at Stafford; the 2017 NAPA Fall Final and the 2018 Bud Light Open 80. Goodale has competed in all 20 open modified races held at Stafford to date with 1 win, 9 top-5, and 14 top-10 finishes, including 5^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and 7^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Chris Pasteryak – #75ct Dawley’s Collision & Custom Troyer – Pasteryak has 3 career Stafford victories, (2 Modified Racing Series, 1 Legend Cars). Pasteryak has made 11 career open modified starts at Stafford with 1 top-5 and 3 top-10 finishes, including 14^th in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and 18^th in the CBYD 81 this season.

Matt Gallo – #77 CrossFixIt Equipment Services Troyer – Gallo has 4 career feature wins at Stafford (3 SK Light, 1 SK Modified®). Gallo has made 3 career open modified starts at Stafford with a best finish of 15^th coming in the CBYD 81 earlier this season.

Jon McKennedy – #79 Middlesex Interiors LFR – McKennedy is the defending Whelen Modified Tour champion and he has a total of 4 Stafford feature wins (2 Modified Racing Series, 2 Modified Touring Series). McKennedy has made 4 career open modified starts at Stafford with 1 top-5 and 3 top-10 finishes including 6^th in this year’s NAPA Spring Sizzler®.

Woody Pitkat – #88 Dunleavy’s Truck and Trailer Repair LFR – Pitkat is the 2015 NAPA Spring Sizzler® winner and he is also a 3-time Stafford track champion (2006, 2012 Late Model, 2013 SK Modified®). Pitkat ranks second on Stafford’s All-Time Winners List with 81 career feature wins (40 Late Model, 30 SK Modified®, 4 Open Modified, 3 Street Stock, 2 Whelen Mod Tour, 2 Modified Racing Series). Pitkat won 3 Open Modified races in a row last season and he has finished 2^nd in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and 3^rd in the CBYD 81 this season.

Anthony Bello – #179 Jensen Motorsports Troyer – Bello is the 2022 SK Modified® Rookie of the Year and he has 2 career Stafford feature wins with one win each in the SK Modified® and SK Light divisions. Bello has made 9 career open modified starts at Stafford with a best finish of 7^th coming in this year’s NAPA Spring Sizzler®.

The 6th Annual Casella Waste Open 80 is scheduled for this Friday, June 16. Stafford’s SK Modified®, Late Model, SK Light, Limited Late Model, and Street Stock divisions will join the Open Modifieds in feature action. Tickets for the Casella 80 are available now online at StaffordSpeedway.com/tickets and tickets will also be available for purchase at the admission gates. Tickets for the Casella 80 are $30.00 for adults, $10.00 for kids 6-14, and free for kids 5 & under. Reserved seating is priced at $35.00 for all ages and pit passes are $45.00 with a valid 2023 Stafford Competition License and $50.00 without a Stafford license. If you are unable to attend the event, tune into the live stream on FloRacing, the official streaming partner of Stafford Speedway.

Order Casella Waste Open 80 Tickets

For more information, visit staffordspeedway.com, follow Stafford Speedway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.