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(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final headlined by the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series with the SK Modified® and extra distance 40-lap King of the Crate SK Light feature events. Andrew Molleur helped extend his SK Modified® points lead heading into the Oct. 4 NAPA Champions Night event at Stafford while Tyler Chapman cemented his 2024 SK Light championship with his 10th win of the 2024 season, which brought with it a $2,100 payday from the over $12,000 King of the Crate purse.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Anthony Flannery took the early lead after Michael Gervais, Jr. went 3-wide with Flannery and Wesley Prucker at the start. Gervais moved up to second at the start and he took the lead from Flannery on lap-2. Steven Chapman was now third behind Gervais and Flannery with Andrew Molleur in fourth and Michael Christopher, Jr. in fifth.
Chapman took second from Flannery on lap-6 and he then went by Gervais on lap-9 to move into the lead. Gervais settled into second behind Gervais with Molleur third, Christopher fourth, and Mikey Flynn fifth. Molleur moved into second on lap-13 and Christopher followed him past Gervais to move into third and drop Gervais back to fourth. Flynn went by Gervais on lap-15 to move into fourth place and David Arute took fifth as Gervais fell back to sixth.
Molleur made a move to the inside of Chapman to take over the race lead just as the race hit the halfway mark of lap-20. Christopher was tucked right behind Gervais to make a 3-car train for the lead with Arute in fourth and Flynn fifth. Todd Owen was sixth followed by Jon Puleo, Teddy Hodgdon, Troy Talman, and Marcello Rufrano. Owen went around in the middle of turns 3+4 to bring the caution flag out with 27 laps complete. Talman was sent to the rear of the field for making contact with Owen.
Molleur took the lead back under green while Arute took second from Chapman. Flynn was fourth behind Chapman with Hodgdon and Christopher side by side for fifth place. On lap-32 the car of Rufrano dropped off the pace and he slowly made his way back to pit road. Molleur and Arute were starting to pull away from Flynn in third with Hodgdon fourth and Tyler Hines up to fifth.
Arute couldn’t get close enough to Molleur in the closing laps to make a bid for the lead as Molleur took down his second win of the 2024 season. Hodgdon finished third with Flynn and Hines rounding out the top-5.
In the 40-lap SK Light King of the Crate feature event, Frank L’Etoile, Jr. took the lead at the start with Ron Midford, Jr. and Bob Charland side by side behind him. Midford took the lead on lap-4 before the caution came out for spins by Norm Sears and Amanda West, which also collected the car of Aiden D’Agata.
Midford took the lead back under green but it only lasted until lap-6 when Hovey took over the lead. Tyler Chapman was on the move as he took third place with Chris Viens fourth and Alexander Pearl fifth. Pearl took fourth place on lap-9 with Viens able to get back in line in fifth place. Chapman was applying heavy pressure to Hovey for the lead but Hovey was able to hold him off. Chapman was finally able to make a pass stick on lap-13 as he took the lead by a nose at the line. Chapman cleared Hovey on lap-14 with Pearl now in third place behind the two leaders. Midford was fourth with Viens still holding fifth place.
As the race hit the halfway point, Chapman was still in the lead with Hovey, Pearl, Midford, and Viens making up the top-5. Brian Sullivan was sixth with Fuller, Josh Morrison, L’Etoile, and Robert Bloxsom making up the top-10. Sullivan took fourth place from Midford on lap-22 as Chapman continued to lead Hovey and Pearl.
Viens made a move to the inside of Midford on lap-28 to move into fifth place and Fuller followed him past Midford to move into sixth. Fuller then got to the inside of Viens and they raced wheel to wheel for fifth place with Midford right behind them. Fuller took fifth on lap-31 with Viens sixth and Midford seventh while Chapman was still leading Hovey, Pearl, and Sullivan.
Chapman led the field to the checkered flag to take down his 10th feature win of the 2024 season and claim the $2,100 winner’s share of the $12,000 King of the Crate Purse.
For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
SK MODIFIED® (40)
1) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
2) David Arute, Tolland
3) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
4) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
5) Tyler Hines, North Haven
6) Jon Puleo, Branford
7) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
8) Steven Chapman, Ellington
9) Keith Rocco, Berlin
10) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
11) Todd Owen, Somers
12) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
13) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY
14) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
15) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
16) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
17) John Montesanto, North Haven
18) Curt Brainard, Canton
19) John Sandberg, South Windsor
20) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
21) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
22) Frank Ruocco, Brigantine, NJ
SK LIGHT KING OF THE CRATE (40)
1) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
2) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
3) Alexander Pearl, Salem
4) Brian Sullivan, Tolland
5) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
6) Chris Viens, Putnam
7) Ron Midford, Jr., Ellington
8) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
9) Josh Morrison, Ashford
10) Dean Lambros, Northport, NY
11) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
12) Chris Matthews, Stafford
13) Bob Charland, Stafford Springs
14) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
15) Paul Arute, Tolland
16) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook
17) Matt Brewer, Norwich
18) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
19) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks
20) Norm Sears, Andover
21) Brandon Michael, Granville, MA
22) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA
23) Carsten Cole, Westbrook
24) Scott Rotherforth, Bristol
25) Tony Membrino, Jr., Berlin
26) Nick Anglace, Seymour
27) Amanda West, Colchester
28) Aiden D’Agata, Willington
