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(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the Casella Waste SK 80 on Friday, June 13th with Michael Christopher, Jr. taking home the Casella Waste hardware for a second consecutive season. In 2024, Christopher won the race as an Open Modified 80 event and this season as an SK Modified® event. The victory is Christopher’s first of the 2025 season and extends his recent string of success in extra distance, big money events. Among the other feature winners were a pair of first-time Stafford winners in Christopher Buffone in the Late Model feature and Brent Gleason in the Street Stock feature. Nickolas Hovey was a winner for the third time in four races this season in the SK Light feature and Gary Patnode notched his first Limited Late Model feature win of the season.
In the Casella Waste 80-lap SK Modified® feature event, Andrew Molleur took the early lead in the outside lane starting second, but his time at the front was extremely short as Michael Christopher, Jr. took the lead on lap-2. Molleur was right behind Christopher in second with Jon Puleo third, Tyler Chapman fourth, and Noah Korner fifth. Molleur came right back to the inside of Christopher for the lead on lap-3 but Christopher was able to fend off his challenge.
Molleur was able to retake the lead from Christopher on lap-6 but again his time out front was short as Christopher went back by on lap-8 to take the lead. Puleo made a move to the inside of Molleur for second on lap-9 with Chapman and Molleur now wheel to wheel for third.
Puleo was hounding Christopher for the lead but Christopher was able to keep his car at the front of the pack. Tyler Chapman was still third behind Christopher and Puleo with Korner fourth and Molleur fifth with 19 laps complete. Puleo was finally able to get alongside Christopher on lap-20 and he took the lead on lap-21. Behind the four leaders, Mikey Flynn was making a move around Molleur to take fifth place on lap-23
With 30 laps down, Puleo was still leading Christopher, Tyler Chapman, Korner, and Flynn. Keith Rocco was sixth followed by Max Zachem, Cory DiMatteo, Marcello Rufrano, and Michael Gervais, Jr. The caution came out with 32 laps complete for a spin coming out of turn 2 by Wesley Prucker.
Puleo took the lead on the restart with Tyler Chapman taking second. Christopher was third with Flynn fourth and Korner fifth. Wade Gagner spun in turn 1 to bring the caution flag out with 33 laps complete.
Puleo took the lead back under green with Christopher in second. Flynn took third with Tyler Chapman falling back to fourth just in front of Korner in fifth. Rocco was sixth followed by Zachem, Rufrano, Troy Talman, and Steven Chapman. Puleo and Christopher were starting to pull away from Flynn in third with Tyler Chapman, Korner, Rocco, and Zachem behind him. The caution came back out with 49 laps complete for a multi-car incident coming out of turn 4 involving Gagner, Curt Brainard, and Talman.
Puleo again took the lead on the restart with Christopher right behind him in second. Flynn took third with Rocco moving up to fourth and Tyler Chapman fifth. Zachem was sixth followed by Rufrano, Korner, Steven Chapman, and Gervais. Christopher nearly took the lead from Puleo on lap-68 but Puleo was able to maintain the lead. Behind the two leaders, Rocco was all over Flynn looking high and low for a way to take over third place, but was unable to find a way around Flynn. Prucker spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 75 laps complete and set up a 5 lap dash to the finish.
Puleo took the lead on the restart with Christopher and Flynn behind him. Tyler Chapman was fourth in line with Rocco fifth. Dan Avery spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 77 laps complete.
Puleo held off a challenge from Christopher on the restart and the field completed one lap before the caution came back out for Korner, who spun and slid through the backstretch grass and back onto the track in turn 3 to set up a green white checkered finish.
Puleo took the lead ahead of Christopher on the restart but there was contact in the rear of the field between Brainard, Art Caruso, and Chase Van Houten to bring the caution out.
Puleo took the lead on the restart but going into turn 1 on the white flag lap, Christopher made a bottom shot move to the inside of Puleo to take over the lead. Puleo and Flynn nearly took it 3-wide going through the final corner, but Christopher had enough steam coming out of turn 4 to lead the trio to the checkered flag and pick up his first win of the 2025 season. Puleo edged out Flynn at the line for second with Tyler Chapman and Rufrano rounding out the top-5.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Chris Buffone led the field to the green flag and he began to set the early pace with Tom Fearn and Adam Gray right behind him. Alexandra Fearn was fourth with Bobby Stirk, III holding off an early challenge from Darrell Keane for fifth. Chris Meyer spun into the turn 3 wall to bring the caution flag out with 4 laps complete.
Buffone took the lead back under green with Tom Fearn and Gray second and third. Alexandra Fearn was fourth in line with Keane taking fifth. Keane would lose fifth to Andrew Durand on lap-7 while Alexandra Fearn’s car dropped off the pace on the same lap and she came to a stop at the pit road exit in turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out with 8 laps complete. Fearn was able to rejoin the field at the rear of the pack for the restart.
Buffone took the lead on the restart while Tom Fearn got sideways coming out of turn 2 and nearly spun but recovered in fourth place behind Buffone, Gray, and Durand. Just behind Fearn in fifth place was Wayne Coury, Jr.
With 15 laps complete, Buffone had stretched out his lead over Gray in second with Durand, Coury, and Kevin Gambacorta making up the top-5. Keane was sixth followed by Alexandra Fearn, Tom Fearn, Stirk, and Josh Wood. With 5 laps to go, the order remained the same with Buffone holding a comfortable lead over Gray, Durand, Coury, and Gambacorta.
Buffone led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his first career Late Model feature victory at Stafford in domination fashion. Durand got around Gray in the closing laps for second with Gray, Coury, and Gambacorta rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, the field took the green with a pileup going into turn 1 that involved the cars of Daltin McCarthy, Casey Vogt, Jason Finkbein, and Carsten Cole to bring the caution out before the first lap could be completed.
Ron Midford, Jr. took the early lead ahead of Peter Bennett, Joey Ferrigno, Nick Anglace, and Dean Lambros back under green. Lambros took fourth from Anglace on lap-7 which allowed Paul Arute to follow him by Anglace and take over fifth. Anglace would slide back to eighth place as Chris Matthews took sixth and Nickolas Hovey seventh. Anglace took a spin through the frontstretch grass on lap-11 but kept going and he rejoined at the rear of the field as the race stayed green.
Midford was still in command with Bennett, Lambros, Ferrigno, and Hovey now making up the top-5 with 9 laps to go. Hovey was about to take fourth from Ferrigno when Sami Anderson spun coming out of turn 4 and collected the car of Josh Morrison to bring the caution flag out with 12 laps complete.
The restart saw Finkbein go around coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out before a lap could be completed.
Ferrigno and Matthews spun at the entrance of turn 3 on the restart to bring the caution back out after one lap had been completed with Midford still in the lead.
Midford again took the lead on the restart with Hovey charging up to second. Bennett took third with Lambros fourth. Arute was wheel to wheel with Meghan fuller for fifth place with Fuller taking fifth on lap-16. Hovey took the lead from Midford on lap-16 but Midford came right back and was challenging Hovey for the lead when the caution flew again with 16 laps complete for Zach Aszklar, who spun in turn 4.
Hovey took the lead on the restart with Midford glued to his back bumper in second. Bennett was third with Lambros fourth and Fuller fifth. Stephen Kalogiannis and Arute were dueling wheel to wheel for sixth. The caution came back out with 18 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Austin Goff while Finkbein was in the turn 3 wall and on the frontstretch the cars of Matthews and Arcari came together and collected the car of Anglace.
Hovey took the lead on the restart with Midford and Bennett giving chase. Neither car could get close enough to Hovey as Hovey continued his season of dominance with his 3rd win in 4 races. Midford finished second with Bennett, Lambros, and Fuller rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Gary Patnode took the early lead at the drop of the green with Travis Hydar, Jeremy Lavoie, Adrien Paradis, III, and Jason Lafayette making up the top-5. Dana Wray and Norm Root, III both spun in turn 1 to bring the caution flag out with 6 laps complete.
Patnode took the lead on the restart with Lavoie taking second. Lafayette moved into third with Paradis taking fourth and RJ Surdell fifth. Hydar slid all the way back to seventh place, just behind Kevin Cormier in sixth. Shelby Swan’s car came to a stop at the exit of turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 10 laps complete.
The field completed one lap with Patnode still in the lead before the caution came back out for Hydar and Cormier, who touched coming down the frontstretch with Hydar ending up in the wall.
Patnode again took the lead on the restart with Lafayette taking second. Lavoie slotted into third with Surdell fourth and the side by side duo of Rich Hammann and Surdell fighting for fifth. Surdell cleared Hammann for fourth and then took third from Lavoie on lap-14.
With 2 laps to go Lafayette was right behind Patnode in the fight for the lead. Surdell was third with Lavoie fourth and Paradis fifth. Lafayette couldn’t get close enough to Patnode to make a bid for the lead as Patnode took down his first win of the 2025 season. Lafayette finished second with Surdell, Hammann, and Lavoie rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, Isabella Minchella got loose on the opening lap, allowing Sean Petlock to take the early lead. Brent Gleason took over the lead on lap-3 with Bill Cote, Tyler Trott, Brandon Warren, and Jason Raymond lined up behind him. Minchella slid backwards outside the top-10 after her near spin.
With 8 laps complete, it was still Gleason in command with Cote and Trott right behind him. Warren was still fourth but Shawn Monahan was now up to fifth after starting from the 14th position.
With 5 laps to go, Gleason was still in the lead with Trott having gotten around Cote for second. Warren was still fourth with Aaron Plemons now in fifth. Raymond was sixth followed by Travis Downey, Monahan, Bert Ouellette, and Kolton Gambacorta.
Trott closed in on Gleason but couldn’t get close enough to make a move as Gleason scored his first career Street Stock feature victory at Stafford. Cote finished third with Plemons and Warren rounding out the top-5.
For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
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SK MODIFIED® CASELLA WASTE 80 (80)
1) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
2) Jon Puleo, Branford
3) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
4) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
5) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
6) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott
7) Steven Chapman, Ellington
8) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
9) David Arute, Tolland
10) Matt Vassar, Berlin
11) Bryan Narducci, Colchester
12) Max Zachem, Preston
13) Dylan Izzo, Monroe
14) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
15) Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA
16) Alexander Pearl, Salem
17) Noah Korner, Canton
18) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
19) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
20) Dan Avery, Somers
21) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
22) Keith Rocco, Berlin
23) Curt Brainard, Canton
24) Chase Van Houten, Wading River, NY
25) Art Caruso, Windsor
26) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
27) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA
28) Todd Owen, Somers
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA
2) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA
3) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
4) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
5) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
6) Darrell Keane, Enfield
7) Alexandra Fearn, Hampden, MA
8) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
9) Duane Noll, Monroe
10) Josh Wood, Palmer, MA
11) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA
12) Rob Taylor, Warren, MA
13) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted
14) Chris Meyer, Franklin
15) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
2) Ron Midford, Jr., Ellington
3) Peter Bennett, Windsor
4) Dean Lambros, Northport, NY
5) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
6) Paul Arute, Tolland
7) Stephen Kalogiannis, New Hartford
8) Amanda West, Colchester
9) Norm Sears, Coventry
10) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook
11) Ben Morrison, Ashford
12) Paul Arcari, Somers
13) Daltin McCarthy, Oxford, MA
14) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
15) Austin Goff, Stafford Springs
16) Aaron Goff, Stafford Springs
17) Zach Aszklar, Newtown
18) Anthony Forino, Waterbury
19) Dylan Houghton, Springfield, MA
20) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
21) Matthew Winter, II, Springfield, VT
22) Pete Lopuch, West Redding
23) Chris Matthews, Stafford
24) Nick Anglace, Seymour
25) Jason Finkbein, Manchester
26) Carsten Cole, Westbrook
27) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
28) Bob Charland, Stafford Springs
29) Josh Morrison, Ashford
30) Casey Vogt, Windsor
31) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
32) Matt Brewer, Norwich
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
2) Jason Lafayette, Somers
3) RJ Surdell, Willington
4) Rich Hammann, Tolland
5) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
6) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
7) Devon Jencik, Canton
8) Matt Clement, Wethersfield
9) Connor Jencik, Canton
10) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
11) Kyle Theriault, Three Rivers, MA
12) Norm Root, III, Old Saybrook
13) Daryl Vertefeuille, Willington
14) Samantha Dell, Pascoag, RI
15) Shelby Swan, Durham
16) Kevin Cormier, Springfield, VT
17) Matthew Winter, II, Springfield, VT
18) Dana Wray, Northford
19) Scott Clement, Wethersfield
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Brent Gleason, Griswold
2) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
3) Bill Cote, Belchertown, MA
4) Aaron Plemons, Uncasville
5) Brandon Warren, Chicopee, MA
6) Jason Raymond, Somers
7) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted
8) Shawn Monahan, Waterford
9) Bert Ouellette, Ellington
10) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington
11) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
12) Sean Petlock, Ware, MA
13) Isabella Minchella, Somers
14) Jeff Asselin, Granby, MA
15) Sean Riley, Wolcott
16) David Ciastko, Madison
17) David Macha, Sr., Columbia
18) Pete Cayer, Bristol
19) Alex Spinnato, Wallingford
20) Rob Sears, Stafford Springs
21) Colin Volpe, Blue Point, NY
22) Brennan Murdza, Chicopee, MA
23) Jay Adams, Herdan, VA
24) Daniel Griffin, Hull, MA
