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(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway hosted the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®, “The Greatest Race in the History of Spring,” on Sunday, April 26th with Open Modified cars. Ronnie Williams methodically worked his way towards the front of the field and he had to hold off a furious 2-way challenge from both Tyler Chapman and Austin Beers over the final 5 laps of the race to win the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®.
The race took the green flag with Tyler Chapman and Ron Silk leading the field to the green flag. Chapman and Silk ran wheel to wheel for a lap before Chapman cleared to the lead on lap-2. Silk held off a challenge from Michael Christopher, Jr. to get in line in second with Teddy Hodgdon fourth and George Bessette, Jr. fifth. Silk made a move to the inside of Chapman on lap-4 to move into the lead. With 10 laps complete it was Silk leading Chapman, Christopher, Hodgdon, and Bessette. Ryan Newman was sixth followed by Jake Johnson, Dylan Izzo, Eric Goodale, and Jon McKennedy.
The running order was still Silk, Chapman, Christopher, Hodgdon, and Bessette when the first caution flag of the event flew with 22 laps complete for David Arute, who spun coming out of turn 2.
Silk took the lead on the restart with Chapman holding second. Hodgdon took third with Bessette fourth and Johnson fifth. Johnson made a move to the inside of Bessette on lap-30 to move up to fourth and drop Bessette back to fifth. Dylan Izzo was now up to sixth with Austin Beers, McKennedy, Christopher, and Stephen Kopcik making up the top-10.
With 45 laps complete, Silk was comfortably in the lead with Chapman giving chase from second. Hodgdon was third with Johnson and Bessette making up the top-5. Beers was sixth with Izzo, McKennedy, Kopcik, and Christopher making up the top-10. Beers made a move to the inside of Bessette on lap-48 to move into fifth and drop Bessette back to sixth. Matt Swanson came to a stop at the exit of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 48 laps complete.
Under the caution period, the entire field minus David Arute came to pit road for adjustments and teams could change 2 tires. Silk won the race off pit road followed by Hodgdon, Beers, Kopcik, Chapman, McKennedy, Johnson, Eric Goodale, Izzo, and Andrew Molleur.
Silk took the lead back under green but Beers made a move to the inside of Silk and he took over the lead on lap-50. Kopcik was now wheel to wheel with Silk for second with Hodgdon in fourth and McKennedy fifth. Silk retook the lead from Beers on lap-52 in turn 2 but Beers took the lead right back in turn 3 on the same lap. The lead changed hands again on lap-54 with Silk going back by Beers. Beers did a half spin coming out of turn 4 and his car stalled on the frontstretch to bring the caution out with 54 laps complete.
Silk took the lead on the restart with Hodgdon nearly taking the lead before falling back into line in second. Brett Meservey spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 55 laps complete. Izzo’s car began to leak fluid and the race was red flagged to clean the track up.
After a delay to clean the track, Silk held off a challenge from Hodgdon to maintain the lead. Kopcik and Chapman were wheel to wheel behind Hodgdon fighting for third with Noah Korner up to fifth. The field got sorted out with Silk in the lead followed by Hodgdon, Chapman, Kopcik, Korner, and Ronnie Williams. Chapman moved into second on lap-65 with Hodgdon, Kopcik, Korner, and Williams behind him as Silk continued to hold the lead.
Chapman was starting to apply some heavy pressure to Silk for the lead and he dove to the inside of Silk on lap-69 but couldn’t complete the pass. Chapman made the same move to the inside of Silk on lap-71 in turn 2 and this time he made the pass stick as he took over the lead. Williams got around Kopcik to move into fourth behind Chapman, Silk, and Hodgdon. Andrew Molleur spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out with 77 laps complete.
Chapman and Silk went wheel to wheel for the lead on the restart with Chapman taking the lead at the line. Korner spun in turn 1 to bring the caution back out with 78 laps complete.
Silk took the lead from Chapman on the restart but one lap later Chapman went back to the front. Williams was now on the inside of Silk for second and he took the position on lap-81. Kopcik was fourth behind Silk with Hodgdon in fifth. Silk went back by Williams for second on lap-82 and set his sights on Chapman in the lead. Bessette spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 85 laps complete.
Silk got the initial jump on the restart but Chapman came back to his inside and had the lead by a nose at the line. Chapman cleared into the lead on lap-87 with Williams moving into second behind him. Hodgdon took third with Silk fading backwards as Beers took fourth to drop Silk to fifth. Beers took third from Hodgdon on lap-90 just before the caution came out for a spin in turn 3 by Chris Pasteryak, Cam McDermott, and Eric Goodale.
Williams took the lead from Chapman in the outside lane on the restart with Chapman taking second. Beers was third with Kopcik fourth and Hodgdon fifth. Beers took second from Chapman on lap-92 while Ryan Newman took fifth from Hodgdon. Silk brought his car to pit road on lap-95 while the field was still circulating under green. Beers made a move to the outside of Williams with 4 laps to go and they dueled wheel to wheel with Chapman right behind them in third.
Williams and Beers dueled side by side until the final lap when Williams got clear into the lead. Going into turn 3 on the final lap, Beers made a move to the inside of both Williams and Chapman and nearly passed them both but he came up just short as Williams took the checkered flag to win the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®. Chapman edged out Beers at the line for second with Kopcik fourth and Newman rounding out the top-5.
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NAPA Spring Sizzler® (100)
1) Ronnie Williams, Lebanon
2) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
3) Austin Beers, Northampton, PA
4) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
5) Ryan Newman, South Bend, IN
6) Jake Johnson, Rehoboth, MA
7) Matt Swanson, Harvard, MA
8) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
9) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
10) Brett Meservey, Brewster, MA
11) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
12) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon
13) David Arute, Stafford Springs
14) Cam McDermott, Canterbury
15) Ron Silk, Norwalk
16) Keith Rocco, Berlin
17) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY
18) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
19) Noah Korner, Canton
20) Woody Pitkat, Bellingham, MA
21) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA
22) Dylan Izzo, Monroe
23) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
24) Chris Finocchario, Fairport, NY
25) Trevor Catalano, Ontario, NY
DNS
Steven Chapman, Ellington
