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(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway returned to action with its first Friday night weekly racing program of the 2026 season on Friday, May 8th. Feature winners on the night included Keith Rocco in the SK Modified® feature, Adam Gray in the Late Model feature, Robert Bloxsom, III in the SK Light feature, Gary Patnode in the Limited Late Model feature, and Brandon Warren in the Street Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Troy Talman took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Dylan Kopec, Keith Rocco, Dylan Izzo, and Matt Vassar all lined up behind him. Kopec took the lead from Talman coming out of turn 4 on lap-3 before the caution came out for Chase Cook, who spun and came to a stop in turn 2.
Talman took the lead back on the restart with Kopec in second. Rocco and Izzo were side by side for a lap fighting for third placed before Izzo got loose in turn 2 and slid back several spots. Vassar was fourth with Mikey Flynn in fifth. Flynn took fourth from Vassar on lap-6 while Kopec took the lead before surrendering the lead to Rocco on lap-9. Talman was now third behind Rocco and Kopec with Flynn fourth and Glen Reen up to fifth.
Marcello Rufrano was on the charge as he took fourth place from Talman on lap-12 as Rocco continued to lead Kopec and Flynn. Anthony Flannery was now sixth with Reen, Alexander Pearl, Izzo, and Jon Puleo making up the top-10. Rufrano charged his way past Flynn on lap-15 to move into third and now he was challenging Kopec for second place.
Rufrano took second from Kopec on lap-19 and now set his sights on Rocco in the lead. The caution flew with 24 laps complete as Meghan Fuller spun in turn 2 with Chase Cook. Cook was black flagged by Stafford officials for making contact with Fuller.
Rocco took the lead back under green with Rufrano taking second. Kopec was third with Flannery fourth and Flynn fifth. Pearl was sixth with Izzo, Talman, Michael Christopher, Jr. and Puleo making up the top-10. Rufrano nearly took the lead from Rocco on lap-28, but Rocco was able to fend off his challenge. With five laps to go Rocco was still leading Rufrano with Kopec, Flannery, and Pearl making up the top-5.
Rocco led Rufrano to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2026 season. Kopec finished third with Flannery and Pearl rounding out the top-5. Following post-race inspection, the car of Kopec failed to meet the minimum ride height requirement and the car of Flannery exceeded the maximum allowable left side weight and both cars were disqualified from the feature finish. This moves Pearl into third with Christopher and Flynn rounding out the new top-5 behind Rocco and Rufrano.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature, Adam Gray and Josh Wood led the field to the green flag with Wood nearly taking the lead from Gray on the first lap before settling back into second place. Kevin Gambacorta was third in the early going with Wayne Coury, Jr. fourth and Chris Meyer fifth. Gambacorta took second from Wood on lap-5 and Wood would lose several more spots on lap-6 as Meyer took third, Coury took fourth and Michael Bennett took fifth. Chris Buffone took sixth with Wood finally able to get back in line in seventh place.
Buffone took fifth from Coury and was working Bennett over for fourth place but Bennett was able to hold him off. Up front, both Meyer and Gambacorta were closing in on Gray to make it a 3-way fight for the lead. After running nose to tail for about 10 laps, Buffone and Bennett touched going into turn 1 with Bennett sliding backwards into the wall to bring the caution flag out with 20 laps complete.
Gray took the lead on the restart while Meyer moved by Gambacorta to take second. Coury was fourth with Buffone in fifth. Darrell Keane was sixth with Paul Varricchio, Jr., Adon Burrell, Bobby Stirk, III, and Wood making up the top-10. Buffone made a move to the inside of Coury on lap-24 and he took over fourth place. Meyer was all over the back bumper of Gray up front in the fight for the lead but he wasn’t able to make a pass stick.
Meyer couldn’t get by Gray as Gray took the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2026 season. Gambacorta made a last lap, last corner pass on Meyer to take second as they hit the stripe taking the checkered flag. Buffone finished fourth with Coury rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature, there was a stack up on the start that collected the cars of Ed Chicoski, Casey Vogt, David Webb, Eddie Gomarlo, Andy Marchese, and Anthony Forino that brought the caution flag out immediately.
Bob Charland took the lead on the restart but his time at the front was short as Cassandra Cole powered her way into the lead on lap-2. Jason Finkbein was third in line with Robert Bloxsom, III fourth and Amanda West fifth. Tyler Barry took fifth from West on lap-6 as Cole continued to lead Charland, Bloxsom, and Finkbein. Andy Marchese spun in the middle of turns 3+4 to bring the caution flag back out with 6 laps complete.
Bloxsom powered his way into the lead on the restart with Barry taking second. Chris Matthews was now third with Peter Bennett fourth. Cole fell back to fifth, where she was side by side with Nick Anglace dueling for the position. Anglace took fifth on lap-9 with Finkbein taking sixth on lap-10 to drop Cole back to seventh place. Matthews stalked Barry until lap-12 when he made a move to take over second place.
Bloxsom couldn’t be caught at the front as he took the checkered flag for his first win of the 2026 season. Matthews finished second with Barry, Anglace, and Finkbein rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Gary Patnode and Darryl Vertefeuille led the field to the green flag with Patnode taking the early lead. Duane Provost quickly moved into second with Rich Hammann taking third. Vertefeuille was fourth in the early going with Adrien Paradis, III holding the fifth position. Patnode began to stretch out his advantage over Provost in second while Hammann was closing in on Provost. Hammann took second from Provost on lap-8 while Paradis was still fourth and Jeremy Lavoie was up to fifth as Vertefeuille had faded back to outside the top-10.
With 12 laps complete Patnode was still in the lead with Hammann, Provost, Lavoie, and Paradis making up the top-5. Jason Lafayette was sixth followed by Aaron Plemons, Kyle Theriault, Norm Root, III, and Travis Hydar. Hammann closed down the gap to Patnode but he ran out of laps to make a bid for the lead as Patnode took down his first win of the 2026 season. Provost finished third behind Patnode and Hammann with Lavoie and Lafayette rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Brandon Warren and Kolton Gambacorta brought the field to the green flag with Warren shooting out to the early lead with Gambacorta right behind him in second. Brent Gleason was third in line with PJ Evans fourth and Ryan Waterman fifth. Waterman drifted up the track in turn 3 on lap-3 which allowed Bill Cote to make a run to his inside and Cote took fifth from Waterman on lap-4.
With 5 laps to go the order was still Warren in front followed by Gambacorta, Glearson, Cote, and Waterman. Jason Raymond was sixth with Evans, Charles Beal, Scott Sundeen, and Isabella Minchella making up the top-10. In a race that went green to checkered, Warren scored his first win of the 2026 season after leading all 20 laps. Gambacorta came home in second with Gleason, Waterman, and Cote 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® (40)
1) Keith Rocco, Berlin
2) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
3) Alexander Pearl, Salem
4) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
5) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
6) Dylan Izzo, Monroe
7) Jon Puleo, Branford
8) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
11) David Arute, Stafford Springs
12) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
13) Peter Portante, Plainville
14) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
15) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
16) Chase Cook, Norwich
17) Matt Vassar, Berlin
18) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
19) Josh Morrison, Ashford
20) Curt Brainard, Canton
21) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
22) Art Caruso, Windsor
23) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA
24) Josh Zentek, East Haven
DQ – Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA
DQ – Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
LATE MODEL (30)
1) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
2) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
3) Chris Meyer, Franklin
4) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA
5) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
6) Darrell Keane, Enfield
7) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
8) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted
9) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck
10) Damian Palardy, Stafford Springs
11) Rob Taylor, Jr., Warren, CT
12) Josh Wood, Palmer, MA
13) Michael Bennett, Willington
DNS – Scott Davis, Enfield
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
2) Chris Matthews, Stafford
3) Tyler Barry, Griswold
4) Nick Anglace, Seymour
5) Jason Finkbein, Manchester
6) Cassandra Cole, Westport
7) Peter Bennett, Windsor
8) Norm Sears, Coventry
9) Amanda West, Colchester
10) Daltin McCarthy, Oxford, MA
11) Bob Charland, Stafford Springs
12) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
13) Stephen Kalogiannis, New Hartford
14) Matt Brewer, Norwich
15) Ben Morrison, Ashford
16) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted
17) Eddie Gomarlo, Swanzey, NH
18) Ben Morabito, Mooresville, NC
19) Paul Arcari, Somers
20) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
21) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
22) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks
23) Connor Christmas, Enfield
24) Austin Goff, Stafford Springs
25) Rob Pederson, Stafford Springs
26) Andy Marchese, Tolland
27) Kyle Pinkham, Enfield
28) Mike Parolo, West Springfield
29) John Brunelle, Stonington
30) Ed Chicoski, New Hartford
31) Jake Hines, North Haven
32) Anthony Forino, Waterbury
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
2) Rich Hammann, Tolland
3) Duane Provost, Palmer
4) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
5) Jason Lafayette, Somers
6) Aaron Plemons, Uncasville
7) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville
8) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
9) Norman Root, III, Old Saybrook
10) Kyle Theriault, Three Rivers, MA
11) Matt Clement, Rocky Hill
12) Devon Jencik, Canton
13) Connor Jencik, Canton
14) RJ Surdell, Willington
15) Darryl Vertefeuille, Willington
16) Dave Secore, Union
17) Tyler Secore, Union
18) Samantha Dell, Pascoag, RI
19) Scott Clement, Wethersfield
20) Dana Wray, Northford
21) Shelby Swan, Durham
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Brandon Warren, Chicopee, MA
2) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington
3) Brent Gleason, Griswold
4) Ryan Waterman, Danielson
5) Bill Cote, Belchertown, MA
6) Jason Raymond, Somers
7) PJ Evans, Uncasville
8) Charles Beal, Ledyard
9) Scott Sundeen, Sutton, MA
10) Isabella Minchella, Somers
11) Roger Mahieu, Goshen
12) David Ciastko, Madison
13) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
14) Matt Martel, Stafford Springs
15) Brennan Murdza, Chicopee, MA
