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(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the biggest and richest SK Modified® race of the 2026 season on Friday, August 7th with the 13th Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k. Three feature events were able to run before impending rain and lightning postponed the SK Light and NAPA SK 5k feature events to next Friday, August 14th. Michael Bennett was victorious in the Late Model feature event, Aaron Plemons took advantage of a late race restart to win the Limited Late Model feature, and Ryan Waterman notched his 9th Street Stock feature win of the season. All rain checks from August 7th will be honored next Friday, August 14th.
In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Adon Burrell led the field to the green flag and he took the early lead with Michael Bennett, Wayne Coury, Jr., Chris Meyer, and Darrell Keane lined up behind him. Adam Gray was on the charge in the early laps moving up from 9th to 6th.
Bennett made a move to the inside of Burrell on lap-6 but couldn’t make the pass. Bennett made a move stick on lap-8 to take the lead from Burrell in turn 1. Coury followed him by Burrell on lap-9 to move into second and Chris Meyer took third to drop Burrell back to fourth place. Darrell Keane and Burrell touched in turn 1 with Burrell drifting all the way around turn 2 and falling back to 11th place while Keane also slid back to 10th place.
At the halfway point of the race it was still Bennett leading Coury, Meyer, Josh Wood, and Chris Buffone. Gray was still sixth in line followed by Kevin Gambacorta, Paul Varricchio, Jr., Keane, and Burrell. Gray took fifth place from Buffone on lap-26 while Bennett was still leading Coury, Meyer, and Wood. Bennett led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the 2026 season. Coury finished second with Meyer, Wood, and Gray rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, a spin in turn 2 on the opening lap involving Conor Jencik, Tyler Secore, Dave Secore, and Tim Poulin brought the caution flag out before the first lap could be completed.
Duane Provost and Norm Root, III went door to door on the restart with Root holding the lead by a nose as they completed the first lap of the race. RJ Surdell was third with Aaron Plemons fourth and Jeremy Lavoie fifth. Root led the second lap but Provost took over the race lead on lap-3. Surdell took second with Root now stuck in the high lane he drifted back to fifth place behind Plemons and Root with Provost and Surdell holding the top-2 spots. Rich Hammann took fifth from Root on lap-6 while Plemons was pressuring Surdell for second. The caution came back out with 8 laps complete for Dana Way, who came to a stop on the backstretch grass.
Provost took the lead back under green with Plemons, Hammann, Surdell, and Kyle Theriault lined up behind him. Hammann was able to get around Plemons for second on lap-17 with Provost still in the lead. Matt Winter, II backed his car into the turn 1 wall to bring the caution flag back out with 18 laps complete and set up a green white checkered finish.
Plemons went 3-wide with Provost and Hammann to take the lead on the restart. Theriault and Hammann were now side by side for second on the final lap behind Plemons who led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his second win of the 2026 season. Theriault beat Hammann to the line for second with Devon Jencik and Travis Hydar rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, David Ciastko led the field to the green but it was Brent Gleason in the lead as the field completed the first lap. Brandon Warren charged from fifth up to second with Ryan Waterman following right behind him to move from seventh to third. Mike Caprio was fourth in line with Matthew Lowinski-Loh fifth. Warren spun in turn 1 after contact with the car of Caprio, which collected the cars of Jason Raymond, Roger Mahieu, and Ciastko and brought the caution flag out with 3 laps complete.
Gleason took the lead on the restart with Waterman right behind him in second. Lowinski-Loh was third with PJ Evans up to fourth and Joe Arena was fifth. Waterman took the lead from Gleason on lap-5 with Gleason able to slot into line right behind Waterman in second.
Kolton Gambacorta was applying heavy pressure to Arena for fifth place and he was able to make a pass on lap-10 to move into fifth with Waterman still leading Gleason, Lowinski-Loh, and Evans. Lowinski-Loh was all over the back bumper of Gleason looking for a way to get past, but Gleason was able to hold him off.
Lowinski-Loh was able to take second from Gleason on lap-15 with Waterman still in the lead and Evans and Gambacorta still fourth and fifth. Garrett Pease spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution flag back out with 16 laps complete.
Waterman took the lead back under green with Lowinski-Loh holding off a charge from Gleason and Caprio to maintain second. Gleason was third in line with Evans fourth and Caprio fell back to fifth place. Waterman led Lowinski-Loh to the checkered flag to pick up his ninth win of the 2026 season. Gleason finished third with Caprio and Evans 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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LATE MODEL (30)
1) Michael Bennett, Willington
2) Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford
3) Chris Meyer, Franklin
4) Josh Wood, Palmer, MA
5) Adam Gray, Granby, MA
6) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA
7) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin
9) Darrell Keane, Enfield
10) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted
11) Damian Palardy, Stafford Springs
12) Scott Davis, Enfield
13) Rob Taylor, Warren
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Aaron Plemons, Uncasville
2) Kyle Theriault, Three Rivers, MA
3) Rich Hammann, Tolland
4) Devon Jencik, Canton
5) Travis Hydar, Woodbury
6) Duane Provost, Palmer, MA
7) RJ Surdell, Willington
8) Norman Root, III, Old Saybrook
9) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks
10) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
11) Dave Secore, Union
12) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted
13) Tyler Secore, Union
14) Matt Clement, Rocky Hill
15) Conor Jencik, Canton
16) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington
17) Dana Wray, Northford
18) Samantha Dell, Pascoag, RI
19) Tim Poulin, Thompson
20) Matthew Winter, II, Springfield, VT
21) Jason Lafayette, Somers
22) Jason Raymond, Somers
23) Shelby Swan, Durham
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Ryan Waterman, Danielson
2) Matthew Lowinski-Loh, Thompson
3) Brent Gleason, Griswold
4) Mike Caprio, Clinton
5) PJ Evans, Uncasville
6) Peter Guarino, Jr., Killingworth
7) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Alex Spinnato, Wallingford
9) Joe Arena, Bristol
10) David Ciastko, Madison
11) Scott Sundeen, Sutton, MA
12) Matt Martel, Stafford Springs
13) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
14) Garrett Pease, Enfield
15) Brandon Warren, Chicopee, MA
16) Jason Raymond, Somers
17) Roger Mahieu, Goshen
18) James Devoe, Naugatuck
DNS – Dave Salzarulo, Monson, MA
