0
0
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the biggest and richest SK Modified® race of the 2026 season on Friday, August 14th with the 13th Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k. Michael Christopher, Jr. took the lead at the start of the NAPA SK 5k and he led all 100 laps to capture his first win of the 2026 season in domination fashion. Christopher’s victory was worth $6,750 with $5,000 from the race purse, $1,000 from the family of Bill Greco for leading lap-43 and winning the race, $450 from Stafford’s SK Modified® contingency partners, and $300 from Wheeler’s Auto Services for winning his heat race on August 7th. Other feature winners were Chris Matthews in the SK Light feature that was cut short by fog, and Ryan Waterman scored his 10th win of the year in the Street Stock feature. The fog that rolled in over the track with the SK Light feature at the halfway point canceled the remainder of the evening.
In the 100-lap NAPA SK 5k, Glen Reen led the field to the green flag and he took the lead in the first corner but Michael Christopher, Jr. got a good run going down the backstretch and the two cars made slight contact with Reen getting sideways and going nose-first into the turn 3 wall to bring the caution flag out before the first lap could be completed.
Christopher took the lead on the restart with Tyler Chapman, Keith Rocco, Marcello Rufrano, and Andrew Molleur lined up behind him. Troy Talman took sixth place from Dylan Izzo on lap-9 with Anthony Flannery taking seventh to drop Izzo back to eighth.
With 20 laps complete the top-5 remained the same with Christopher leading Chapman, Rocco, Rufrano, and Molleur. Talman was still sixth with Flannery, Jon Puleo, Mikey Flynn, and Izzo making up the top-10. The caution flag flew with 27 laps complete as Chapman’s car suddenly dropped off the pace and crawled to a stop at the entrance of turn 3 while he was running in second place.
Christopher took the lead on the restart with Rocco settling into second after going wheel to wheel with Christopher for a lap. Rufrano was third with Molleur fourth and Talman fifth when the caution came back out with 28 laps complete for a multi-car incident in turn 3 involving the cars of Matt Vassar, David Flammia, Jr., and Tyler Hines.
Christopher again took the lead back under green with Rocco holding off a challenge from Rufrano for second place. Talman was up to fourth with Molleur in fifth. Talman was starting to apply heavy pressure to Rufrano for third, but Rufrano was able to maintain the position. The caution flag came back out with 34 laps complete as Nickolas Hovey backed his car into the turn 2 wall.
Christopher took the lead on the restart while Rufrano was able to get alongside Rocco for second. They raced wheel to wheel for a lap before Rocco got clear into second. Talman was fourth behind Rufrano with Molleur in fifth and looking to take fourth. Molleur took fourth from Talman on lap-37 and that move allowed Anthony Bello to follow him by and take fifth to drop Talman back to sixth. Bello then took fourth place from Molleur on lap-39 while Christopher was still leading Rocco and Rufrano.
Christopher led lap-43 to win a $500 bonus from the Greco family in memory of Bill Greco. As the race hit the halfway point, Christopher held the lead over Rocco, Bello, Rufrano, Talman, Puleo, Flynn, Todd Owen, Izzo, and Molleur.
With 30 laps to go, Christopher was still in the lead with Bello now in second after pressuring Rocco for many laps. Rufrano was fourth with Talman, Puleo, Flynn, Hovey, Izzo, and Owen making up the top-10.
With 10 laps to go, it was still Christopher in the lead followed by Bello, Rocco, Rufrano, and Talman. Christopher led Bello and the field to the checkered flag to win the NAPA SK 5k in dominating fashion by leading all 100 laps of the race. Because Christopher led lap-43 and went on to win the race, he won an additional $500 bonus from the Greco family for a total of $1,000. Bello finished second with Rocco, Rufrano, and Talman rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap SK Light feature event, Paul Arcari led the field to the green and he led the first lap before Matt Brewer went to the front on lap-2. Cassandra Cole and Ben Morrison were racing wheel to wheel for third with Chris Matthews in fifth and Sami Anderson sixth. The caution came out with 5 laps complete for Ryan Charland and Jake Hines, who both ended up against the turn 4 wall.
The field completed one lap before the caution came back out for a spin in turn 2 by Anthony Forino.
Brewer took the lead back under green but he would only hold the lead for one more lap as Matthews took over the top spot on lap-8. Cole was third behind Matthews and Brewer with Anderson fourth and Tyler Barry was up to fifth. The caution came back out with 10 laps complete as Austin Goff got into the backstretch wall at the entrance of turn 3 which collected the cars of Bob Charland, Amanda West, Chad Jones, Robert Bloxsom, III, Aiden D’Agata, and David Webb. Under the caution period, fog rolled in over the speedway and forced an early end to the night. With the SK Light race at the halfway point, Matthews was credited with the win with Cole, Brewer, Anderson, and Barry rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, Steve Kenneway spun in turn 1 to bring the caution flag out before a lap could be completed.
Marvin Minkler took the lead on the start with Scott Sundeen and Brent Gleason right behind him in second and third. PJ Evans moved up to fourth while Jason Raymond took fifth. Sundeen took the lead from Minkler on lap-3 just before the caution flew for a spin in turn 2 by Tyler Trott.
Gleason took the lead back under green with Evans working his way into second. Waterman took third with Matthew Lowinski-Loh taking fourth and Doug Curry took fifth. The caution came back out with 5 laps complete for Garrett Pease, who came to a stop at the entrance to turn 3.
Gleason powered into the lead on the restart with Waterman taking second. Lowinski-Loh took third with Curry and Evans going wheel to wheel for fourth place. Curry took fourth on lap-8 but that move was negated by the caution flag for Alex Spinnato and Kenneway, who both spun in turn 2.
Gleason and Waterman went wheel to wheel on the restart for the lead with Gleason holding the lead by a nose a the line. The field was only able to complete one lap before the caution back out for Curry, who got into the backstretch wall and came to a stop. Trott was sent to the rear of the field by Stafford officials for making contact with Curry.
Gleason again took the lead on the restart with Waterman and Lowinski-Loh second and third. Evans was fourth with Raymond right behind him in fifth. Raymond took fourth from Evans on lap-11 while Waterman was looking for a way around Gleason to take over the lead.
Raymond went by Lowinski-Loh to take over third place on lap-15 while Gleason was holding off multiple challenges from Waterman in the fight for the lead. With 3 laps to go, Gleason, Waterman, and Raymond were racing nose to tail in a 3-car fight for the lead. Waterman made a pass stick on lap-19 to move into the lead in turn 2. Raymond took second with Lowinski-Loh third as Gleason fell back to fourth place. Waterman took the checkered flag for his 10th win of the season with Lowinski-Loh taking second. Raymond beat Gleason to the line by inches for third place with 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.
###
NAPA AUTO PARTS SK 5K (100)
1) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
2) Anthony Bello, Mooresville, NC
3) Keith Rocco, Berlin
4) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
5) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA
6) Jon Puleo, Branford
7) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA
8) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin
9) Dylan Izzo, Monroe
10) Todd Owen, Somers
11) Ethan Durocher, Canterbury
12) Andrew Molleur, Shelton
13) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton
14) David Arute, Stafford Springs
15) Alexander Pearl, Salem
16) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA
17) Josh Morrison, Ashford
18) Curt Brainard, Canton
19) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA
20) Art Caruso, Windsor
21) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury
22) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs
23) Matt Vassar, Berlin
24) Tyler Hines, North Haven
25) Tyler Chapman, Ellington
26) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, MA
DNS – Riely O’Keefe, Manorville, NY
SK LIGHT (20)
1) Chris Matthews, Stafford
2) Cassandra Cole, Westport
3) Matt Brewer, Norwich
4) Sami Anderson, Wolcott
5) Tyler Barry, Griswold
6) Ben Morrison, Ashford
7) Paul Arcari, Somers
8) Stephen Kalogiannis, New Hartford
9) Jason Finkbein, Manchester
10) Nick Anglace, Seymour
11) Daltin McCarthy, Oxford, MA
12) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted
13) Dylan Houghton, Springfield, MA
14) S.R. Midford, Ellington
15) Kevin Davis, Somers
16) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks
17) Peter Bennett, Windsor
18) John Brunelle, Stonington
19) Norm Sears, Coventry
20) Anthony Forino, Waterbury
21) Mike Parolo, West Springfield, MA
22) Zach Lynch, Stafford Springs
23) Austin Goff, Stafford Springs
24) Bob Charland, Stafford Springs
25) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford
26) Amanda West, Bristol
27) Aiden D’Agata, Willington
28) David Webb, Nashville, TN
29) Chad Jones, Quakertown, PA
30) Ryan Charland, Stafford Springs
31) Jake Hines, North Haven
DNS – Ethan Laigle, New Hartford
STREET STOCK (20)
1) Ryan Waterman, Danielson
2) Matthew Lowinski-Loh, Thompson
3) Jason Raymond, Somers
4) Brent Gleason, Griswold
5) PJ Evans, Uncasville
6) Tyler Trott, East Hartford
7) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington
8) Scott Sundeen, Sutton, MA
9) David Ciastko, Madison
10) Marvin Minkler, Stamford
11) Alex Spinnato, Wallingford
12) Steve Kenneway, Hampton, NH
13) Roger Mahieu, Goshen
14) Matt Martel, Stafford Springs
15) Doug Curry, Plainfield
16) Garrett Pease, Enfield
