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07/18/2014 |
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KEITH ROCCO
WINS 4TH ANNUAL LINCOLN TECH 80
AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY |
 The
Valenti Modified Racing Series made its second of
three visits during the 2014 season to Stafford
Motor Speedway for the 4th Annual Lincoln Tech 80.
Taking the checkered flag was Keith Rocco, who
joined Tommy Barrett, Jr. as the only VMRS drivers
to win more than one race at Stafford.
At the drop of the green flag, Rowan Pennink took
the lead from the outside pole with Keith Rocco,
Todd Szegedy, and Ted Christopher all getting by
polesitter Jeff Rocco. Rocco made a move to the
inside of Pennink in turns 3+4 to take over the race
lead on lap-5. Woody Pitkat was now applying
pressure to Jeff Rocco’s bumper in a fight for fifth
place. Pitkat was able to make the pass on lap-8.
On lap-12, Richard Savary, the only driver with
multiple VMRS feature wins in 2014, dropped off the
pace and looked like he was going to limp his way
back to the pits, but just as he got lapped, his car
came back under power and he rejoined the race a lap
down. The caution came out one lap later for Carl
Medieros, Jr., who spun in turn 4. The caution
allowed Savary to get back on the lead lap with a
free pass.
Rocco took the lead back under green with
Christopher moving into second. Tommy Barrett, Jr.
moved up to third, with Pennink sliding back to
fourth just in front of Pitkat, who continued to
round out the top-5. The top-5 cars settled into a
groove and began to click laps off the scoreboard as
the leaders held station as Rocco and Christopher
had pulled away from Barrett and Pennink, who had a
bit of a margin back to Pitkat in fifth. The top-5
runners remained the same when the caution flew with
51-laps complete for a spin on the backstretch by
Dan Meservey, Jr.
The restart saw fast and furious action at the front
of the pack as Barrett went from third to the lead.
Christopher was side by side with Rocco for second,
but he quickly took the position and he then made a
move to the inside of Barrett on lap-51 to move into
the race lead. The caution came back out with 52
laps complete for a spin by Tom Abele, Jr. in turn
4.
Mayhem broke out on the restart as Savary had a flat
right front tire, Mike Willis spun into the
frontstretch wall, and Tom Abele, Jr. spun through
the frontstretch infield grass.
Barrett took the lead on the restart with
Christopher holding second. Carey got around Rocco
to take over third with Chris Pasteryak breaking
into the top-5 for the first time of the race. The
caution came back out with 55 laps complete for
debris on the track.
Back under green, Barrett and Christopher raced side
by side for the lead and as they ran through turn 2,
Christopher’s car took an abrupt turn to the right
and into the wall to bring the caution right back
out.
Barrett and Pitkat were now side by side for the
lead back under green. Pitkat looked like he had a
run coming off turn 2 on the outside of Barrett, but
Barrett came back strong in turns 3+4 and held the
lead by a nose at the line. Rocco got around Pitkat
on lap-58 to move into second while Justin
Bonsignore was now fourth and Pasteryak was fifth.
The caution came back out with 59 laps complete as
Norm Wrenn spun in turn 1, Medieros came to a stop
in turn 1, and Savary had a flat tire and was
showering sparks as he made his way back to pit
road.
Barrett took the lead on the restart, but it was a
short lived lead as Rocco made a power move to the
inside of Barrett as the cars hit turn 3 and he
moved back into the lead. Bonsignore moved up to
third behind Barrett while Pitkat was fourth and
Todd Szegedy made his first appearance of the race
in the top-5 as he took fifth from Pasteryak.
Rocco had to navigate several lapped cars in the
closing laps, but Barrett wasn’t able to get close
enough as Rocco joined Barrett as the only multiple
VMRS feature winners at Stafford. Bonsignore
finished third, with Pitkat and Szegedy rounding out
the top-5.
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LINCOLN TECH VMRS 80 (80)
1) Keith Rocco, Berlin
2) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, MA
3) Justin Bonsignore, Islip, NY
4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs
5) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield
6) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon
7) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, PA
8) Max Zachem, Preston
9) Eric Goodale, Wading River, NY
10) Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH
11) Dylan Kopec, Palmer, MA
12) Dan Meservey, Jr., Brewster, MA
13) Donnie Lashua, Caanan, NH
14) Mike Willis, Jr., Grantham, NH
15) Chris Bakaj, Colchester
16) Dave Etheridge, Portland
17) Carl Medieros, Jr., Westport, MA
18) Richard Savary, Canton, MA
19) Ted Christopher, Plainville
20) Tom Abele, Baltic Matt Mead, Richmond, NH
21) Ryan Preece, Berlin
22) Jeff Rocco, Meriden
23) Roy Seidell, Jr., Easthampton, MA |
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Source: Scott Running / Stafford Motor Speedway
Posted:
July 18, 2014 |
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