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ERIC GOODALE
WINS THE NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 AT STAFFORD
Goodale Finally Seals The Deal!
by Denise DuPont |
 The
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) came to Stafford
Motor Speedway as part of the forty-fifth NAPA Auto
Parts Fall Final Weekend. With the 2017 race year
winding down teams are stepping up their strategies
and plans as position becomes more important. It was
a weekend where champions for local divisions were
crowned, the iconic #13 of Ted Christopher was
retired and the NWMT ran the first of their last two
races for this season.
Earlier in the day Keith Rocco won the SK Modified
race and track championship. It was an emotional
moment for Rocco in victory lane. He expressed his
emotions with the following words: "This is a tough
one. This is for the whole Christopher family and
team. I really wish that things were different here
today."
There were twenty-seven NWMT modifieds lined up on
pit road for driver intros. As drivers strapped into
their cars, they were all hoping this was going to
be their day to bring home a trophy and the bragging
rights of winning the Fall Final at Stafford. In the
end Eric Goodale of Riverhead, NY won his first ever
modified race at Stafford. Something that he had
wished for since he was a youngster.
 “Stafford
is one of those places that you dream of winning
when you are a little kid. I came up here and
watched races when I was about 7 or 8. To be here
and I finally win a race here is great.” Goodale
said about fulfilling his dream. “We have a lot of
races under our belt here racing on the tour the
last eight years. We have come close many times but
it feels good to finally seal the deal – get to
victory lane here to be among the names of those
like Ted Christopher, who was the king here.”
With three to go Goodale made his move and using
lapped traffic to his advantage passed Preece for
the lead. Coming out of turn three Goodale went for
the front position and did not let up until it was
his. “I think he (Ted Christopher) would have
approved of the move at the end. I tried not to
rough up Ryan too bad to make sure he could fall in
behind me. With five laps or whatever how many to go
it was my opportunity to get him. I had to then take
control. It all worked out in the end and here we
are.”
Ryan Preece from Berlin, CT won the Coor’s Light
Pole Award, started first and led 135 of the 150 lap
race. In the end though, tire and pitting strategy
may have been the key to the win and loss.
 Just
past lap 100, Preece started to slow on the track
and knew he needed a caution to pit for fresh
rubber. When the opportunity came with 39 laps to
go, Preece led the field down pit road. “I was
forced to come in around lap 111,” exclaimed Preece.
“At that point you do not know if it is going to be
a wreck fest so track position becomes a key.”
Preece came back out with a strong car. Goodale
though have possibly a left rear tire that may have
won him the race. “Towards the end of the race the
car did not go away. Jason (Shepard) made a good
strategy for Eric. I think he took rears and then he
took right sides. The left rear was what made the
difference though. I kind of hoped that my left rear
was good enough to hold him off.”
But Preece could not hold off Goodale and he had to
settle for a second place finish. “It was a good day
and we led a lot of laps, but we did not win the
race. We did what we could. It is funny when you are
mad at finishing second! I am really proud of
everybody on the #6 team. Ultimately it was a good
day,” confessed Preece. “I did not win the race but
we did what we could and it is what it is. We had
speed and a good run. It was a good day.”
 Ron
Silk of Nowalk, CT finished the 150 lap race third.
The same position that he started in. “We made a
couple of adjustments before we took our tires and
got the car a little bit better. Guys that took
tires before me I just let them go and I found a
safe spot to ride.” Silk said about the handling of
the #85 modified. “I waited until the end to take my
tires. Once we put the rear tires on, we were just a
little too tight at the end of the race to go. So
things worked out for us. I had all I could to hold
Chase (Dowling) off. Third was a good run. I did not
have anything for those guys in front of me. I want
to thank Stuarts Automotive and everyone that helps
out it has been a good time.”
Chase Dowling finished fourth followed by Timmy
Solomito for fifth. Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby,
Bobby Santos, Craig Lutz and Kyle Bonsignore round
off the top ten finishers.
NWMT teams packed up their haulers and headed home.
They will now have two weeks to refresh and get
their modifieds ready for World Series Weekend at
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Notes from
Stafford Motor Speedway:
Did you think that tires
played a part in today’s win?
Eric Goodale
“The only thing I was nervous about changing tires
was I knew that he (Preece) did not pit before.
Where we came in and took two tires -- we took right
side tires earlier on. That proved to be the right
move because I think that right front is what won me
the race. I was just nervous that a few people were
going to take just one tire with only a few laps
left and we would get mired in the back of the pack.
My pit crew killed it today. We were not always the
first one in but we were always the first one out.
That is valuable track position here on a track that
is predominately hard to pass. We made up some
positions in the pits. My hats off to my crew, they
had a big role in this win today.”
Was Preece aware that
Goodale was there knocking on the door at race end?
Ryan Preece
“As soon as I started to pull away and he came in, I
knew he took a left rear. So I figured his car was
going to be a little tight. Then the lapped cars did
not get out of the way. When it comes down to ten to
go a half a car length matters at that point. It
becomes frustrating. I was going to try to hold him
off but it was going to be too hard. I had beat up
my left rear too hard. At the end of the day it is
still a good day.”
What are you thoughts
going into Thompson and the NWMT Championship?
Ryan Preece
“My worst finish since the wreck at Thompson was a
fourth which is a fantastic year. It sucks that you
cannot win the Championship. Theoretically I am not
out of it, but I am really going to have to have a
lot of luck at Thompson to make something happen. We
will see. I will run the best I can.”
Your thoughts after two
NWMT races in the #85 modified?
Ron Silk
“I am happy. We had good speed at Loudon and ran
well. And we had speed again today. It is too bad
this season is coming to an end. But I am looking
forward to Thompson.”
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
October 1, 2017 |
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