Paul Arute
STAFFORD – Paul Arute got to victory lane Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway and did some crystal ball gazing to the future.
Arute, of Tolland, won the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
“We had a great car,” Arute said. “I’m glad to be back here. This car is hooked up. We’re going to win a bunch of races this year. I’m pumped to be here.”
Duane Provost of Springfield, Mass. was second and Cliff Saundes of Stafford third.
Arute’s optimism for the season was boiling over after the victory. He got his first victory in the division late last season.
“My goal at the start of the year was to win five times,” Arute said. “It’s May, there’s a ways to go.
“Last year we hammered on this car all year. Fought every problem out of it. In the fall it was hooked up, the last four or five events. I was second and third, had a win, had a fourth. We worked at it. [Crew chief Steve Johnson] has been putting so many hours into this car. He likes sleeps in this car. He sits in the garage all night and stares it. That’s it. It really is.”
Tom Fearn went to the lead past Glen Reen on lap 15 and then survived numerous challenging restarts to win the 30-lap Late Model feature.
Reen, of Wilbrham, Mass., was second in his second Late Model start at the track. Wayne Coury Jr. of Milford was third.
“I just bided my time a little bit at the beginning and tried to be patient and be there at the end,” Fearn said. “Man oh man, it was a tough one tonight. A lot of restarts there, a lot of good guys up there. First time I’ve raced with Glen Reen in the Late Models, he did a great job.”
Tyler Trott of East Hartford scored victory in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
Trace Beyer of Dover, Vt. was second and Brandon Michael of Granville, Mass. third.
Any update on the infield brawl? I wasn’t there this week, but I heard it got pretty heated. Did anyone actually see what happened?
Looked like the Bennett crew attacked the 92 team like a pack of wild dogs. Somebody from Ferns team caught a terrible thrashing. I thought if you went into someone else’s pit you were at fault.
Then Bennetts father went mental in the inspection area and nearly stroked out. Must be something in the water for the natives. Should be major suspensions coming if Fox isn’t asleep on this one too.
not to mention Bennett got out of his car and went up the track during the caution… that’s a big no no , or so I thought. The fight started because a couple of Fearns’s guys were teasing the Bennett guys by making crying gestures when Bennett brought out the yellow. Bennett’s guy didn’t like it so he challenged the Fearn crew and bit off way more than he could chew. He should have just kept walking. Then another Bennett guy charged in like a bull to save Bennett’s crew chief becuse he was way outnumbered, and it all broke loose after that. It took forever for 2 track officials to get over there and one of them ended up on his rear end.
Anyone in the right mind would go after there guy after being attack . Heck I saw it and Fern owner shouldn’t have pushed the Bennett guy that’s just starting it right there . Can’t blame the rest of the Bennett crew for doing what they did when the fist were flying .
Fearn 1- Bennet- 0
Penalties handed out seem appropriate for what happened, they are on the Stafford web site.
Chris D must be an eye witness. Very accurate account of the event. Good work Chris in the unbiased comments and lending credibility to the truth in this matter. I appreciate that honesty and integrity in your reporting. Come by and say hi to me at the track.
You are correct Stu