Tony Membrino Jr., Josh Wood And Dave Secore Jr, Grab Championships At Stafford Speedway

STAFFORD – Stafford Motor Speedway celebrated the track’s penultimate day of the 2013 season by crowning champions in three divisions Saturday as part of their Fall Final weekend.

Tony Membrino Jr.

Tony Membrino Jr. won the SK Light Modified championship, Josh Wood scored the Limited Late Model title and Dave Secore Jr. finished on top in the chase for the DARE Stock championship.

Membrino Jr. grabbed the SK Light Modified title in style, in winning the division’s 20-lap feature.

“What the hell just happened?” Membrino said. “Oh my god.”

Membrino, of Plantsville came into the race trailing Chase Dowling of Roxbury by four points in the standings. Dowling finished fifth in the feature, giving Membrino a six-point advantage in the final standings.

Tyler Hines of North Haven was second and Glenn Griswold of Vernon third.

In the Limited Late Model division, David Arute of Tolland did all he could do in trying to rally for his first division title. Arute, of Tolland, won the 20-lap feature, but it wasn’t enough to score the championship. Wood, of Palmer, Mass., finished second and beat Arute for the title by two points.

D.J. Burnham of East Hartford, who came into the day six points behind Wood in the standings, finished third in the feature and third in the final standings.

Secore, of Union, rallied from an accident in the opening laps to finish seventh and clinch his first title as a driver. Secore finished the season six points ahead of Johnny Walker of Ludlow, who was fifth in the feature.

Jeremy Lavoie of Windsor Locks came from the 13th starting spot for his division leading fourth victory of the year.