Jim Peterson
STAFFORD – When Jim Peterson ducked into the pits on lap 35 of the Late Model feature at Stafford Motor Speedway, most fans likely thought his chances for victory were done and over with.
But it was the quiet man of the division who was just preparing for a boisterous finishing kick.
Peterson, of Monson, Mass., went from third to first on lap 56 and then held off Adam Gray over the closing circuits to win the 60-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Gray of Belchertown, Mass., was second and Kyle Casagrande of Stafford was third.
Peterson was running sixth when he ducked to the pits for adjustments on lap 35. From there he clawed back to through the field and was up to third by lap 55.
“We still had enough time,” Peterson said. “You’ve just got to keep digging and get to getting and we got a couple holes and it worked out for us.”
Cory Casagrande went by Gray for the lead on a lap 55 restart, but on the next lap, Gray got back under Cory Casagrande off turn two. But in turn three, Peterson went under the two cars in front of him and came out of turn four leading.
“You’ve just got to try to be smooth and save some car for the end and hope you get an opportunity and we did,” Peterson said.
Gray closed on Peterson over the final three laps but couldn’t find a lane by him.
“We were trying real hard tonight, unfortunately we’ve got a couple boneheads we run against,” Gray said. “But it’s racing, it is what it is.”
Congratulations Jim! Way to outsmart ’em!