Bumper Tag: Michael Bennett Prevails In Xtramart Xtra D Late Model Event At Stafford Speedway

Michael Bennett

Michael Bennett

STAFFORD – At the NAPA Spring Sizzler on April 26 at Stafford Motor Speedway, Michael Bennett made easy work of the competition on the way to winning the Late Model division season opener.

Friday Bennett made up for the missing dramatics from his first victory of the season.

Bennett went to the lead past Adam Gray on the white flag lap after a green-white-checkered restart and then held off Gray by inches at the checkered to win the 50-lap Xtramart Xtra D Late Model feature Friday at Stafford.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet what just happened,” Bennett said.

Gray, of Belchertown, Mass., was second, his third consecutive second place in three events this year. Jim Mavlouganes of Bethany was third.

Cory Casagrande went to the lead past Kyle Casagrande on lap 15, but on lap 35 he was spun out of the lead by Josh Wood, who was penalized for the incident, moving Gray to the lead.

Caution flew on lap 49 when Scott Cook ended up in the turn one wall. But the first attempt at a green-white-checkered was slowed when Casagrande and Wood tangled again in turn three.

On the second attempt, Bennett got in line behind Gray off turn two and went by him for the lead going into turn three after some bumping.

“It might have been terrific and looked good for the fans and stuff, but I used Adam up,” Bennett said. “We’re going for the big money that Xtramart brings us and it was all there. I got into Adam a little bit.”

On the final lap, Gray was able to get a run under Bennett into turn three and the pair came off turn four even, with Bennett edging Gray at the line.

“I tried to give him a little room on that last lap,” Bennett said. “I knew he had a run on me on the backstretch. I was trying to give him a little room, then we just drag raced to the finish line. That was cool.

“I knew he was looking under me for my left rear. I gave him some room, I knew were just going to have to drag race. … I was kind of looking at my left front fender and I was like ‘I don’t know if we won that race.’”

Said Gray: “Michael Bennett prevailed with the good old chrome horn. Hats off, congrats.”

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Comments

  1. Congrats. Well deserved.

  2. Observer says

    Adam wasn’t too happy after the checkers and ran Bennett up the track, bumping him quite a few times on the cool down lap. Hey that’s what getting the chrome horn back feels like buddy
    Just my two cents but that Cory Caz has to realize you cannot block the entire field for 35 laps. Side swiping other cars when they get position on you gets you in the fence, which is what you got later in the race. I bet you had just given the 42 the bumper or nerf bar when you when by him didn’t you?

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