STAFFORD – An opportunity to get a sitting car out of the garage led to a first trip to victory lane at Stafford Motor Speedway Friday for Phil Evans.
Evans, of Uncasville, went by Marcello Rufrano for the lead with two laps remaining to win the 15-lap DARE Stock feature Friday at Stafford.
Evans, a former regular and winner at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, was making his third career start in the division.
“We’ve been having issues here and there, the car has been sitting for a while, but I really really really have to thank [car owner] Scott Cook,” Evans said. “He put me in this ride. He believed in me and has given me everything to win.
“We came up here to have fun. I don’t want to get into anybody, people running for points. I’m trying to run clean. But we’re definitely having fun.”
Rufrano, of North Haven, held on for second and Dan Dembek of Hampden, Mass. was third.
Evans is driving a car that Cook competed with previously in the Limited Sportsman division at Thompson Speedway. Cook competes full-time in the Late Model division at Stafford.
“I helped him out with the Late Model [at Stafford] last year,” Evans said. “We got back together and when I left my ride at [New London-Waterford Speedbowl] I figured I had enough time to start helping him again and he had that thing sitting there in the garage and he was like ‘Hop in it, have some fun at Stafford.’ And it’s fun. Especially winning. I love this track. It’s totally different from anything else I’ve ever done before. The guys I’m competing with are good racers. There’s a lot of young guys, but they’re good. It’s totally different from Waterford the way they drive.”
It was the second week in a row that the 14-year old Rufrano, a rookie in the division, lost the lead. Last week he was passed by Tyler Trott for the lead on the final lap.
“I guess the last lap is just not my deal, but there was an extra lap that time so,” Rufrano said. “The last couple of laps that thing was crazy. I don’t know how I wheeled that thing. I had to get out of the gas so much.”
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