Marcello Rufrano
STAFFORD – On April 9 Marcello Rufrano made his debut event behind the wheel of an SK Light Modified one to remember at Thompson Speedway.
The 15-year old from North Haven finished third in his first time in competition with the car at the Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway.
The toughest part of celebrating such a promising start though was realizing trying to back it up with another good run would have to wait months.
After being on the schedule for the opening event of the season, the SK Light Modifieds don’t return to the Thompson schedule until July 9.
“I’ve been just waiting to get back there,” Rufrano said. “It’s definitely got my nerves up waiting. I really want to go back there. I loved that track so far. It’s fun. It’s tough on me. It’s tough for everyone else. My father wishes we racing every event down there. I have a fun time there. From only going there twice for practice and a race, we got it pretty good.”
But, it doesn’t mean the car will have to wait until July to race again.
Rufrano is set to make his New London-Waterford Speedbowl debut in Saturday’s 25-lap SK Light Modified feature at the shoreline oval.
“I’m excited,” Rufrano said. “I’ve heard it’s a handful down there. That’s it’s a good place to get experience. I’ve heard if you can drive there you can drive anywhere else.”
Tony Membrino Jr. has won all three SK Light Modified events run at the Speedbowl this year. It was Membrino who also won in Rufrano’s April 9 debut in the division at Thompson. Corey Barry, also a regular at the Speedbowl, was second in that event at Thompson.
Rufrano understands he’s going from one extreme to the other in leaving the high banks and extreme speeds of Thompson behind for the bullring tactics of the Speedbowl.
“It will be a change for sure,” Rufrano said. “From going to Thompson with the SK Light to Waterford, I think I would have a little more confidence, but not a lot. I don’t know the track, and there’s tough competition down there with Membrino and others, but I think we should be good.”
Rufrano is the son of SK Modified team owner John Rufrano, who fields a car at Stafford Speedway full-time for former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion Keith Rocco of Wallingford.
The other focus for Marcello Rufrano is running in the DARE Stock division at Stafford Motor Speedway, where is in his second year.
Despite missing three events due to a mid-season trip to Italy in 2015, Rufrano completed his rookie season eighth in the DARE Stock standings at Stafford. He had two victories, nine top-five’s and 14 top-10’s. He scored his first career victory on July 17 last year at the track.
He’s currently 12th in the DARE Stock division standings after five events this year.
“We’re chasing our tail with this one,” Marcello Rufrano said. “We’re trying to get back to where we had it last year. It seems like we need more night races. … We’re just trying to figure out the car. She’s coming to us.”
Run the lite w the sk’s at Thompson – more seat time
Talk to keith and rowan 4 advice