Tom Fearn celebrates his sixth consecutive Late Model victory Friday at Stafford Speedway (Photo: Jim DuPont)
STAFFORD – Last week Tom Fearn established himself as the singular standard bearer for consecutive victories in the Late Model division at Stafford Speedway with his fifth straight win.
Friday Fearn extended that record.
Next week Fearn will go chasing the biggest number at Stafford Speedway.
Fearn, of East Longmeadow, Mass., held off Kevin Gamabacorta win the 30-lap Late Model feature for his sixth consecutive victory.
“I’ve got to thank my crew,” Fearn said. “After the heat race they made some changes to this thing. It just didn’t feel right in the heat. They took care of that and here we are in victory lane.”
Gambacorta, of Ellington, was second and Tyler Leary of Hatfield, Mass. third.
Stafford Motor Speedway announced after Friday’s win that there will be a $500 bounty up for grabs for any driver that can snap Fearn’s streak.
When Fearn won on June 15 he established the new record of five consecutive wins. He had previously been tied with John Leger with four consecutive wins. Leger had accomplished the feat in 1992. Fearn had four consecutive wins in 2015 and 2016.
Next week Fearn will go chasing matching the track’s all-time consecutive wins record. That record, of seven consecutive wins, was first set by Tom Rosati in the former Late Model Sportsman division in 1977 and tied by Geoff Bodine in the former Modified division in 1978.
Fearn was a high school classmate of Rosati at Agawam (Mass.) High School when Rosati first set the consecutive wins mark as a teenager in 1977.
“As a youngster I was here watching Tom Rosati do it,” Fearn said. “Tom Rosati, I grew up in Agawam, the same with him. He was always kind of a driver that I really liked watching. I knew him. We passed each other in the hallway in high school. He was one of my racing hero’s when I was a young kid and never even thought about racing.”
Fearn started seventh Friday and quickly weaved his way up to fourth by lap six. On lap seven Gambacorta moved to the leads past Albert Saunders with Fearn following him to second place.
Two laps later Fearn got under Gambacorta in turn three and came out of turn four with the lead.
“I knew I had to get the lead early because Kevin was really good,” Fearn said. “I was able to get by him. But man he pressured me the whole way.”
Said Gambacorta: “It’s frustrating. But I’ve got to say Tom is a class act.”
Marcello Rufrano drove away from the field over the late stages to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature.
Mark Bakaj of Lebanon was second and Geoff Nooney of Southampton, Pa. third.
Ryan Fearn rolled to his third victory of the season in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature.
R.J. Surdell of Willington was second and Gary Patnode of Barkhamstead third.
Brandon Michael of Granville, Mass. held off division points leader Meghan Fuller to win the 20-lap Street Stock feature.
Fuller, of Auburn, Mass., was second and Chris Bagnall of Winsted third.
Boo Stafford. 5 car LLM heats. Uncool.
Four women in the Street Stock feature with Meghan Fuller the perpetual front runner and point leader. Nicole third in points even after some tough finishes. Amazing.
How good is Tom Fearn? Really good and over decades as well. Any time you put 10 plus cars on a track, factor in the possibility of mayhem, mechanical failure or a missed set up and the guy still wins 6 in a row it’s breathtaking and tedious at the same time. Congrats to Stafford for calling an audible and offering a bounty to make it interesting. My advice is for two teams to conspire. Have one gently turn him in 3 and the other go onto win and split the bounty. Just kidding.
Congrats Mr. Fearn but I really hope Stafford should will combine the two LM divisions for 2019. 10 -15 cars in each division racing on a 1/2 mile track is like watching grass grow after a lap or two.
Never seen such a boring event…!!!!
These guys that race with him have old stuff…most guys have 5 week old tires..i seen one car had on sears steel radials!!!