Joey Ferrigno celebrates victory in the SK Light Modified feature Friday at Stafford Speedway (Photo: Jim DuPont)
When you’re one of the all-time winningest drivers in a division extended winless streaks can get noticed.
On Sept. 15, 2017, the night before Ted Christopher was tragically killed in a plane crash, Stafford Motor Speedway’s all-time winningest driver had some good natured ribbing for SK Light Modified driver Joey Ferrigno concerning his mission to reach the top of that division’s all-time win list.
“I was talking to [Ted Christopher] over at the pit sign in booth,” Ferrigno said. “He was like – it was Teddy so there was a couple F-bombs in there – ‘What’s going on hey, you forget how to win hey?’”
Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway Ferrigno remembered that conversation fondly as he celebrated once again at Stafford.
Ferrigno, of East Hartford, scored victory in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
It was the first victory in the division for Ferrigno since June 2, 2017.
“No Teddy, we didn’t forget how to win, we did our homework again,” Ferrigno said.
It was Ferrigno’s 16th career SK Light Modified victory at Stafford, moving him into sole possession of second place on the division’s all-time win list at the track. He had been tied in the spot with Tony Membrino Jr. Ferrigno will now go chasing the top of the list. Chris Matthews is the all-time winingest SK Light Modified driver at Stafford with 17 career victories.
“I started thinking that it was me,” Ferrigno said.
Teddy Hodgon of Danbury was second and Bryan Narducci of Colchester third.
Remember all that talk early of Narducci’s mother cherry picking tires. His special engine and rear end changes. Cheating was the theme while proof non existent. But a funny thing is happening on our way through the season. Yup, the diaper dandies Bryan, Moeller and Rufranno are still fast. But competition is afoot and the jam packed field is getting better as well.
The winningest driver in the Lights, Chris Mathews is getting up to speed, turning consistently best fast laps and it’s only a matter of time before he extends his win lead. Teddy Hodgdon, Mikey Flynn, Bob Charland, Mark Bakaj and even our favorite comment section Light contributor Goeff Nooney are all finding more speed. Magic Marcello and Flyin Bryan may still be passing record numbers of cars but getting to the podium is a bit harder then before. Teddy Hodgdon on the outside beating Narducci for second…….whoa!
Saving the best for last Joey Ferrigno. How do you not love that guy with the big personality? Sizzler it’s Rufrano, Narducci and Meoller with Joey in 7th. Next week last place. Third race a third but with 12th place speed at 19.76. Grinds away watching the diaper dandies come in and suck up all the front runner oxygen, does his homework, continues to grind away and here he is turning in a best lap of 20.09 and at the head of the class.
The SK Lights are just so successful why not consider the third modified division. I don’t know what it would be. Maybe used tires, used crates from the SK Lights. No special Jeff Pearl trannies, maybe three speeds and higher gear ratios.
No more modified divisions, we have enough already. Tour, SK, SKL.
OK! It was just a thought.
Congrats to Joey and the horsepower hill team!
It’s a well deserved win! It shows you how Mr French is a very talkented Crew Chief and Joey still has it in him!
I see posts frequently by Joey looking fo some financial help to race. The winners purse and the contingency money must really take that pressure off now. Perhaps it’s enough to fund him into the fall final.
Again congrats for the big win and financial win all Joey!!! We’re all happy for you!!!
Winners purse? Contingencies? A win barely covers fuel and whatever tires these cars need for tires and other consumables and if you don’t finish well, the financial burden goes to the sponsors which these guys don’t get the big ones like the SK’s unless they have Daddy Warbucks. I’m also still not sure why Mark Arute hasn’t woken up and smelled the coffee about spotters for this division. Yeah, yeah, you’re gonna say “it will cause more wrecks” or “it keeps costs down”. There are arguments either way but teaching these kids how to mirror drive is a good thing? Oh.. and that 01 isn’t done wrecking cars out there and I’d bet money on it. Good run Joey but I’m afraid he has more chicken parm in him than anything else! Hahaha!
Lightsout, what planet are you on? That was the 11th race of the season and the first one with over 3 cautions. The racing in that division has been excellent prior to last Friday
The first one? Woah… I have a feeling you’ve only seen half of those races, if that. I heard there were so many wrecked lights this past Friday that the wreckers couldn’t get them all back in the paddock area before the SK feature and had to leave a couple in the infield.
OK so the subject is wrecks in the SK Lights. So what is the truth.
The last three weeks on average have produced 8.3 cars that did not finish the race including last Fridays blood bath with 12. . On the other hand the first five weeks showed an average of 1.8 cars not finishing including weeks 1,2,3 & 5 where only 1 car did not finish. For the 11 weeks so far there have been 6 races where 2 cars or less did not finish.
On the whole it seems clear that these younger drivers have done an excellent job in more then half the races. Outstanding you could say. Will the recent trend of wild rides continue. God I hope not.