Steady Habit: Eric Berndt Wins SK Modified Feature At Stafford Speedway

Eric Berndt celebrates victory in the SK Modified feature Friday at Stafford Speedway (Photo: Jim DuPont)

STAFFORD – When it comes to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified division at Stafford Motor Speedway, the talk is typically about the immense depth of talent that hits the track every Friday.

But lately it seems two men have taken that depth and made it their own shallow pool.

The Eric Berndt vs. Ronnie Williams show has raged for the last month in the SK Modified division at Stafford and that didn’t change Friday.

This week it was Berndt doing the celebrating.

For the second time in the last three events, Berndt, of Cromwell, won the 40-lap SK Modified feature at Stafford.

Berndt was second to Williams on July 6. Williams finished second to Berndt on July 13. Last week Berndt was runner-up to Williams.

“You come to the race track and you’re figuring to yourself, ‘Alright, it’s been three weeks, when’s it going to turn?’” Berndt said of riding the positive wave of late. “Just hopefully you get through the field and have no problems. Tonight seemed to work out for us. The roller coaster is going up, you’re just waiting. But you’ve got to ride it as long as you can.”

Stephen Kopcik of Newtown was second and Williams, of Tolland, third.

Berndt was up to third by lap 10. On lap 14 he went by Kopcik for second and two laps later he passed Tyler Hines to take over the lead. From there he would never relinquish the lead. Weather seemed to be closing in on the track, but never arrived before the end of the feature.

“The car was really good on the outside when it fired off,” Berndt said. “So we got as many cars as we could. Then we got into the top-five and it was like ‘Let’s see if we can get to the lead before the weather strikes.’ The lightning, you could see it down the frontstretch, I was like ‘Oh my god.’ I was just waiting for it to open up.”

Comments

  1. Don’t know why I like this so much. Maybe it’s because it’s a great come back story with a plot twist involving Stash. Seeing Berndt win just seems so right.
    As for Williams he still had the fastest lap speed and ran his typically smart, low drama race. He just seems a lock for the championship baring some catastrophe.
    Aside from Williams and Berndt the rest of the field is just a weekly dog fight. All similarly great and competitive cars turning similar times. It’s just a war out there. Honorable mention to Kopcik and Avery for doing so much passing.
    But my big question is about Rocco. What the heck is up with him. Second tier lap speeds and disappointing results week after week. Go figure.

  2. I think like Coby, Rocco had his flux capacitor taken away, lol……….

  3. Highlight of my night was during the SK feature hearing on my scanner a driver ask his spotter “What’s the radar look like like?” I was thinking what radar? Did he expect or want the guy to be fumbling around with his phone in the middle of a green flag run?

  4. Congrats to Eric and the 66 team. Another good run for Ronnie and the 50 team, one step closer to that 1st championship. As for Rocco, he never runs well in the hot months of summer for some reason, but don’t count him out. Ronnie has always been a good driver, he’s cautious and chooses his moves wisely because he knows the cost involved when you wreck.

  5. Count out rocco is like saying brady will be bad this year!!!!
    DONT DO IT!!!

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