(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Marcello Rufrano (88) and Bryan Narducci (01) during the SK Light Modified feature in April at the NAPA Spring Sizzler at Stafford Speedway (Photo: Fran Lawlor)
Two rising 17-year-old New England modified stars will help decide the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division III championship this weekend.
Bryan Narducci and Marcello Rufrano, two drivers that compete in the SK Light Modified division at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut, have combined to win 11 of the 19 events at the half-mile.
With a win last Friday, Narducci jumped to the lead in the Division III championship standings by six points over Billy Gregg, who competes at Bowman Gray Stadium. Rufrano is 30 points back in third.
In 19 starts at Stafford, Narducci has five wins, 15 top fives and 16 top 10s with a total of 490 points. Gregg, who has four wins and 14 top five finishes of his own, is just six back, but Bowman Gray is done racing for the season.
Rufrano, who has six wins in his 19 Stafford starts, was leading the last two feature events into the final turn but lost the advantage to Narducci before the field hit the checkered flag. Rufrano drives a car out of the same stable as former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I national Champion Keith Rocco and is also a competitor in the Division I SK Modified class at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Both Narducci and Rufrano will also help decide the UNOH Youth Achievement championship this weekend. Narducci leads Rufrano by just six points. Because Rufrano has also competed at Thompson in the Divsion I SK Modified, his point total in the UNOH standings also includes a win, a fourth and a sixth there.
The UNOH Youth Achievement Award is open to NASCAR drivers between the ages of 14-17, and drivers may accumulate points until their 18th birthday. These standings are based on the best 14 finishes regardless of division.
Rufrano may be too far out to catch Narducci in Division III. His worst finish of his 14 was a ninth on June 14. Even a win from 10th on back Friday would only get him to 481. He would need to find another Divisoin III race somewhere on Saturday or Sunday.
However, when you factor in Rufrano’s Division I finishes for the UNOH Youth Achievement national title, it’s a different story. Assuming 18 or more SK Light Modifieds Friday at Stafford:
If Rufrano finishes third and Narducci finishes fourth or worse, they tie at 490 and Rufrano wins the tiebreaker on wins (7-5)
Rufrano also wins the title with a win or finishing runner-up to anyone other than Narducci.
And Narducci takes home the UNOH national title if he finishes ahead of Rufrano, or if Rufrano finishes outside the top three.
Travis Billington, who races a dirt Modified at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Vermont, has five wins and 14 top fives in 17 starts for 456 points in the UNOH national standings.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I drivers are ranked by their best 18 NASCAR points finishes in series-sanctioned events. Drivers receive two points for every car they finish ahead of – up to 18 cars – and three points for a win, with an additional two points available if the driver starts 10th or lower. Division II through V and the UNOH Youth Achievement Award are determined by a driver’s best 14 NASCAR points finishes.
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