STAFFORD – For veteran drivers like Tom Fearn, the memories of circumstances surrounding milestone victories can sometimes fade over time.
But when it comes to Fearn’s 50thcareer Late Model victory at Stafford Speedway, the East Longmeadow, Mass. driver will be hard pressed to forget the finish.
Fearn used a last corner pass to edge Cliff Saunders of Stafford by .001 of a second to win the 30-lap Late Model feature at Stafford Speedway.
It was the second win of the season for Fearn, who became the track’s all-time winningest Late Model driver last season.
“I didn’t even know it was my 50th,” Fearn said. “I guess it’s a pretty cool number. We’ll try to build on that from here.”
Fearn and Saunders first got embroiled for the lead on lap 22 of the wreck marred feature, with Saunders holding off the charges of Fearn.
On lap 28 Fearn looked to have found a way around Saunders, but Saunders fought back to clear Fearn for the lead again off of turn four.
On the final lap Fearn found the way under Saunders and the pair came off of turn four side-by-side to the checkered.
“Hats off to Saunders,” Fearn said. “He did a great job. He ran me clean for a couple laps on the outside and I got him on the outside and I tried to run him clean. We came to the line and it was close.”
Said Saunders: “Tom just got me right at the end. You can’t complain about that.”
Division rookie Ryan Fearn of East Longmeadow earned a hard fought third place finish for his second podium finish of the year.
Congrats to Tom and the 92 crew. Win #50, and no sign of stopping anytime soon. Good work guys keep it going.