STAFFORD – For many drivers in the Late Model division at Stafford Motor Speedway, seeing the division’s all-time winningest driver Tom Fearn closing in the rear view can often mean it’s time for panic to set in.
For Albert Saunders Friday at Stafford it just mean that it was time to chill.
Saunders, of Stafford, stayed cool out front with Fearn in pursuit over the final 10 laps and ended up winning the 30-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Speedway.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking in the mirror,” Saunders said. “I was trying not to, but every so often I took a glance. I could see him closing in, but the car was really good. I was just running at a slow steady pace to make sure I didn’t overdrive the car.”
Fearn, of East Longmeadow, Mass., held on for second. Cliff Saunders of Stafford was third.
Fearn took small bites into Albert Saunders’ lead on each of the final seven circuits.
“I knew if I didn’t overdrive it was going to be harder for him to catch me,” Albert Saunders said. “If I started overdriving the car he would have been on me in a couple laps. So I kind of learned that over the years just to pace yourself and don’t overthink it. Even if somebody is catching you, if you let them catch you they’re going to be there right away. If you don’t take your time they won’t run you down as quick.”
Albert Saunders also won on May 17.
“When I asked at the start of the year what my goals were I said I’d like to match last year’s performance with one win and a top-five in points,” Albert Saunders said. “That would have been an awesome year. I don’t know if we’ll get the top-five in points this year, I’ve been really inconsistent. But two wins is awesome. Especially in this division, it’s really competitive this year.”
Way to go All. Cool, calm and collected. Congrats to you and your team. Now it’s Cliffs turn
Little noticed was the great Shawn Monahan making an appearance in the Stafford Late models. Coming in last in his heat and completing only two laps of the feature.
In an interview at Thompson he admitted he was not good in the LM’s at Stafford and would not be returning. However he did mention something about perhaps purchasing a Stafford Legal RAD crate engine for an appearance in the Streets at some point.
It was admittedly vague but there it is.