STAFFORD – In June Todd Owen snapped a two-year plus winless streak in the SK Modified division at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Owen snapped that streak in style, coming back the next week to score his second consecutive victory.
And now it looks like Owen has gone from the driver desperately searching for a return to victory lane to the favorite to win his first track title.
Owen’s mission to win his first Stafford Speedway SK Modified championship took a major positive step on Friday at Stafford.
Owen, of Somers, not only got his third victory of the season in the 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature, but also had a huge points night in the process.
Ronnie Williams of Tolland was second and Glen Reen of Wilbraham third.
Owen’s closet competitor in the standings coming into Friday night’s feature – Keith Rocco – was involved in an early crash in the feature and was scored last of the 23-car field.
Owen came into the night leading Rocco by 24 points in the SK Modified division standings. By the end of the night Rocco had fallen to fourth in the standings. Owen ended the night with a 44-point lead over now second place Williams, the reigning division champion. Michael Gervais Jr. moved to second in points, 54 points behind Owen. Rocco now sits 68 points off the lead in fourth.
With half of the season in the books, Owen said you can’t not think about the championship chase.
“They’re there and I would say they’d be on your mind,” Owen said. “If we do what we did tonight the points will come for themselves. Definitely a good points night though.
“It feels good. People that know me close know how hard I had to dig to get back to where we’re at. Just knowing that we have a chance. You hope to come out at the top at the end of the year. Just to have a car that is capable of getting to victory lane every week is awesome. We have a great bunch of guys. On pit road they’re jumping on to work on [Tyler Leary’s car], they’re working on [David Arute’s] car. It doesn’t matter what the number on the side is, we all help each other out. That’s a pretty cool deal.”
Owen took the lead from Joey Cipriano on lap 28 and never trailed again.
I have to ask. With all the races that Owen has run has the term “bonehead move” ever been uttered with any move he’s made? Has he ever been involved in some kind of altercation on the track that produced hard feelings and repercussions down the road? Has he ever executed the tap and go maybe a little too aggressively so anyone would notice. Owen is no stranger to victory lane this year and yet it always seems a little special when he wins like the first time.
What changed in the 6. Cory was doing well, then not doing well but still came back to take down a forth. the car now has tier one lap speed.
What has changed for Christopher. He’s had more then one chance at the front of the field to take advantage and get wins but it’s another fail.
OK who has the voodoo doll of Rocco and is sticking pins in it? What the heck. He was fast and again attracts trouble like he’s a contact magnet.
Another question. Were heats always a waste of time or is it just a recent phenomenon. Across the board I just don’t think the drivers care much at all about a good heat finish. Maybe that should be refined. The cars that week in and week out are the fastest and get the best results in the features don’t seem to give a hoot where they finish in the heats. Especially the SK’s. Maybe the SK Lights as well. Save the tires for the feature. That’s the ticket.
Doug, I always said Eric Berndt and Todd Owen are the two cleanest drivers at Stafford. However, Owen was far from Mr Clean winning this one at Thompson:
https://racedayct.com/2017/07/sweeps-week-todd-owen-gets-first-career-thompson-speedway-sk-modified-victory/
I appreciate the reference Ricky and impressed you could dig down that deep to come up with that piece that was pretty terrific. I don’t get it though. What am I missing. How did Owen do anything questionable?
Doug, do you consider the car on the inside running the outside car up until he lifts or gets into the wall coming out of turn 2 questionable? (Owen was on the inside and TC on the outside) Due to more banking it probably happens more at Thompson than at Stafford, but I never considered it clean racing.
Congrats to Todd, and the 81 crew. Survival seemed to be the game Friday night. Great racing up front, but midpack was like a demo Derby.