STAFFORD – Remember that first month of the season at Stafford Motor Speedway when the naysayers were wondering where Tom Fearn went?
After a 12-win season on the way to the 2018 Late Model championship in 2018, Fearn was absent from victory lane over the first four events of the 2019 season.
But there’s clearly no wondering where the division’s all-time winningest driver is now after 11 events.
Fearn, of East Longmeadow, Mass., won for the second consecutive week and fifth time overall in the 30-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Speedway.
It was Fearn’s fifth victory in the last seven events at Stafford.
Fearn went by Tyler Leary for the lead on lap 92 and never trailed again.
“The car was real good tonight,” Fearn said. “We work hard on this thing during the week and it makes my job easy when we get here to the race track. … We just come here and do the best we can every week. Tonight we had a real real good car.”
Adam Gray of Belchertown, Mass. was second and Albert Saunders of Stafford third.
Zack Robinson of Putnam got his fourth victory of the season in the 20-lap Street Stock race.
Robinson went the lead on lap 10 and never trailed again.
“Hopefully we’ll get some more,” Robinson said. “I’ve been playing the tire game … watching the rotation of tires everybody else is on. We bolted three [new tires] and it just lit the thing up.”
Travis Hydar of Woodbury was second and Nicole Chambrello of Kensington third.
Oh my God when will it end? Based on Tom’s performance not anytime soon. Congrats to Tom and the #92 crew on yet another win. Although Tom may want to thank his cousin Ryan because minus that caution Leary would most likely have won.
So I’m sitting there hoping Leary had a big enough lead knowing full well Fearn was faster and a caution would be his end. Then I’m thinking what will Ryan do. It is the Fearn clan after all and a caution certainly would be timely for the team and they are all in radio contact after all. Then what happens. Couldn’t see what happened from my turn one perch but did notice the absence of Ryan coming around with the rest of the field. My oh my, what a coincidence.
Turns out it was more likely Ryan reverting to his LLM ways most likely. He did bring out another caution after all when Tom could only be hurt by it. I do believe we’ll me seeing some sort of penalty in the notices on Tuesday.
In the end Ryan was the most interesting part of the race.
Doug and Rob P.,
Looked like Ryan got turned on the frontstretch to bring out the caution that eliminated Tyler Leary’s big lead. Let’s not put the black helicopters of conspiracy and “team orders” in the air just yet.
I was shooting for the an amusing meandering by a bleacher creature jumping to a conclusion freely admitting that I didn’t see it mostly for the amusement of Mr. Fearn should he read it.
I missed the mark it would appear.
Fact is while I think seeing Tom win all the time is tedious it’s nice seeing Ryan do well. His enthusiasm is infectious. Alexandra seems more the academic, analytical and less interested in engaging outside the sanctum of the paddock but it’s always a pleasure seeing a women win. I’m betting she will do very well in her career. Thing is I may be a KC now but I know full well the sacrifice in time, physical labor and money Stuart goes through on a weekly basis. Essentially doing it for his children he loves dearly, letting them get the glory, accolades and yes accusations while he stays behind the scenes grinding it out. It’s appreciated.
You know when you’re the top dog you’re going to take heat. Some deserved, most not. Teams like the Fearns, Narducci, Rocco, Williams and others should consider it comes with the territory and an honor of sorts even when the the conspiracy helicopters are dense overhead. The alternative in toiling away in mid pack mediocrity where no one cares and you’re mostly invisible.
Shawn, no conspiracy, Ryan got turned by Darrell Keene. But, without that caution bunching the field up Leary would have won. But again no conspiracy.
Sorry, just saw your comment Doug. Been working hard all weekend on the cars and have not even seen the computer since Friday. I figured you were cutting a promo there and stirring it up.
Check twitter from stafford , the title is lap 18 caution of LLM feature (mistake, it was LM) and everyone will clearly see what happened. Scott Tapley saw it and sent the offender to the back. You can read the penalty notices tomorrow and figure it out. Funny thing, it was another BFR prepared car that brought out that caution and subsequently led to Tom overtaking Leary (another BFR) for the win. Tyler can put the blame squarely on his other BFR car for losing him that race.
Stu Fearn whatever you guys are doing, keep doing it. Tom’s car was bad fast Friday night, and Ryan’s car is getting there. Alexandria’s car was quick too. Hard work and preparation pays off.