STAFFORD – In most instances when a driver has checked out on the field in a short track event the last thing they want to see is a caution.
Friday at Stafford Speedway Meghan Fuller celebrated it.
Fuller’s runaway at the front of the Street Stock division turned into a side-by-side thriller and she loved it.
Fuller rode the outside line a five-lap battle for the lead before driving away in the closing laps to win the 20-lap Street Stock feature Friday at Stafford.
It was the third victory of the season for the Auburn, Mass. driver.
Travis Hydar of Woodbury was second and Zack Robinson of Putnam third.
Fuller was checked out on then second place Robinson when the caution flew on lap seven.
On the restart it was third place Hydar using the inside lane to get under Fuller and challenge for the lead. But Fuller stayed to the outside and so began the drama at the front. On laps eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve the pair battle door-to-door for the top spot with Fuller leading each lap on the outside.
“I enjoyed the cautions because I definitely got some racing in,” Fuller said. “I had a lot of competition with Travis running the outside. But my car is set up so amazing from my dad [Rick Fuller] and my uncle [Jimmy Fuller]. So I did a pretty good job holding him off.
“I definitely was a little bit tough running on the outside, but it’s a lot of fun. It was fun that I had a caution and I got to race against some competition on the outside. We got into each other a little bit but we each held our own line and didn’t get too much into each other.”
The caution flew again on lap 12 and on the ensuing restart Fuller was able to clear Hydar off of turn two and go unchallenged the rest of the way.
“Starting on the outside for that restart certainly didn’t help us,” Hydar said. “I was battling the car. It was loose, really loose actually. I can’t complain, another podium finish.”
Mark Bakaj used a new ride to find an old trail to victory lane he’s familiar with.
Bakaj, of Lebanon, held off the charges of Jon Puleo in the closing stages to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature.
It was the second victory of the season for Bakaj.
Puleo, of Branford, was second and Steven Chapman of Ellington third.
Bakaj ran the first 14 of the events in the No. 76 car, but with the car on the market for sale he got the opportunity to drive the Mark Alkas owned No. 89 Friday.
“I’m feeling great,” Bakaj said. “I can’t thank Mark Alkas enough for letting me drive this car. … This thing was fast. I was having a blast out there. I’m flabbergasted. I can’t believe it. … I’ve got to thank Gino [Difilippo Jr.] from RH2Way Radios. He sponsored me in the [No. 76] and kept it running for a long time, but we ran short on funding. Luckily Mark helped me out with a ride and we parked it in victory lane for him. … I was having a blast [racing with Puleo]. To be honest, if I had finished second I wouldn’t have cared. It was so much fun racing with him.”
After three seasons away from the track, Adam Gray of Belchertown, Mass. scored his first Late Model victory since 2014 in the 30-lap feature for the division.
“It means the world,” Gray said. “We lost my second father around Christmas. He made me promise him we’d come back here until we won. I get to deliver the trophy tonight.”
Darrell Keane of Enfield was second and Paul Arute of Tolland third.
Jeremy Lavoie took the lead on lap two and never cruised to an easy victory in the 15-lap Limited Late Model feature.
It was the fourth victory of the season for the reigning Limited Late Model champion from Windsor Locks.
Matthew Clement of Windsor Locks was second and Duane Provost of Palmer, Mass third.
Congrats to Megan for the win. Keep up the great work.
Good Time’s.
Congrats to Adam Gray and the #97 team. Took a few races, but you made it back to the winners circle. Best of luck going forward.
No rain outs after a shaky start of the season as the the teams grind away prepping their cars for the second unrelenting season in a row. Is it inappropriate to want a rain out to give the teams a break?
LLM’s with 7 cars. It’s fine with no heats and a 15 lap feature with some pretty stout cars. One wonders what the track will do next year. For now not much complaining like last year.
LM’s OK but Streets were down.What is simply remarkable is the SK Lights. Are you kidding me, 27 cars for a routine Friday show in the middle of a long season. Add the continued strong field of SK’s and modified racing is in great shape at Stafford even in the middle of the season grind.
Perfect weather conditions and a sketchy crowd? Sketchy at Thompson too for regular shows? Yet strong crowds for NWMT events, opens and specials. Is the hand writing on the wall? Above my pay grade but would like to know what the experts think.
Narducci rightfully or wrongly has garnered most of the attention this year as has the dust up with Chapman. Funny thing though, while Narducci is lightning in a bottle Chapman is winning the championship war. As a ROOKIE one year divorced from Karts.
SK Lights, the reigning and continuing champion division of unpredictability.
Bakaj is one of the best in the SK Lights as far as I’m concerned. Little noticed was how Narducci early in the race came in too low in one, made most of the pass on Bakaj but again went flying into the outer lane just like at Thompson.. Only Bakaj’s quick thinking backing out prevented a wreck.
Late in the race he also backed out on Puleo to let him correct.
And he wins in a car that hasn’t done much of anything before.