STAFFORD – Jon Puleo fended off the last lap charge of George Bessette Jr. to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Saturday at Stafford Speedway.
It was the fourth victory of the season in the division for Puleo, of Branford.
Bessette, of Danbury, was second and Derek Debbis of Oakdale third.
Alexander Pearl dominated the first three quarters of the event, but a lap 16 caution gave Puleo the opportunity he was looking for.
Pearl chose the outside lane for the restart and it was Puleo who took advantage of the low way around. Pearl drifted up the track through turns three and four to allow Puleo to leave him behind on the restart. Bessette followed to second and quickly shadowed Puleo.
Bessette looked under Puleo on lap 18 and 19 with no luck. On the final lap Bessette made a run low off of turn four, but Puleo was able to stave off the challenge at the checkered.
“[Pearl] was rolling the top like no other tonight,” Puleo said. “It’s always a battle for the bottom here. Today it was whoever was on the top was going to win. I was having such a hard time getting by him because he would get the run. I blew this race [Friday] for the same mistake. I hate to run [Pearl] up like that but that was my only shot at him. He definitely had the best car. I just can’t thank my guys enough.”
Andrew Durand of Chicopee, Mass. held off the charges of Alexandra Fearn to win the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature.
“[Fearn] was on our tail right from the beginning,” Durand said. “She had a good start at the beginning. My car is a little sluggish at the start. We had a fast car. We’ve been tuning on it. We’ve had some bad luck lately so we can’t give up.”
Fearn, of East Longmeadow, Mass., was second and Matt Clement of Wethersfield third.
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