(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
This Friday, September 18 is the Twisted Tea Open Modified 80 at Stafford Speedway, the fourth and final Open Modified event of the 2020 season. The previous 3 Open 80 winners this season were Marcello Rufrano in the July 18 Bud Light 80, Keith Rocco in the August 7 NAPA 100, and Ronnie Williams in the August 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Here we take a statistical look at some of the drivers who are entered in the Twisted Tea Open 80.
Chase Dowling – #00 James Paige Plumbing & Heating Chevrolet – Dowling has started all 3 open modified races at Stafford this season with a best finish of 2nd in the July 18 Bud Light 80. Dowling finished 21st in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 and 20th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 14.3. Dowling has yet to win an open modified race at Stafford but he does have 16 career wins at Stafford (8 SK Modified®, 7 SK Light, 1 Modified Racing Series).
Joey Cipriano – #1 Superior Refinishing Chevrolet – Cipriano has started all 3 open modified races at Stafford this season with a best finish of 3rd in the July 18 Bud Light 80. Cipriano finished 18th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 and 7th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 9.3. Cipriano owns 8 career Stafford wins (1 SK Modified®, 7 SK Light).
Matt Galko – #3 AAA Consulting, LLC. Chevrolet – Of the 14 drivers who have competed in all 3 open races at Stafford this season, Galko has the best average finish of 4.7 with finishes of 6th in the July 18 Bud Light 80, 3rd in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100, and 5th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Galko is a former 2-time SK Light champion at Stafford with 10 career Stafford wins (2 SK Modified®, 8 SK Light).
Cam McDermott – #8 Maybury Material Handling Chevrolet – McDermott has competed in all 3 open races at Stafford this season with a best finish of 6, which he has done twice. McDermott’s other finish this season was a 21st in the July 18 Bud Light 80 to give him an average finish of 11.0. McDermott is still in search of his first career Stafford feature win.
Anthony Flannery – #25 Fowler’s Auto Wrecking Chevrolet – Flannery has competed in all 3 open modified races at Stafford this season with a best finish of 10th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Flannery finished 11th in the other 2 open modified races for an average finish of 10.7. Flannery is looking for his first career Stafford victory.
Matt Swanson – #25 Swanson GMC Chevrolet – The Whelen Modified Tour young gun has started all 3 open races at Stafford with a best finish of 7th in the July 18 Bud Light 80. Swanson followed that up with a 14th place finish in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 and a 21st in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 14.0. Swanson is still looking for his first Stafford victory and the #25 car he is driving has won at Stafford 3 times with Rowan Pennink behind the wheel.
Michael Gervais, Jr. – #33 Gervais Brothers Roofing Chevrolet – Gervais has started all 3 open races at Stafford with a best finish of 11th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Gervais’ other 2 finishes this season are 18th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and 28th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 for an average finish of 19.0. Gervais is the 2009 SK Light champion and he has 4 career SK Modified® wins at Stafford.
Dave Etheridge – #34 Warner Turf Equipment Chevrolet – Etheridge has had a tough time at Stafford in 2020 with his best finish being 13th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Etheridge’s other 2 finishes this season have been 20th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and 24th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 for an average finish of 19.0. Etheridge is a former ProStock weekly competitor at Stafford with 5 career wins.
Andrew Molleur – #35 Bud’s Truck and Diesel Service Toyota – Molleur has also had a tough time getting results in his open modified with a best finish of 20th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100. Molleur finished 23rd in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and 26th in the Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 23.0. Molleur has 5 career Stafford wins to his credit with 4 SK Light wins and one SK Modified® victory.
Craig Lutz – #46 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet – Lutz has 2 top-8 finishes this season at Stafford with a 5th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and an 8th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 for an average finish of 6.5. Lutz has scored both his first Whelen Modified Tour pole position and race win at Stafford and will be looking to add another win.
Marcello Rufrano – #48 Wheelers Auto Chevrolet – The 2018 SK Light track champion was a surprise winner of the July 18 Bud Light 80. Rufrano followed his win up with 17th place finish in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100, knocking his average finish down to 9.0. Rufrano missed the Lincoln Tech 80 but he will be looking to add a second open modified win to his credit.
Ronnie Williams – #50 Empower Financial Advisory Ford – Williams is the 2-time defending SK Modified® track champion at Stafford and he has notched 18 career SK Modified® wins and 4 SK Light feature wins. Williams is the winner of the most recent Open 80 at Stafford, winning the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Williams finished 9th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and 19th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 for an average finish of 9.7.
Keith Rocco – #57 M & M Stone Creations Chevrolet – Rocco missed the July 18 Bud Light 80 but he has been on fire in the other 2 open modified races at Stafford. Rocco won the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 and he finished 3rd in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 2.0. Rocco is a 3-time Stafford SK Modified® champion and he has 72 career Stafford wins to his credit (61 SK Modified®, 6 Late Model, 2 MRS, 2 Open Modified, 1 Champions for Charities).
Eric Goodale – #58 GAF Roofing Chevrolet – Goodale has started all 3 open races at Stafford with a best finish of 4th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and the Aug. 7 NAPA 100. Goodale finished 14th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 7.3. Goodale has won the 2017 NAPA Fall Final and the 2018 Bud Light 80 at Stafford.
Todd Owen – #81 Cooker Construction Chevrolet – Owen has started all 3 open races at Stafford with a best finish of 9th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80. Owen finished 10th in the July 18 Bud Light 80 and 13th in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100 for an average finish of 10.7. Owen just recorded a double feature win in last week’s TC 13 Shootout, winning both the 40-lap SK Modified® feature as well as the 13-lap TC 13 Shootout. Owen currently has 21 career Stafford wins (14 SK Modified®, 7 ProStock).
Dana DiMatteo – #176 Island Cove Marina Chevrolet – DiMatteo is the 2014 Legend Cars track champion at Stafford with 8 career wins to his credit. DiMatteo has started all 3 open modified races in 2020 with a 17th in the July 18 Bud Light 80, a 22nd in the Aug. 7 NAPA 100, and a 24th in the Aug. 21 Lincoln Tech 80 for an average finish of 21.0. DiMatteo is looking for his first modified win at Stafford.
We’ve taken a look at some of the top talent that will be on display during this Friday night’s Twisted Tea Open 80 at Stafford. See a full entry list here. Twisted Tea Open 80 tickets are priced at $30.00 for adult general admission, $10.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free. Paddock passes are $50 and all tickets for this event are available for purchase now at www.staffordspeedway.com. The first 3 open modified races at Stafford have sold out this season and this race is expected to sell out as well. If there are any remaining tickets available, they will be sold the day of the event with the price increasing $5 at the gates.
Any fans who can’t make the race in person can watch a live stream of the entire evening starting at 6pm with qualifying heats all the way through the final feature event of the night on www.staffordspeedway.tv for only $30.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
Surprised the NWMT #10 isn’t running this for a bit of practice, being a new car owner.
Williams, Owen, Goodale for top 3.
Dareal, why would he take the chance of wrecking a car at Stafford in a non tour show? A new owner is just trying to keep the thing in one piece.
And why would a six time champion need practice…
Dareal, They only have one motor and with a limited budget, it makes it challenging. Hopefully they can pick up some additional sponsors for next year so they can do testing like they use to do
Woody Pitkat in the Stan Mertz racing entry. Is the dark horse to win tonight. Give them hell Woody.
Rob, you are so right. It would be idiotic to put yourself in potential disaster for a “littlepractice”
Rob, there’s a simple answer to your question, because dareal said so!
Is car preservation a consideration or more likely there was never any consideration of this race at all. Seeing as how it is Phil Moran after all and seeing as how their older chassis is Coby’s favorite for Stafford and seeing as how the one engine they have is not even Stafford legal unless it is a cast iron block in which case that alone would be big news.
“I certainly didn’t have the ability to buy the entire team, but what I was able to do was buy the winningest car that we have. My favorite car that we win at Stafford [Motor Speedway] with all the time, and kind of start from there. ”
So now that’s one engine, two LFR chassis?
Now what might be in play should the 10 team desire more action after the season would be the TTOMS race. It’s a total wild card, they know the track, spec’s legal and it is a huge payday. Hmmm, Hirschman as well? That entry list should be interesting to see.
No alarm bells but something to keep an eye on is the infection rate ticking up in Connecticut. Schools opening, flu season kicking off, perilous times. We don’t want to be losing that Tri-Track race.
Might want to bank that flu shot sooner as opposed to later under the circumstances.