STAFFORD – Derek Debbis used a last corner pass of Chris Matthews for the lead to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Saturday at Stafford Speedway.
It was the seventh victory for Debbis, of Oakdale.
Matthews, of Stafford, held on for second and Alexander Pearl of Salem was third.
Pearl will go to the division’s final event on Oct. 1 holding a two-point lead over reigning division champion Brian Sullivan. Debbis will go to the final event third in the standings, eight points behind Pearl.
It was a flip-flop over 24 hours at the top of the standings. Sullivan won Friday’s feature for the division to leap frog to a two-point lead over Pearl coming into Saturday’s event.
“Just have to go there and win,” Pearl said. “Same as every other week. A lot can happen in 20 laps.”
Debbis went by Pearl for second following a lap 18 restart and then made some contact with Matthews to take over the lead.
“Definitely not my style of driving,” Debbis said. “I was definitely way too aggressive.”
Said Matthews: “It got a little rough, slicing and dicing with these guys. But it was good racing.
Said Pearl: “I thought we had a winning car. Those late restarts killed us. [Matthews] became a windshield wiper at the end and [Debbis] used me up a little bit more than I would expect. But all in all a good day. We’ll go into the last race, we’ll fight and hopefully we’ll come out on top with the win and the championship.”
Mike Hopkins got his second victory of the season in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature.
Rich Hammann of Tolland was second and division points leader Alexandra Fearn of East Longmeadow, Mass. third.
Ben Lavangie of Carver, Mass. won the 15-lap Vintage All-Stars feature.
Not a fan of the drop your worst finish- are they listing real points or points before drop the worst finish- so confusing
Go Derrick . Great season
Go Alexander!