STAFFORD – Derek Debbis came into Friday’s NAPA Championship Night at Stafford in chase mode.
The Oakdale driver sat third in the SK Light Modified standings, staring up at Brian Sullivan and Alexander Pearl tied at the top, two points ahead of him.
And that tight battle for the championship in the standings played out just as tight on the track Friday.
Debbis used a late pass of Sullivan for fifth place to secure the 2021 SK Light Modified championship by a tiebreaker over Sullivan. Debbis won the title by virtue of his seven victories in 2021 vs. Sullivan’s four wins.
“This is absolutely unbelievable right now,” Debbis said. “I couldn’t have done it without any of these guys [on my crew] whatsoever. The amount of work these guys put in this car, you wouldn’t even understand. So right now it’s finally coming in that we just won the championship. Oh my god that was one hell of a race right at the end.”
Sullivan ended up in sixth place and Pearl in seventh in Friday’s feature.
Tyler Barry of Preston, the grandson of legendary Modified team owner Art Barry, won the SK Light Modified feature, his first career win at Stafford. Bob Charland of Stafford was second and Tyler Chapman of Ellington third.
Ultimately the finishing order was jumbled when fourth place finisher Steven Chapman was found to be two pounds under weight in post race tech, dropping him from fourth place to sixth place. It moved Debbis to a fourth place finish and Sullivan to fifth, but didn’t change the tie between them. Alexander Pearl ended up four points behind Debbis and Sullivan.
With the championship contenders running in consecutive positions, on lap 16 Debbis got by Sullivan for fifth place in the move that would clinch the title.
Congratulations to Tyler Barry on tonight’s win! Dad Ken and grandpa Art must be very proud of this young man.
Go SPAFCO!
Good Job Scallop Boy .
Was a fun season watching the Lites. That division is the best show week after week at CT tracks .
Saw Grandpa Art in Victory lane . Ken was so happy . 3rd generations so kool.
Debbis started his SK Light career last year by not qualifying for the first race, a ninth in the second, second in his third race and then a win. In victory lane he’s understandably goofy over how it came to be that he could win in only his fourth race out but there he was making it look so easy. I was thinking it was Narducci’s old 01 and perhaps it was just being given the keys to the badist hot rod on the block and the result pre ordained.
In the space of only two years he’s gone from a goofy kid amazed at early success to a battle hardened veteran with some serious skills. During the season he’s made some amazing moves not necessarily in passes but to escape involvement in the frequent wrecks. He’s won coming to the front not like that first race he won starting on the pole and has done in consistently well. He’s done it beating one of the deepest fields ever talent and equipment wise in the SK Lights
In this race Pearl was in the catbird seat starting in 7th, Sullivan in 12th and Debbis 14th. They were in proximity most of the race and Debbis ended up wooping two really experienced drivers in really good cars and won the championship in the last race. It does not get any better then that nor more impressive in my view.
love the Sk lights. Week after week they race so close. Whatever it is that keeps them so close shouldn’t ever be changed
They put on the best show – the purse should be the same as the late models.
He’s a very good driver. Just aggressive enough to get the job done. Having Todd & company setup car is a tremendous asset
He does what he has to do to get to the front. No windshield wipers holding him up, right Mr Pearl?