STAFFORD – Travis Hydar proved survivor in a battle royal of a Street Stock feature Friday at Stafford Speedway.
Hydar, of Woodbury, easily checked out from the field following a lap 18 restart to win the 20-lap feature.
It was the second victory of the season for Hydar, who also won the opening event of the season.
“It feels pretty good to get back here and pick up a second win earlier in the season rather than having some sort of a drought,” Hydar said.
Jason Finkbein of Manchester was second and Marvin Minkler of Stamford third.
It was the laps that led up to that final caution that truly illustrated the story of the wild battle for the win between Hydar, Ryan Waterman and Adrien Paradis III.
Waterman, looking for his victory at Stafford, led most of the first half of the event. On lap 13 Paradis found a lane under Waterman for the lead off of turn two with Hydar following to second.
On lap 15 Hydar got under Paradis to take over the lead off of turn four. On lap 16 it was Paradis going back by Hydar for the lead in turns three and four, with Waterman following him into second place.
On lap 17 Waterman got back by Paradis for the lead with Hydar moving back to the second place position.
And then things got pushy on lap 18. Hydar got under Waterman off of turn two. The pair made some contact down the backstretch with Waterman leading on the outside into turn three. In turn three contact from Hydar kicked Waterman up the track and got him loose into turn four. Through turn four Paradis made a run to go under both cars and accomplished that feat. But off the corner contact between Waterman and Paradis put both cars in the frontstretch wall hard. Hydar was able to avoid the mayhem and drive on by.
“The car was really good today,” Hydar said. “It was good in practice. It looked like the three of us, [Paradis, Waterman] and myself were getting really loose toward the end of the race. We were kind of just sliding around everywhere. It sucks what happened to them. I wish I could have gotten to race them to the end.”
Said Waterman: “I just know I was running them guys clean. Don’t really know who just drove through me there coming out of [turn] four. It’s unfortunate. We finally got this car fast and now it’s wrecked.”
Said Paradis: “I don’t know what happened. I just saw [Waterman and Hydar] go up in turn four and I saw the opportunity to go underneath them and I don’t know who caught my right rear but it just turned me right into the wall.”
Waterman crosses the line second but it doesn’t count because the yellow is flying before he gets there but no green, white, checkers. So what is the rule on that? Fairness dictates he gets credit for the second does it not?
Two drive wheels and I’m betting that wreck doesn’t happen.
Thought the days of hair razing Street Stock racing to the checkers was over when Meyers and L’Etoile moved on. Thought Hydar and Hovey would be dominating. Well that didn’t happen. Hydar is earning everything he gets except maybe the very end of the race last night. The Hovey’s are learning that spreading yourselves too thin and failing to attend to details combined with bad luck can be a season killer.
Tell you what big guy you we’re the clippee you were the clippor. Waterman knew he was losing it so he’s got his foot planted, smoking up a storm, loose but it’s OK it’s just he and the wall. Palardis is reaching as hard as he can for the brass ring he sees right in front of him, also has his foot in it, also loose as a goose and unfortunately forgot Waterman was there as he was working on his victory speech.
Hydar to my way of thinking kind of caused it all by getting Waterman a tad loose with a tap in three but it was just good hard racing no fault there. In the end Hydar gets gifted a win, Waterman denied a podium and now the victim of bonehead inflation. Palardis gets to review the race on FloRacing and do his best Steven Urkel impression. “Did I do that??” Perhaps sees his name in the penalty notices on Wednesday as well.
Best race of the night!
That was exciting racing up front until the wreck! Side by side while passing lapped traffic! From the stands it looked like Paradis came up before he was clear. Don’t forget these guys don’t run radios and the voice from the tower doesn’t tell them when they are clear.
I agree that was the best race of the night – too bad that Paradis bonehead move ruined it. LOL. Almost missed this race because stafford post staring time 7:15 but throws the green at 7:00??? Nice night of racing – perfect weather good all around.
“Bonehead move”? The 11 ran into the 31 and got him loose and then the 11 clipped the RR of the 19 which shot the 19 right and into the 31. the 11 took them both out and wasn’t even sent to the rear like the 80 earlier in the race. gifted win for the 11 for sure
Let’s run through this, via Flo Racing replay.
The 11 shot underneath the 31 in 3/4. Hydar seems to drift up the track while his nose still under the LR quarter of the 31. The 31 got loose, by yes, getting tagged, and the 11 shuffled up the track, and backed off. 19 goes to the bottom of the 11, the 31 is sideways with the nose pointed to the infield. Hydar keeps his lane as the 19 sails by underneath the 11, and then under the 31 who is in the marbles. 19 slides out of 4 and across the nose of the 31, Hydar takes the lead.
So overall, what Hydar did was NOT intentional, therefore your statement is wrong and full of salt.
Don’t you love this we get to go over the video on this and disagree?
I can see why you might say that Hydar tapping the 31 was a big deal. Not in my view at all, it’s full bodied racing in cars with one drive wheel and contact is inevitable and in fact desirable. Hydar backed out, the right thing to do.
” then the 11 clipped the RR of the 19 which shot the 19 right and into the 31″
I can see the camera angle could lead you to think that but it never happened. In my view we’ll see a penalty tomorrow to confirm it.
i never said “intentional”. they were all running hard, leaning on each other…..incredibly entertaining. All i said was the 11 got into the 31……and then got into the 19 leading to a big wreck. Earlier in the race the 80 got into the 94 in the same spot causing a wreck and the 80 was sent to the rear. Consistency is all i was pointing out…….IMO the 11 should have been sent to the rear also.
Doug, why don’t you just tell everyone you’re tick mike already?
i have no idea where the Tick Mike deal comes from but I’ll play along.
Ok so if I were Tick Mike first of all I’d be younger so that would be great. Having my scholarly countenance plastered everywhere would be quite the ego boost. I’d have a lot more money and how is that ever bad? Best of all I would be taking some of that wealth, owning and sponsoring race cars at Stafford and I have to tell you that would be the coolest thing of all.
OK I’m convinced I’m Tick Mike. You never said it had to be true.
Zoom, zoom!