STAFFORD – It was a victory a year in the making for Alexander Pearl at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Pearl held off Joey Ferrigno on multiple restarts late to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Friday at Stafford Speedway.
It was the first victory for the Salem driver since June 4, 2021.
“That wasn’t an easy race,” Pearl said. “Probably one of the most mentally challenging races I’ve been in. I’m just really happy to be in victory lane. I don’t know what to say, I’m speechless.
“I can’t thank Joey Ferrigno enough for racing me clean. I learned a lot from him and I’m so thankful.”
Ferrigno, of East Hartford, was second and Cassandra Cole of Westbrook third in the caution marred event.
“It felt like I was back in the [old DARE Stock division], everyone was beating and banging out there,” Ferrigno said. “The most fun race I’ve had in a long time. We’ve had some issues with this car … we’ve got a rocket under us finally. Figured out a couple of things and we’ll be fighting for the win the next couple of weeks.”
It was the first podium finish in the SK Light Modified at Stafford for Cole, who was making her 61st career start in the division since 2017.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Cole said. “I’ve got to thank Kenny [Barry] for like setting up this car. It’s the fastest car I’ve ever driven.”
Adam Gray of Belchertown scored his second consecutive victory in the 30-lap Late Model feature.
Devon Jencik of Canton won the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature. Alexandra Fearn of East Longmeadow, Mass. was second and Rich Hammann of Tolland third.
Bobby Stirk of Naugatuck got his second win of the season in the 20-lap Street Stock feature. Travis Hydar of Woodbury was second and Jason Finkbein of Manchester third.
Not sure why the 10 car got sent to the rear – he didn’t turn anyone, all he was doing was racing… he sure did let the officials know how he felt
Steve you are as delusional as Anglace . denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. Lets see Anglace try “racing ” that way at a track that’s not so friendly and see if he gets away unscathed.. LOL. time to put radios in the lites? . the 10 should know better . to big a wallet not enough brains makes for bad “racing”.
Steve agree 10 car had inside line which is where you will find the 87 at least 98% of the time but it amazes me how they black flag the 10 car for the 87 coming down on him he had the inside line they were side by side but here’s the issue Joey used to drive the pace car when he stopped racing for awhile and sucks up to the track so he will never be penalized. He lost positions in that turn 4 may lay but gets his spot back then hits 10 car twice under caution again why wasn’t he sent to the rear or park for hitting a car under caution?? Cause it’s Joey… either way track officials need to stop playing favorites if 2 guys are having an issue send both to the back simple. Also had the 02 day 10 put her in wall watched replay on FloRacing she was behind him by a car and looks like she over drove the turn. Either way you won’t win an argument about any of this so the 10 did what he did to show his displeasure
95% of the time when a driver sends it in under another car there is contact between the RF and left side nerf bar. If you are going to penalize one driver (10 car) then you will have to penalize 95% of drivers. I’m not sure why a bump and run is acceptable but not and inside pass??? Stafford posts in car video every week of side by side contact to show how exciting racing is – now they are going to penalize???
Just wait until the SK Light dive-bomb show becomes the theme at Thompson on Wednesday. Running guys up, to use as high of a line as possible in the turns, just before the rubber/marble line is to get the straight away run due to, the low horsepower. Smh
I don’t know if it’s six degrees of separation, karma or just dot connecting but sub plots are afoot in the SK Lights from week to week.
A couple weeks ago on a night that was rained out Debbis bumps Casandra Cole sending her flying in a completely boneheaded move in a heat at the end of the race. The result is Debbis getting to start scratch for several weeks that given the fields the SK Lights produce can be a pretty stiff penalty.
Fast forward to this race Anglace comes out of 4 arcing his car from the inside to the outside like a free bird forgetting that Fuller whom he’d been fighting off for a couple laps was on his outside sending her into the wall. Debbis coming from the rear gets collected and his race is over showing that penalties do have consequences. Meanwhile Debbis’s victim of a couple weeks earlier Casandra Cole navigates the carnage with a pretty good car and gets her first podium.
OK I’ve seen enough. The sexes are clearly not equal when it comes to SK Light racing. The green flag for the testosterone fueled junkies means weaving and darting from lane to lane trying to get some kind of instant advantage that for momentum cars almost never materializes. There’s no respect for holding your lane at least briefly to assess the situation and plot the next move. The women on the other hand do respect their lanes, race strategically and far too often get their race blown up on some ridiculous move by one of the guys.
Fuller was not good her first year in a mod and usually faded from every up front opportunity she had. This year the car isn’t fading as much and she’s a podium waiting to happen. In this race she was the mature modified driver racing her line aggressively but cleanly on the outside of Anglace. Unfortunately Anglace isn’t on the same level as Fuller with regard to driving ability.
If you watch a camera shot from 1 looking straight down the front stretch at the start of the SK and Tour Mod events the cars for the most part are in line and waiting for their opportunities. The SK Lights it’s pandemonium. Mods give inexperienced drivers the feeling they have super human abilities they stick to the track so well. The SK Light drivers are all driving their cars like they’re full bodied cars. Unfortunately mods as a rule don’t respond well to bumping and banging.
So what’s to be done? Nothing it is what it is but it seems to me if money were no barrier the woman would be far better served driving in mod series with more disciplined drivers.
I don’t know if Anglace got the penalty he deserved but he deserved a penalty. Suffice it to say I’m hoping karma visits him in the same manner it appeared to affect Debbis.
Not sure why Debbis was penalized so severely (unless he was on probation) – he made contact with another car… everytime this year when they penalized a driver for contact it is – placed to the rear of the field. I believe it was a bonehead move but it was not an intentional.