STAFFORD – Coming into the 2022 season at Stafford Speedway it was Chris Matthews and Joey Ferrigno sitting at the top of the SK Light Modified all-time win list at the track.
Coming into the season Matthews had 17 victories and Ferrigno 16 victories.
But it had been a long time since those numbers at the top of the list had changed.
Now those numbers have been changing on a regular basis in 2022.
On May 20 Matthews scored a win to return to victory lane in his SK Light Modified for the first time since Sept. 5, 2008. Last week Matthews extended that lead on Ferrigno even further with his second victory of the season.
Friday Ferrigno showed the battle at the top of the all-time win list is far from over.
Ferrigno snapped a four-year plus winless streak in winning the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Friday at Stafford Speedway.
It was the first win for Ferrigno since July 6, 2018.
“We always talk about it and joke about it,” Ferrigno said of the chase at the top of the all-time win list. “We’re just racing on a week-to-week basis to get trophies. But between Chris last week and me this week, it’s showing that us old guys can still get it done.”
Ferrigno led every lap on the way to the win Friday. He said despite struggles over the past three seasons, he never gave up on the idea that he would return to victory lane.
“You never give up on that,” Ferrigno said. “The amount of time and effort we put in this car, the amount of people that devote themselves to sponsoring this car, you never give up. It was just a matter of time before we got this old equipment back on its game.”
Bob Charland of Stafford was second and Alexander Pearl of Salem third.
“I looked in the mirror, I knew they were all over me,” Ferrigno said. “The second half of the race it got real loose [off the corners]. I was just trying to keep it out of the wall. I was using all of the track and I was just hoping I didn’t slide across anyone’s nose. I was more or less just trying to hold on.”
Said Charland: “Congratulations to Joey. He works hard at this. He was driving his butt off. A couple more laps we would have got him I’m sure of it.”
way to go joey!
Congrats Joey!🏁🏆
Woodrow Pitkat just passed so the first order of business is condolences to Woody and his family. Losing a parent is inevitable if everything happens in it’s natural order but it’s tough no matter how prepared you think you are.
How many times did Ferrigno say he was too old for “this”. At least 3 times? Too old for what winning or racing? Another thought would be to lighten up on the linguini and drop a few pounds. So it cost you a little more for lead ballast it’s worth it.
There was a time when Ferrigno dominated. It was guys like Wesson, Kopcik, Membrino and DJ Burnham winning a lot of races. Now with half of East Hartford seemingly helping Ferrigno add former rivals the Burnham’s to his support personnel.
You know that expression about not being able to do this without blah, blah and blah. With Ferrigno that’s literally the case. Don’t we all wish we had his magnetic personality? Even Meghan Fuller is going out of her way to splash water on the guy.
Run Joey run, you’re doing just swell. Good to see an old fart (relatively speaking) beating that hoard of younglings dominating these days.
Congratulations Joey! So great to see 👍👍👍