STAFFORD – On July 7 Tom Fearn won the Late Model feature at Stafford Speedway, moving into a tie for second with Woody Pitkat on the track’s all-time win list.
Fearn only got a couple hours to revel in the spot on the list. Later that night Pitkat won the Open Modified event at the track to regain sole possession of second place on the all-time win list with 82 career victories at the half-mile oval.
Friday at Stafford Fearn climbed the ladder back into a tie with Pitkat.
Fearn, of East Longmeadow, Mass., drove away from the field in the closing stages to win the 30-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford.
“I’ve always said, when it gets hot we get hot,” Fearn said.
It was the second consecutive victory for Fearn and his the third of the season. It was his 65th career Late Model victory, increasing his lead at the top of that division’s all-time win list. And overall it was Fearn’s 82nd feature win at Stafford, once again tying him with Pitkat.
Fearn also has 17 career victories in the old Pro Stock division from 1992 to 2000. He has three Pro Stock championships and three Late Model championships at Stafford. The late Ted Christopher leads the overall win list at Stafford with 131 wins.
“We had a pretty good race,” Fearn said. The car was good all day. I got out front there early. … It takes a full army to get here and the more we can get here the better off we are.”
Adam Gray of Belchertown, Mass. was second and Darrell Keane of Enfield third.
On lap three a turn wreck collected five cars which included fourth place Alexandra Fearn, fifth place Chris Meyer, sixth place Zack Robinson and seventh place Tom Butler.
“It was pretty tight there in the beginning,” Tom Fearn said. “There was a jam up there in turn one and I got into Tom Butler. Just crinkled the nose a little bit, but the temperature was fine so we said ‘Let’s keep going here.’”
The race restarted with John Blake out front, Andrew Durand in second and Michael Wray third.
Blake and Durand went side-by-side for two laps following the restart, but on lap six Wray got under the leaders off turn two to move to the front, towing Tom Fearn behind him into second.
A lap later Tom Fearn got by Wray to take over the lead. On lap 10 Paul Varricchio moved past Wray to second place with Tom Fearn having built more than a half second lead on the field.
On lap 14 Gray got under Wray off turn four to move into third. By lap 15 Varricchio had cut Fearn’s lead down to a car length with Gray a distant third.
On lap 19 Varricchio got loose off of turn four, allowing Tom Fearn to once again check out from the field.
“I was able to backup a little bit after Varricchio backed up a little,” Tom Fearn said. “I tried to save it for the end and coast here to victory lane.
On lap 22 Varricchio slowed off of turn two, allowing Gray to move to second and Darrell Keane to third. By then Tom Fearn had opened a 2.3 second lead over Gray in second.
Travis Hydar held on through a green-white-checkered finish to win the 20-lap Street Stock feature.
It was the third victory in nine features this year for Hydar, the reigning division champion.
Travis Downey of Barkhamstead was second and Ryan Waterman of Danielson third.
Matt Clement of Wethersfield won the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature. Jeremy Lavoie of Windsor Locks was second and Devon Jencik of Canton third.
Congrats to Tom, Stu and The whole Fearn Motorsports team. #83, when you First started racing, did you think there would be this many? Great job, now go get #84.
Thank you Rob. No idea and not even thinking of a lot of wins way back when. If I recall it’s more like just getting to the track first, safety, reliability, power, handling, etc. Dreaming if the first win.
We have been blessed with the friends, family, talent, determination, sponsors, and resources to make it happen. Believe me, every win takes effort and we will spend probably 15 hours on Toms car and 30 man hours on Alexandra’s car this week before the next race.
By the way, the Stafford win total referenced is racing only one division per night as opposed to up to 4 divisions possible at times.
It’s all those hours in the shop that equates to success on the track. Again, great job for the win.
I remember those nights in the shop, for us it was Tuesday, but Jim DJ and me were out there every night. A rainout didn’t mean no work, it afforded time to do other stuff, like organizing the pit kart and trailer. I remember one time when Jim wrecked hard. The car needed to be clipped. Saz and Joe Hamm worked all weekend installing the new clip We got the car back Monday morning and worked all week. We were fitting the hood in the parking lot while waiting to get in the pits. Jim won that night, which made it all worth it. I don’t think people realize how much time these cars take to prepare.