The 27-year old from East Longmeadow is in her 12th season running at the track where she is the all-time winningest female driver.
Friday night at Stafford the former Street Stock and Limited Late Model division winner checked off another huge box on his glowing racing resume.
Fearn drove away on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50 Friday at Stafford.
Darrell Keane of Enfield was second and Chris Meyer of North Franklin third.
Fearn – who became just the second female track champion in 2021 when she won a Limited Late Model division title – became the first woman in track history to win a Late Model feature at Stafford.
“I’ve been racing here for [12] years and I’ve raced in all the fendered divisions, I have wins all the fendered divisions, I have a championship in the [Limited Late Models] and [26 wins overall],” Fearn said. “I think it certainly means a lot. When I was growing up there wasn’t too many women that I could watch in fendered cars. There was women competing in Modifieds, but not any that I particularly remember in fenders. … Certainly not in Late Models and Late Model racing, I think this definitely means a lot, I think I’m a little older now and hopefully there’s people who are coming behind me who can do the same.”
The Late Model division has run at Stafford since 1987. Fearn was the 91st winner in the division’s history. Fearn, who has seven Street Stock wins and 18 Limited Late Model victories at Stafford, has competed full-time in the Late Model division since the start of the 2023 season.
“To get a win like this on a night like this is huge for us. We have been struggling all year. A lot has happened in the past year. I’m just really thankful for everyone that stood by me and has given me the opportunity to be here.
After the race the receiving line for hugs and congratulations in the tech area was a long one, including track owner/operator Lisa Arute. But it was a moment that also had Fearn thinking about the detractors that have dogged her through her career, especially over the last two years.
“I know everybody was like ‘She can’t win, she’s a weapon, all she does is wreck people.’” Fearn said. “But you know what, all these lovely people believed in me and I got it done and it was clean.
“Everybody has been hating on me all year. What’cha gonna say now?”
After leading the first 37 laps, Fearn lost the lead to Adam Gray on a lap 38 restart. A late caution set up a green-white-checkered finish.
On the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish Fearn was able to hang on in the outside lane with Gray. The pair came off of turn four side-by-side with Fearn leading at the start/finish line to take the white flag. Caution flew again for the stopped car of Tom Butler, setting up another green-white-checkered with Fearn leading Gray.
On the second attempt at the finish Fearn got the jump at the start and pulled away over the final two laps.
Video: Alexandra Fearn With A Receiving Line Of Congrats After Late Model Win At Stafford
After having called back numerous jumped starts and restarts earlier in the night, it was unbelievable that the Stafford powers that be completely looked the other way when Adam Gray BLATANTLY jumped the lap 38 restart to easily pull down in front of Fearn BEFORE they even got to turn one! I’ll be generous and just say that consistency is not one of Stafford’s strong points.
And then, after childishly trying to race out in front of her on the last yellow (because he refused to admit she had beat him coming to the line) he jumped the GWC restart also!
But it was “heart warming” when he couldn’t force his way down in front and got shuffled all the way back to ninth on the outside.
It was the most cheerful lap I’ve seen all year! The bully that has never passed a single car without physically rooting them out of the way got shuffled off like a wind-blown piece of trash blowing down a dirty alley!
Stafford doesn’t know what consistency is. Was Alex joking when she said she won the race cleanly? We all know if it was RJ Marcotte, the result would’ve been different.
Kevin, I certainly didn’t take it as a joke. She did exactly what she needed to do and her finish was well deserved. Any female in short track racing has the odds stacked against them. Women in motorsports are rarely treated with the same respect that males are, they get fewer on track breaks and work twice as hard for contested positions. I am sure many will disagree, these are the same people who think women should be home cooking and cleaning rather than being a race car driver… I love it when females join the ranks and are successful, they are just as talented and in many cases more so, last nights win speaks volumes! Congratulations to the #12 driver and team
Congratulations Alexandra Fearn!!
Sorry but officials gave her that race! She should’ve been on the outside pole for that last restart as Gray was leading when Bulter crashed! Always goes back to last completed lap! Also Frean has wrecked more people this season than any driver in any division at Stafford she doesn’t have a clue what clean hard racing is!
Bill Boulay,
You’re wrong on that part. On the initial attempt at the green-white-checkered she led the first lap over Gray and the caution flew for Tom Butler after Fearn and Gray had completed the lap. She was then the race leader for the next attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.
Congratulations to Alexandra, proud Pappa Stuart and the whole #12 team for this history making win. I knew she has the talent, and it was only a matter of time. Great Job Alexandra.
Thank you Rob P and all the others for the kind words