STAFFORD – Stafford Speedway SK Light Modified driver Robert Bloxsom III has a tire pressure gauge screwed into the wall inside his car hauler.
It’s not there for use, at least not anymore.
It’s there to remind Bloxsom, of Milford, that success at the track isn’t always just about having the talent to win or the best race car.
For much of the season Bloxsom was using the tire gauge at the track and struggling to find speed in his car.
“You go the whole year … and I’m struggling, I’m struggling,” Bloxsom said. “I went to get some help and I used somebody else’s tire gauge.”
It was then that Bloxsom realized his tire gauge was giving him false readings.
“I screwed it to the wall in my trailer as a reminder to always check our tools and your car,” Bloxsom said.
Friday at Stafford Bloxsom had the right pressure’s on his tire and then held on through some late pressure on the track to score his first SK Light Modified victory at Stafford Speedway.
After leading the first 15 laps, Bloxsom lost the lead to Josh Morrison, then fought back to regain the lead on the final lap.
Bloxsom was making his 42nd career start in the division Friday. He ran part-time in the division 2019 and 2020 before leaving to focus on Open Modified style racing for the last three years. He returned to the SK Light Modified division full-time this year.
“I really love the SK Lights and I love racing weekly here at Stafford,” Bloxsom said. “I felt like SK Lights were in my budget to where I could get what I need to be competitive.
“It means a lot [to get my first win]. Coming here I knew we were strong. I put the money where it matters and I put the best in this car. … I thought we were going to get a win a lot sooner. I got humbled really quick. You just get back to work. It makes it that much sweeter.”
Alexander Pearl of Salem was second and Morrison, of Ashford, was third.
“I kept getting boxed in there,” Pearl said. “I was just too tight on the bottom. There was a couple things I wish I did differently to put myself in a better spot. … All in all a good night.”
Said Morrison: “Not bad at all. I’m just glad to be up here again. Very happy for all our guys.”
It was the third career victory at Stafford for Bloxsom, who got his first Limited Late Model feature win at the track in 2016 and added a second in that division in 2017.
Bloxsom held the top spot at the start with Paul Arute settling into second place.
The first caution flew on lap four when Sami Anderson spun through the infield.
On the lap four restart Bloxsom continued to set the pace out front with Arute continuing to chase in second and Ron Midford settling into third.
Caution was back out on lap six for the stopped car of Carsten Cole in the wall just off of turn four. Under caution Chris Matthews was parked for being the cause of the first two cautions.
On the lap six restart Bloxsom was forced to defend on Arute to his outside and Midford to his inside off of turn two. Bloxsom defended the top spot with Midford moving to second by Arute on lap seven. On lap eight Arute fought back to retake second place with Nick Anglace moving to third.
Caution flew on lap 13 for the spinning cars of Paul Arcari and Aiden D’Agata in turn two.
Bloxsom was slow on the restart, allowing Arute to move to the lead. In turn two Anglace spun to bring the caution right back out. The caution allowed Bloxsom to go back to the front of the field for the restart.
Bloxsom got away at the front on the second attempt at a lap 13 restart. On lap 15 Morrison got by Arute for second place.
On lap 16 Morrison carried the momentum to get under Bloxsom into turn three. Morrison moved by Bloxsom off of turn four to take over the lead.
Bloxsom fought back on the outside and Bloxsom and Morrison fought side-by-side on lap 18. On lap 19 Bloxsom got under Morrison into turn three and the pair went side-by-side to the start/finish line with Morrison leading by inches at the line. On the final lap Bloxsom was able to clear Morrison through turns one and two with Pearl moving into second place. Bloxsom fought off Pearl’s attack out of the final corner.
Just watched the race on Flo- best race for the win of the night again