Welcome Back: Tyler Hines Tops SK Modified Feature At Stafford Speedway 

STAFFORD – Forty-one races. Or as Tyler Hines described that number: “Too long”. 

Hines, of North Haven, drove away from the field over the closing stages to win the 40-lap SK Modified feature Friday at Stafford Speedway. 

It snapped a 41-race winless streak for Hines, who got his last win on July 8, 2022. 

“This is a really really important win for me, for the team,” Hines said. “There’s a lot of people that sacrifice a lot. I don’t know what to say. I’ve been waiting to be back here a long time. Too long.” 

It was the fourth victory overall in the division for Hines, who dedicated the win to longtime local racing team supporter Jean-Guy Poulin, who passed away last year.

Mikey Flynn of Hampden, Mass. was second and Anthony Flannery of East Hampton was third. 

Austin Beers set the pace out front early with Flannery and Hines behind him battling for second and third. 

On lap 11 Beers fell off the pace, moving Flannery to the lead with Hines a close second. On lap 13 Hines made a diving move under Flannery to take over the top spot. 

With Hines lead, Flannery in second and Todd Owen third, caution flew on lap 19 for the spinning car of Bryan Narducci. 

Hines controlled out front on the lap 19 restart. 

On lap 35 caution flew for the stopped car of Todd Owen who had been running in fourth. On the restart Hines was able to fend off the challenge of Flannery before pulling away over the closing circuits. 

“I can’t thank Anthony enough,” Hines said. “In the heat race, in the feature, must great racing. That’s all you can ask for. … Thank you to him.”