Heated Rally: Adam Gray Recovers From Wreck To Win Late Model Feature At Stafford

STAFFORD – How good was Adam Gray’s Late Model Friday at Stafford Speedway?

In a span of 11 laps, Gray went spinning to the infield while battling for the lead, back to the rear of the field and then back to battling for the lead.

In a dramatic night for the Granby, Mass. driver, Gray passed Chris Buffone for the lead on lap 25 and went on to win the 30-lap Late Model feature.

It was the third win of the season and 44th career Late Model win at Stafford for Gray, a four-time division champion. Gray sits third on the division’s all-time win list, one win behind second place Ryan Posocco. Tom Fearn leads the list with 65 wins.

“The car was good all day,” Gray said. “We actually took the old car out in the first practice. Kind of going back and forth, not sure if a lot of what we’re feeling are the new tires or what, so I figured I’d put on the old pair of shoes and see. That car was good, and then we got in this one in the second practice, and it was set to kill tonight.”

On lap 13 Gray was looking for a line under then race leader Michael Bennett. The two made contact in turns one and two as Gray got under Bennett through the corner. Coming off of turn four further contact sent both cars spinning to the backstretch infield.

“Half the people have one opinion, half the people have a different opinion,” Gray said. “It’s kind of the same thing, I feel. I don’t want to get into it. I don’t want to cause drama for no reason. I know what happened, he knows what happened on his end, and we’ll never agree, so we’ll just leave it at that.”

Said Bennett: “I don’t know, a three-time, four-time, whatever champion over-driving his car. He was the better car. He probably could have got us, but that idiot just, you know, it was the first time we raced together all year, and all he does is drive through this car. A few years ago, he did it over here. He hooked us to the fence because he’s jealous, and he’s a daddy’s boy, a mama’s boy, however you want to call it. He’s an only child. Not get all on only child, but that guy there is an only child, and he acts like it on the racetrack sometimes. … Sorry for the rant. I wanted to say a lot of F-bombs, but I’m sure I’d get fined for that.”

Buffone, of Belchertown, Mass., was second and Darrell Keane of Enfield third.

“[Gray] was just better,” Buffone said. “I mean it’s flat out [he] was just better. We tried to hold our own and we didn’t have anything for them but I’ll gladly take a second.”

Said Keane: “It was pretty wild. We weren’t the greatest all night. We were on old tires tonight, which, we were decent, but we didn’t have the pace.”

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