Tom Fearn (Photo: Stafford Speedway/Driscoll MotorSports Photography)
STAFFORD – With the temperatures cooling and fall in the air, the hottest driver at Stafford Motor Speedway remained on fire Friday night.
Tom Fearn held off the charges of division points leader Michael Bennett to win for the fourth consecutive week in the 30-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
It was the 10th victory overall in 19 starts this year for Fearn, who missed an event earlier this season because of a suspension.
“I can’t believe it, 10 wins,” Fearn said. “I’ve been racing for 29 years and I never thought I could get 10 wins in a season.”
Bennett, of Stafford, held on for second and Josh Wood of Palmer, Mass. was third.
Tony Membrino Jr. went to the lead past Glenn Griwold on lap 11 and checked out from the field to win the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature.
It was the third victory this season for Membrino, from Plantsville. He won consecutive events on May 8 and May 15.
“We were long overdue to be here,” Membrino said. “We had a lot of them that slipped away from us, were taken from us, whatever you want to call it. … [Ed Flemke Jr.] said ‘You’re being too nice for someone named Membrino’ I had to flex the muscle a little bit. All good hard fun. We’ve got the car back to where we needed to be and I needed a little luck on my side.”
D.J. Burnham of East Hartford was second and Kyle Jette of New Milford third.
Teddy Hodgon of Danbury held off Mikey Flynn of Hampden on a green-white-checkered finish to win the 20-lap Legends feature.
A fifth place finish for Devin O’Connell clinched the Legends division championship for the Madison driver with two events remaining this season.
I hope he had to take his car home in a basket last night… This car should be looked at very closely😄
Congrats to Tom Fern for his fine win number 10 on the season.
In my opinion Mike Bennett should have been sent to the rear of the field after spinning Tom Butler. Tom Fox must be fair and consistent in his rulings. I know the heart wrenching story of Chase Bennett and I feel for the whole family, but it should have no effect on the race. I think Mike would have finished second even if he had to come from the back.
I was wondering if Tom Fern might let Mike Bennett pass him late in the race and give him the win with Chase watching. Not so. It would have been a nice gesture.
I’m done.
Joe, You are right about the unfair Bennett treatment on that Butler spin, but Fearn moving over to let him win would have been an even bigger sham.
Hardware-wise, The 16 and 92 looked pretty evenly matched, to me, but they drove the track differently.
Bennett seemed drive a bit harder and deeper into the corner, Fearn had a smoother, slightly slower entry that let him get out faster. That was one of the best Late Model battles I’ve seen at SMS this year. On the high line, the 92 seemed to lose a bit of ground on a some of the others, but it sure went well down low.
I personally don’t know the guy, but I don’t think Bennett would have wanted anybody to let him win.
Steve if you buy the car you can look all you want.