STAFFORD – A winless 2025 in the SK Modified division left three-time track champion Todd Owen starting from scratch when the offseason hit, literally.
Owen went to work on building a brand new car for the 2026 season at Stafford and that effort paid immediate dividends on Sunday.
Owen, of Somers, held off the closing lap charges of reigning division champion Jon Puleo to win the 40-lap SK Modified feature at the NAPA Spring Sizzler on Sunday.
“After last year, probably nobody needed this win more than I did,” Owen said. “My guys, they stick by me and they always keep their heads up. We went to work this winter, we built a new car. Nothing different about it, just last year’s car just sucked. It just didn’t go. When you build them yourself you can’t blame anybody but yourself.”
It was Owen’s first SK Modified victory at Stafford since Sept. 20, 2024.
“We didn’t have the car to win, we were probably a fourth place car, but as long as I’ve been doing this, I usually don’t get on this lucky side very often,” Owen said. “I’ll take it.”
Puleo, of North Branford, held on for second and Mikey Flynn of Hampden, Mass. was third.
Puleo was glued to Owen’s bumper over the final three laps.
“He showed me class,” Owen said. “… He might have been a little bit better than me. I was kind of doing some protecting. He didn’t even lay a bumper on me. I know sometimes me and him have a love/hate relationship. The last time we raced he was giving me the finger, today he was giving me the thumbs up. It was a good race for sure.”
Said Puleo: “He did what he had to do. He didn’t race me dirty at all.”
Flynn rallied late in the race.
“A long day for us,” Flynn said. “Got kind of shafted in the heat race. Anytime you were on the outside here it just seemed like you went backwards. I was able to catch a break on the last restart and get to the bottom and make some chicken salad work.”
Marcello Rufrano took control at the front of the field on the first lap with Puleo moving to second by Glen Reen.
Mike Christopher Jr. was up to third by lap five.
Puleo moved by Rufrano for the lead on lap 10 with Christopher following to second.
Caution flew on lap 11 for the spinning car of David Flammia Jr. On the restart Puleo held the lead with Rufrano jumping back to second and Christopher falling to fourth behind Keith Rocco.
Caution returned on lap 13 for a multi-car incident in turn three. On the lap 12 restart it was Puleo controlling out front with Rufrano fighting off the advances of Christopher for second.
On lap 13 Christopher was able to get by Rufrano for the second spot and then quickly went by Puleo for the lead into turn one on lap 14.
Caution flew on lap 29 when Christopher had a motor issue and spun into the turn two wall while leading, also collecting second place Rufrano. Third place Rocco also spun in turn two.
“I had the car to win and it went up in smoke,” Christopher said. “… Just another Sizzler that goes by where we don’t win.”
It set up a restart with Owen leading and Puleo in second.
On the restart it was Matt Vassar making the big leap up into the lead. On lap 32 Owen found the line under Vassar in turn three and came out of turn four with the lead with Anthony Flannery following to second and Puleo to third.
With Owen leading Flannery and Puleo in third, caution flew on lap 35 for the slowed car of Dylan Kopec.
Owen controlled at the front on the ensuring restart, with Puleo getting by Flannery for second. Flynn moved to third on lap 36.
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