Puleo, Varricchio, Hovey, Sullivan, Clement, & Ouellette Score NAPA Spring Sizzler Feature Wins

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted the 53rd Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® along with its five weekly divisions on Sunday, April 27th.  Feature winners on the day were Jon Puleo in the SK Modified® feature, Paul Varricchio, Jr. in the Late Model feature, Nickolas Hovey and Brian Sullivan were the winners of the two 20-lap SK Light duels that will set the starting field for the SK Light 30-lap feature on the Friday, May 9 Weekly Racing card, Matt Clement in the Limited Late Model feature, and Bert Ouellette in the Street Stock feature.

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Jon Puleo and Michael Christopher, Jr. led the field to the green flag with the duo remaining side by side for the first lap before Puleo got clear into the lead on lap-2.  Andrew Molleur quickly took second place on lap-3 with Christopher dropping back to third in line.  Teddy Hodgdon was fourth with David Arute in fifth.  Matt Vassar spun in turn 1 with Dan Avery climbing up and over the left side of Vassar’s car to bring the caution flag out with 5 laps complete.

Puleo took the lead back under green with Christopher glued to his back bumper.  David Arute was third with Hodgdon fourth and Mikey Flynn in fifth.  Just behind Flynn was Todd Owen followed by Paul Kusheba, IV, Max Zachem, Marcello Rufrano, and Andrew Molleur.  Several cars, including Curt Brainard, Anthony Flannery, Rufrano, Tyler Hines, and John Sandberg spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 9 laps complete.

Christopher took the lead on the restart with Puleo slotting into second.  Puleo then went back by Christopher to retake the lead on lap-11.  Arute was third in line behind the lead duo with Hodgdon fourth and Flynn fifth.  Alex Pearl, Keith Rocco, Hines, and several other cars spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the yellow out with 11 laps complete.

Puleo was back in the lead with Christopher again right behind him in second on the restart.  Arute and Hodgdon were fighting for third when the caution came back out with 12 laps complete for Wesley Prucker, who came to a stop against the turn 2 wall.

Puleo and Christopher again occupied the top-2 spots on the restart with Hodgdon moving into third.  Puleo went around in turn 4 in front of the field and immediately rejoined the race but the caution came out for action behind him with 14 laps complete.

Puleo led the field back to the green flag and he took the lead with Hodgdon pulling alongside Christopher for second.  Hodgdon took second at the line to complete lap-15 with Arute in fourth and Owen in fifth.  Hodgdon and Christopher were now wheel to wheel for second with Owen and Arute wheel to wheel for fourth on lap-17 as Puleo continued to lead the race.

Hodgdon took the lead on lap-18 with Owen coming up to second.  Flynn and Puleo were now side by side for third.  Owen took the lead from Hodgdon on lap-19 just before the caution came back out for a spin by Prucker on the backstretch.

Owen took the lead on the restart with Flynn moving into second behind him.  Christopher was third in line with Zachem and Hodgdon going wheel to wheel for fourth place.  Kusheba spun on the backstretch to bring the yellow back out with 21 laps complete.

Christopher took the lead on the restart but Rufrano spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out before a lap could be completed, putting Owen back into the lead for the next restart.

Flynn took the lead from Owen on the lap-22 restart with Puleo taking second.  Owen and Hodgdon wheel to wheel for third with Owen taking third on lap-23.  Dylan Izzo took fourth on lap-24 with Christopher fading back to fifth and Hodgdon to sixth.  Puleo came back to the inside of Flynn to retake the lead on lap-25.  Owen nearly took the lead back from Puleo on lap-26 but fell back in line.  Owen got a good run in turns 3+4 to move into the lead on lap-27.  Izzo moved into second with Christopher third and Hodgdon fourth.  Hodgdon went by Christopher on lap-29 to move into third.  Hines spun coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 29 laps complete.

Owen went back into the lead on the restart with Hodgdon and Izzo going wheel to wheel for second.  Christopher was fourth with Puleo fifth.  The caution came back out with 32 laps complete as Anthony Flannery, Steven Chapman, Tyler Chapman, and Rufrano all got together coming out of turn 4 and down the frontstretch.

Hodgdon went from third to the lead on the restart with Puleo and Owen side by side for second.  Flynn and Christopher were side by side for fourth and as the field completed lap-35 Puleo led the side by side duo of Flynn and Hodgdon with Owen and Molleur right behind them.

With 2 laps to go it was Puleo in the lead followed by Flynn, Molleur, Christopher, and Hodgdon.  Flynn couldn’t get close enough as Puleo took the checkered flag to win the first SK Modified® race of the 2025 season.  Flynn finished second with Molleur, Christopher, and Hodgdon rounding out the top-5.

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, the caution came out immediately after the start as Chris Meyer and Alexandra Fearn got into the turn 1 wall.

Paul Varricchio, Jr. took the early lea d with Michael Wray right behind him in second.  Tom Fearn was third in the early going with Wayne Coury, Jr. fourth and Adam Gray took fifth from Kevin Gambacorta on lap-3.  With 10 laps complete the order was Varricchio still in the lead followed by Wray, Fearn, Coury, and Gray.  Gambacorta was looking high and low for a way to get around Gray and move into fifth, but he wasn’t able to make a pass stick.

Gambacorta was able to make the move on Gray and by lap-17 he was right behind Fearn looking to take over third place as Varricchio and Wray were still the top-2 cars.  With 10 laps to go the order was Varricchio, Wray, Gambacorta, Fearn, and Gray.

Gray took fourth place from Fearn on lap-27 and now Coury, Darrell Keane, and Bobby Stirk were all looking to get by Coury.  Keane took sixth from Coury on lap-29 but it was all Varricchio at the front as he took the checkered flag to score victory in the first Late Model race of the 2025 season.  Wray finished second with Gambacorta, Gray, and Fearn rounding out the top-5.

In the first 20-lap SK Light duel feature event, Robert Bloxsom took the early lead with Norm Sears and Nickolas Hovey behind him.  Hovey took second from Sears on lap-3 while Daltin McCarthy was fourth and Casey Vogt was fifth.  Hovey went by Bloxsom on lap-5 to take over the lead while Vogt was able to hold off a challenge from Josh Morrison in a fight for fifth place.

Hovey was still in command at the halfway point followed by Bloxsom, Sears, McCarthy, Vogt, Morrison, Paul Arute, Amanda West, Sophya Papp, and Austin Goff.  Papp spun in turn 2 to bring the caution flag out with 11 laps complete.

Hovey took the lead back under green with Bloxsom in second.  Morrison moved up to third with McCarthy fourh and West in fifth.  Sears brought the caution out with 12 laps complete with a spin on the backstretch while Alina Bryden and Ben Morrison got into the turn 1 wall.

The restart saw Bloxsom go around in turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 13 laps complete and Hovey still in the lead with West in second, Jake Hines in third, Arute in fourth, Wade Gagner fifth, and Joey Ferrigno sixth.  Josh Morrison retired from the race with damage to his right front tire after contact with Bloxsom.

Hovey took the lead again with West in second.  Arute came up to third with Ferrigno fourth and Hines in fifth.  Hovey pulled away from the competition to score a dominating victory.  West finished second with Arute, Ferrigno, and Vogt rounding out the top-5.

In the second 20-lap SK Light duel feature event, Brian Sullivan took the early lead with Zach Aszklar, Sami Anderson, Nick Anglace, and Aiden D’Agata behind him.  Cassandra Cole got into the wall coming out of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 2 laps complete.

Sullivan again took the lead with Aszklar and Anglace behind him.  Anglace went by Aszklar on lap-4 to move into second while Anderson and Matt Brewer were wheel to wheel fighting for fourth place.  Anderson got clear into fourth on lap-5 as Sullivan was once again stretching out his lead over the field.  But that lead was erased again by the caution flag for a spin in turn 4 by Steve Midford.

Sullivan again took the lead while Anglace took to the outside lane to try to get by Aszklar, but the duo ran wheel to wheel for several laps before Anglace fell back into line behind Aszklar in third place.  Brewer was fourth with Anderson, Dean Lambros, and Meghan Fuller lined up behind him.  The caution flag came out with 10 laps complete for a spin coming out of turn 4 by D’Agata.

Sullivan charged back into the lead on the restart with Aszklar holding off a challenge from Anglace for second.  Anderson and Brewer were again side by side for fourth place.  Anderson took fourth and then made a move to the inside of Anglace for third on lap-13.

Sullivan led the field to the checkered flag for a wire to wire victory.  Aszklar finished second with Dean Lambros third, Anglace fourth, and Fuller fifth.  Coming to the checkered flag, Anderson’s car got loose and spun, which collected the car of Brewer.

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event, Matt Clement took the early lead with Kevin Cormier, Devon Jencik, Jeremy Lavoie, and RJ Surdell lined up behind him.  Daryl Vertefeuille spun in turn 1 to bring the caution out with 1 lap complete.

Clement again took the lead on the restart with Cormier, Lavoie, Jencik, and Surdell giving chase.  Clement had a close encounter with a lapped car on lap-9, which allowed Cormier to close right up to Clement’s bumper.  Two laps later, Clement had pulled away from Cormier and Cormier would lose second place to Lavoie.  Adrien Paradis, III took fourth from Jencik on lap-12 and both Jason Lafayette and Rich Hammann followed him by Jencik to move into fifth and sixth and drop Jencik back to seventh place.  Surdell spun on the backstretch to bring the caution flag out with 14 laps complete.

Clement again took the lead with Cormier in second.  Cormier held second until lap-18 when Lafayette and Lavoie both got by to move into second and third and drop Cormier back to fourth, just in front of Paradis.  Cormier lost two more spots on lap-19 as Paradis took fourth and Rich Hammann took fifth.   Clement led the field to the checkered flag to win the first Limited Late Model feature of the 2025 season.  Lafayette finished second with Lavoie, Paradis, and Hammann rounding out the top-5.

In the 20-lap Street Stock feature event, PJ Evans’ car came to a stop in turn 3 just as the field was taking the green flag, which brought the caution flag out.  Mike Caprio got a good break on the start to take the early lead with Aaron Plemons in second.  Travis Downey took third with Brandon Warren in fourth and Tyler Trott fifth.

Warren made a move to the inside of Downey on lap-4 to take over third and Trott followed him by to move into fourth and drop Downey back to fifth.  Plemons got to the inside of Caprio on lap-4 for the lead and they raced side by side for several laps before Plemons took the lead on lap-7.  Bert Ouellette came out of nowhere to make a 3-wide move behind the leaders and move by Warren and Trott for third before taking second on lap-8.  Garrett Pease spun in turn 2 on lap-9 but was able to get going and the race stayed green.

Ouellette was hounding Plemons for the lead but Plemons was able to hold him off.  Ouellette made a move stick on lap-12 as he went by Plemons and took over the lead.  Trott took second with Downey taking third, Caprio fourth, Warren fifth, and Bill Cote sixth as Plemons slid all the way down to seventh.  The caution came back out with 13 laps complete as Warren went around in turn 1.

Ouellette streaked into the lead on the restart with Downey taking second.  Trott was third in line with Jason Raymond up to fourth and Brent Gleason fifth.  Kolton Gambacorta spun coming out of turn 2 but he kept his car moving and the race stayed green.

Ouellette led the field to the checkered flag to pick up the first Street Stock win of the 2025 season.  Trott finished second with Downey, Raymond, and Gleason rounding out the top-5.

For more information contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at (860) 684-2783, or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

###

SK MODIFIED® (40)

1) Jon Puleo, Branford

2) Mikey Flynn, Hampden, MA

3) Andrew Molleur, Shelton

4) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott

5) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury

6) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY

7) Michael Gervais, Jr., Wolcott

8) Todd Owen, Somers

9) Max Zachem, Preston

10) Troy Talman, Oxford, MA

11) David Arute, Tolland

12) Alexander Pearl, Salem

13) Dylan Izzo, Monroe

14) Tyler Chapman, Ellington

15) Paul Kusheba, IV, Monroe

16) Anthony Flannery, East Hampton

17) Tyler Hines, North Haven

18) John Sandberg, South Windsor

19) Curt Brainard, Canton

20) Dylan Kopec, East Longmeadow, MA

21) Wesley Prucker, Stafford Springs

22) Keith Rocco, Berlin

23) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington

24) Steven Chapman, Ellington

25) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven

26) David Flammia, Jr., Waterbury

27) Matt Vassar, Berlin

28) Dan Avery, Somers

 

LATE MODEL (30)

1) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin

2) Michael Wray, Mooresville, NC

3) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington

4) Adam Gray, Granby, MA

5) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA

6) Darrell Keane, Enfield

7) Bobby Stirk, III, Naugatuck

8) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA

9) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield

10) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA

11) Chris Meyer, Franklin

12) Chris Buffone, Belchertown, MA

13) Duane Noll, Monroe

14) Scott Foster, Jr., Enfield

15) Adon Burrell, Barkhamsted

16) Rob Taylor, Warren

 

SK LIGHT MODIFIED DUEL #1 (20)

1) Nickolas Hovey, Chaplin

2) Amanda West, Colchester

3) Paul Arute, Tolland

4) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford

5) Casey Vogt, Windsor Locks

6) Jake Hines, North Haven

7) Robert Bloxsom, III, Milford

8) Wade Gagner, East Longmeadow, MA

9) Daltin McCarthy, Oxford, MA

10) Austin Goff, Stafford Springs

11) Sophya Papp, Goshen

12) Norm Sears, Coventry

13) Jason Finkbein, Manchester

14) Josh Morrison, Ashford

15) Alina Bryden, West Springfield, MA

16) Ben Morrison, Ashford

17) Dylan Houghton, Springfield, MA

 

SK LIGHT MODIFIED DUEL #2 (20)

1) Brian Sullivan, Ellington

2) Zach Aszklar, Newtown

3) Dean Lambros, Northport, NY

4) Nick Anglace, Seymour

5) Meghan Fuller, Auburn, MA

6) Matt Brewer, Norwich

7) Peter Bennett, Andover

8) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield

9) Chris Matthews, Stafford Springs

10) Paul Arcari, Somers

11) David Webb, Nashville, TN

12) Steve Midford, Ellington

13) Aiden D’Agata, Willington

14) Anthony Forino, Waterbury

15) Sami Anderson, Wolcott

16) Adrianna Kimmer, Thomaston

17) Carsten Cole, Westbrook

18) Cassandra Cole, Westbrook

 

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)

1) Matt Clement, Wethersfield

2) Jason Lafayette, Somers

3) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks

4) Adrien Paradis, III, Plainville

5) Rich Hammann, Tolland

6) Travis Hydar, Woodbury

7) Gary Patnode, Barkhamsted

8) Kevin Cormier, Springfield, VT

9) Kyle Theriault, Three Rivers, MA

10) Devon Jencik, Canton

11) Matthew Winter, II, Springfield, VT

12) Connor Jencik, Canton

13) Dana Wray, Durham

14) Daryl Vertefeuille, Willington

15) R.J. Surdell, Willington

16) Scott Clement, Wethersfield

17) John Orsini, Morris

18) Samantha Dell, Pascoag, RI

19) Norman Root, III, Old Saybrook

20) Shelby Swan, Durham

 

STREET STOCK (20)

1) Bert Ouellette, Ellington

2) Tyler Trott, East Hartford

3) Travis Downey, Barkhamsted

4) Jason Raymond, Somers

5) Brent Gleason, Griswold

6) Marvin Minkler, Stamford

7) Sean Petlock, Ware, MA

8) Bill Cote, Belchertown, MA

9) Jeff Asselin, Granby, MA

10) Brandon Warren, Chicopee, MA

11) Aaron Plemons, Uncasville

12) Kyle Johnson, Manchester

13) Isabella Minchella, Somers

14) Matt Martel, Stafford Springs

15) David Ciastko, Madison

16) Alex Spinnato, Wallingford

17) Kolton Gambacorta, Ellington

18) Pete Cayer, Bristol

19) Gary Hyjek, Ellington

20) Garrett Pease, Enfield

21) Mike Caprio, Clinton

22) Jeff Van Pelt, North Providence, RI

23) Kenneth Kerttulair, Jr., Groton

24) PJ Evans, Uncasville

 

The post Puleo, Varricchio, Hovey, Sullivan, Clement, & Ouellette Score NAPA Spring Sizzler Feature Wins appeared first on staffordspeedway.