STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Open Modified cars returned to Stafford Motor Speedway for their third of five visits of the season on Friday for the Casella Waste Open 80.
Eric Goodale used a fast pit stop under a caution flag period to vault himself towards the front at the midway point of the Casella Waste Open 80 and he took control of the race in the second half to take the checkered flag.
Teddy Hodgdon led the field to the green but Max Zachem took the lead on the opening lap before Hodgdon came back to the inside of Zachem on lap four to retake the lead.
Woody Pitkat was third in line in the early going with Stephen Kopcik up to fourth and Ronnie Williams and Chris Pasteryak were wheel-to-wheel for fifth.
Williams got clear of Pasteryak on lap seven and his pass brought Glen Reen up to sixth and dropped Pasteryak back to seventh. Dave Salzarulo brought the caution flag out with 10 laps complete as he spun into the turn one wall.
Hodgdon took the lead back under green with Kopcik taking second. Reen jumped up to third with Zachem falling back to fourth and Williams was fifth.
The caution came out for Matt Gallo, who spun in turn four with 39 laps complete. All the leaders came to pit road under the caution except for Flynn, who assumed the race lead for the restart. Reen came off pit road first to restart in second.
Goodale took the lead on the restart but Reen powered his way into the lead on lap 42. Goodale came back to the inside of Reen on lap 44 and he retook the lead.
Zachem spun in turn two to bring the caution back out with 46 laps complete.
Goodale took the lead with Hodgdon coming up to second. Reen was third in line followed by Williams and Galko before the caution came back out with 49 laps complete for a spin through the frontstretch grass by Todd Owen.
Goodale and Hodgdon went wheel-to-wheel for a lap before Goodale got clear into the lead on lap 50.
With 10 laps to go, Goodale was still in the lead with Reen giving chase from second place.
Bello made a move to the inside of Hodgdon on lap 78 in a bid for third place and he completed the pass on lap 79. It was all Goodale at the front as Reen couldn’t get close enough to make a move with Goodale winning the Casella Waste Open 80.
Bello finished third with Hodgdon and Galko rounding out the top five behind Goodale and Reen.
Weekly Features
Stephen Kopcik reigned victorious in the SK Modified feature over Todd Owen.
Tom Butler won the 30-lap late model feature, while Tyler Chapman took home the SK Light Modified crown.
The Limited Late Model feature went to Kevin Cormier with Ryan Waterman taking the top spot in Street Stock.