Ronnie Williams in victory lane Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Ronnie Williams in victory lane Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Williams Gets On The Board At Stafford

STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – Ronnie Williams notched his first SK Modified victory of the season during weekly competition Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Doug Meservey, Jr. took the lead ahead of Teddy Hodgdon as the green flag waved, but before a lap could be completed, a multi-car incident in turn four involving the cars of Dan Wesson, Jon Puleo, Todd Owen, and several others brought the caution out.

Meservey took the lead on the restart with Hodgdon right behind him.  Bryan Narducci was third in line followed by Tyler Leary and Mikey Flynn.  Ronnie Williams was sixth followed by David Arute, Andrew Molleur, Marcello Rufrano, Michael Gervais, Jr., and Chase Dowling.

Hodgdon made a move to get by Meservey and move back to the lead on lap six.  Williams got around Flynn to move into fifth and now Arute was all over the back bumper of Flynn for sixth.  Williams continued to charge his way towards the front as he took third from Narducci on lap nine and then took second from Meservey on lap 10.  Williams completed his move to the front on lap 14 as he went around Hodgdon to take over the lead.

At the halfway point of the race, Williams was still in command with Hodgdon in second.  Meservey was third followed by Narducci, Stephen Kopcik, Leary, Flynn, Rufrano, Arute, and Dowling.  Kopcik went by Narducci to move into fourth place on lap 23 before the caution flew with 24 laps complete as Arute spun in turn four.

Hodgdon and Williams ran two laps side by side for the lead before Williams got clear to the lead.  Kopcik and Hodgdon were now side by side for second with Kopcik getting the better of that duel on lap 29.  With 10 laps to go the order was Williams, Kopcik, Hodgdon, Meservey, Narducci, Dowling, Owen, Michael Christopher, Jr., Leary, and Flynn.  The caution came back out with 32 laps complete for a spin in turn four by Noah Korner.

Just like the last restart, Williams and Kopcik went side by side for the leada with neither driver giving an inch.  Williams finally got clear to the lead on lap 35 with Hodgdon in third, Meservey fourth and Narducci fifth.  Narducci moved up to fourth on lap 37 and his move brought Owen up to fifth with Meservey sliding back to sixth in line.

Kopcik was looking high and low for a way to get around Williams, but Williams was able to hold him off.  Kopcik couldn’t get close enough to Williams on the final lap as Williams nailed down his first win of the season.  Hodgdon finished third with Owen and Narducci rounding out the top-five.

In other action, Alexander Pearl notched his first SK Light Modified win of the season. Mike Hopkins scored his first limited late model win at Stafford, with Michael Bennett earning his third late model victory of the season. Chris Meyer scored his first street stock victory of the season.