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 STAFFORD
SPRINGS, CT (August 19) -- Todd Szegedy extended his NASCAR
Featherlite Modified Series leading season win total to four after
capturing the "ASB Classic 150" at Stafford Motor Speedway.
The race was originally scheduled for August 8th, but rain after 61
laps forced the race to be suspended until Tuesday evening. The race
was suspended with Eddie Flemke in the lead after leading every lap of
the event until the rains came. When the race resumed, five different
drivers took turns leading with Todd Szegedy, the series points
leader, leading the final 62 laps en route to his fourth win of the
season. Szegedy increased his point lead in the series to 103 points
while pocketing $6,500 for the win. The series now has six events left
on its 2003 schedule.
Nearly two weeks earlier, thirty-one cars began the
race with Chuck Hossfeld on the pole and Eddie Flemke alongside.
Hossfeld was the Bud Pole Award winner circling the 1/2-mile Stafford
oval in 18.637 seconds for an average speed of 96.582 mph.
At the start, Eddie Flemke moved to the front of the
field leading the first 61 laps before the clouds opened up causing
the race to be suspended by NASCAR from August 8th.
When the race resumed 11 days later, Eddie Flemke led
the field to the restart. Unfortunately, Flemke's lead was erased four
laps later when Dave Etheridge took over for three laps before quickly
turning the lead over to Donnie Lia for six circuits. Lia's lead was
relinquished on lap 74, to Rick Fuller who then led through lap 90.
That's when ninth starting Todd Szegedy moved into the lead for good
until the checkered flag fell on lap 152. Szegedy was followed to the
line by 14th starting Nevin George in second and 20th starting Rick
Fuller in third.
Ten of the 31 race starters finished the race on the
lead lap. Rounding out the list of lead-lap finishers were John
Blewett, III (started 27th), Chuck Hossfeld, Tony Hirschman, Jamie
Tomaino, Tommy Cravenhoe, Tony Ferante, Jr., and Eric Beers in fourth
through tenth, respectively. The race took 1 hour 26 minutes and 4
seconds to complete barring the 11 day interruption. The race also had
six cautions for a total of 61 laps. Eddie Flemke who led the race's
first 64 laps finished in 21st place after being involved in an
accident.
Szegedy has now amassed 2079 points in the standings
with John Blewett, III in second place with 1976 points, while Chuck
Hossfeld, Ted Christopher and Jerry Marquis round out the top five.
The NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series is back in
action on Saturday, August 30, at Connecticut's Waterford Speedbowl.
Rick Fuller was the winner in the first race at Waterford back in May.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is the exclusive tire
supplier to the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series during the 2003
season.
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