A LOOK BACK AT THE 1981
STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY SEASON

By: Paul Arute

The 1980 season at Stafford Motor Speedway ushered in a new decade with Richie Evans taking down his first track title in the modified division. After narrowly losing out to Ron Bouchard in 1979, Evans left no doubt as to who was going to win the track championship in 1980. Evans drove to victory lane 10 times and took the championship by a 100-point margin over Bouchard, who won 6 times during the 1980 season. With Evans and Bouchard owning a stranglehold on victory lane during the year, the only other modified feature winners were John Roasti, who won twice including the Stafford 150, and Bugsy Stevens and Ray Miller, who each won once.

In the Late Model Sportsman division, it was a young driver named Jerry Marquis who took the championship by 34 points over Pete Fiandaca. Marquis didn't win a single feature event all year long, but his consistent finishes put him atop the podium at season's end. Marquis followed Mike Stefanik as a Late Model Sportsman champion at Stafford, and both drivers would go on to become Whelen Modified Tour champions. Dan Avery was the top winner in the LM Sportsman division with 4 victories. Gary Stavens and Fiandaca both won 3 times, and Gary Dufries, Mike Benevidies, John St. Angelo, Wes Rosner, Tony Modena, and Glenn Jellesma all reached victory lane once.

In the Street Stock division, it was all Jimmy Ward as he won 10 times to take the championship by 102 points over Pat Chambrello. Pat Chambrello won twice and Dave Fisck, Beatle Farone, and Bud Pinto each won a single race.

Bentley Warren was victorious at Stafford in the Supermodified portion of Modified Madness and Mike Barry was the winner of the LMSC-North event as part of Fall Final Weekend.