Racing To The Podium

Coming off a seventh-place finish in the season-opener at Stafford Motor Speedway on April 29, Newtown-based Gervais Brothers Racing and driver Michael Gervais Jr., turned up the heat once again on Friday night, May 11, posting their first-ever podium finish in the SK Modified division.

Gervais, in just his second race of the 2012 season, claimed third place, beating out last year’s SK Modified champion Ryan Preece in the closing laps. Qualifying third on the race grid for the evening, Gervais dropped back as far as seventh during the course of the race, but stated that the car was “so good all night long, I wasn’t worried and was just waiting for the field to sort itself out.”

With less than 10 laps to go Gervais worked his way back up through the field and with three laps top go Gervais bid for the lead, challenging NASCAR Champion Ted Christopher. A late caution flag reset the field for an exciting green-white-checker, nose-to-tail finish with Christopher edging out Gervais for second place and Eric Berndt winning the race.

Gervais, currently fourth in the SK Modified in points standings at Satfford Motor Speedway, thanked his sponsors in victory lane including crew chief Nick Kopcik of NJK Automotive, Mark Edwards Roofing, and Fair Auto Parts.

Other exciting finishes throughout the night included Stafford’s own J.J. Hill winning in the Late Model division, Palmer, Mass., drivers Josh Wood in the Limited Late Models, and Dylan Kopec in the SK Lights. Stafford Motor Speedway runs a full contingent of races every Friday evening.