Corner pass gives rookie Korner big win

STAFFORD — Noah Korner will have no worries remembering the details of his first trip to victory lane in an SK Light Modified at Stafford Motor Speedway.

The dramatics proved endless for the SK Light Modified Division rookie Friday at Stafford.

In the biggest event of the season for the division, Korner used a final corner pass to take the lead and then won a contact-filled drag race with Teddy Hodgdon to the checkered flag to win the 40-lap SK Light Modified feature on Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night at Stafford.

Korner, of Canton, said he was channeling the late Ted Christopher – Stafford’s all-time winningest driver – as he set up to dive under Hodgdon in turn three on the final lap.

“If it worked for Ted Christopher, I might as well try it once and we came out on top just like him,” Korner said.

Hodgon, of Danbury, held on for second and Jon Puleo of Branford was third.

“My father and I have been working on the car until 10 o’clock every night,” Korner said. “To finally have all the hard work pay off, it’s unbelievable.”

The dramatics of the evening also seemed endless for Hodgdon, though in the most negative of fashions.

Hodgdon looked on the way to an easy victory, holding a massive lead on then second place Mark Bakaj late in the race.

But on lap 38 Hodgdon went into turn three facing down the backmarker cars of Alina Bryden and Ed Chicoski running side-byside. Hodgdon looked to split the two cars but contact sent Hodgdon toward the wall with the sliding Bryden. Hodgdon somehow squeezed between Bryden and the wall in turn three to hold the lead with the caution coming out.

On the ensuing restart Bakaj looked to overtake Hodgdon into turn three, but Hodgdon was able to stave off the attack coming off of turn four. On the final lap Bakaj was all over Hodgdon’s bumper through turn three, but the caution flew once again as the cars rolled through turn four to set up a green-white-checkered restart to decide the race.

On the final restart Hodgdon led taking the white flag, but drifted up in turn one battling Bakaj. It opened the bottom lane for Korner. Hodgdon still held the advantage on Korner off of turn two, but Korner got his nose under the leader into turn three. The pair came off turn four side-byside and bounced off each other twice coming to the line, which Korner edging Hodgdon at the checkered.

“That was a wild finish,” Korner said. “I saw Teddy wash up into Bakaj and I figured that was my shot and I took advantage of it.

“I guess it worked out — we’re on top.

“For $2000 on the line and for a win at Stafford Motor Speedway, you can’t be mad about anything. Neither of our cars are junk and we both came home in one piece and we’re on top so it’s even better.”