Solomito Headed to Flamingo
Top Whelen Modified Rookie To Join No. 16 Team
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning Sunoco Rookie of the Year Timmy Solomito announced today that he has reached an agreement to drive with Flamingo Motorsports for the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Solomito, from Islip, New York, has been tabbed by team owner Eric Sanderson to replace Ryan Preece in the Massachusetts-based No. 16 Flamingo Motorsports Ford. Preece departed last week to join TS Haulers Racing.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Solomito said. “The 16 team seems real organized. They have a lot of experience on the tour and that’s really going to be beneficial. I’m excited to work with the guys, they seem like really nice people.
“[This] was kind of unexpected. I’m sure they had plenty of inquiries about the opening. I feel fortunate for the opportunity and I’m excited to start another chapter on the tour. Hopefully we can have some good runs next year and do really well.”
The 22-year-old Solomito posted six top 10s across 13 races in his first full-time season to take home top rookie honors on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2014 in the Long Island-based No. 75 Eastport Feeds Chevrolet owned by Wayne Anderson. He has a pole and eight top 10s in 20 career tour starts.
“I really want to thank Wayne Anderson for the opportunity this year, he really put my name on the map,” Solomito said. “Without Wayne this opportunity would have never come about, so I really have to thank him and Eastport Feeds for their support.”
Solomito will join a Flamingo team, under the direction of Sanderson and longtime crew chief Sly Szaban, that has earned two Whelen Modified Tour titles in the last decade: in 2006 with Mike Stefanik and again in 2013 with Preece.
“That puts a lot on the table for me,” Solomito said of expectations that joining a championship-caliber team presents. “I know the team can do it, and I know the equipment can do it, so the main ingredient left is for me to get the job done. It may not be the first year, but that’s the ultimate goal that we’re going to work towards and hopefully we can achieve that.”
By Jason Cunningham, NASCAR