Calabrese Racing Indoors Ahead of K&N Debut
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — David Calabrese of Toms River, NJ is optimistic entering tonight’s NAPA Know How Gambler’s Classic at Boardwalk Hall.
“Our car is pretty good right now,” Calabrese said. “…The car was a little tight last night in one of the heat races so we freed it up a little bit and the thing rotates a lot better through the center of the corner. So I think we have a pretty good shot of making the show tonight.”
Calabrese Motorsports will be competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with their own cars and engines. The team sold their Modifieds and purchased new K&N cars. The Mooresville, NC team will use their own cars and engines.
[Jan. 29 Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
[Jan. 30 Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
“We built everything from scratch and everything is all the new style flange. It’s a Ford Fusion so all of our equipment is brand spanking new so we don’t have to worry about nothing, no issues.”
Calabrese’s team has four full-time employees including himself. The K&N program is more involved compared to the Modified. The benefit of his location near major NASCAR teams is new technology. Calabrese’s sponsors are his father’s business Diamondback Towing of Toms River, NJ, and Goodridge fluid transfer products.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will have four tests this season at Columbus, Mobile, New Jersey, and Stafford. The cars will run data acquisition systems for Saturday of the New Smyrna weekend as well.
“There’s just a lot of things that go on when you’ve got a personal test that you can actually do. You don’t have to be rushed by NASCAR. You can … do one lap and pull back in and you don’t lose a whole practice round and you can make an adjustment and go right back out.”
A Modified competitor since age 16, Calabrese will rely on his short track knowledge this season. The Modifieds have more power and tread width than the K&N cars.
“With the K&N car, everything is a lot smoother. You don’t have to get up be up on the wheel 24/7 like a Modified, so and that’s really the way I drive too. I’m not really an overaggressive person.”
A tool Calabrese uses to prepare is the iRacing simulator. He has a three monitor setup at his house with a racing seat and steering wheel.
Two friends that help Calabrese are a pair of series winners. Corey LaJoie, a five-time winner and 2012 runner-up. Brandon McReynolds swept Iowa last year and has an ARCA Racing Series victory as well.
“They all help me out. Everybody is pretty much friendly. If you have a question, they’ll help you out. They’re not just gonna throw you to the wolves … Nobody wants anybody to fail.”
Calabrese competed in the World Karting Association Gold Cup for at least 10 years racing throughout the East Coast, from Florida to Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. With an estimated 20 road courses under his belt, he is looking forward to road racing this year, particularly New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville. The inaugural JUSTDRIVE.com 125 is September 17 and the first NASCAR K&N East race in the Garden State since Ricky Craven won at Flemington in 1991.
Calabrese hopes being a local driver will aid in finding sponsorship for the event. NBC Sports Network broadcasts the races on tape delay.
“The live television stuff’s awesome. It definitely helps about sponsorship. … People get familiar with the face instead of just the name so you get a relationship that way.
Calabrese is still trying to fill his schedule along with a 14 race NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season. Calabrese may be able to find a Modified ride for Speedweeks at New Smyrna (FL) Speedway next month. His primary focus is his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut on February 14. Calabrese wants to race an SK Modified ® or Tour-Type Modified in advance of the Stafford 150 June 17 at Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway. He may run some Modified races at his old stomping grounds, Wall (NJ) Stadium.
“That’s the best part is just going up there just to race everybody I used to race with. It’s just fun.”
Calabrese believes racing a variety of cars helps him learn more.
“Everybody’s learning no matter if it’s Jimmie Johnson. He’s still learning. … If you can go from different cars all the time, your driver spectrum of your abilities broaden.”
Calabrese’s goal is to make it to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is considering running two races in his own equipment at Bristol or Martinsville.
“It will be easier for a smaller team like us to be able to run a short track and be able to run really good. … That’s our next stepping stone eventually. Hopefully, we’ll be able to land a sponsor ’cause we’re always open to sponsorships.”
Calabrese won last year in the Whelen All-American Series Modifieds at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC. He won a KOMA Unwind Modified Madness Series at Coastal Plains Raceway in Jacksonville, NC. He has made 34 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour starts since 2013 with a best finish of third at Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA.
Calabrese raced the All-Star race for Legend Cars at Charlotte. He said the Legends are “a lot of fun to drive.”
Calabrese has a patriotic scheme on his helmet from Off Axis Paint. The Mooresville, NC company has painted Calabrese’s helmets for two years.
“I just want to do a tribute helmet so just gave ’em full reigns of doing whatever he wants to do. The twin towers on the back. It says We the People on the left side cheek. So it’s really like a tribute helmet for the United States of America.”
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com
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