Reliable Welding and Speed Renews Sponsorship of Stafford Speedway’s Rookie of the Year Award
Stafford Springs, CT — Reliable Welding and Speed continues their partnership with Stafford Motor Speedway as they enter their eighth consecutive year of sponsoring the Rookie of the Year program. Brad and Linda Hietla of Reliable Welding and Speed began sponsoring the Rookie program during the 2002 season. The inaugural recipients of the Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie of the Year titles were Tucker Reynolds, Jr. and Mark Lewis, who received bonuses of $700 and $500 respectively.
“We’re happy to be sponsoring the Rookie of the Year program for another season,” said Linda Hietala, who along with her husband and Stafford SK Modified® driver Brad, own Reliable Welding and Speed, located in Enfield, Connecticut. “We do a lot of business with the competitors at Stafford, and Brad and I like to be able to give something back to the drivers and teams who do business with us on a weekly basis. We’re happy to be able to offer this bonus to the top rookie drivers from Stafford to help them offset some of their racing costs. From looking at the 2009 roster, there are some very good rookies that are signed up. Brad and I are looking forward to an excellent rookie battle and keeping track of who is the leading rookie during the season.”
In 2006 with the addition of the Limited Late Model division to Stafford’s weekly racing program, Reliable Welding and Speed contributed an additional $500 to George Nocera, Jr., who was the inaugural Limited Late Model Rookie of the Year. Reliable Welding and Speed added an additional $500 contribution the next season to the SK Light Modified division, which saw Josh Sylvester win the Rookie of the Year title.
From the 2002 season through the 2006 season, Reliable Welding and Speed awarded $1,200 each season to the Rookie of the Year winners. In 2006, the contribution increased to $1,700 and in 2007 it grew to $2,200, meaning that the Hietalas have paid out nearly $11,000 in Rookie of the Year awards to 19 different drivers since Reliable Welding and Speed began sponsoring the program in 2002.
Since Reliable Welding and Speed began sponsoring the Stafford Rookie of the Year program, several winners have gone on to big accomplishments in the Whelen All-American Series. The 2004 and 2005 SK Modified® Rookies of the Year, Woody Pitkat and Keith Rocco, have been in contention for the Whelen All-American Series National Championship the past two seasons with Rocco winning the SK Modified® track championship this season. The 2006 SK Modified® Rookie of the Year, Rowan Pennink, is now a regular on the Whelen Modified Tour and finished the 2008 season in 8th place in the final WMT points standings.
The Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie of the Year is awarded to the rookie competitor who finishes the highest in the overall points standings in their respective division. To date, Stafford Motor Speedway has received a total of 20 registrations from competitors that are eligible for the Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie Bonus, which includes 6 SK Modified®, 3 Late Model, 6 SK Light Modified, and 5 Limited Late Model competitors.
Each of Stafford Speedway’s four 2009 rookie classes feature an abundance of racing experience at Stafford. The SK Modified® rookie class will feature four SK Light Modified drivers with defending track champion Joe Allegro, Jr., Mark Bakaj, Matt Gallo, and Michael Sweeney. Frank Hirt has driven Pro-4 Modifieds at Stafford, and Brett Gonyaw ran 4 races in the SK Modified® division last season and will once again challenge for the rookie title.
The Late Model division will have former SK Light Modified driver Alan Provost, former DARE Stock driver John Kasper, and the defending Late Model champion from Monadnock, Adam Gray, as its rookie class for the 2009 season.
The 2009 SK Light Modified rookie class features a hodgepodge of racing talent. Chris Drouin, Jr. comes from the SK Modified® division at Waterford Speedbowl, Michael Gervais is a Legends champion from Waterford Speedbowl, Lauren Cooper has DARE Stock and Limited Late Model experience at Stafford, John Montesanto is returning to Stafford after nearly 20 years since he last raced a Late Model at the Connecticut half-mile, John Hanafin comes to Stafford via the Late Model division at Seekonk Speedway, and Steve Greer rounds out the rookie class.
The Limited Late Model rookie class is made up of former DARE Stock competitors Vince Gambacorta, Dan Flannery, and Norm Sears, with Michael Wray, brother of Stafford Late Model driver Dave Wray, and Keith Minchella rounding out the field.
Reliable Welding and Speed is your one-stop shop for all your racing needs.
Reliable Welding and Speed is a stocking distributor and dealer of auto racing parts, high performance parts, driver safety equipment, speed parts, race parts for oval track racing, circle track racing, stock car parts, and drag racing parts. Reliable Welding and Speed stocks race safety equipment, driver restraint systems, pit equipment, racing wheels, racing brakes, racing shocks & springs, aluminum radiators, racing aluminum seats, circle track fuel cells, tire pyrometers, durometers, caster/camber gauges, tire pressure gauges, racing electronic scales, rod ends, race clutches, colored rivets, gauge panels, racing mufflers, racing radios, performance hose & fittings, aluminum and steel tubing & materials and more, and they are always ready to fill your order. Reliable Welding and Speed has their entire product line available for orders online at www.reliableweldingandspeed.com. Reliable Welding and Speed can be contacted at 860-749-3977, and they also have a toll-free order number, 888-225-RACE (7223). Visit or call them today for all your racing needs.
Reliable Welding and Speed can also be found at Stafford every Friday night in the Paddock Area.
For more information on the Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie of the Year program, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway Track Office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR