Race Fans Can Get Sneak Preview of 2010 Stafford Speedway Season at 51st Annual Frank Maratta Auto Show Feb. 5-7
Stafford Springs, CT — Race fans can take a sneak preview into the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season at Stafford Motor Speedway during the 51st Annual Frank Maratta Auto Show at the Connecticut Expo Center from Feb. 5-Feb.7. Stafford Motor Speedway will have a booth at the show and featured as part of the booth will be the #13 Hamm’s Welding Dodge Late Model of reigning track champion Jim Peterson.
After a year away from Stafford, Peterson returned to the Late Model division for the 2009 season and posted 2 wins, 12 top-5 and 15 top-10 finishes to take the championship ahead of Ryan Posocco and Dillon Moltz. Fans stopping by the Stafford booth will see the same car that Peterson drove during the 2009 season.
“We’re finishing up putting the lettering on the car and with the exception of the transmission, it’s the exact same car that Jimmy drove to the championship last year,” said Hamm. “I figure why change a winning horse? We have a new car all ready to go, but I’m a little superstitious about getting the new car blues. What we have has been working for us so we’re going to stay with this combination until we can’t race it anymore.”
The track championship was the third career Stafford title for Peterson, but it was the first for Hamm. Hamm’s cars have always found success at Stafford with a host of different drivers, but it wasn’t until last season that Hamm was able to get a championship.
“As a car owner, when you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen to you,” said Hamm. “We have a great group of guys on this team and I couldn’t have won the championship without them. From the crew guys all the way down to the engine builder, they’re all great people to have on your team. The car has always been good and we’ve won races with Tom Butler, Mike Quintiliano, and Mike O’Sullivan, we just never ran a full season to go for the championship. This season was like putting the frosting on the cake for me with the championship. Now that we’ve won a championship, the goal is to defend that championship and win another one this year.”
Peterson will not be the only Stafford driver on hand at the Frank Maratta Auto Show. On Saturday, Feb. 6th, there will be an autograph session from 6pm-7pm featuring the following Stafford drivers: Heather DesRochers, Lauren Cooper, Erica Santos, Adam Skowyra, Peterson, John Kasper, Rick “Bear” Charette, Brian Chapin, Glen Griswold, Woody Pitkat, Glenn Griswold, Mike Christopher, and Mike Christopher, Jr.
The 51st Annual Frank Maratta Auto Show is a three day event running from Friday, Feb. 5th through Sunday, Feb. 7th. The show hours are 5pm-11pm on Friday the 5th, 10am-10pm on Saturday the 6th, and 10am-4pm on Sunday the 7th. Show admission is $15 for Adults, $7.50 for Children Ages 8 through 12, and FREE for children 7 & under.
For more information, visit www.fmautoshow.com. For more information, 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