Dan Avery Teams with Ted Christopher in Return to Stafford’s SK Modified® Division for 2010 Season
Stafford Springs, CT — Former Whelen Modified Tour and Stafford Speedway SK Modified® regular Dan Avery has teamed up with Ted Christopher to return to Stafford for the 2010 season. The Avery/Christopher combination is a pairing that can trace its roots all the way back to the very beginning of the SK Modified® division in 1982.
Avery was among the first drivers to field a car in the division, and he won two of the first three SK Modified® events ever run at the track. Avery eventually finished the 1982 season in 6th place in the final points rundown, with Charlie Savage taking home the initial SK Modified® track championship. Among the SK Modified® field was a young driver named Ted Christopher, who was looking to make his way in the SK® ranks. Avery worked with Christopher and helped him to get his car going in the right direction with setups, a favor that Christopher is repaying to Avery this season.
“I helped Teddy out when he first started racing at Stafford,” said Avery. “When he first started, he was a mess, nothing like the Ted Christopher you see today. One day Teddy and Mike came down to my shop and I scaled his car for him and helped him out with how to set the car up. Shortly after I began helping him out, he went out and won his first SK Modified® feature. I was looking around, trying to get back into local racing and I got to talking with Teddy at the end of the 2009 season. Teddy told me that he hadn’t forgotten the help I gave him back then and that he would like to help me out this year in return.”
Avery knows he has a daunting task ahead of him in returning to Stafford’s SK Modified® division. Avery last ran during the 2004 season when he drove on the Whelen Modified Tour, but he will be stepping into a car that has an exceptional history at Stafford in the SK Modified® division.
“The car I will be driving is Teddy’s championship car from 2007,” said Avery. “It’s been five years since I was last in a car, and I think it will take the first couple of weeks just to get used to being back in the saddle again. I’m confident that I can run up front again, but I’m also realistic that it’s going to take a bit of time for me to get back up to speed again. They say its like riding a horse, you just jump back on and go. We’re going to work as teammates, which will be a big benefit for me. Teddy definitely knows how to get around the racetrack and I know that I will have a good car under me. I just have to worry about getting myself back up to speed in order to be competitive every week.”
Avery’s mission to get himself back up to speed begins on Friday, April 23rd with practice for the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend. Avery will qualify the car on Saturday, April 24th and he will make his return to the SK Modified® division on Sunday, April 25th in the first feature event of the 2010 season. Tickets for 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend are now on sale at the Stafford Motor Speedway box office. Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, $38.00 for reserved seats, and free for children ages 5 & under. Tickets are good for admission to the Saturday April 24, and Sunday, April 25 portions of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, with the Friday, April 23 practice session open to the public free of charge.
For more information, or to order Tech-Net Spring Sizzler tickets, please 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