DARE Stock Champion Tony Membrino, Jr. Searching for Sponsorship to Move Up to SK Light Modified Division at SMS
Stafford Springs, CT — Tony Membrino, Jr. fulfilled a lifelong dream during the 2010 season at Stafford Motor Speedway by winning the DARE Stock track championship. Now that Membrino has accomplished his dream of winning a championship at Stafford, he is looking for bigger and better things to add to his racing resume with a move into the track’s SK Light Modified division. But before that can happen, Membrino needs to find some sponsorship.
“Right now, we’re looking for sponsorship,” said Membrino. “I’ve been putting together proposals, brochures, you name it. We’re doing everything we can to try to generate some awareness about our team. The dream scenario for us would be to find enough sponsorship to buy a car and then we could use the money we got from selling our DARE Stock to race the season with. Right now, we’re starting a team from scratch. We have no car or motor and we’re looking to see what’s available and what falls within our budget.”
Membrino and his team were a model of consistency during the 2010 season. Membrino won the season opening CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler event and he led the points standings from the start to season’s end as he scored top-10 finishes in all 21 DARE Stock events with 1 victory and 5 podium finishes. Should Membrino find enough sponsorship to put a car together for the 2011 season, he will be campaigning a different number on the car.
“We’re going to use 44 as our number,” said Membrino. “Whenever you see a purple double zero modified going around the track, people are going to think of Tommy Membrino. I’m looking to establish my own identity in the division and we picked 44 as a tribute to Reggie Ruggiero. Reggie ran a few different car numbers throughout his career, but we liked 44 and Reggie is thrilled with the idea of us using one of his old numbers.”
The 2011 season would mark the initial foray into open wheeled modified racing for Membrino, but he does have some minor experience behind the wheel of an SK Light as well as drivers like Ruggiero and Ed Flemke, Jr. that he can turn to for help.
“I took Steve Greer’s car out once during an open practice,” said Membrino. “I got about 7 laps, I was just starting to drive it in a little deeper and get a good feel for the car when it came off the corner and the motor started sputtering. I thought I broke the car, but it ran out of fuel. My lap times were pretty good and I was feeling pretty comfortable in the car, but I’m sure with being an open wheel car and the extra horsepower versus a DARE Stock there will be a learning curve. I have a lot of good people around me, Eddie and Reggie definitely know how to set up a car for Stafford and we’re hopeful that we can find a sponsor that will allow us to go racing this season.”
Membrino will look to make his SK Light Modified debut at the season opening CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, which is scheduled for April 29-May 1. The SK Lights will be joined by the Whelen Modified Tour as well as Stafford’s other four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office. Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating is priced at $38.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.
For more information, or to order tickets, 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