George Summers Recalls Inaugural Spring Sizzler at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — As Stafford Speedway gets ready to host its 40th Annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, we are taking a walk back in time with some of the drivers who were on hand for the very first Sizzler in 1972. This week’s Sizzler spotlight of yesteryear falls on George Summers, who drove the #31 Firebird for car owner Ken Curley. Summers ran well in that Inaugural Sizzler before a failed piston ended his day early.
“I remember we ran pretty darn good in that race,” said Summers. “I don’t know if we had a winning car, but I think we definitely had a top-5 car. We were running up in the top-5 right up until I had a piston failure, which knocked me out of the race. I still have that piston sitting on my desk.” The piston isn’t the only memento that Summers has from that very first Spring Sizzler. “After the race was over, Dick Berggren sent all of the drivers a letter to thank them for coming out,” said Summers. “Along with the letter, he had Dick Armstrong make up medallions for all of the drivers and I still have that medallion today.”
Summers would go onto record a Stafford Modified victory in August of 1972 and he recorded another victory in 1981, but he is most well known for his exploits at Seekonk Speedway. Summers won over 100 feature events at Seekonk and even had a bounty placed on him for any driver who could beat Summers, much like the bounty that was established at Stafford in 1978 for Geoff Bodine. Summers’ racing career spanned 32 very successful years and he ended his career on a winning note, driving Art Barry’s famous #21 to wins at Oxford and Thompson in the final two races of his career in 1983.
The 40th Annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler gets underway Friday, April 29 with a practice session for Stafford’s weekly divisions. The practice session will be open to the public at no charge. The run for the Coors Light Pole position gets underway on Saturday, April 30 with time trials for the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and consolation races for Stafford’s weekly divisions. Saturday will conclude with feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions. The Sizzler concludes on Sunday, May 1 with the CARQUEST Belts and Hose Pit Party followed by Stafford’s SK Modifieds® and Late Models joining the Whelen Modified Tour in feature action.
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 on the 40th annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler®, 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