Late Model Points Leader Ryan Posocco Ready to Challenge for Victory in Aug. 19 Late Model 100 at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — With Stafford’s Late Models taking center stage on Friday, August 19th with the 18th Annual Late Model 100, Late Model points leader Ryan Posocco will be looking to add another extra distance title to his resume. Posocco has enjoyed previous success in extra distance events, winning 100 and 150 lap events in 2003 and winning the 100 lap event again in 2006, but he has been shut out from victory lane in the extra distance races since the 2006 victory. Posocco is hungry to once again win the biggest Late Model race of the season and he is also looking to give his #48 Davidson Company team their first win in an extra distance event as well.
“The 100-lapper is one of the big three races that you circle every year along with the Spring Sizzler and Fall Final,” said Posocco. “I really like the longer races, you have time to practice more patience than in a 30-lap race and that fits my driving style. I’ve had a lot of luck earlier in my career in the longer races, but the last couple of years we’ve been off just a bit and we hoping we can change that this year. I don’t think the 48 crew has ever won one of the extra distance races, so it would be extra nice to be able to win this race for everyone on the team.”
Posocco and the #48 team currently occupy the top of the Late Model standings with 1 win, 7 top-5, and 11 top-10 finishes in the first 12 races of the 2011 season, but Posocco says that he and the team have been chasing their car for much of the year.
“We started out pretty fast this season and then we got wrecked and we’ve been struggling with the car,” said Posocco. “The last couple of races the car has been really good and last Friday night the car was the best it’s been all year long. We were turning the fastest laps of anyone on the track last Friday night, but the race went green to checker and we were only able to get up to sixth after starting fourteenth before time ran out. But we’re headed in the right direction with the car and hopefully we can keep that going for the 100-lapper. I have no idea about the points right now, there’s still a lot of racing left to go.”
While Posocco is familiar with success in the longer Late Model races, he and the rest of the Late Model teams face an unknown with the Hoosier tires that Late Model teams have been running this season. While the Late Model 100 will be the first time teams have run the tires longer than 30 laps, the green to checker feature last Friday night could give the teams an idea of where they need to be with the tires for 100 laps.
“It’s going to be newer for everyone with the new tires,” said Posocco. “No one knows what they’ll do over 100 laps. I think the race last Friday night was a good test for everyone, but track position was key in that race. We started 14th and we got caught on the outside for a couple of laps at the start, so I had to fall back a bit. Once we were able to get down, we started picking our way back up to sixth before time ran out. We were one of the quickest cars on the track, but it all came down to if we were going to get a caution or not. The caution never came out, but we’re pretty sure in a 100-lap race there will be a caution or two. If we can go to the front early on, we’ll do that, but if we have ride a bit, we’ll ride it out and see what happens.”
Tickets for the 18th Annual Late Model 100 are priced at $18.00 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 $20.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.
For more information, or to order 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