Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Doug Coby to Challenge for SK Modified® Honors in 2013 at Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — After making two starts in the past two seasons at Stafford Motor Speedway in the track’s premier SK Modified® division, reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby will return full-time to the SK Modified® ranks for the 2013 season. Coby will once again team up with car owner Glenn Johnson, who Coby drove for during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. While Coby has a career best finish of 5th in his three full seasons of SK Modified® competition, after winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship last year, Johnson and Coby are hoping for bigger things to come this season at Stafford.
“We really want to go for that championship,” said Johnson. “I’ve been racing at Stafford now for almost 20 years and I don’t have a championship. Doug had an excellent year on the Tour last year and if he can drive just like that this year in the SK, I think we can have a real good chance at winning the championship.”
“Stafford has been one of those things where other than running with Glenn, I never had a deal put together to run a full season,” said Coby. “Glenn has a new Troyer chassis, and I think we have the equipment to go out and have a lot of fun this season. The one thing at Stafford is I’ve always had trouble with consistency. The last time I drove for Glenn, it seemed like we would win one week and then come back the next week and finish 9th with the same setup in the car. I think we’ll be a lot better off this year with the package that Glenn has put together for me.”
In addition to returning to the SK Modified® division, Coby will also be trying to become the first driver in SMS history to win track championships in three different divisions. Coby won the 1998 Late Model and 2000 ProStock track titles, putting him in the company of 7 others who have won track championships in two different divisions at SMS. Ron Narducci and George Janoski both won track titles in the Modified and Sportsman divisions from 1959-1964 when Stafford was still a dirt track. Since the track was paved prior to the 1967 season, Mike Stefanik was a track champion in the Sportsman and Modified divisions, Jerry Marquis was a track champion in the Sportsman and SK Modified® divisions, Tom Rosati was a track champion in the Sportsman and ProStock divisions, and Chuck Docherty and Coby were track champs in the Late Model and ProStock divisions, and most recently, Kevin Gambacorta was a track champion in the DARE Stock and Limited Late Model divisions. Docherty nearly accomplished the triple in 2001 when he finished second to Ted Christopher in the SK Modified® points standings.
“It would be awesome to be the first driver to win championships in three different divisions,” said Coby. “I like racing history and being a part of history, but last year I tried to be the first driver to win all four Tour races at Stafford and we came up short, so I’m not banking on anything. The key will to get the car dialed in quickly and be a contender every Friday night. If you have a couple of bad weeks, your season can be over in May. We have to make sure the car is fast, that’s the first step to staying out of trouble.”
Helping Coby to have a fast car and stay out of trouble will be a hodgepodge of crew members and Coby is excited to get back on the track at Stafford.
“For the crew, we have a combination of guys from Glenn’s #15 and #51 teams and Lou Mattesen’s #20 team,” said Coby. “We have NAPA Tolland and Morrison and Johnson on board, and we’re working on some additional sponsorship stuff. Glenn and all of the guys are hardworking guys and it’s great to be a part of getting Glenn’s car back out on the track at Stafford this year.”
Coby and the #15 Johnson team will begin their quest for a track championship with the 42nd Annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler on April 26-28. Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” may be ordered by calling the Speedway Box Office. Tickets are priced at $38.50 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 $42.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax.
For more information on the 42nd 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