Dana DiMatteo Setting the Pace in Legend Cars Return to Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — During the winter months, Stafford Motor Speedway announced that it was bringing Legend Cars racing back to its weekly program for the first time since the 1994 season. With the Legend Cars returning to Stafford’s mini-mile, it raised the question of who would be the car to beat. That question was answered early in the season by Farmington native Dana DiMatteo, who finished second and first in the first two races of the year. Since those first 2 races DiMatteo has gone on to record podium finishes in each of his five starts this season and he holds a 10-point lead over second generation driver Mike Christopher, Jr.
With the Stafford mini-mile being new to everyone, DiMatteo took the opportunity to run at Bethel Speedway in New York to help prepare him for the upcoming season at Stafford. Like the Stafford mini-mile, Bethel is a short track and DiMatteo says that early season racing helped give him an idea of what to expect at Stafford although his performance has come as a bit of a surprise to the #76 Sign Pro / Manafort Bros. / Island Cove Marina team.
“It’s been a little surprising due to the fact that it’s a new track to me, but we’ve had a lot of track time so we’ve gotten used to it,” said DiMatteo. “We ran a couple of short track races at Bethel in New York at the beginning of the year so that’s helped us out a ton. Short track racing is definitely different than say Waterford or other tracks that we race. Waterford is more a track that you need a perfect car to win but Stafford is more of a drivers’ track. The key to running well at Stafford is entering the corners right and having a good line. The week before the LegendStock Race at Bethel we ran 2nd at Stafford and then for the LegendStock Race we qualified 8th out of about 45 or 46 cars. We were passing for 3rd when we got caught up in a tangle that ended our night. It’s one of the biggest races in the northeast and there were a ton of cars from North Carolina and Georgia that showed up. It was a big help getting us prepared for the mini-mile at Stafford.”
In addition to his early season experience, DiMatteo had several other aces up his sleeve in getting himself prepared to race at Stafford. DiMatteo’s car owner is Justin Manafort, who in addition to being DiMatteo’s third cousin, is also a former Legend Car winner on the Stafford mini-mile. Another member of DiMatteo’s team is Jags Palmer, who was also a big winner on the Stafford mini-mile behind the wheel of a Legend Cars machine. DiMatteo says both Manafort and Palmer have been great assets to lean on for information on getting the proper setup for his #76 car. DiMatteo also reveals that his and his brother Cory’s cars used to be driven by Justin and Jon Manafort but the age of the cars hasn’t slowed either of them down this season.
“I talk with Justin and Jon Manafort every week about what we’re going to change on the cars and how to get better,” said DiMatteo. “I think their experience has been an advantage for us. Also Jags Palmer has helped us out a lot and he almost didn’t lose a race back in the day at Stafford. Cory’s car is Justin’s old car and my car is Jon’s old car. One of them is an 18-year old chassis but we don’t have any complaints with how they’re running.”
As the 2014 season enters the second half for the Legend Cars, DiMatteo will be looking to continue his mastery of the mini-mile and continue to post podium finishes. His job will be made a bit tougher by the changing track conditions from the Monster Truck event that Stafford hosted at the end of July. Although DiMatteo says the track has changed, he still has the same focus when he goes out onto the track.
“We just have to finish races, stay out of trouble, keep the nose clean and aim for the top-5 every week,” said DiMatteo. “We went into the season not really looking at the points but now that we’re halfway through the season it’s kind of in the back of your mind. I think the track lost a little grip after the monster trucks, but we hit on a couple of things with the setup. I think the more rubber we put down the track will come back. The grip factor really plays a key part in getting up off the corners and that’s where you can gain or lose a lot of time. I like the track both ways. The last time we raced you could really tell when people were stepping on the throttle and getting the car out from underneath them and that’s where we were able to gain time. Stafford has probably been our favorite track. Not only because we’ve been winning but it’s fun and you really have to get up on the wheel and muscle your way through the field. You’re not depending so much on your race car to get to the front, it’s more in the hands of the drivers. I have to thank all my sponsors for their support this season, J+J Racing, Manafort Bros., Island Cove Marina, Sign Pro, FK Rod Ends, and Team Dropzone TV.”
The Legend Cars can be seen on the Stafford mini-mile 6 more times during the 2014 season. The Legend Cars will race on Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Sept. 5, Sept. 12, Sept. 19, and newly added to the 2014 schedule, they will be part of the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend on Sept. 27-28. With Mike Christopher, Jr. only 10 points behind DiMatteo and Jordan Lamothe 20 points behind, the championship race will be wide open for the final 6 races of the 2014 season.
For more information, 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