SK Light Past Champion Provisional added to Stafford SK Modifieds®
Stafford Springs, CT —To mark the 10th season of the SK Light Modified division, Stafford Speedway is announcing a new program for SK Light champions moving into the SK Modified® division. Starting at the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler, an additional provisional starting position will be available to the defending SK Light Modified division champion. The provisional will be available for use three times throughout the entire season under a “use it or lose it” policy.
Defending SK Light Modified Jeremy Sorel will be the first beneficiary in the inaugural year for the program.
“That’s a great program and it’ll be a nice benefit for us if we need to use a provisional spot,” said Sorel. “I’ve been looking at the roster on staffordspeedway.com and it looks like it’s going to be extremely competitive, maybe the best short track racing field anywhere in the country. I want to race against the best because when you run well, it makes it that much more rewarding.”
Sorel will have 3 provisional starting positions available to him throughout the 2015 season. The details of the provisional policy are as follows: If the defending SK Light champion fails to qualify for the SK Modified® field on a given race night a 28th starting position will be added to the standard 27 car field. This provisional will be available for a maximum of 3 time throughout the season and will be held under a “use it or lose it” policy (driver is not able to save the provisional for certain events).
“We want drivers to use the SK Lights as a stepping stone to the SK Modified® division,” explains Director of Racing Operations Tom Fox. “The goal of this program is to do just that; encourage drivers new to the half-mile to begin in the SK Lights while also encouraging the defending champion to move up to the SK Modifieds®.”
The SK Light division has been a proving ground at Stafford since the division’s inception. During the 2014 season SK Light graduates Chase Dowling, Michael Gervais, Jr., Matt Galko, Joey Cipriano, III, Ronnie Williams, Glen Reen, and Tony Membrino, Jr. competed for wins in the SK Modified® division on a weekly basis.
Since its inception at Stafford 10 years ago, the original SK Light Modified mission statement continues to be pertinent to this day.
SK LIGHT MODIFIED MISSION STATEMENT
AN OPEN WHEELED MODIFIED BASED UPON THE SK MODIFIED® FORMAT INTEGRATING RIGID COST CONTROLS. THIS DIVISION WILL PROVIDE A BUDGETED OPEN WHEEL RACING OPPORTUNITY FOR TEENS AND ADULTS SEEKING TO PURSUE AN OPEN WHEELED RACING CAREER.
“We have had many SK Light drivers and teams transition successfully from the SK Lights into not only the SK Modifieds®, but into every form of modified racing in New England with a great amount of success,” said Mark Arute, COO Stafford Motor Speedway. “If you look through the list of 2014 SK Modified® winners you see a handful of young drivers that have moved up from the SK Lights. This program will continue to encourage the modified progression that is one of the pieces that has made the SK racing so impressive the last few years.”
The 10th season of SK Light Modified racing will take the green flag during the running of the 44th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Springs Sizzler on the weekend of April 25-26. Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now at 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 priced at $42.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available. All tickets are good for both Saturday and Sunday admission. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax.
For more information on the 44th Annual NAPA Auto Parts 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