Hines Starts Rookie Season at Stafford
Tyler Hines of N. Haven, CT will begin his rookie campaign Sunday in the Chassis Dynamics-Pettit Race Engines No. 94 SK Modified® at Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway. The 2014 SK Light Modified Most Popular Driver won the NAPA Spring Sizzler weekend race last year. Hines had two wins in three seasons in the SK Light Modifieds. The team sold the car after last season and have a new car from Steve Greer with a former Frank Ruocco engine.
“My short-term goal is to finish races early on and get seat time to get acclimated to SK racing,” Hines said. “Long term goal is to battle up front and possibly get a win and try and win Rookie of the Year.”
The Chevrolet Cavalier is owned by his parents George and Christine Hines with George Hines and Mark Cooper handling the crew chief duties. Former SK Modified championship crew chief Stash Butova, Steve Butova, Stan Zunda, Billy Dillon, Sue Weller, Dave Greer, Kevin Pierce, Paul Popielarczyk, his grandfather Butch Hines, and his brother Jake Hines are his crew.
“We knew we needed to get some more sponsors as well for this year to help with the financial part of SK racing. We were also fortunate enough to have some guys join our crew to help out at the shop and the track as well as Muffy (Wayne Wildermuth) joining on to spot for me this year, which will help with my learning curve.”
The team has additional sponsorship to help with the move to Stafford’s premier division. Sunny Side Up Early Care Learning Center, Whalley Chiropractic, AAA Northeast, Leslie’s Jewelers, Trimino Protein Infused Water, Bruneau’s Garage and Robert’s Service Center, Acculift of Berlin, Cordone and Son, DC Rentals, Branford River Marine, Shore Haven Sheet Metal Heating and Cooling of West Haven, Spectro Oil, and the Hartford Junior Wolfpack will be supporting Hines.
Hines won the Lite Modified race on Icebreaker weekend at Thompson (CT) Speedway Motorsports Park.
“It was awesome to start the season off with the win and overall just a fun weekend. It was cool to have the opportunity to run at a different track and I have to thank BAM motorsports, FMR Racing, Mark Alkas and the Alkas family for allowing me to run.”
Hines committed to Western New England University this winter to pursue mechanical engineering and continue hockey. Hines has been on the Hartford Junior Wolfpack for two years. He began at age three and primarily played AAA travel hockey.
Hines’ grandfather Butch Hines raced and he watched Frank Ruocco race at Stafford regularly. He begged his parents to race after watching Frank’s son Jesse race. He started in the Wild Thing Karts at Stafford at age 11 and raced for five years. He was the 2009 Triple Crown champion and finished runner-up in points twice (2009-Junior Outlaw, 2011 Senior Outlaw)
I forgot one sponsor which is Hartford Junior Wolfpack and just a thank you to Spectro Oil and CD (Chassis Dynamics)
Noted sim painter Tracey Hutchens (AKA: Tucknut) of Martinsville, VA designed the paint scheme.
“I picked out what colors I wanted on the car and he came out with the designs and I picked from those. … The car came out really nice. We were really happy with it.”
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com