Timmy Solomito Set for Bristol Return
Timmy Solomito of Islip, NY has top 10 finishes in 46% of his 30 starts. The sophomore driver is seventh in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points with one top five and six top tens. He has 4 finishes outside the top 10 in his first season with Flamingo Motorsports. Since the DNF at Monadnock, Solomito had top tens at Stafford and Thompson.
“We’re not really setting the world on fire yet, but just still kind of learning each other, and learning the tracks pretty much,” Solomito said. “It’s been a long road, but little by little I feel like we’re getting there, and we’re getting the cars a little better each time, and I’m getting a little better each time with my experience level. So there’s a good 15-20 cars that can win on any given race, and I feel like we’ve been in that stretch. We just gotta kind of tie it all together.”
“Our points aren’t too bad for considering we had a few pretty bad races. We had Monadnock we got knocked out of. We struggled the first race at Thompson with some issues with tires, and whatnot, and then at Waterford we ended up getting taken out there with a lapped car. But (if) we didn’t have those three bad finishes, I think we’d be in the top five right now in points, but it’s all a part of racing … you move on and go to the next race. We try and run as strong as possible.”
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year finished eighth in his Bristol debut driving for Wayne Anderson.
“We qualified twelfth and finished eighth, and ran anywhere from seventh to twelfth last year. So feeling pretty confident going down here. Just hoping we can pick up on the track really quick. With a new team, it’s like starting all over again. But they obviously have had success here, so hopefully we pick up right where they left off, and run up front, and hopefully have a good outing.”
The progressive banks at Bristol reach 28 degrees on the .533-mile concrete oval.
“You’re so sucked down in the seat and the car just really feels in the track because of how much banking you have. So it kind of makes for a good race. You don’t really realize how fast you’re going until you get sideways or you mess up or something then you realize how fast you’re going. But it’s definitely a really cool place, really racey, puts on a really good race I feel, and I think it’s going to be a good one for the crowd.”
The former regular was back for Old Timers Night at Riverhead (NY) Raceway Saturday. Solomito drove one of Charlie Jarzombek’s former cars. The Hall of Famer from Baiting Hollow, NY dominated at Freeport, Islip, and Riverhead before a fatal crash at Martinsville in 1987.
“It’s always an honor to go there on vintage night and get to drive one of Charlie’s cars. Growing up on the island, there was only one number one, and that was Charlie J. So anytime you get to hang out and get to enjoy your time with Ricky Jarzombek and listen to all his stories, and just to see how competitive he still is at this age. They had the Wilsberg 5 car there, and he wanted me to pass the vintage car all day, and it didn’t matter that we were there just showing them off to the crowd. It mattered how fast we were going. So it’s always good to go out there, and hang out with everybody and get to hear all the stories, and everything that happened back in the day. … You always look to try and be as good as Charlie. He was just a great driver and all the stories you hear about him so it was a great night.”
Barbara and Jim Cromarty, the track owners since 1985, announced the sale of the quarter-mile oval to Eddie and Connie Partridge Saturday. The Cromartys will continue to promote Riverhead the rest of the season.
“The Cromartys did a great job for the many, many years that they ran the race track, and it’s great that Eddie and Connie stepped up, and it’s good to see that racing’s still on Long Island. That was our only place left, and if that would’ve went to a shopping mall I don’t know if it ever would have ever had another one. So pretty cool that the Cromartys turned away box stores and big numbers to keep it a racetrack and deal with the racing people. It just shows you what type of people they are, and it just brings stability to racing back on Long Island. You can (tell) people were afraid to go out, and buy cars, and compete every week cause they didn’t know what the future held for everybody. So I feel like you’ll see an increase in car count. You’ll see an increase in the back gate, and people coming in, and I think all in all it’s a great step in the right direction, and should promote racing here on the island, and hopefully bring a lot more kids back into the sport, and hopefully bring a lot more fans in the stands. That’s the main thing.”
The second visit to Riverhead for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is August 29. Solomito has a pole, two top fives and three top tens in four NWMT starts.
“We’ve gained on it all year long, so it always feels good to go home, go back to see your home track, and compete again. Just really excited to get back there. We had a decent run there the first race of the season. So I think we’re gonna build on that and hopefully be a contender for the win there at the end, and it would be cool to win one in front of the home crowd. You always want to defend your home turf, and it’s always nice going home, and it would be cool to win it under the new ownership, and see what happens. But they definitely have a good setup for that track, so I think if everything comes together, and a little bit of luck on our side I think we can make it happen.”
“We’ve been going out pretty early in most of them too and still qualifying in the top 10, top 5. So I’m very happy with our qualifying effort. If we could just apply that to some of the races. Just mainly the thing is just getting experience. …. So just gaining experience and getting a little bit better with car control, and making some of the moves to pass guys on these other tracks. I think that’s what it’s gonna take, and I think we’re working towards that, and hopefully the end of the year will be strong, and we can pick up some really good finishes at the end.”
Eric Sanderson’s team is supported by RB Enterprises, Diversified Metals, Sanderson MacLeod. The No. 16 car is a Troyer Chassis with Bob Bruneau engine.
Tonight’s Bush’s Beans 150 at Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway is a combination race with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com