David Arute Ready to Challenge for SK Light Rookie of the Year at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway’s SK Light Modified division currently has 7 rookie drivers signed up for the 2016 season and one rookie driver who is ready to make his mark on the division is Tolland native David Arute. Arute will join the likes of Sean Foster, D.J. Burnham, Joey Ferrigno, and Norm Sears as drivers who have gotten started at Stafford racing in the Limited Late Model division and then moved up to the SK Modified® or SK Light ranks.
“I’m excited about this new chapter in my racing career,” said Arute. “It’s pretty cool for me to have someone like Todd Owen in my corner, he’s been a great driver coach and mentor to me. We’ve been able to use his garage to work on our cars and we owe Todd a big thanks for all of his help.”
Arute began his career at Stafford in the Wild Thing Karts on Monday nights, racing in the Junior and Senior Outlaw divisions, notching the 2011 Senior Outlaw champion while also participating in his first full season of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing in the DARE Stock division. Arute raced a partial schedule in the DARE Stock division during the 2010 season and a full year in 2011 before moving into the Limited Late Model division for the 2012 season. During his 4 seasons in the Limited Late Model division, Arute posted impressive numbers with 11 victories and three top-3 finishes in the points standings, including a second place finish in 2013, coming up just 2 points shy of the title.
In preparation for his rookie season at Stafford, Arute made 7 starts with his #75 SK Light Modified at the Waterford Speedbowl posting 6 top-10 efforts and a best finish of third. At the conclusion of the 2015 racing season he made his Stafford debut in a modified, finishing 9th at the NAPA Fall Final. Arute says that the experience that he gained last season will be a strong foundation for both he and his crew as they make the transition to the open wheel competition.
“My crew and I are excited to move up to the SK Light Division,” said Arute. “We learned a lot last year with the few races we ran. We think we can be a big threat this year on the podium and battling for wins.”
The last time Arute was a rookie, he finished third in the Rookie of the Year standings behind Josh Wood and Andrew Hayes in the Limited Late Model division. Arute would like for nothing more than to take home 2016 SK Light Rookie of the Year honors at season’s end.
“I am excited to start off another rookie year, hopefully, we can win rookie of the year and even battle for a championship,” said Arute. “I wasn’t able to win rookie of the year in the Limited Late Model division and that is something that both myself and the crew would like to win this season.”
Arute’s #75 will be on display this weekend in the Stafford Motor Speedway booth at the Frank Maratta Auto Show at the Big E in Springfield, MA along with the SK Modified® car of defending track champion Rowan Pennink, the #28 Limited Late Model to be driven by Bryan Narducci, the #12 DARE Stock of Alexandra Fearn, and the #25 Legend Car of Brett Crowther. 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