Todd Douillard Off to Best Career Start in Stafford Speedway’s SK Light Division
Stafford Springs, CT — Entering his fourth season of SK Light competition at Stafford Motor Speedway, Palmer, MA native Todd Douillard is enjoying the best start to a season. Douillard began the season with a top-5 finish in the NAPA Spring Sizzler® feature event and then he recorded his best career finish of second on May 20 after a thrilling duel with Tony Membrino, Jr. for the victory. Douillard currently sits 4th in the SK Light points standings and both he and his #16 Kopec’s Truck and Auto Service team feel like their first win is right around the corner.
“I think we’re close to that first win,” said Douillard. “I really thought we were going to win the race that night that Tony [Membrino, Jr.] and I were going at it but we ended up finishing second. It’s a great feeling to be right there every week. We have a fast car and we’ve had an opportunity to get a couple wins this season except for getting into a mishap last week. Everyone on the team is real excited and we have a new sponsor on board this season with Marcotte Ford, and they’re real excited too.”
Douillard began his SK Light career in 2013 and he finished his rookie season in 18th place in the points with 2 top-10 finishes. He improved to 13th in 2014 with 1 top-5 and 6 top-10 finishes and he improved his numbers again in 2015 with 1 top-5 and 7 top-10 finishes to place 13th in the points. In only 3 races this season, Douillard has doubled his career tally of top-5 finishes and he says the improvement is simply down to experience.
“I think it’s just down to experience, both with the team working on the car and myself getting more seat time,” said Douillard. “The car has been fast every single time we’ve gone out on the track for practice, qualifying, and the races. Our goal for the rest of the year now is to knock off a couple of wins and try to stay up in the points standings.”
In addition to his ever expanding level of experience, Douillard says that the #16 team has a great car that has all new parts and pieces in it.
“We bought this car from Eric Goodale before the start of 2015 and we kind of rushed through it that winter to put it together,” said Goodale. “This winter, we stripped the car and put it back together and everything was fresh and new in the car. We freshened the motor, the transmission, the rear end, and everything is working well for us.”
Douillard’s great start to the season hit a snag last Friday night as he was caught up in an early race melee that saw him have to park his car early on due to overheating. But he also says he’s ready to come back strong and chase after that first career victory.
“Last week stunk really bad for us because I was just trying to be patient and come up through the field,” said Douillard. “I got hit from behind and I ended up hitting Tony [Membrino] and the sheet metal ended up bending up against the radiator and the motor started running hot, so we had to pull off to save the motor. It was easier for us to lose the battle but not the war and we’ll come back this Friday and try to get that first win.”
Stafford’s SK Lights along with the SK Modifieds®, Late Models, Limited Late Models, and DARE Stocks will join the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this Friday, June 3rd for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125. Tickets for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 are priced at $33.00 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 $35.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Stafford Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.
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