NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour News & Notes: Stafford
Pennink Heads To NAPA Spring Sizzler Hoping To Keep Hot Streak Going
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 26, 2017) – Rowan Pennink captured the victory in the Icebreaker 150 at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on April 9, helping return the iconic team to Victory Lane for the first time since Ryan Preece won in the car in 2009. Pennink led 109 of the 150 laps at Thompson in route to his win and also led 38 laps in the season-opening race at Myrtle Beach Speedway back on March 18.
His two consecutive top 10 finishes have him sitting second in the championship standings heading into Sunday’s NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway.
Interestingly enough, Preece’s 2009 win came at Stafford and was the second of back-to-back wins in the No. 3. He had also won at New York’s Riverhead Raceway the week before.
Pennink, who is four points behind Myrtle Beach race winner Timmy Solomito in the championship standings, has 12 career top-five finishes at Stafford on the Whelen Modified Tour. He finished third in the Spring Sizzler last year. He also has 18 career features in SK Modified Division, the track’s top NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division, and is the two-time defending division champion.
He’ll have plenty of competition to drink the milk in Victory Lane on Sunday. Four-time champion Doug Coby is looking to bounce back after two rough races to start the season. He has three career Spring Sizzler events, including last season’s dominant performance behind the wheel of his No. 2. In total, he has five career wins at the half-mile oval and has also won the last five Coors Light Pole awards at Stafford.
Solomito comes into the weekend hoping for a third straight top-two finish to start the season, while Ted Christopher returns behind the wheel of the famed No. 00 that the late Joe Brady made famous.
The 46th annual Spring Sizzler 200 also marks the longest race of the season on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which will force teams to think twice when it comes to strategy on pit road.
RACE: SPRING SIZZLER 200
PLACE: Stafford (Conn.) Speedway
DATE: Sunday, April 30
TIME: 3:15 p.m. (approx.)
TRACK: Half-mile slightly banked asphalt oval
2016 Winner: Doug Coby
2016 Polesitter: Doug Coby
Event Schedule: Saturday April 29: Garage opens 8 a.m., Practice 10:45-11:20 a.m. and 12-12:45 p.m., Coors Light Pole Qualifying 2:30 p.m. (approx.)
Twitter: @StaffordSpeedway
Event Hashtag: #SpringSizzler
Track Contact: Scott Running, (860) 684-2783, srunning@staffordspeedway.com
NASCAR IMC Contact: Jason Christley, (386) 547-2469, jchristley@nascar.com
FAST FACTS:
The Race: This marks the third race of the 17-race schedule for the 2017 season. It will be the first of three appearances at the half-mile Stafford Motor Speedway.
The Procedure: The maximum starting field per the entry blank is 33 cars, including provisional. The first 27 cars in the starting field will be determined through the qualifying process, with six provisional positions available. The race is scheduled for 200 laps (100 miles).
The Track: Stafford Motor Speedway has held 122 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races in its history, with the first coming in 1985, won by Richie Evans.
Race Winners: There have been 32 different race winners at Stafford, including Mike Stefanik, who leads all drivers with 20 career wins. Four-time and defending series champion Doug Coby scored the victory in the Spring Sizzler last season.
Pole Winners: There have been 43 different Coors Light Pole Award winners at Stafford, led by Mike Stefanik’s 17. Currently, Ryan Preece holds the one-lap track qualifying record with a time of 17.924 seconds (100.424 mph), which was set back at the 2012 NAPA Spring Sizzler.
NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 Notes:
Szegedy Back at Stafford: The 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion is back full-time this season and he will certainly welcome his return to Stafford. Last season, Szegedy finished second in the Spring Sizzler, but didn’t compete in the other three events. In his career, he has visited Victory Lane four times and finished inside the top five in nearly half of his 53 career starts there.
TC Back With Brady Bunch: For the first time since last May, Ted Christopher is returning to the seat of the famed Brady Bunch No. 00 at Stafford. The former 12-time Stafford winner has finished inside the top 10 in 56% of his starts at the half-mile oval and also is a six-time winner of the Spring Sizzler. Christopher has over 100 career feature wins over all divisions at Stafford, making him the all-time wins leader at the track.
Quick Start For Solomito: After a victory in the season-opening event at Myrtle Beach Speedway, Timmy Solomito finished second in the Icebreaker at Thompson. Coming into the Sizzler, Solomito is looking to start the season with three consecutive finishes inside the top two behind the wheel of his No. 16 Starrett Tools Ford and extend his championship points lead.
Pitkat Returns Home: Behind the wheel of the Goodie Motorsports’ No. 46, Woody Pitkat will return home to Stafford Motor Speedway this weekend. Pitkat, who has one SK Modified championship and two NWMT wins at Stafford, has also won two Late Model titles at the half-mile. His more than 50 career Stafford Whelen All American Series victories show that he knows his way around.
Home Tracks: Stafford NWAAS Season Kicks-Off
Although the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 headlines the weekend, Stafford will have six other divisions competing in feature racing. The NASCAR Whelen All American Series SK Modifieds will compete with a 40 lap feature on Sunday, as Pennink looks to begin his quest at a third straight division title.
Sunday’s racing action will also include the NAPA Pit Party, where fans will have the chance to get down on the surface of the half-mile and meet and greet with some of their favorite drivers before the action begins.
Contact:
Jason Christley
NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications
NWMT Stafford 4/30/17 Schedule
Whelen Modified Tour
DATE TIME EVENT
Saturday, April 29 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration open.
7:15 a.m. Haulers enter.
7:45 a.m. Crew Chief Meeting. (NWMT Hauler)
To follow Random draw. (NWMT Hauler)
8:00 a.m. Garage opens.
8:15 a.m. Inspection begins.
8:15 a.m. Tire Impound opens.
9:00 a.m. Rookie Driver/Spotter Meeting. (NWMT Hauler)
10:15 a.m. Deadline to designate Tires.
10:45 a.m. Release Change Tires from Impound.
10:45 to 11:20 a.m. Practice.
11:20 a.m. Qualifying order determined.
12:00 to 12:45 p.m. Final Practice.
12:45 p.m. Release Qualifying Tires from Impound.
12:55 p.m. Return Change Tires to Impound.
1:00 p.m. Qualifying Inspection begins. (grouped by qualifying order)
2:30 p.m. Qualifying. (2 Laps.) (Fastest 27 cars earn starting positions 1st through 27th.) “Impound Tires”
Immediately following qualifying Return Qualifying Tires to Impound.
4:30 p.m. Garage closes.
Sunday, April 30 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration open.
9:30 a.m. Garage opens.
10:00 a.m. Driver/Crew Chief Meeting. (Series Hauler)
10:00 a.m. Tire Impound opens.
10:30 a.m. Push cars to front straight for Autograph Session.
11:00 to 11:50 a.m. Driver Autograph Session. (On Track)
12:30 p.m. Release Qualifying/Race Tires from Impound.
12:45 p.m. Race Inspection begins.
3:15 p.m. approx. NAPA SPRING SIZZLER 200
NWMT Stafford 4/30/17 Entry List
Whelen Modified Tour
Series: Whelen Modified Tour
PRINTABLE FORMAT (PDF)
CAR DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM OWNER CREW CHIEF
00 Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn. Brad Brady Racing Chevrolet Brian Brady Scott Anderson
01 Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H. Eastern Propane & Oil Chevrolet Kenneth Fifield Glen Billings
2 Doug Coby, Milford, Conn. Mayhew Tools/Dunleavy/AJ Romano Const. Chevrolet Mike Smeriglio III Phil Moran
3 Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet Jan Boehler Greg Fournier
6 Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn. TS Hauler Chevrolet Ed Partridge Jeff Preece
7 Donny Lia, Riverhead, N.Y. Bardahl Chevrolet Tommy Baldwin Tommy Baldwin
11 Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H. LFR Chassis Chevrolet Eddie Harvey Justin Link
15 Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn. 15-40 Connection Chevrolet Rob Fuller Steve Garrepy
16 Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y. Starrett Tools Ford Eric Sanderson Stanley Szaban
17 Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, N.Y. FirstData.com/Clover Chevrolet John Ellwood Jarod Zeltmann
20 Max Zachem, Preston, Conn. MPZ Motorsports/Lu-Macs Chevrolet Ken Zachem Steve Lemay
24 Andrew Krause, Holmdel, N.J. Supreme MFG Co. Chevrolet Clifford Krause John Cooke
26 Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Lakeland Landscaping Supply/TRC Electric Chevrolet Sean McDonald Chad McDonald
33 Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn. Performance Engines/Kendal Oil Ford Wade Cole Richard Rodenbaugh
36 Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y. Sapienza Enterprise Chevrolet Judy Thilberg Tommy Grasso
38 Gary Byington, Unionville, Conn.* Performance Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil Chevrolet Linda Rodenbaugh Robert Bourne
39 Calvin Carroll, Newton, N.J.* Power With Prestige/Cruising With Betty Chevrolet Joe Carroll Joe Carroll
46 Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn. Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet Russell Goodale Doug Ogiejko
48 Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y. Eastport Ford Chevrolet Wayne Anderson Jerry Solomito
51 Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y. Phoenix Communications Inc. Chevrolet Kenneth Massa Danny Laferriere
56 Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y. TBD Toyota Renee Lutz Eric Lutz
58 Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y. GAF Roofing Chevrolet Edgar Goodale Jason Shephard
64 Rob Summers, Manchester, Conn. Hoosier Tire East/Fastrock Electric/Hughes Motors Chevrolet Mike Murphy Ron Yuhas Jr.
76 Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J. John Blewett Inc./TS Haulers/Starrett Tools Chevrolet John Blewett Sr. Robert Ormsbee
77 Gary Putnam, Concord, N.C. Curb Records Chevrolet Mike Curb Donald Tarantino
78 Walter Sutcliffe Jr., East Haven, Conn.* Last Minute Racing Chevrolet Steven Sutclitte Kevin Anderson
82 Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn. Horton Ave. Materials Chevrolet Danny Watts Jr Danny Watts Jr.
85 Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn. Montanari Fuel/Stuarts Automotive/J&R Pre-Cast Chevrolet Robert Katon Don Barker
89 Matt Swanson, Acton, Mass. Starrett Tools Ford John Swanson Ken Barry
92 Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass. Nocella Paving/Airgas Chevrolet Anthony Nocella TBA
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate