NAPA Auto Parts & Stafford Speedway Partnership Enters 6th Season
Stafford Springs, CT — Entering its 6th season, the partnership between Stafford Motor Speedway and NAPA Auto Parts continues to grow. Beginning in 2014, NAPA Auto Parts joined Stafford Speedway’s family of partners serving as the track’s elite corporate sponsor. With the partnership heading into its sixth season, the relationship between NAPA Auto Parts and Stafford has continued to flourish and grow.
When NAPA Auto Parts first signed on to become Stafford Speedway’s Elite Corporate Sponsor in 2014, a group of 43 NAPA Stores partnered with the Connecticut half-mile facility. Now, entering the 2019 season, 70 NAPA stores located throughout New England and New York that have signed on to participate including 44 locations in Connecticut, 14 in Massachusetts, 7 in New York, 4 in Vermont, and 1 in Rhode Island. This gives race fans a wide variety of options to pick up discounted tickets for all NAPA Auto Parts events including the NAPA Spring Sizzler® (April 27-28), NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k (June 28), and NAPA Fall Final Weekend (Sept. 28-29). NAPA tickets include admission to the events as well as a full buffet held prior to the races. In addition to special event tickets, NAPA Auto Parts stores also offer discounted weekly racing vouchers, both buy-one get-one half-off and free kids vouchers. Vouchers can be picked up starting the first week of May at your local participating NAPA store. For a full list of the 70 participating NAPA Auto Parts store locations, please visit www.staffordspeedway.com and click on the “Participating NAPA Stores” link on the homepage menu.
“NAPA and its independent owners are excited to be kicking off our 6th season together with Stafford Motor Speedway”, said Domenic Greco, GM, NAPA Connecticut. “We’re all looking forward to another great year with NAPA’s three title sponsored events and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Track Walk. Stafford Motor Speedway has some of most passionate race fans you’ll find anywhere and we’re honored to have built up a great relationship with them over the past 5 years.”
“Since NAPA Auto Parts joined us as a partner in 2014 they have been an amazing supporter of Stafford Speedway and short track racing,” explained Stafford Speedway General Manager Mark Arute. “Without NAPA we would be unable to host these world-class events. We’re looking forward to another season of big action and are excited to kick it all off at the 48th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler.”
The NAPA SK 5k 100 lap SK Modified event was created the same year NAPA Auto Parts began the partnership with Stafford Speedway and has immediately become a fan and driver favorite. The event has seen 5 of the top drivers in the Northeast win the extra distance 100 lap event including Rowan Pennink (2014), Ryan Preece (2015), Ted Christopher (2016), Chase Dowling (2017), and Ronnie Williams (2018). $167,195 in total awards have been paid to teams over the first 5 editions of the NAPA SK 5k.
New for the 2019 season, NAPA Auto Parts will have a NAPA Tool Shed located in the Stafford paddock area, where they will offer tools and equipment for sale such as jack stands, impact guns, creepers, etc. The NAPA Tool Shed will be open from 3pm-7pm every Friday night with a NAPA Store representative available for questions. NAPA Auto Parts will supply a bonus of $1,000 to the SK Modified® and Late Model Rookies of the Year as well as furnishing a weekly $25 gift card for the Stafford Speedway Lucky Numbers drawing held each Friday night.
Throughout the season Stafford fans are able to interact with NAPA employees showcasing different products offered in store. Along with the product displays NAPA Auto Parts offers giveaways to lucky fans, ranging from RC Cars, tool boxes, gift cards and much more.
NAPA Auto Parts not only focuses on offering great quality parts but also raising money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Throughout the 2019 season, NAPA will be selling tee-shirts, hats, and raffle tickets for great prizes as well as hosting the NAPA Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Track Walk. Last year, NAPA Auto Parts and Stafford Speedway, through the generosity of the race fans, raised $7,000 for the Fund, bringing the 5-year total to over $35,000. The 2019 Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Track Walk will be held on Friday, July 19.
“The Intrepid Fallen Heroes fund is very important to all of us here at NAPA,” explained Greco. “The fund provides support for soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty or are working through PTSD. The annual track walk has been a fun way to raise money for a great cause over the last 5 years. Last season’s walk had an outstanding turnout and we look forward to holding the walk again this summer.”
Thanks to NAPA Auto Parts and NAPA Know How, the 2019 season at Stafford is shaping up to be another banner year with NAPA Auto Parts and their over 70 participating locations throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The NAPA Spring Sizzler® spans 3 days kicking off Friday, April 26th with a full afternoon of practice for Stafford’s weekly divisions. The weekend continues Saturday, April 27 with qualifying for all divisions including group qualifying for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour as well as feature racing for the Vintage All-Stars, Limited Late Models and Street Stocks. New for 2019, the Saturday Street Stock feature will be a 30 lap special event as part of the RMSPCO.com Street Stock Triple Crown. Sizzler® weekend is capped off Sunday, April 28 with the NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party and feature racing for the SK Modifieds®, Late Models, SK Light Modifieds, and finally the NAPA Spring Sizzler® 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now by calling the Speedway Box Office 860-684-2783 or online at www.staffordspeedway.com. Discount NAPA Spring Sizzler® tickets that include access to the NAPA lunch buffet are available at participating NAPA Auto Parts Stores. For a full list of participating locations throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, please call the speedway office or point your web browser to www.staffordmotorspeedway.com/participating-napa-auto-parts-stores
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR