Stafford Previews 2008 DARE Stock Season
Stafford Springs, CT — The DARE Stock division at Stafford Motor Speedway enters the 2008 season with Norm Sears looking to etch his name into the SMS record books. Sears is the two-time defending DARE Stock track champion and this season he will attempt to join Phil Rondeau and Ryan Posocco as the only drivers to ever win three consecutive track championships at Stafford in any division.
The 2007 season was a season of parity in the DARE Stock division as 15 different drivers reached CARQUEST Victory Lane. The DARE Stock division also featured the tightest point battle of Stafford’s five weekly divisions, with the championship chase coming down to the final lap of the final race of the season. As championship contenders faltered down the stretch, it was Sears and his team that demonstrated a model of consistency, posting top-3 finishes in all but one of the final 8 races leading up to the CARQUEST Fall Final, where a 4th place finish gave Sears the championship.
Jeff Jolly has teamed with Jim Brice, and as both drivers were feature winners last season, they look to form a championship winning caliber team. Carla Botticello, Bill Dunn, Dan Flannery, Jolly and Sears were drivers who won two races last year, with Steve Berardi, Megan Bienkowski, Jim Brice, Dean Casagrande, Matt Chiarizio, Rob Lawrence, Kyle Nosal, Duane Provost, Tom Stirk, and Don Wood all reaching victory lane once. All the winning drivers will return for the 2008 season with the exception of Botticello, who will make the jump up to the Limited Late Model division for the 2008 season.
Stafford Motor Speedway asked several DARE Stock drivers for their thoughts and goals for the upcoming 2008 season:
Melissa Blowers: “I am going to try to make every race this season for my father. I am hoping that he will be there for every race as my crew chief, being diagnosed with cancer. I would also like to get my first feature win this season as well.”
Jim Brice: “I have teamed up with Jeff Jolly this season, so we’re hoping to have good runs. I am going for the championship this season and we’re going to have fun in the process.”
Matt Chiarizio: “I think we are definitely going to have a strong season this year. We changed engine programs this season to T/A engines. Hopefully we are contenders for the points race.”
Matt Davis: “I am not sure what to expect this year, I have a brand new car that is a Ford. My goal would be to finish every race this season.” Dan Flannery: “Basically this season we are going for points. I would like to get a couple of wins this season as well. A top-five finish in the point standings would be great too.”
Barry Fluckiger: “As a car owner we are going to focus on Norm Sears and getting him his third consecutive championship. We are looking to move Norm to a Limited Late Model by the end of the season. We have a new sponsor, Cliff Nelson Motorsports, who has been a big help already. My cousins Chris, Kevin and Norm’s son Brandon have worked so hard on the off-season making changes to the car, that we hope will prevent the shakiness that happened the beginning of last season. The crew has put in so much time and effort to be prepared for the unthinkable this season. The 77 will be on a part time schedule or back up car for Norm Sears and the 90 car a full time schedule focused on Norm.”
Vince Gambacorta: “My goal for this season is to finally win a championship. The past couple of years I have led the points, then the second half of the season I have had bad luck. I would also like to see my son win the championship for the Limited Late Model. That way both my son and I could be standing on the podium during the banquet. I think that would be a sight to see.”
Jesse Hinze: “I just want to do the best that we can do, and I would also like to go for the championship as well.”
Jeff Jolly: “I would like to do what I did last year and that would be to win two races, more if I can. I would like to finally win the Paradiso-Muska Shootout this year, because that’s one race I have not won yet. I’m always going to try to compete for the championship. I have teamed up with Jim Brice this season, so I am looking forward to that. I’m just really looking to have a good season like last year.”
Todd LaPorta: “My main goal this season is to win a race. I would like to run in the top ten every week consistently.”
Duane Provost: “I want to stay in one piece this season, which would be helpful. Stay out of trouble and have some fun.”
Scott Roy: “I would like to be running in the top-ten week in and week out. I would also like to finish the year in the top-ten in the point standings as well.”
Albert Saunders: “I would like to have a consistent season this year. My biggest goal would be to run consistently in the top-ten week in and week out.”
Norm Sears: “I am going for my third championship this year. I want to thank Cliff Nelson Motorsports for coming on board this year and Barry Fluckiger my car owner and Kar Kare Collision for supplying the car.” Robert Thompson: “This season I am looking for at least two wins. A top-ten in the point standings would be great. We had a good year last year staying out of trouble and staying clean, we are looking to do the same this season.”
Don Wood: “Basically I just want to have some fun, stay clean, and out of trouble as well.”
A common theme among the DARE Stock drivers this season is reaching victory lane and a championship or top-10 finish in the points standings. With so many drivers looking to win races, the competition on the track is sure to be intense as drivers will look to occupy the top spot in the points standings at seasons end and keep 2-time defending champion Norm Sears from recording an unprecedented third consecutive track championship.
The DARE Stock drivers will make their 2008 season debut during the 37th Annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. The DARE Stock teams take to the track for the first time on Saturday, April 26 with qualifying heats and then take to the track for their first 15-lap feature event of the 2008 season later in the day.
Tickets for 37th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler presented by CARQUEST are on sale now and can be obtained by calling the speedway office at 860-684-2783 or by stopping by the office in person. Tickets for “The Greatest Race In the History of Spring” are priced at $35.00 for Adult General Admission, $38.00 for Reserved Seating, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult. Parking is available on the speedway grounds FREE of charge, with overnight parking for campers and RVs available.
For more information about the 2008 season at Stafford Motor Speedway, contact the front office at (860) 684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR