Spencer Davis to Pilot Hillbilly Modified
Hillbilly Racing Owner David Hill said Monday that Spencer Davis will return to the Coors 21 Means 21 No. 79. The team will pursue a full slate between the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The schedule includes a pair of doubleheader weekends at Langley (VA) and Thompson (CT) in April, and Hickory (NC) and Stafford (CT) in October. Hill plans to have a hauler at both venues and would use another driver to qualify the car at the Whelen Modified Tour races.
Hill estimates a lofty goal of a schedule of races in the “mid 30s.” They will run a partial schedule in the KOMA Unwind Modified Madness Series. The team is working to run the Tri-Track Open Modified Series as well. Davis will return to Lee USA for the Bullring Bash 100. “We’re trying to put plans in place to do the other two (at Monadnock and Seekonk),” Hill said.
The team has a brand new car from NorthEast Race Cars and Brad Lafontaine. Although Troyer has some new designs for 2015, Hill did not purchase one.
“I’m kind of waiting to see how that takes place, how good they are,” Hill said. “I bought one from Brad, the 2014 model. I haven’t raced it yet. just because they’re proven and between me, and Brad Lafontaine, and Chris Kopec we’ll figure out how to make it run really good.”
Hill has reason to be excited about his second season with the Dawsonville, GA driver. He believes a victory is “absolutely” possible.
“I just think this year we’ll catch a whole lot of eyes on just actually how good we’re going to be. I think he’s earned the respect of other fellow drivers and this year I think that will help him.”
In addition to primary sponsor Coors Light, the Hillbilly Racing team will receive support from Le Bleu Water, Overnight Wraps, Core Race Products, and Davis Poultry. Additional sponsors include Pro-System, NorthEast Race Cars, Race Works, and Performance Technology.
Davis has already raced three times in the young season. He won the Zack Donatti Memorial Pro Late Model 50 at New Smyrna (FL) Speedway on January 3. Hill is “real confident” about the 49th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing February 13 – 21. Davis is scheduled to race 20 times in Pro Late Model, Super Late Model and Tour-Type Modified.
“I think we’ll be one of the cars to beat. … The more laps he runs, the better we get and I’ve got to work with him the three races since the Modifieds have been off for the wintertime. I’ve been Super Late Model racing with him and the more we get to work together the better everything continues to gel.
“… The Super Late Model is just like an open wheel Modified. It still has four shocks and springs, and you’ve got to make it turn left and go fast.”
James Civali of Meriden, CT made his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour appearance in three years at the World Series. Although he has not spoken to Civali yet, Hill expects “to try to work a deal with him to run a couple of races.”
The veteran SK Modified and Whelen Modified Tour driver proved an asset to Hill’s operation.
“He really helped Spencer line wise on the racetrack. It just really paid big dividends and it showed at the end of the race. We was seventh and I think Civali was going to be seventh or better. He was going to be right there ’cause they were both in the top ten when Civali got in that wreck there and broke a tie rod. He hasn’t lost anything. Civali’s still got what it takes.”
The 2014 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Rookie of the Year, Davis had two top fives and seven top tens in 14 starts last season.
“The more races that we run the better we got. … Loudon was a struggle, which was the biggest track he’d been on with the draft and all.”
He cited the solid efforts in the limited northern campaign. Davis was tenth at Lee USA’s open competition race. He made four starts on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with a pair of top tens at Thompson.
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com