Preece on NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler Pole
STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT won the pole for Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler at Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway. Preece led Coors Light Pole Award qualifying with a lap of 17.960 seconds/100.223 mph in the No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine car. Former track champion Woody Pitkat was second at 18.047/99.740.
Rowan Pennink, former Sizzler winner Donny Lia and Justin Bonsignore rounded out the top five. Ted Christopher, Bobby Santos III, Timmy Solomito, Todd Szegedy, and Keith Rocco completed the top 10.
“The car just felt really good,” Preece said. “It was easy to drive. My entire team and my crew chief Tom Grasso and my owners Eddie and Connie Partridge and East West Marine and everybody on this car. It’s really good and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s sizzler. We feel like we have a really good car, not only has speed, but it has longevity and this Troyer TA2 car feels pretty good and I think we’re going to have something for everybody tomorrow.”
The top three qualifiers are searching for their first Sizzler victory. Preece won the Fall Final last season and has won three of the four series events here. NEAR Hall of Famer Ed Flemke, Sr. won the second Spring Sizzler in 1973 for Preece’s grandfather Bobby Judkins.
“To win the Spring Sizzler here and win two in a row at Stafford would be pretty cool.”
NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler weekend continues tomorrow with paddock gates opening at 9:00AM. The main grandstands and ticket booths open at 10:00am. The NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party is from 11:00AM to 12:00PM. Pre-race is 12:15. The 40-lap SK MODIFIED® feature is at 1:00PM followed by the 30-lap Late Model feature and the 200-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour feature.
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com