NWMT: Guerin Excited by Team’s Performance
BJ Guerin’s goals are off to a good start. Guerin is the Product Specialist and Education in Motorsports at Starrett. Starrett’s cars finished first and eleventh at the season opener at Myrtle Beach (SC) Speedway Saturday night. Guerin noted the additional cars in the field after NASCAR merged the Whelen Modified Tours.
The Flamingo Motorsports team coached Solomito on lap times to save tires on the abrasive half mile. Teams were limited to 4 tires. Crashes on a pair of late race restarts eliminated a number of cars. Mitee-Bite Products is an associate sponsor on Solomito’s No. 16. The Roush Yates Engines partner makes clamps.
“A lot of people had great game plans last night and we were fortunate the 16 car had a better game plan than everybody else,” Guerin said.
“We want the 16 car to contend for a championship. That’s the reason we signed ’em. We’re hoping to get Matt Swanson a couple of wins also too. It’d be awesome to have him win his first tour race for Starrett.”
“…I’m not saying there’s a lot of pressure on Timmy to win, but we hope to in October we’re raising that trophy.”
Starrett increased its efforts for 2017 by sponsoring Timmy Solomito and Matt Swanson. The No. 4 was driven by Jimmy Blewett last year with Starrett sponsorship. Starrett is looking to do more offers this year like a 25 percent coupon at some driver autograph sessions.
“We think we got two of the best drivers on the tour right now in our camp. Matt Swanson’s in the Ford driver development stuff so it’s kind of a neat thing. But picking up Timmy in that sponsorship was by far the best move we’ve made.”
Swanson, the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, will be competing in a limited Midget and Super Late Model schedule. Guerin was impressed by the 17-year-old’s radio communications and professionalism.
“Starrett is hoping to help Matt get him to the next level and that’s what we want. His Dad and his crew they’re great people… He’s got all that it takes to go to the next level.”
“We’d like to see him obviously in a truck here pretty soon or maybe an ARCA car. … We’re excited to see where Matt’s gonna go. We’re happy to be a part of it.”
Jim Taylor, the Vice President at Starrett, was key in the company’s motorsports involvement to increase awareness of the brand.
“We have a lot of hard working individuals that work around the world for Starrett and it was just amazing to see those two cars out there. Without our employees, we wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“It’s all of us on the side of that car not just a few people.”
This lifelong fan used to race cars at his grandfather’s junkyard. Guerin followed Tom Carey, Jr. from Enduro racing at Monadnock Speedway to his efforts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He returned to Monadnock five years ago.
He was key in Roush Yates Engines adding Starrett as a Technical Partner in December. The deal came together last year over car trouble at Thompson. David Lewis of Robert Yates Engines helped fix the issue. When Guerin tried to repay the favor, Lewis introduced him to Todd English (vice president, Business Development) and Jeff Clark (Vice President of Sales) from Roush Yates Engines.
Starrett is becoming known in NASCAR, even the likes of Joe Gibbs and Richard Petty.
“We’re looking to get our tools into the market that we really never tapped into before and this is a perfect opportunity for Starrett to get their name out there.”
Guerin is building B2B relationships with teams through the Roush Yates partnership. He met recently with Biagi-DenBeste Racing, Haas F1 Team, Stewart-Haas Racing, and Team Penske.
“They’re trying to get us involved in all aspects of the motorsports. They’re doing their best to try to help promote the Starrett brand.”
Starrett was founded in 1880 in Athol, MA and 800 employees work at their headquarters. The company has 16 manufacturing facilities in the United States, Brazil, China, and Scotland.
For more information visit Starrett.com or follow them on Facebook at Starrett Racing.
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com
https://roushyates.com/2016/12/roush-yates-engines-l-s-starrett-announce-partnership
Starrett.com
Photos by Debbie Horn