JEFF MALAVE LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTENDING FOR 2010 SK MODIFIED® TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

February 4, Stafford Springs, CT--- Stafford Motor Speedway SK Modified® competitor Jeff Malave is poised to challenge for the 2010 track championship after a roller coaster ride 2009 season that saw the Manchester native enjoy the highest of highs as well as the lowest of lows.

Malave had a strong beginning to the 2009 season, picking up his first victory at the Connecticut half-mile since the end of the 2004 season in the second race of the year.  Malave stayed in championship contention for much of the year, but poor finishes in four of the final five races dropped him from second in points all the way down to his finishing position of seventh.

“I was really happy with the year we had, it was a great season,” said Malave.  “We had three bad races at the end of the year that dropped us down in the points standings.  We were second for most of the year and we only finished 10 points out of third place.  Those three races at the end of the year is where we lost those points, so we could have easily finished third or second.  Those three races we had a broken transmission, a wreck, and we broke a rocker in the engine.  The funny thing about the night we lost the transmission is we had it out of the car the previous week and it showed no signs of trouble.  We came to the track the next week, we ran practice and a heat race, and still no signs of trouble.  Then we went out for the feature and we lost the tranny.  Some nights, you’d rather be lucky than good and we didn’t have any luck that night.  We have a really good team, it’s always a privilege to drive for The Davidson Company, and I think we have a shot at winning the championship again this year.”

A big boost for Malave and the Davidson team during the 2009 season was the addition of Wendell Kilcollins coming on board as the crew chief.  Before joining the Davidson team, Kilcollins turned the wrenches on the SK Modified® machine of Willie Hardie, guiding him to the bulk of his 13 career wins, including 2 100-lap wins.

“Having Wendell join the team last year was a big help,” said Malave. “Wendell is very smart and he brings a lot of racing knowledge with him.” With the 2009 season behind him, Malave says he is primed for more success when the green flag drops on the 2010 season.

“I’m a racer and I love racing, there isn’t any place that I would rather be than at the track,” says Malave.  “We come to the track every week to win and if we can’t win, we’ll start a new week up and go racing again.  As long as you keep on trying, the wins will come.  Stafford is a tough place to race and the competition is very tough.  There is a great group of drivers at Stafford.  It was just a couple years ago that we were leading the national point standings at one point during the year and I won a track championship at Thompson, so we’ve had success before and I think we’ll have a lot of success again this year and challenge for the championship.”

In addition to his SK Modified® duties at Stafford this season, Malave also has a Modified Racing Series car that he plans on running several times during the 2010 season, including the Inaugural Shark Cycle 100 at Stafford on September 10th.

“We’re going to race some of the Modified Racing Series shows this year, and I’m really looking forward to the race at Stafford in September,” said Malave.  “It’s going to be nice to go to a track where I have a lot of experience compared to some of the other drivers.”

The 2010 SK Modified® season at Stafford Motor Speedway begins on April 23-25 as part of the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend.  Tickets for 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend are now on sale at the Stafford Motor Speedway box office.  Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, $38.00 for reserved seats, and free for children ages 5 & under.  Tickets are good for admission to the Saturday April 24, and Sunday, April 25 portions of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, with the Friday, April 23 practice session open to the public free of charge.

For more information, or to order Tech-Net Spring Sizzler tickets, please contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

VILLAGE SPRINGS WATER CONTINUES PARTERSHIP AS OFFICIAL WATER OF STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY

February 4, Stafford Springs, CT--- Village Springs Water of Willington, CT has signed on to be the Official Water of Stafford Motor Speedway for the 10th consecutive season.  Village Springs joined the SMS Family of Sponsors in 2001 and has been involved at the track every year since.  Village Springs has become a fixture in Stafford’s CARQUEST Victory Lane as the first thing that drivers turn to in order to refresh themselves after the wear and tear of their respective feature events.  Village Springs is the only water that is sold on Stafford Speedway grounds each and every Friday night during the NASCAR racing season.

“We’ve been the official water of Stafford Speedway since 2001 and we are going to continue our sponsorship of the track,” said Sean Cassells, Owner of Village Springs.  “Our sponsorship of Stafford Speedway is something we look forward to doing every year, and we’re looking forward to another great season with Zach Sylvester driving our car.  Stafford Speedway does a great job promoting our product during their events.  Our billboard has been seen on television, and with the track announcing our name every week, customers will usually buy our product when they go into the convenience store to purchase water.  There is a level of brand loyalty that we enjoy being associated with the track.”

Village Springs Distributor is a full service, family owned and operated bottled spring water company serving Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts. Village Spring brings their customers in both the residential and commercial markets the best tasting most refreshing natural spring water possible at a price you can afford and a service you'll love.

Village Springs offers convenient home and office delivery, rental and service of water coolers and other dispensing units, as well as sales of small bottled case products and private labeling.  With Village Springs bottled water, you can enjoy low costs, personalized bottle plans, and no set monthly commitment.  For more information about Village Springs, please visit www.villagespringsdist.com.

For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

JOSH SYLVESTER TEAMS WITH SILBERMAN MOTORSPORTS FOR RUN AT SK MODIFIED® ROOKIE HONORS AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY IN 2010

January 29, Stafford Springs, CT--- Former SK Light Modified Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie of the Year winner Josh Sylvester has teamed up with Don Silberman to take a run at the Stafford Motor Speedway Reliable Welding and Speed SK Modified® Rookie of the Year honors in 2010.  The Silberman car has previously reached victory lane at Stafford with Bo Gunning and was piloted on a part-time schedule during the 2009 season by Fran Siana.

“I put an ad on the classified section of the Stafford website, and I had a ton of good names give me a call about getting into the car,” said Silberman.  “Josh came down to the shop along with his father, his brother Zach, and Sean Cassells, and we had a great meeting.  Josh got along really well with all of the crew guys, so we decided to settle on Josh as our driver.  The whole team is looking forward to working together with Josh, and I think we’re going to have a really great year together.”

“I’m really optimistic that we can do good things together,” said Sylvester. “Bo [Gunning] won with this car 2 years ago and any time you get into a winning car, it gives you confidence.  I’ve always run a Troyer car and Don’ s car is a CD car and the CD cars seem to go really well at Stafford, so it’ s going to be fun to try out a CD car.  Stafford has the best SK Modified® competition, so I’m looking forward getting onto the track.”

Having already won a Rookie of the Year award at Stafford, Sylvester is keen to win a second award, but says that there is some extra motivation for his foray into the SK Modified® ranks in the form of his brother Zach, who drives the #51 Village Springs car owned by Cassells.

“I’d like to run well, finish in the top-5 in points, and win the Rookie of the Year, but I want to beat my brother every week,” said Sylvester.  “There has already been a lot of trash talking between us in the shop and I think that we bring out the best in each other.  I think we both drive a little harder when we’re racing against one another.”

Sylvester made his Stafford SK debut last October for the CARQUEST Fall Final and was running well until a mechanical problem dropped him out of the race, giving him a boost of confidence for his rookie campaign.

“We ran the Fall Final with our own car last year and we were in the top-10after starting like 30th, but we dropped out with a mechanical problem,” said Sylvester.  “The lines you run with an SK Light versus an SK are a little different and there is a definite power difference with the engines. You have to be a little more careful on the throttle with the SK car, but I think I’ll get used to the power difference and find a comfort level pretty quickly.  The drivers are definitely a lot tougher, but we’re excited about the season.”

Sylvester’s car owner also has his sights set on winning the Rookie of the Year title.

“I have never been to a Stafford banquet and we want a reason to attend one, so the Rookie of the Year is our goal for the season,” said Silberman.

The chase for the 2010 Reliable Welding and Speed Rookie of the Year award begins on April 23-25 as part of the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend.  Tickets for 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend are now on sale at the Stafford Motor Speedway box office.  Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, $38.00 for reserved seats, and free for children ages 5 & under.  Tickets are good for admission to the Saturday April 24, and Sunday, April 25 portions of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, with the Friday, April 23 practice session open to the public free of charge.

For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

MATT GALKO JOINS DAVIDSON RACING TEAM; LOOKS TO WIN SK LIGHT MODIFIED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

January 29, Stafford Springs, CT--- A theme that has developed in Stafford Motor Speedway’s SK Light Modified division over the past few seasons has been the size of its rookie classes.  The 2010 season is no exception with 10 rookie drivers signed up and Matt Galko, of Meriden, looks to race his way to the front of that rookie class this season.  Galko has become the newest member of the Davidson Racing Family, and he will pilot the Davidson Company owned #20 SK Light car, taking over the driving duties from Mike Lane.

“With the opening we had for the driver, we were looking for a driver that was local to us,” said car owner Tim Rowe, who is based out of Meriden. “All of our drivers are from Stafford or the Stafford area, and Matt is from Meriden.  Matt is a driver who I had seen in several articles in the local papers by winning races and I got in contact with him and his father and offered him the seat for the 2010 season.”

Galko comes to Stafford with 7 years of experience in the quarter midget ranks at Silver City Speedway and he spent last season in the 270 division at Whip City Speedway, where he finished third in points and took home Rookie of the Year honors.  Galko is looking forward to getting back on asphalt after spending the 2009 season on dirt at Whip City.

“I’m really excited about coming to Stafford this year, I like racing on asphalt better than racing on dirt,” said Galko.  “I’ve wanted to race at Stafford since I was a kid.  My dad and I thought that the modifieds at Stafford were the coolest cars ever and now I’m going to get to drive one thanks to Tim [Rowe] and everyone at the Davidson Racing team.  That was a huge break for me when Tim called us up and said that he had an opening for the driver’s seat.”

Although the 2010 season will be the first time that Galko has sat behind the wheel of a modified type car, he doesn’t lack for confidence and he has set some lofty goals for himself and the Davidson team.

“This will be the first time I’ve ever driven one of these cars, but every car I’ve ever driven has been an open wheel car, so I feel comfortable in an open wheel car,” said Galko.  “I’ve won Rookie of the Year in every division I’ve ever been in, so we’d like to be able to win Rookie of the Year again this season.  I’d also like to be able to get a win this season or at least a top-3 finish and experience what it’s like to be in a podium spot.  We’d ultimately like to set the bar high for ourselves and race for the championship this season, but we’ll have to see how things go.  I don’t want to make any bad moves on the track, but I also don’t want to be riding around in the back.  I want to be competitive and running towards the front of the pack.  I think if we can not wreck the car and if we can be consistent, a top-5 or top-3 finish in the points would be an excellent season for us this year.  I have to thank Tim Rowe from The Davidson Company for putting me in the car, my father and my grandfather for working on the car with me, and all my Davidson teammates.”

Galko will be part of a robust Reliable Welding and Speed rookie class this year in the SK Light division.  Galko joins Mark Trombetta, Brandon Godbout, Shayne Prucker, Mike Parolo, Zack Aszklar, Dylan Liseo, Bill Lucchesi, Jr., Victoria Bergenty, and Joey Cipriano.  The first SK Light Modified feature of the 2010 season will be on Saturday, April 24th as part of the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend.  Tickets for 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend are now on sale at the Stafford Motor Speedway box office.  Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, $38.00 for reserved seats, and free for children ages 5 & under.  Tickets are good for admission to the Saturday April 24, and Sunday, April 25 portions of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, with the Friday, April 23 practice session open to the public free of charge.

For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

TED CHRISTOPHER LOOKS TO KEEP ON WINNING AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY IN 2010

January 29, Stafford Springs, CT--- Ted Christopher heads into the 2010 season at Stafford Motor Speedway as the track’s winningest driver with 107 career victories.  Christopher has amassed 91 SK Modified® wins, 9 Whelen Modified Tour wins, 6 ProStock wins, and one K & N Pro Series East victory at the Connecticut half-mile facility.  Christopher also collected a record 7th SK Modified® track championship last season at Stafford, and he looks to add to his victory total and win another championship not only this year, but in the years to come as well.

“At this point of my career, I like to set marks for myself,” said Christopher.  “The next mark for me is to get to 100 wins with the SK car. The way things go at Stafford, I might get 10 wins this year, or I might get 1 win.  That’s why we race, you just don’t ever know what’s going to happen. I like to win races, and I’d like to win the championship again at Stafford this year.  I might be 52 in number of years, but I don’t feel anywhere near that in mind or body.  I love to race and I love to win.  It would be one thing if I couldn’t get it done anymore, but I know I can still win and be successful, so why should I stop?”

Christopher’s SK Modified® championship season and his 5 wins at Stafford was part of a 2009 season that saw him win 24 different times across 6 different states, making him the top winner in the Northeast and helping to earn the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Richie Evans Northeast Driver of the Year Award for the second time in his career.

“It was a big thing for me to win that award this year,” said Christopher. “It is big because it’s the media who cover racing in this area that vote for the winner and having Richie Evans’ name attached to the award is a true honor for me to win.”

 Christopher will look to repeat the feat of being the top winner in the Northeast with a diverse schedule for the 2010 season.

“I have another pretty aggressive schedule planned,” said Christopher.  “I go to Atlantic City this weekend for the TQ race, then down to New Smyrna for the World Series, I’m going to try to do a couple of Southern Modified Tour races as well as run the Northern schedule, I’m going to run some Modified Racing Series races, and run weekly at Stafford and Thompson.  It was a fun battle last year with Matt Sheppard for the most wins, and I’d like to have the most wins again this year.”

In addition to his driving duties, Christopher helped Lauren Cooper with her SK Light effort this past season and he is branching out this year into the realm of offering his racecars on a rental basis.

“I picked up some of my old cars at auction this year and I’m looking into starting to rent out some of my cars,” said Christopher.  “Dan Avery is renting one of my cars and we have someone else looking at renting a car, and eventually I’ll have a car for my nephew to drive.  The SK Lights are a good stepping-stone to the SK division.  The two cars are not that far off from each other and with the level of competition in the SK division at Stafford, it’s good to have a place for drivers to learn.”

When the green flag drops on the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, Christopher will attempt to put his name into another slot in the Stafford record book.  Christopher has won the last two Spring Sizzlers and he will try to join Maynard Troyer as the only drivers to ever have won the Sizzler three years in a row.  If Christopher is going to win the Sizzler, he will have to do so with a new crew chief in Richie Niemic, but he is confident that they can reach victory lane for the third year in a row.

“The Sizzler is a good race for me, I enjoy racing at the Sizzler, and I’d definitely like to be able to win it again,” said Christopher.  “Richie and I have worked together before and we ran well before Brad [LaFontaine] came on board, so I feel good about our chances at winning the Sizzler this year and going for the championship as well.  We have a great team and I’d really like to get back to the top and win the championship.”

With his busy 2010 schedule, Christopher also has his eyes on Stafford’s newest event, the Inaugural Shark Cycle 100 that will take place on Friday, September 10th.

“I’ve had 3 or 4 guys call me already offering me a ride,” said Christopher. “That race is on a Friday, so I’ll already be at the track and if you were a car owner, why wouldn’t you want to have me in your car at Stafford?  I’m looking forward to that race.”

Christopher will kick off defense of his SK Modified® track championship and go for a third consecutive Sizzler victory on April 23-25 during the 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend.  Tickets for 39th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend are now on sale at the Stafford Motor Speedway box office.  Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, $38.00 for reserved seats, and free for children ages 5 & under.  Tickets are good for admission to the Saturday April 24, and Sunday, April 25 portions of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, with the Friday, April 23 practice session open to the public free of charge.

For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

FAMILY FORD OF ENFIELD TO PROVIDE SECOND SAFETY VEHICLE FOR 2010 NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES SEASON AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY

January 29, Stafford Springs, CT--- Stafford Motor Speedway and Family Ford of Enfield have announced that their partnership will grow for the upcoming 2010 season with Family Ford providing a brand new 2010 F-150 Crew Cab to serve as a second safety vehicle.

The relationship between Stafford Speedway and Family Ford was forged prior to the 2009 season and it was announced in December that the partnership would continue for 2010 with Family Ford providing an all new 2011 Super Duty F-350 to Stafford Speedway.  In addition to the 2011 Super Duty F-350, Family Ford will provide a brand new 2010 F-150 Crew Cab to serve as the track’s safety vehicles for the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season.

“Both trucks are currently being built and they should be ready for delivery to the Speedway in about 6 weeks,” said Mike Moriarty, General Manager of Family Ford.  “Everyone here at the dealership is psyched to have the trucks arrive and deliver them to the track.  We had a great first year with Stafford last season and the partnership gave us a lot of visibility in the area.  We saw an influx of customers in both sales and service coming to us from the Stafford area, and we received a lot of positive feedback from customers who saw our truck at the track last season.  With the level of advertising we do every month with television, radio, and print, this is a very cost effective way for us to get our name out there and we have seen that working with Stafford Speedway has brought customers to us.  We’re going to have both trucks lettered up and install safety lighting on them, and we can’t wait to see them on the track this year.”

“It’s great to have Family Ford coming back with us and increasing their involvement here at the Speedway,” said Mark Arute, Stafford Speedway COO/GM.  “As you look at the racing industry as a whole, there are not very many companies that are putting extra resources into sponsorships.  I think that Family Ford’s increased participation for this season shows that advertising here at Stafford Speedway works and delivers results.”

Family ford is the Number One Volume Ford Dealership in Northern Connecticut and is located on Route 190 in Enfield, CT.  Family Ford is also an authorized Ford Racing parts and service dealer.  Family Ford’s sales hours are Monday thru Thursday 9am- pm, Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, and Sunday 12pm-4pm.  Family Ford prides itself on offering superior sales and service to their valued customers. You can learn more about Family Ford at www.familyfordofenfield.com. Ford is the Official Truck of Stafford Speedway and SMS Safety Team.

For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

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