|
|
|
03/12/2013 |
|
|
DEFENDING
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR CHAMPION DOUG COBY
TO CHALLENGE FOR SK MODIFIED® HONORS IN 2013 AT STAFFORD
|
 After
making two starts in the past two seasons at
Stafford Motor Speedway in the track's premier SK
Modified® division, reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour champion Doug Coby will return full-time to the
SK Modified® ranks for the 2013 season. Coby will
once again team up with car owner Glenn Johnson, who
Coby drove for during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
While Coby has a career best finish of 5th in his
three full seasons of SK Modified® competition,
after winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
championship last year, Johnson and Coby are hoping
for bigger things to come this season at Stafford.
"We really want to go for that championship," said
Johnson. "I've been racing at Stafford now for
almost 20 years and I don't have a championship.
Doug had an excellent year on the Tour last year and
if he can drive just like that this year in the SK,
I think we can have a real good chance at winning
the championship."
"Stafford has been one of those things where other
than running with Glenn, I never had a deal put
together to run a full season," said Coby. "Glenn
has a new Troyer chassis, and I think we have the
equipment to go out and have a lot of fun this
season. The one thing at Stafford is I've always had
trouble with consistency. The last time I drove for
Glenn, it seemed like we would win one week and then
come back the next week and finish 9th with the same
setup in the car. I think we'll be a lot better off
this year with the package that Glenn has put
together for me."
In addition to returning to the SK Modified®
division, Coby will also be trying to become the
first driver in SMS history to win track
championships in three different divisions. Coby won
the 1998 Late Model and 2000 ProStock track titles,
putting him in the company of 7 others who have won
track championships in two different divisions at
SMS. Ron Narducci and George Janoski both won track
titles in the Modified and Sportsman divisions from
1959-1964 when Stafford was still a dirt track.
Since the track was paved prior to the 1967 season,
Mike Stefanik was a track champion in the Sportsman
and Modified divisions, Jerry Marquis was a track
champion in the Sportsman and SK Modified®
divisions, Tom Rosati was a track champion in the
Sportsman and ProStock divisions, and Chuck Docherty
and Coby were track champs in the Late Model and
ProStock divisions, and most recently, Kevin
Gambacorta was a track champion in the DARE Stock
and Limited Late Model divisions. Docherty nearly
accomplished the triple in 2001 when he finished
second to Ted Christopher in the SK Modified® points
standings.
"It would be awesome to be the first driver to win
championships in three different divisions," said
Coby. "I like racing history and being a part of
history, but last year I tried to be the first
driver to win all four Tour races at Stafford and we
came up short, so I'm not banking on anything. The
key will to get the car dialed in quickly and be a
contender every Friday night. If you have a couple
of bad weeks, your season can be over in May. We
have to make sure the car is fast, that's the first
step to staying out of trouble."
Helping Coby to have a fast car and stay out of
trouble will be a hodgepodge of crew members and
Coby is excited to get back on the track at
Stafford.
"For the crew, we have a combination of guys from
Glenn's #15 and #51 teams and Lou Mattesen's #20
team," said Coby. "We have NAPA Tolland and Morrison
and Johnson on board, and we're working on some
additional sponsorship stuff. Glenn and all of the
guys are hardworking guys and it's great to be a
part of getting Glenn's car back out on the track at
Stafford this year."
Coby and the #15 Johnson team will begin their quest
for a track championship with the 42nd Annual
CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler on April 26-28.
Tickets for the "Greatest Race in the History of
Spring" may be ordered by calling the Speedway Box
Office. Tickets are priced at $38.50 for adult
general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages
6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted
free of charge when accompanied by an adult.
Reserved seating is $42.00 for all ages. All ticket
prices include 10% CT Admission Tax.
For more information on the 42nd Annual CARQUEST
Tech-Net Spring Sizzler®, or to order tickets,
contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com. |
|
Source: Scott Running / Stafford Motor Speedway
Posted: March
12, 2013 |
|
|
