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DOUG COBY
SECURES LFR CHASSIS' FIRST NASCAR
WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR MANUFACTURER CHAMPIONSHIP
2015 Marks Coby’s Debut Year Racing LFR Chassis Modified |
 With
a victory at the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s
(NWMT) final race at Thompson Speedway this past
weekend, Doug Coby, driving for Mike Smeriglio
Racing, not only earned his third championship in
the past four years but also secured LFR Chassis its
first series championship in the company’s first
full season of modified racing. 2015 was Coby’s
first year running an LFR Chassis modified, during
which he secured seven wins, earned six poles and
led 830 laps in 15 points races.
“We knew going into this season that it was all eyes
on this team,” said Rob Fuller, President of LFR
Chassis. “Doug, Phil and Mike really stepped up.
These guys had faith in the LFR brand from the
minute I discussed the idea with Phil two years ago,
and it paid off for us both. We had a lot of
doubters in the beginning to say the least, but in
the end we all persevered and I already can't wait
for next season. I am discussing the 2016 season
with a couple of the larger teams already and I
can't wait to grow the brand in the offseason.”
After switching to LFR Chassis during the
off-season, Coby, a Milford, Conn. native, dominated
the 2015 NWMT season, securing back-to-back
championships in the series. During the year, Coby
swept the four Thompson Speedway races and secured
three additional wins at Monadnock Speedway, New
Hampshire Motor Speedway and Stafford Motor
Speedway. He also earned six pole awards and led 830
laps – 36 percent of all laps ran in the 2015
season.
 “The
numbers and the things we did this year speak to how
strongly LFR Chassis helped us,” said Coby. “We had
six poles and seven wins and that didn't happen last
year. We had the same people and driver as last
year, but switched chassis programs. Making that
change did exactly what we were wanting it to do –
it made our program stronger in every facet of
racing.”
“We had one car from LFR Chassis that won five
races,” Coby continued. “It won all four Thompson
shows. Another car we got from LFR after a wreck at
Bristol earned us two more wins and two poles. From
a driver’s standpoint, it didn't matter which car I
got in. Both felt equally as strong. Phil (Moran,
crew chief) does a great job making sure everything
feels the same in both cars. It's really hard to
pick which car was my favorite when both drove so
similarly and earned us multiple wins.”
This championship also marks the third for Coby’s
crew chief, Phil Moran – his second in a row with
Coby and first using LFR Chassis equipment. Moran
also expressed his gratitude to the LFR team for
their support throughout the year.
“I’d say this championship is more special than the
others because of what we did with switching to LFR
Chassis and spec motors in the off-season,” said
Moran. “It's so hard to win one championship, so
winning back-to-back championships is very special.”
“We were starting from ground zero at the start of
the year – each modified car is so different,” he
continued. “The parts don't fit the other car so
everything was brand new on the car. Rob Fuller and
Ryan Stone helped a lot and made it a pretty easy
transition for us. It was a lot of pressure making
those major changes, but we had a great test run at
Caraway last year in a LFR Chassis and knew we were
going to be fast this year.”
“All of the LFR drivers and teams check in with each
other and share notes. Donny Lia, Jason and Burt
Myers, Ron Silk - everyone is really on the LFR team
- and we are working together to make it grow.”
Additionally, team owner, Mike Smeriglio, had strong
praise for LFR Chassis and what the company did for
his team this year.
“It’s hard to put into words what this second
championship means to me,” explained Smeriglio.
“Last year it really hit me at the banquet when I
saw the No. 2 car in the Hall of Fame, so coming in
this year, knowing what it feels like, it made us
want another championship that much more.”
“The switch to LFR Chassis in the off-season made
our program better,” he continued. “The consistency
we had with three LFR Chassis has been unbelievable
this year. The first chassis we had led to five
wins. The second chassis earned us the pole at New
Hampshire, but then got wrecked beyond repair. The
third chassis then led to back-to-back wins at New
Hampshire and Stafford. We had three chassis all
with the same consistency on the track.”
“In the 2014 season - we had the best driver and
crew chief. In 2015, we had the best driver, best
crew chief and the best car,” Smeriglio stated.
“It really hasn't set in quite yet – the success we
all experienced in our first season,” Fuller
explained when asked about the success. “I have
never been the type to sit back at all. As a matter
of fact, I was talking with Mike this morning about
next year and how to keep getting better as a group.
I'm not naïve enough to think that the other teams
will just sit back and take a blow like the No. 2
car delivered this season, so we plan on working
even harder this winter to continue to develop the
brand.”
“Moving forward, we have two 7-post dates and a K&C
rig date in December to analyze the data collected
from this season,” he continued. “Our Super Late
Models run the same basic suspension components, and
we are constantly learning and experimenting with
those chassis and they are very strong as well.
Being able to correlate the data between the two
chassis is huge from the development standpoint.”
“All the experience in this shop is at the highest
levels of racing and that’s a huge advantage,”
stated Fuller. “We have guys that have developed
shocks, suspension parts, chassis and other key
parts of race cars at the highest levels of the
industry which is something no one else can offer.
All the engineering and design work that goes into
the LFR Chassis is at a whole different level than
most short track teams are accustomed to. You have
to constantly work like someone is trying to beat
you every week to stay ahead, and we are more than
prepared to do just that.”
LFR Chassis is located at 117 Crosslake Park Drive
in Mooresville, N.C. To learn more, call (704)
662-3306 or visit
www.LFRChassis.com.
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Source:
Kayla Darrow /
LFR Chassis
Posted:
October 20, 2015 |
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