(Press Release from Stafford Motor Speedway)
Andy Lindeman (3) returns to action at Stafford Motor Speedway with the Mr. Rooter Truck Series as part of the NAPA Spring Sizzler weekend (Photo: Stafford Speedway)
When the Mr. Rooter Truck Series takes the green flag at Stafford Motor Speedway during the track’s 45th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler® weekend on April 23-24, one driver who will be looking forward to the race is Andy Lindeman. The 6-time Truck Series champion who hails from Poestenkill, NY has run all four previous Mr. Rooter Truck Series races at Stafford and has four top-5 finishes in those races, including two second place efforts. Even with all that success he is still in search of a win at Stafford and says a win in the 25-lap feature would be an incredible feat for both he and his #3 Dawson’s Towing team.
“I love Stafford,” said Lindeman. “It’s a very nice facility, especially being the Spring Sizzler® with the all the big boys there, and with the fans it’s a great place to come back to race at. For me, a win would be awesome. We’ve been pretty close at Stafford in the past, I think we have a couple of second place finishes. We’ve been right there but we just haven’t quite been there at the end of the races. With all the history behind Stafford and all the great ones who have won at Stafford, a win would mean a lot to me.”
Lindeman is one of only a select few truck drivers that have started all four Mr. Rooter Truck Series races that have been held at Stafford, with that experience he knows what it will take to put the #3 in NAPA Victory Lane and who he will be have to beat to get there. One of the drivers that he figures he’ll have to beat just so happens to be driving one of Lindeman’s old trucks.
“The setup in my truck seems to work at most of the tracks that we go to, so it’s just a matter of if I have enough horsepower under the hood to get the job done,” said Lindeman. “It’s going to be tough to come from the back at Stafford, especially with the entry list I’ve seen for our race with just about 20 trucks. It’s going to be a large field so I have to do better than I did last year in the heat races to get a good starting spot. If we can get a good starting spot, I think we’ll have a good enough truck to get the job done. Bert [Ouellette], with my old truck, is going to be tough. They have that 151 running very well and have been on a roll.”
When the race nears the end of its 25-lap distance, the action is sure to pick up at the front in the fight for the win as the Mr. Rooter Truck Series has instituted a chase format for determining its 2016 champion, placing a premium on winning races to become eligible to race for the championship at season’s end.
“I like the chase format,” said Lindeman. “It kind of puts us along the same line as what they do for the the Cup Series and it’s definitely going to make guys run that much harder for wins so they can be in the chase. I know I drive a black number 3 and there’s a reputation that comes with that, but I don’t drive like that. I’d rather see everyone go home with their trucks unscathed but we’re going to have to play out the end of the race and see what happens.”
Spring Sizzler action gets underway Friday, April 22 with a practice session for Stafford’s weekly divisions and the Mr. Rooter Trucks. The practice session will be open to the public at no charge. Action continues on Saturday, April 23 with Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and consolation races for Stafford’s weekly divisions, the U.S. Legend Cars, and the Mr. Rooter Trucks. Saturday will wrap up with feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, DARE Stock, Legend Cars, and Mr. Rooter Trucks. Spring Sizzler® action continues on Sunday, April 24 with the NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party from 11am-noon followed by Stafford’s SK Modifieds in a special 45-lap feature and Late Models joining the Whelen Modified Tour in feature action.
Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now at 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 priced at $42.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available. All tickets are good for both Saturday and Sunday admission. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Discount Tickets are available at 57 participating NAPA Auto Parts stores throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. For a full list of the 57 locations, call the speedway office or visit us on the web at www.staffordmotorspeedway.com/participating-napa-auto-parts-stores.
For more information on the 45th Annual NAPA Auto Parts 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.
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